Breaking the Code Revised Edition: Understanding the Book of Revelation

The first thing one must admit in reviewing one of Metzger's work is that next to no one is qualified to review one of Metzger's works. One of the most noted biblical scholars of a century, it's unlikely that any casual reader can take aim at him. That said, the book is written for the casual reader, and in that sense is very accessible and unintimidating. There are even points at which, for the scholar or preacher, one might wish he would go into more detail concerning the first century context. The details of the eruption of Vesuvius and the threat of the Parthians are eye-opening, but Metzger gives them each only a passing notice. Nontheless, for an introduction to the Book of Revelation from the perspective of one who is not anticipating a literal, science-fiction fulfillment of the book in the future, this is a perfect read. What is strongest about the book is that Metzger unpacks some of the most significant images of the text: the beast, the prostitute, the dragon and the lamb. He shows the first-century implications for the Roman Empire and lets us into the heart of one of Jesus' disciples, comforting a persecuted congregation. He interprets the symbols the way apocalyptic literature should be interpreted, as cosmic projections of present-day events. And all of this is done within the realm of Christian orthodoxy. In the end, it's a solid, reliable, insightful, brief book by a humble and talented scholar.

Are you intimidated by the book of Revelation? Are you confused by the many views people hold about this amazing book? Looking for a book that will help you understand what John saw and what his readers would have understood in the late first-century? If you are, then this book is for you. Metzger makes sense of this special book we call Revelation. From the beginning Metzger claims that this book has been mistreated by two extreme views: those who concentrate all of their study on this one book and those who are fearful to even attempt to read and interpret it. Many have carelessly ignored the literary genre in which it was written... that being apocalyptic literature. This little book works much like a commentary. It is easy to read as it is primarily a guide to understanding the "Code" or symbols John uses in this type of literature. I highly recommend this book to those who are concerned with the historical-grammatical approach to studying and interpreting the Scriptures. It is a wonderful book to use in a small Bible study group. (You can also purchase a video and a leaders guide) I have used this in a small group. My class loved it! It is no secret that Metzger's book is for the common man. Meaning: those who have not spent their entire lives at school, do not have knowledge of Greek, nor have had the opportunity to study theology in an educational institution. Metzger has the common man in mind. I have had the privilege to do these things... yet I find this book to be a great little resource when doing introductory study on the book of Revelation. There are plenty of books on the market for those who want to further explore the first-century world of John to our modern day. This book is for those who want a historical approach to the book. It is plain and simple. And this is what Metzger wanted to accomplish. Get this book and learn of the great hope that Revelation presents to those who are called "the overcomers!"

Breaking the Code makes for an excellent introduction and study guide to the Book of Revelation, a book that many Christians sometimes neglect, finding it too confusing or difficult to understand. Metzger is a noted Biblical scholar, but he wrote this book with the nontheological layman in mind, taking the reader step-by-step through the sections of the Book of Revelation, explaining each passage in a clearly understandable manner. He goes to great lengths to point out the beauty of the writing and the many blessings that God will bestow upon the faithful as the waves of tribulation break upon the corrupt earth. The most striking piece of advice Metzger gives to the reader is this: the Book of Revelation does not mean what it says - it means what it means. By this, he means that the visions of John should not be taken literally - his description of Jesus, the dragon, the beasts, the Four Horsemen, the new Jerusalem, etc. Rather, such images are to be interpreted symbolically. Metzger puts great emphasis on the symbolic language that John uses, and in so doing he does a fabulous job of linking the content of Revelation to a myriad of Old Testament sources. He explains the numbers that keep appearing in the visions, such as seven and twelve, as representative of completeness. Another such number is 144,000 which is said to represent the saints in heaven - this particular reference has caused discord in the past, as some persons and groups, such as Jehovah's Witnesses, have interpreted this as the maximum number of people who will gain access to heaven, but Metzger argues that the number is used to represent all of those who remain faithful. In a similar vein, the seven churches mentioned early in the Book are meant to represent all churches - then and now. Metzger makes many important points in these pages. He tells us, for example, not to expect the foretold events to happen in the order they appear in the Book itself. In this regard, he does an excellent job of demonstrating how later parts of the Book reinforce and present anew, from a fresh angle, information about events already described. He also does a good job distinguishing between information intended for John's contemporaries and prophecies concerning the Last Days. In the same vein, Metzger follows in the footsteps of John himself by stopping at appointed times to extol the infinite love of God and to reassure believers of God's promise to protect them from the horrible events that will define the final days of the world. While many consider Revelation almost incomprehensible and disorganized, Metzger clearly proves that the book is built upon a solid, noticeably logical structure. While he does greatly expound upon the symbolic nature of the visions, Metzger does not go into great detail about some of the more fascinating images the Book conjures up. Nor does he bog himself down in theological detail. When he gets to Revelation 20 and the thousand-year reign descri

In recent years there has been a renewed interest in the Book of Revelation, not only as a divinely inspired message to the Church of Jesus Christ filled with words of comfort and beauty, but also (in some circles) as a predictor of the events, sequence and date of the end times. The mistaken idea that Revelation is a sort of Cook's Tour to the last days of the earth has entered into the popular culture in such a way that the actual portent of the book has been partially or even totally obscured by creative writers. As a helpful corrective it is always good to ask, "What have Christians for the better part of 2000 years believed about Revelation?" When we seek for answers, we cannot have a better guide than Bruce Metzger, who is an internationally acclaimed New Testament scholar and who has taught for many years at Princeton Theological Seminary. Dr. Metzger is also the chairman of the New Revised Standard Version (of the Bible) Translation Committee. With all of his academic credentials, you might think, "Oh dear this is going to be a dry book." But that is not the case. Dr. Metzger has written a book that is easily understood, targeted not for the professional theologian but rather for the general reader. While some books about Revelation err on the side of rigid timetables and several quotations from the first chapter may serve to illustrate Dr. Metzger's approach. He says, "The book of Revelation is unique in appealing primarily to our imagination... Many of the details of the pictures are intended to contribute to the total impression, and are not to be isolated and interpreted with wooden literalism." (page 11). Such a statement shows the reader the straightforward and sensible approach Dr. Metzger utilizes throughout the study. The reader is indebted to Dr. Metzger for insights that help make the Book of Revelation less of a mystery and more of an inspiration. He reminds us that people are represented by animals, that historical events are portrayed in terms of natural phenomena and that colors and numbers have a coded or secret meaning. The key to understanding Revelation comes not only in breaking the code for which all of these things stand, but also, in Dr. Metzger's words, remembering that: "such features in the books should make us wary of turning Revelation into a kind of almanac or time chart of the last days based on the sequence of visions that John experienced." (Page 19). It serves as a corrective, both for those who have avoided Revelation, and for those who focus all of their Biblical attention upon it. There is a leader's guide in the back of the book which is very helpful to the reader, whether or not the book is being used in a Bible Study Class. If you find this review helpful you might want to read some of my other reviews, including those on subjects ranging from biography to architecture, as well as religion and fiction.

I read Metzger's book while preparing to lead a study group on the Book of Revelation. I found the author, who is well-known and well-respected among biblical scholars using the historical-critical method, to be much more pastoral than usual. He not only uses great research, as one would expect, but uses it in a style of understanding the meaning of the text and offering insights into how we can apply the theology of John today. The book is clearly not intended for scholarly use, but is perfect for the main study text of a bible study. Well done and inexpensive.