Iwan M. Whiteley, «Cataphora and Lack of Clarity in the Book of Revelation», Vol. 21 (2008) 75-90
This article argues that John adopts a lack of clarity as a strategy for communication in the Book of Revelation. This lack of clarity can be identified in his use of the asyndeton, καί, anarthrous nouns and cataphora. His use of cataphora is investigated in three areas; in Revelation 1, in his use of
ἃ δεῖ γενέσθαι and the colours of the horses. The conclusion is that exegetes should not impose readings on passages in Revelation that are, in themselves, inherently unclear. Instead, they should wait until John clarifies his own ambiguity so that the full rhetorical force of the text can be provided.
80 Iwan M. Whiteley
tion†(Matt. 24:34) between the Ascension of Christ (A.D. 30) and the
Fall of Jerusalem to the Romans (A.D. 70)’17. Mounce argues that John
is referring to the end of time.18 Caird says that he is speaking about
the persecution of the church.19 Calaway argues that the Revelation text
details what must soon take place;20 he assumes that Revelation explains
what will happen in the future. Beale notices that Revelation 1:1 is inte-
racting with Daniel 2:28-29, 45. John has adjusted Daniel’s á¼Ï€â€™ εσχάτον
τῶν ἡμεÏῶν to á¼Î½ τάχει. Beale concludes that, ‘John’s substitution of á¼Î½
τάχει implies his expectation that the final tribulation, defeat of evil, and
establishment of the kingdom, which Daniel expected to occur distantly
“in the latter days,†would begin in his own generation, and, indeed, that
it had already begun to happen…’21 This may be possible, but while John
has referred to Daniel, yet he has not explained how he will use the text22.
The phrase appears again in 1:19, ‘Therefore write the things you saw
and the things which are and the things which are about to take place
after these things’23. This sentence has been interpreted in various ways.
Some have sought to connect their meaning to a Hellenistic formula24.
‘Thus in Ovid (Metam. 1.517), Apollo is the revealer of what will be, what
was, and what is; and the famous Isis statute of Sais bore the inscription:
‘I am everything that was, is, and will be’25. By far, the most common sug-
gestion is that John is laying out the structure of the book in the words of
this clause. In this view, ἃ εἶδες is considered to be referring to the vision
in chapter 1, ἃ εἰσίν is considered to be the present state of the churches
as found in chapters 2-3 and ἃ μέλλει γενέσθαι μετὰ ταῦτα is thought to
refer to the future events referred to in chapters 426-2227. However, Swete,
Chilton, The Days, 51; also D. Chilton, Paradise Restored: A Biblical Theology of
17
Dominion (3rd printing; Fort Worth, Tex: Dominion Press, 1987) 112, 115-22.
R. Mounce, The Book of Revelation (NICNT, Michigan: Eerdmans, 1998) 41.
18
G. Caird, The Revelation of St John the Divine (London: Adam & Charles Black,
19
1973) 12.
B. L. Calaway, Revealing the Revelation (London: International Scholars Publications,
20
1998) 85; similarly I. Beckwith, The Apocalypse of John (New York: The Macmillan Com-
pany, 1919) 419.
Beale, The Book, 182.
21
Wilcock’s (Wilcock, I Saw, 32-33) treatment of ἃ δεῖ γενέσθαι is similar to Beale’s,
22
but he acknowledges that its meaning is unclear at this stage.
γÏάψον οὖν ἃ είδες καὶ ἃ είσίν καὶ ἃ μέλλει γενέσθαι μετὰ ταῦτα.
23
E.g. R. G. Hamerton-Kelly, Pre-existence, Wisdom, and the Son of Man (Cambridge:
24
Cambridge University Press, 1973) 270; W. Van Unnik, ‘A Formula Describing Prophecy’
NTS 9 (1963) 91-93.
J. Roloff, The Revelation of John, trans. J. E. Alsup (Minneapolis: Fortress Press,
25
1993) 38.
This initial chapter varies between 4-6 depending on the author.
26
So, R. L. Thomas, Revelation 1-7 an Exegetical Commentary (Chicago: Moody
27
Press, 1992) 115; R. Preston, and A. Hanson. Revelation, the Book of Glory (London: SCM
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