Is Revelation, with its strangeness and idiosyncratic theology, a legitimate expression of the gospel? To this question, raised by the book's conflicting history of influence, Jurgen Roloff is able to answer yes. Viewing Revelation as a lively interaction between the author and concrete communities of faith, Roloff maintains that the book's epistolary framework is the chief starting point for interpreting its prophetic message and bizarre apocalyptic images. After an informative introduction that focuses on the book's literary characteristics, historical context, and interpretive problems, Roloff explores each successive unit of the text under the following headings: text: fresh translation; form: literary Gattung, structure, and function; and commentary: verse-by-verse discussion of the text in its original context. The commentary also includes several helpful excursuses that explore specific issues related to a particular unit of the text.
