Four Views on the Book of Revelation

by C. Marvin Pate, Stanley N. Gundry (Series Editor), Kenneth L. Gentry Jr. (Contributor)

Of all the books of the Bible, few are as fascinating or as bewildering as Revelation. Its images grip the four grim horsemen, the Antichrist, the ten-horned beast, the ultimate battle at Armageddon, and, of course, 666, the 'mark of the beast,' variously interpreted to signify everything from Hitler and Krushchev to credit cards and the Internet. Is the book of Revelation a blueprint for the future that needs decoding if we want to understand current events? Is it a book of powerful imagery, with warnings and promises for the church throughout the ages? Or is it essentially an imaginative depiction of historical events in the first century? Four Views on the Book of Revelation explores the four main views in which Revelation is preterist, idealist, classical dispensationalist futurist, and progressive dispensationalist. The interactive Counterpoints forum allows each author not only to present his view, but also to offer brief commentary on other views presented. This evenhanded approach is ideal for comparing and contrasting stances in order to form a personal conclusion about the interpretation and meaning of Revelation. The Counterpoints series provides a forum for comparison and critique of different views on issues important to Christians. Counterpoints books address two Church Life and Bible and Theology. Complete your library with other books in the Counterpoints series.

256 pages, Paperback

Published March 24, 1998

About the author

C. Marvin Pate (PhD, Marquette University) is professor of biblical studies at Ouachita Baptist University. He is the author and editor of numerous works, including Four Views on the Book of Revelation; The Writings of John: A Survey of the Gospel, Epistles, and Apocalypse; Romans (Teach the Text Commentary Series); and From Plato to Jesus.

Reviews

[Shelby Pritchard · Rating 4 out of 5]

I quite appreciated this book and its four-fold look at Revelation. Gentry and Thomas each offered incredible essays in defense of their views, Hamstra tried, but it seems his view is so slippery and nonspecific that there wasn't much to say. Pate's view was the only one where, by the end, I wasn't quite sure what he was promoting and how exactly it worked. His seemed far more of a jumbled mess than the others, though perhaps some of that impression comes from my utter unfamiliarity with that position.

Unlike newer counterpoint volumes, this one doesn't have the back and forth responses, and filling that gap in would have been the icing on the cake of an otherwise very helpful book.

While I'm yet to be convinced to leave the classical dispensationalism of my upcoming, I have a high respect for Gentry and will be looking up more of his material.