A Rebirth of Images: The Making of St. John's Apocalypse

by Austin Farrer

In this book St. John's Revelation is approached as a great and singular theological poem. The author tries to see how the poem arose in an inspired mind, by what processes of divination its author explored the realm of supernatural truth, how he used the images of his Old Testament faith and gave them fresh meaning in the context of his scheme. Here the reader may follow the workings of a late first-century Christian imagination in which the Scriptures and the stars, the liturgy of the temple and the magic of numbers, the elements of nature and the march of human history are closely interwoven.

Genres: Theology

352 pages, Paperback

First published June 1, 1986

About the author

Austin Marsden Farrer was a theologian and philosopher whom many consider to be an outstanding figure of 20th century Anglicanism. He served as Fellow and Chaplain of Trinity College, Oxford, 1935–1960.

He was the progenitor of the eponymous "Farrer hypothesis" suggesting that the Gospel of Mark was written prior to, and influenced, those of Matthew and Luke, in contradistinction to the "Q" theory of textual analysis more widely held outside Britain.

Reviews

[Alan Fuller · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ferrer looks at the patterns in Revelation, including the sevens, the feasts and makes diagrams of the symbolism. He also examines the symbolical numbers, the name of God, and the Kingdom of Darkness.

The examination of the cities and temple of Revelation are clarified by comparisons to such scriptures as Hebrews 12:22-23, Zechariah's measuring of the city, and Ezekiel's measuring of the temple. He also shows that Chapters 2 and 3 are a model for the rest of the book.

“… he (John) writes out of scripture, theology, and spiritual principle: he is writing about the Antichrist, not about the tendencies of Roman Imperial history.” p.295

[Hooper Bring]

McLuhan proposes in “James Joyce: Trivial and Quadrivial” that this could serve as an ideal introduction to the work of Joyce.

[Adam Ross · Rating 4 out of 5]

Some of the most interesting studies on the book of Revelation you'll ever read. He argues that creation week imagery repeats itself several times in the book and explores that as a structural device. A phenomenal place to supplement and bolster James B. Jordan's similar observations on the text (this is a book he relied on himself).

[Michael Walker · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very difficult read, but provocative, forcing the audience to think. Not for the timid.