Illustration: THE SITE OF EPHESUS, From the Theatre.
Illustration: THE CASTLE AND PORT OF SMYRNA.
Illustration: RUINS OF THE CHURCH OF ST. JOHN, PERGAMOS.
Illustration: PETRIFIED CASCADES AT HEIRAPOLIS.
§ I.――_The Writer of the Book of Revelation._
Much has been written on the question who was the author of this book. To enter into an extended investigation of this would greatly exceed the limits which I have, and would not comport with my design in these Notes. For a full examination of the question I must refer to others, and would mention particularly, Prof. Stuart, _Com._ i. 283‒427; Lardner, _Works_, vi. 318‒327; Hug, _Intro. to the New Testament_, pp. 650‒673, Andover, 1836; Michaelis, _Intro. to the New Testament_, iv. 457‒544; and the article “Revelation,” in Kitto’s _Cyclopædia of Biblical Literature_. I propose to exhibit, briefly, the evidence that the apostle John was the author, according to the opinion which has been commonly entertained in the church; the proof of which seems to me to be satisfactory. This may be considered under these divisions: the direct historical evidence, and the insufficiency of the reason for doubting it.
I. The direct historical evidence. The sum of all that is to be said on this point is, that to the latter half of the third century it was not doubted that the apostle John was the author. Why it was ever afterwards doubted, and what is the force and value of the doubt, will be considered in another part of this Introduction.
There may be some convenience in dividing the early historical testimony into three periods of half a century each, extending from the death of John, about A.D. 98, to the middle of the third century.
1. From the death of John, about A.D. 98 to A.D. 150. This period embraces the last of those men who conversed, or who might have conversed, with the apostles; that is, who were, for a part of their lives, the contemporaries of John. The testimony of the writers who lived then would, of course, be very important. Those embraced in this period are Hermas, Ignatius, Polycarp, and Papias. The evidence of this period is not indeed very _direct_, but it is such as it would be on the supposition that John was the author, and there is nothing contradictory to that supposition.