The date when the book of Revelation was written has been a controversial subject for centuries. The insight I have gained and relate in this article is not likely to change the debate in favor of any certain date. However, after reading many different sources on the subject, I have not found anyone who has addressed Hegesippus\u2019 testimony as it relates to the dating of the book of Revelation.<\/p>\n
Eusebius was a fourth-century historian who preserved many early writings. He is credited with quoting Irenaeus\u2019 testimony (abt. 180 A.D.) that John wrote the book of Revelation near the end of Domitian\u2019s reign. Domitian was executed in 96 A.D. \u201cEusebius quoted also Hegesippus\u2019 testimony [abt. 150 A.D.] that John returned to Ephesus upon being released from exile after the accession of Nerva in A. D. 96 (HE III. xx).\u201d Nerva was the successor of Domitian and served as the Roman Emperor from 96 A.D. to 98 A.D.<\/p>\n
Barring any evidence to the contrary or attacks on the credibility of Eusebius, this information presents a real problem for those who hold to the early date (abt. 64-68 A.D.) for the writing of the book of Revelation. John has told us he \u201cwas on the island that is called Patmos for the word of God and for the testimony of Jesus Christ<\/em>\u201d (Revelation 1:9). Please notice the past tense implies John wrote what he experienced after he was off the island. The only logical conclusion is that John wrote the book of Revelation after 96 A.D.<\/p>\n Arthur M. Ogden, the well-known author of \u201cThe Avenging of the Apostles and Prophets\u201d among members of the churches of Christ, advances the early date in his commentary on the book of Revelation. He states, \u201cIf the late date is accepted, it would be impractical and meaningless to interpret the book in the light of the fall of Israel.\u201d Therefore, I would expect Brother Ogden to make the most convincing argument to contradict the quotes given by Eusebius. He acknowledges \u201cthe strongest arguments for the late date\u201d are made concerning Irenaeus\u2019 testimony. However, he gives a weak defense by implying through another commentator who uses Robert Young\u2019s statement (late 1800), that Irenaeus really meant Nero. Brother Ogden goes on to question the reliability of Irenaeus\u2019 statement. Yet, he never even mentions Hegesippus\u2019 testimony by the same historian (Eusebius).<\/p>\n Logically speaking, if the early date is correct and Hegesippus\u2019 testimony is also correct then John was in exile for some thirty years. If John wrote the book of Revelation while on the island (as early date proponents support) then we are left wondering how he got the document off the island in time for it to provide comfort to the reader before the destruction of Jerusalem (70 A.D.). Of course, we are assuming that John had access to scarce writing materials while he was a prisoner on a secluded island. And if we can locate John in any other place other than the Isle of Patmos between 64 A.D. and 96 A.D. then we would know for sure that the early date is inaccurate.<\/p>\n If we add the testimony of Victorinus (late 3rd century) and Jerome (late 4th century) we come to the same logical conclusion. Both of these men expressly testify that John was sent to the Isle of Patmos by Domitian. In fact, Jerome identifies the 14th year of Domitian\u2019s reign as to when John was sent to Patmos.<\/p>\n The only external evidence Brother Ogden uses in support of an early date is the Syriac Version. He writes, \u201cThe Syriac Version of the New Testament, which is the oldest version of the New Testament, dating all the way back to the second century, places the Revelation in the period of Nero, 68 A.D.\u201d The oldest Syriac Version of the New Testament is called the Peschito. \u201cThe Old Syriac Peschito version does not contain the Apocalypse.\u201d Subsequent Syriac versions do include the Book of Revelation but not the oldest one that dates back to the second century.<\/p>\n The reason Brother Ogden made such a bold statement concerning the Syriac Version of the New Testament is due to a title inserted into a translation known as the Syriac Vulgate Bible that was dated to the 6th century. The uninspired title asserts that John wrote the Apocalypse in Patmos where he was sent by Nero Caesar. The title is not part of any earlier manuscript from which that version was translated. Therefore, it is 6th-century evidence and not 2nd-century evidence as implied in his statement.<\/p>\n The external evidence used in this article to support a later date for the writing of the book of Revelation is from the 2nd century to the 4th century. The external evidence against an early date for the writing of the Book of Revelation is pretty solid.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" by Steve A. Hamilton The date when the book of Revelation was written has been a controversial subject for centuries. The insight I have gained and relate in this article is not likely to change the debate in favor of any certain date. However, after reading many different sources on the subject, I have not…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"advanced_seo_description":"","jetpack_seo_html_title":"","jetpack_seo_noindex":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[27],"tags":[744,102],"class_list":["post-13273","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-article","tag-preterism","tag-revelation"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":17040,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/could-hegesippus-have-been-mistaken-and-john-was-sent-to-patmos-in-a-d-70\/","url_meta":{"origin":13273,"position":0},"title":"Could Hegesippus have been mistaken and John was sent to Patmos in A.D. 70?","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"December 15, 2008","format":false,"excerpt":"Question: Ran into your article,\u00a0Dating the Book of Revelation, on the net.