Recapitulation and Chronological Progression in John’s Apocalypse: Towards a New Perspective
Recapitulation and Chronological Progression in John’s Apocalypse: Towards a New Perspective
MARKO JAUHIAINEN
Most critical scholars have adopted some form of recapitulation theory to explain the chronological relationship between the seven seals, trumpets and bowls, but John was more interested in the chronological progression within the last days than is usually acknowledged. The seventh (or sixth) seal does not describe the ‘end’, but ushers in the Day of the Lord, which culminates in the seven bowls. While John does use the technique of recapitulation, he does not do so in the key texts usually adduced in support of the theory.
One of the most intriguing questions in the study of the book of Revelation concerns chronology: do John’s visions more or less represent the chronological order of the end-time events, or is there some other type of relationship between the events he sees? While the so-called futurist approach to Revelation, popularized by books such as The Late Great Planet Earth and the Left Behind series,1 affirms a clear chronological sequence of events, most critical scholars have adopted instead what is known as the recapitulation theory, especially when it comes to the interpretation of the seven seals, trumpets and bowls.2 The purpose of this study is to offer an alternative reading of what is normally seen as the primary evidence for recapitulation and thus challenge the critical consensus.
Read More: http://www.michaelsheiser.com/TheNakedBible/Recapitulation.pdf
