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The book of Revelation contains passages of great beauty and comfort, as well as passages that strike the casual reader as bizarre, bewildering, and sometimes frightening.
How are readers today to discern God’s message in this peculiar part of the Bible? Breaking the Code provides a trustworthy guide to the rich symbolism of this important biblical book.
Noted biblical scholar Bruce M. Metzger presents the fruits of solid scholarship in a nonacademic style. Breaking the Code serves as a key for understanding this powerful and puzzling book from the first century of the Christian Era.
Bruce M. Metzger is George L.
Collard Professor of New Testament Language and Literature, Emeritus, at Princeton Theological
Seminary. He was chair of the New Revised Standard Version (NRSV) translation committee and is the author of numerous books and articles.
Anonymous
Posted February 22, 2010
The Book of Revelation from the New Testament is, at best, enigmatic, and often frightening. Many readers are put off by its apocolyptic visions and are puzzled or stupefied by its imagery. Bruce M. Metzger manages with clarity and accuracy to demystify much of this puzzling work. In addition to clarifying the rich symbolism, he manages to take away some of the "fear factor" which one frequently encounters when reading this book. At the same time, he doesn't preach; he simply states in clear terms, an acceptable explanation and interpretation of this intriguing set of "prophetic visions."
As chair of the New Revised Standard Version (NRSV) translation committee of the Bible, he could easily have chosen to give an expansive and footnote filled explication of the text. Instead, he presents in straightforward language a commentary designed for the average layperson. Is is the kind of work which can be read by scholars, or by "the uninitiated." Perhaps, it may even clarify some of the debates which often surround this section of the New Testament. It may, perhaps, cause some to rethink their positions or at least bring them into clearer focus.
This short volume is both informative, edifying, and inspirational. It's easily worth both the price and the reading.
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful.
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Overview
The book of Revelation contains passages of great beauty and comfort, as well as passages that strike the casual reader as bizarre, bewildering, and sometimes frightening.
How are readers today to discern God’s message in this peculiar part of the Bible? Breaking the Code provides a trustworthy guide to the rich symbolism of this important biblical book.
Noted biblical scholar Bruce M. Metzger presents the ...