Social Science Commentary On The Book Of Revelation

A groundbreaking first social-science commentary on this popular book of the Bible.

The author of Revelation presents himself as John, the astral seer, who professes faith in the Resurrected Jesus and who belonged to the house of Israel. John writes of traveling into the sky; but this perspective of sky-visions is completely neglected in the traditional commentaries and studies on Revelation. Malina and Pilch demonstrate the necessity of taking ancient sky-interpretation seriously for reading the book of Revelation in its first- century context. Building on their earlier works on Revelation, and using this highly successful commentary model, Malina and Pilch have charted a new direction for Revelation studies. Includes line- drawings and photographs, as well as charts and diagrams on ancient Mediterranean astrology.

This latest addition to the Fortress Social-Science Commentaries on New Testament writings illuminates the values, perceptions, and social codes of the Mediterranean culture that shaped Paul and his interactions - both harmonious and conflicted - with others, Malina and Pilch add new dimensions to our understanding of the apostle as a social change agent, his coworkers as innovators, and his gospel as an assertion of the honor of the God of Israel.

This work assembles and catalogs the values, conflicts, and mores of ancient Mediterranean culture pertinent to the Fourth Gospel. In many ways, the authors disclose, the Fourth Gospel addresses an alienated antisociety, fundamentally at odds with its predominant culture. With its unique format, charts, and photos, this social-science commentary is the ideal companion for the study of the Fourth Gospel.

The authors build on their earlier social-scientific works and enhance the highly successful commentary model they developed in their social-scientific commentaries. This volume is a thoroughly revised edition of this popular commentary. They include an introduction that lays the foundation for their interpretation, followed by an examination of each unit in the Synoptics, employing methodologies of cultural anthropology, macro-sociology, and social psychology.

"Two leading scholars in the social-scientific study of the New Testament world turn their lenses on the Book of Acts in this latest addition....." [from back cover]

The Social-Science Commentary series pioneers an alternative commentary genre, providing in this volume the text of the deutero-Pauline letters and cultural notes on them. The Social-Science Commentary on the Deutero-Pauline Letters provides essential "reading scenarios" on specific cultural phenomena in these letters, including forgery, normative conflict, paideia (training), and Household Codes. This volume highlights the transformation of the memory of Paul in early Christianity as reflecting the concerns and interest of communities after Paul's death.