Why did John write the Book of Revelation?

Answer 1

To offer comfort & support for the early Christians while they were undergoing persecution.

ANOTHER ANSWER:

To be clear regarding the various books of The Bible... of which Revelation is one:

"Every Scripture IS INSPIRED BY GOD..." (II Tim.3:16 WEY Weymouth's New Testament).

Therefore it should be recognized that neither John nor any other MAN authored the books of the Bible in the sense that "it was according to their will or design or initiative." The book of Revelation, especially, makes this abundantly clear from the start for anyone who cares to "believe" the Words written therein:

"The REVELATION GIVEN BY JESUS CHRIST, which God [the Father] granted Him, thatHE [Jesus Christ] might MAKE KNOWN TO HIS SERVANTS certain events which must shortly come to pass: HE [Jesus Christ] SENT HIS ANGEL and COMMUNICATED IT TO HIS SERVANT JOHN. This is the John who taught the Truth concerning the Word of God and the Truth TOLD TO US BY JESUS CHRIST - a FAITHFUL ACCOUNT of WHAT HE HAD SEEN." (Rev.1:1-2 WEY)

So, John didn't suddenly decide for himself that it was time to write down what he did for some personal reason or other. He wrote what his LORD, Commander and King communicated to him to record and report FOR ALL THE REST OF GOD'S SERVANTS [slaves] throughout the ensuing generations, until Christ returns [which is the REAL message of the book -- THE DAY OF CHRIST'S RETURN. See the final chapters; 19, 20, 21 & 22 to see how the book, and God's Plan, ends: with a wrapping up of God's old plan with {Judgment Day}, and THE BEGINNING OF A NEW ONE; starting with new heavens, a New Earth... and the Holy City, New Jerusalem -- Rev.21:1-2].

"...'I AM re-creating all things.'..." (Rev.21:5 WEY).

"...'Yes, I AM coming quickly.' Amen. Come, LORD Jesus." (Rev.22:20 WEY)

Revelation and the other books of the Bible are the Words of Jesus Christ, the WORD of God, His Father -- who has always commanded Him what to SAY:

"...the Father hath not left Me alone; for I do always those things that PLEASE HIM." (John 8:29 KJV)

"...for ALL THINGS that I HAVE HEARD OF MY FATHER I HAVE MADE KNOWN UNTO YOU." (John 15:15 KJV)

"...'He who sent Me is True, and the things WHICH I HAVE HEARD FROM HIM are those which I have come into the world TO SPEAK.' They did not perceive that He was speaking to them OF THE FATHER... Of Myself I DO NOTHING; but AS THE FATHER HAS TAUGHT ME, SO I SPEAK.'" (John 8:26-28 WEY)

So, John "recorded in the book of Jesus' Revelation" what Jesus Christ showed him in his VISION. He "wrote down" what he saw and was TOLD to write.

"...'WRITE DOWN THESE WORDS, for they are TRUSTWORTHY and TRUE.'" (Rev.21:5 WEY)

"...I SAW in the right hand of Him that sat on the throne..." (Rev.5:1 KJV)

"...I SAW a strong angel..." (verse 2).

"...I SAW when the Lamb opened of the seals, and I HEARD..." (Rev.6:1).

"...I SAW four angels..." (Rev.7:1).

"...I SAW thrones..." (Rev.20:4).

"...I SAW a New Heaven and a New Earth..." (Rev.21:1).

John "wrote down the things that he saw" in his VISION as Christ's angel commanded him to do. And the things he saw and recorded in "Jesus' Revelation" are the things God wants His servants to KNOW ABOUT, that are GOING TO HAPPEN on earth, mostly, before Christ returns... but also to know that this world [this present age] isn't all there is. But that there is MORE TO COME after the Day of Judgment; the Last Great Day of God's present plan.

"He that overcometh shall INHERIT ALL THINGS [the universe]; and I WILL BE HIS GOD, and HE SHALL BE MY SON." (Rev.21:7)

"...WE ARE GOD's CHILDREN. And since we are His Children, WE WILL SHARE HIS TREASURES - for EVERYTHING GOD GIVES HIS SON, CHRIST [the whole universe - see Heb.1:2], IS OURS, TOO. But if we are to share His Glory, we must also SHARE HIS SUFFERING." (Rom.8:16-17 NLT New Living Translation)

Answer 2

Because the Gospel of John differs so much from the synoptic gospels (Matthew, Mark and Luke), some conservative scholars once thought that the purpose of the Gospel was to correct errors that John found in the other gospels.

