Seeing Things John's Way: The Rhetoric of the Book of Revelation

Seeing Things John's Way: The Rhetoric of the Book of Revelation

The emotionally evocative power of the book of Revelation has been often noted and experienced by interpreters, but until now it has never been systematically explored. The strange visions of the book of Revelation provide some of the most difficult passages of the New Testament, yet Christians have long been fascinated by its power and provocative pronouncements. David deSilva analyzes how the book argues and persuades us to see the world through the eyes of John, and suggests that the study of ancient rhetoric is particularly valuable in understanding the book of Revelation. deSilva interprets the book of Revelation as a rhetorical and communicative strategy to persuade a particular audience for specific goals. Throughout this analysis, he pursues John's construction of his own authority, John's use of emotion and logic, and his attempt to shape the formation of the reader. Despite the complexities of Revelation, deSilva has produced a remarkably clear text sure to cause readers to rethink their view of Revelation. "This book is a clear, well-written analysis of Revelation that would be an excellent resource for use in the classroom or for private study." -- Mitchell Reddish, Interpretation "deSilva's manuscript certainly complements a range of contemporary biblical scholars who present Revelation as a subversive critique of empire that inspires ancient and contemporary ethics of critical distance from oppressive imperial practices." -- Jacqueline Hidalgo, Biblical Interpretation David A. deSilva (Ph.D., Emory University) is Trustees' Distinguished Professor of New Testament and Greek at Ashland Theological Seminary in Ohio and an ordained elder in the Florida Conference of the United Methodist Church.  He is the author of over twenty books, including The Jewish Teachers of Jesus, James, and Jude: What Earliest Christianity Learned from the Apocrypha and Pseudepigrapha (2012), Global Readings: A Sri Lankan Commentary on Paul's Letter to the Galatians (2011), An Introduction to the New Testament: Contexts, Methods & Ministry Formation (2004), Introducing the Apocrypha: Message, Context, and Significance (2002), and Sacramental Life: Spiritual Formation through the Book of Common Prayer (2008), as well as over one hundred journal articles and contributions to reference works and collections of essays.