Journal: Journal of the Evangelical Theological Society
Volume: JETS 23:1 (Mar 1980)
Article: Revelation 20 And Pauline Eschatology
Author: Sydney H. T. Page

JETS 23:1 (March 1980) p. 31

Revelation 20 And Pauline Eschatology

Sydney H. T. Page*

The twentieth chapter of the book of Revelation is a veritable battleground of conflicting interpretations. The conventional classification of eschatological systems as premillennial, amillennial and postmillennial gives some indication of the diverse ways in which the chapter has been understood, but there are even wide variations within each of these basic positions. The absence of anything approaching a consensus regarding the meaning of this passage bears eloquent testimony to the difficulties that beset the person who makes it the object of study. In view of the knotty problems presented by the Scriptural text and the divergent interpretations of it that have been proposed, one can readily appreciate the pertinence of Leon Morris’ statement: “It is necessary to approach the chapter with humility and charity.”1 Nowhere is the need for sober exegesis and an irenic spirit greater than when dealing with this controversial passage.

It is the purpose of this study to examine Revelation 20 in the light of Paul’s eschatological teaching in order to see whether the latter can help to clarify our understanding of the former. Paul was unquestionably the most profound theologian of the early Church, and eschatology was at the heart of his theology. His teaching in this area is more extensive than that of the Apocalypse and is generally expressed with greater clarity. This suggests that it may be fruitful to investigate Revelation 20 from the perspective of Paul’s eschatology with the intention of discovering which interpretation of that chapter best accords with his thought.2

Revelation 20 contains a succession of four visions.3 First, John saw Satan

* Sydney Page is associate professor of New Testament at North American Baptist College in Edmonton, Alberta.

JETS 23:1 (March 1980) p. 32

bound and thrown into the abyss where he was to be kept for a thousand years (vv 1–3); second, he saw certain individuals who came to life and reigned with Christ for a thousand years (vv 4–6); third, he saw a climactic battle at the end of the thousand-year period, which resulted in Satan’s being thrown into the lake of fire (vv 7–10); and fourth, he saw the final judgment of the dead (vv You must have a subscription and be logged in to read the entire article.
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