However, most modern scholars recognise that the gospels were not written by eyewitnesses to the life of Jesus. There is clear evidence that John's Gospel was based in Luke's Gospel, which in turn was substantially sourced from Mark's Gospel. Whatever the reason for John's Gospel, it was not that the author wanted to correct errors in the other gospels.

Elaine Pagels points out two interesting objectives in John's Gospel. The Gospel compares Peter unfavourably with 'the disciple whom Jesus loved', and it may have been intended to counteract a developing tendency to worship or venerate Peter to excess.

Pagels also identifies a thread of anti-Thomas narrative in John's Gospel, resulting in the famous "doubting Thomas" tradition. Pagels believes that the author of John was attempting to counteract the influence of Thomas' Gospel.

John wrote only to convey the truth of what he had personally witnessed during Christ's time on earth so that others could also know of this and be saved. John's Gospel presents Jesus emphatically as the Son of God. John 20:30-31 30And many other signs truly did Jesus in the presence of his disciples, which are not written in this book: 31 But these are written, that you might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing you might have life through his name.

John's gospel stands alone in the four gospels as one that is totally different in style and content. Whilst Mark was written most probably by John Mark - possibly an eye witness (traditionally the man who ran away naked at the arrest), Luke's gospel was not written by an eyewitness but by Luke the physician - a friend of Paul - who was commissioned to write a systematic account of the events that happened. The jury is still out as to whether Matthew wrote his gospel but because of the Jewishness of it and the many sayings of Jesus (Matthew was a tax collector and thus would have been trained in shorthand) in it, the authorship of Matthew's gospel seems likely to have been by Matthew himself.

With John's gospel, however, there have been theories put forward over the years, but the vast majority of Bible experts now agree that John's gospel was written by John the apostle in around AD 90 when John was old. The fact that James and his brother John were known as the 'sons of thunder' (belligerent teenagers!), that their mother still doted on them, and that their father Zebedee was still young enough to go fishing in his boat, all point to the fact that John was probably a teenager, just past his bar mitzvah at the time he was called to follow Christ - around 15 or so - and therefore his gospel would have been written when he was around 75-80 years of age - very old for those times.

John's gospel is so unlike the synoptics (Mark, Matthew, Luke) that almost all scholars attest to its independence from the others. In Luke we hear of healings and of many parables not seen elsewhere, nor in John. In Matthew and Luke we read the birth stories - unmentioned in John. John concentrates on the divinity of Christ, as an eyewitness to the events that happened, and an eyewitness who was ' the disciple Jesus' loved'. Of all the disciples, Peter, James and John were the ones who were with Jesus at key moments - the raising of the dead, the Transfiguration and so on. John was also the only reliable witness at the Cross - and the disciple who took Mary to his own home in her old age. Within John's gospel, he makes it very clear why he wrote it. In the first verses, John's prologue sets out the divinity of Christ unambiguously. He clearly states that The Word of God was God, and dwelt among us. John's gospel surprisingly contains the fewest accounts of miracles - but here he calls them 'signs' of just who Jesus is. Here we read the great 'I am' statements, always uttered after the relative 'sign' - for example, 'I am the resurrection and the life' comes immediately after the raising of Lazarus.

Finally John himself reveals his intentions. He points out that he was a witness of Christ's death: "The man who saw it has given testimony, and his testimony is true. He knows that he tells the truth, and he testifies so that you also may believe. These things happened so that the scripture would be fulfilled: "Not one of his bones will be broken," and, as another scripture says, "They will look on the one they have pierced." (Jn 19: 35-37). But perhaps the most convincing intention of John comes at the end of chapter 20: "Jesus did many other miraculous signs in the presence of his disciples, which are not recorded in this book. But these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.(Jn 20:30-31).

So why was John's gospel written? The evidence suggests that it was an eyewitness account, written truthfully not just by an eyewitness but by one of Jesus' closest disciples, and written with one purpose in mind - that we should believe the divinity of Jesus the Son of God and that by believing we should have real life in his name.