\u00a0 The Hegesippus evidence is actually addressed in John A. T. Robinson's \"Redating the New Testament.\"\u00a0 Both Domitian and Nerva were in Rome during 69 and 70 AD, while Vespasian and Titus were campaigning in Palestine.\u00a0 They had delegated\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Answer"","block_context":{"text":"Answer","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/answer\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":34638,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/70-a-d-ism-and-the-date-of-revelation\/","url_meta":{"origin":13273,"position":1},"title":"70 A.D. ‘ism and the Date of Revelation","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"April 27, 2012","format":false,"excerpt":"by Carl A. Allen The doctrine of \"70 A.D.'ism\" demands that all the writings of the New Testament books be before 70 A.D. There is no way the books could be after that date. Their doctrine holds that the \"Second Coming of Christ\" occurred in 70 A.D. If there are\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Article"","block_context":{"text":"Article","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/article\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":53395,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/timing-the-book-of-revelation\/","url_meta":{"origin":13273,"position":2},"title":"Timing the Book of Revelation","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"June 3, 2018","format":false,"excerpt":"by Steve A. Hamilton Timing is everything for the proper interpretation of the book of Revelation. Various theories have developed concerning the interpretation of the Book of Revelation that have been ignored when it was written or when it concludes. These theories take advantage of the symbolic nature of the\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Article"","block_context":{"text":"Article","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/article\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":7972,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/what-do-you-think-the-book-of-revelation-refers-to\/","url_meta":{"origin":13273,"position":3},"title":"What do you think the book of Revelation refers to?","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"December 9, 2006","format":false,"excerpt":"Question: Just out of curiosity, what are you teaching on the Book of Revelation?\u00a0 Are you teaching it\u2019s referring to Jerusalem(AD 70) or Rome?\u00a0 Or\u00a0 ...? Answer: First, the book of Revelation is quite clear that it is dealing with things that would take place shortly after its writing. \"The\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Answer"","block_context":{"text":"Answer","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/answer\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":17731,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/if-jude-said-the-faith-was-once-delivered-could-revelation-be-included-if-it-was-written-after-jude\/","url_meta":{"origin":13273,"position":4},"title":"If Jude said the faith was once delivered, could Revelation be included if it was written after Jude?","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"February 12, 2009","format":false,"excerpt":"Question: I have a question about whether Jude was written before Revelation or not. If everything was once and all delivered to the saints does that make Revelation a newer testament or is it ok because it coincides with the rest of the Bible? Sorry, something came to mind about\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Answer"","block_context":{"text":"Answer","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/answer\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":34636,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/when-was-the-church-in-smyrna-established\/","url_meta":{"origin":13273,"position":5},"title":"When was the church in Smyrna established?","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"September 4, 2012","format":false,"excerpt":"Question: Brother Hamilton, Our local fellowship of congregations has been impacted by the doctrine of Preterism, with a number of problems caused by one individual in particular who has garnered a small but aggressive group of followers holding to Max King's teachings. In an article on your site, \"70 A.D.\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Answer"","block_context":{"text":"Answer","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/answer\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]}],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/13273","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=13273"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/13273\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=13273"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=13273"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=13273"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}