By: The Venerable Bede (673-735)
Explanation of the Apocalypse by The Venerable Bede is a comprehensive and insightful analysis of the Book of Revelation. The author provides a detailed commentary on each chapter, offering historical context and interpretation of the symbolic language used in the text. Bede's writing is clear and concise, making complex theological ideas accessible to readers of all backgrounds.
One of the standout features of this book is Bede's attention to the original Greek text and his meticulous analysis of the nuances of meaning in each passage. He also draws on the writings of other early Christian scholars to provide a rich tapestry of interpretation that sheds light on the deeper theological significance of the Apocalypse.
Overall, Explanation of the Apocalypse is a valuable resource for anyone seeking a deeper understanding of the Book of Revelation. Bede's scholarly approach and thoughtful insights make this commentary a must-read for students of theology and lay readers alike. Book Description: The Explanation of the Apocalypse by Ven. Beda is the earliest of the many works of our own writers on that Book, and, as such, may well deserve to appear in a form accessible to English readers.
The chief characteristics of Beda's method of exposition may be thus stated. The several visions are considered not to be successive, but contemporaneous, with occasional recapitulations and to represent the condition of the Church in all ages, under different aspects. The thousand years, in the twentieth chapter, are interpreted of the present period of the Church's existence, in accordance with the opinion of St Augustine, in the second part of his De Civitate Dei. The 'attention is closely directed to the text, and to corresponding passages of Holy Scripture, that the meaning of the symbolic language may be elicited. The previous exposition of Tichonius is mainly, but not exclusively followed. Beda appears, for example, to have adopted several opinions from St. Gregory the Great, and Frimasius, as well as St. Augustine.
The date of the "Explanation" is circa. A.D. 710 — 716. It is described by Beda as an "Exposition" but it is called an "Explanation" in the printed editions of his works.
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