Another reason why the Gospel of John was written was to provide more of a spiritual base while the synoptic gospels (Matthew, Mark, and Luke) provided a historical base. Some scholars also believe another significance to the Gospel of John was the way he portrayed Christ. Matthew is understood to have portrayed Christ as a king-like figure, where he more so focused on His words and sermons. Luke is understood to have portrayed Christ with qualities of man (human qualities) like His period of temptation from the devil in the wilderness or His birth and crucifixion. Mark is understood to have portrayed Christ as a servant-type figure, providing more of His works, and miracles. John is known to portray Christ as God, and emphasized on the divinity and deity. His Gospel was shown to be based more on spirituality.

Answer 3

John 20:30, 31 - And truly Jesus did many other signs in the presence of His disciples, which are not written in this book; but these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing you may have life in His name. [NKJV]

Answer 4

A:Care should be taken in accepting the second-century attributions of epistles that were originally anonymous, as this can make the real purpose of the epistles more difficult to understand. The Second Epistle of John opens by stating that it was written by the 'elder' unto the 'elect lady'. This is a clue about the authorship of 2 John, as well as to the reason for writing the epistle. A disciple of Jesus would scarcely have described himself merely as an elder. The 'elect lady' is regarded as the Church, or at least the Christian community to which the author belonged.

The epistle was written ostensibly to warn its readers of those who teach a different gospel about Jesus. There is no doubt that even in the very earliest days there was a diversity of views about just who Christ was, but this epistle makes no claim to apostolic authority in resolving these differences. It simply asserts, presumably from a well-respected elder, that the gospel taught by that elder was the one to follow.

We now know that John's Gospel was written anonymously early in the second century and was addrressed to a community now known as the Johannine community because of the traditional association with the apostle John. Shortly afterwards, there was a split in the community, with one group joining the Christians associated with the synoptic gosples, while the other group joined a more gnostic community. The Epistles of John were written to strengthen the 'centrist' faith of the first group and warn them against associating with or believing anything from their former associates.

Another Answer:

Though not explicitly stated in this very short letter or Epistle, it would strongly appear that John was having nothing to do with the latest stage of false teaching - that of the gnostic heresy called 'Docetism.' This latest fad taught Jesus did not come in the flesh as the Gospels and other works of Peter, Paul James, etals said, but only seemed to have a body and to suffer and die on the Cross. And to top this heresy off, these people actually claimed to be Christian.

The majority of biblical scholars agree with the early Church Fathers and have this 2nd Epistle of John written and completed before the end of the 1st Century. John, who was quite old at the time, who seems to have affectionately called himself the 'Elder,' implored the believers to cling to the truth as presented by Christ Himself, the Apostles and other disciples in the recent past. Indeed, in the first four(4) verses of this Epistle, John emphasizes the 'truth' five(5) times - Jesus Christ came in the flesh. John wanted believers to guard against falsehood, and the best way to do that was to arm them with the 'truth.'

Answer 5

Because the Gospel of John differs so much from the synoptic gospels (Matthew, Mark and Luke), some conservative scholars once thought that the purpose of the Gospel was to correct errors that John found in the other gospels. However, most modern scholars recognise that the gospels were not written by eyewitnesses to the life of Jesus. There is clear evidence that John's Gospel was based on Luke's Gospel, which in turn was substantially sourced from Mark's Gospel. Whatever the reason for John's Gospel, it was not that the author wanted to correct errors in the other gospels.

Elaine Pagels points out two interesting objectives in John's Gospel. The Gospel compares Peter unfavourably with 'the disciple whom Jesus loved', and it may have been intended to counteract a developing tendency to worship or venerate Peter to excess. Pagels also identifies a thread of anti-Thomas narrative in John's Gospel, resulting in the famous "doubting Thomas" tradition. Pagels believes that the author of John was attempting to counteract the influence of Thomas' Gospel.

The Cambridge Ancient History: XI The Imperial Peace A.D. 70-192 says, "The Gospel of John is not intended to be read as a biography, it is a mystical and theological interpretation of the life and teachings of Christ." Many scholars are now convinced that the Gospel of John emerged from an intense debate over who Jesus was, with its purpose to defend certain views and oppose others.

Answer 6

The special emphasis of John is the deity of Jesus.