The Book of Revelation and its Eastern Commentators
Making the New Testament in the Early Christian World

The first examination of the formation of the New Testament as a Greco-Roman legal document known as a 'testament.'

Thomas Schmidt (Author)

9781316519363, Cambridge University Press

Hardback, published 9 September 2021

300 pages
23.6 x 15.8 x 2.2 cm, 0.538 kg

In this volume, T.C. Schmidt offers a new perspective on the formation of the New Testament by examining it simply as a Greco-Roman 'testament', a legal document of great authority in the ancient world. His work considers previously unexamined parallels between Greco-Roman juristic standards and the authorization of Christianity's holy texts. Recapitulating how Greco-Roman testaments were created and certified, he argues that the book of Revelation possessed many testamentary characteristics that were crucial for lending validity to the New Testament. Even so, Schmidt shows how Revelation fell out of favor amongst most Eastern Christian communities for over a thousand years until commentators rehabilitated its status and reintegrated it into the New Testament. Schmidt uncovers why so many Eastern churches neglected Revelation during this period, and then draws from Greco-Roman legal practice to describe how Eastern commentators successfully argued for Revelation's inclusion in the New Testaments of their Churches.

Abbreviations
Introduction
1. The Testamentary Standard of Consistency
2. The Testamentary Standard of Integrity
3. The Testamentary Standard of Profundity
Conclusion
Appendix: A Survey of Revelation's Reception
Bibliography: Commentators
General Bibliography
Index.

Subject Areas: Sacred texts [HRLC], Theology [HRLB], Christian worship, rites & ceremonies [HRCR], Biblical commentaries [HRCG1], Biblical studies & exegesis [HRCG], Religion: general [HRA], Religion & beliefs [HR]