ABSTRACT
In reply to the question above, one could justifiably ask: How intelligible was the Apocalypse then to those whom “John” had in mind as he penned this text on behalf of the Lord? While this query cannot be answered with any certainty, one can take for granted that readers and hearers of Revelation 4 around 100 AD had considerably more background information (“encyclopedic knowledge”) to assist them in the task of interpretation. Thus, not only were they familiar with the common koine Greek language, but presumably they also grasped the significance of much, if not most, of the scenery and imagery that comprises such a large portion of the discourse – a royal throne room, to begin with, and all that surrounded it in the heavenly scenario so fleetingly depicted: a loud “trumpet,” “the appearance of jasper and carnelian,” “24 (the specific number) elders,” the “crowns of gold on their heads,” “7 (the specific number) lamps,” perhaps even “the sea of glass.” Other aspects of the vision might be more problematic for them – like “the four living creatures…covered with eyes…[with] six wings,” and the wings too “covered with eyes all around.” Early audiences would have also been in touch with many of the intertextual threads that comprise the fabric of this discourse, especially the keynoting choruses of verses 8 and 11. All this cognitive and emotive information was most likely a prominent part of the religious tapestry and literary-liturgical tradition that was alive and well – hence most relevant – when Revelation was first composed and circulated in oral (primarily) and written form.
