WHO REALLY WROTE THE BOOK OF REVELATION

Christian tradition claims that the apostle John wrote the gospel of John and the book of Revelation.  Neither book reads like the work of a Jewish fisherman. The humble fisherman John of the gospels had nothing to do with it.

John the apostle could not have written the Gospel of John or the Book of Revelation for according to Papias John died tragically at the hands of the Jews very soon after the Church was formed.

The Bible merely mentions James, John's brother, being murdered by the Jews but it is felt that John died with him. Jewish tradition says John died by execution with the sword then. In fairness to the New Testament, it never says that John the apostle had anything to do with New Testament writings. It is tradition and tradition is prone to error that says he wrote a number of New Testament books. The John we have was known as John the Elder not John the Apostle and elder referred to a minister installed by the apostles or their representatives. Irenaeus started the tradition that this man was John the Apostle but it is clear he only guesses it or assumes it.

Jesus hinted that John would die a martyr’s death.

The Syria Martyrology from 344 AD says that Jesus was a martyr and then Stephen and then Simon and Paul and then James and John.

The First Book of Enoch though mentioned only once in the Bible is the biggest ever influence on the New Testament and was deployed in creating the Book of Revelation.  It could be argued that a real apostle or prophet does not need to plagiarise. 

The Revelation never mentions Jesus being a man or human being or any historical details and merely says he died and rose. Jesus is portrayed as the violent Jewish messiah of first century lore. Jesus is a warlord. He even wears clothes that are covered with the blood of the victims (Revelation 19:13). Jesus has saints who gloat and celebrate so presumably he is as bad and they are inspired by him. The Book of Revelation says that God will send an army of 200 million to kill one third of the human race.

There is thought to be some evidence that the Revelation was written by the heretic Cerinthus who according to Caius in 325 AD pretended to have revelations from a great apostle and died about visions from angels and said that the kingdom will be set up on earth and Jerusalem will be a hedonist paradise. But though that information fits Revelation it could fit other revelation claims too. There is nothing definite to link it with Revelation. No list of Bible books from 350 to 400 AD influences revelation and it was St Athanasius who seems to have pleaded its cause. One interesting match is how the Revelation is given to an angel to give to John and is not directly from Jesus.

Revelation promises salvation only to Jews contradicting the writings of Paul who said that both Jew and non-Jew will get to Heaven easily. The Jews will even reign over the world for 1000 years. He gives a list of the tribes that the chosen will be selected from and curiously has Joseph and Levi when he should have Dan and Ephraim. That was a major error. No proper Jew could make such a blunder.  The mention of Levi indicates that the Jewish priesthood was expected to be in force.  There was no tribe of Joseph.

Revelation asks for special treatment and considers itself to be of great importance as if other Bible books did not matter as much. It warns that not a word of it is to be tampered with under threat of great supernatural danger. And the irony is the book is riddled with bad grammar and dreadful Greek. It needs a lot of fixing and part of the reason it is so hard to interpret is because of the poor writing. It definitely says it ramblings will come true soon tachu and that always means literally soon.

They didn't.  The book has nothing to do with the apostles and is not divinely inspired.