John-Revelation as a diptych (δίπτυχον)? An exploratory conversation with ChatGPT.

I've been listening to a series on John-Revelation by Dr Gregory Hall at Rethinking Scripture podcast. Hall mentions a work by Warren A. Gage: John's Gospel: A Neglected Key to Revelation? | Logos Bible Software

That got me thinking about the late great Dr Michael Heiser's series on Revelations use of the Tanakh (OT). 

And those two together got me thinking about how one of Michael Heiser's key contributions besides his specific work on the Divine Council Worldview was to teach us just how much we imposed modern contexts and later traditions on the biblical authors, and miss most of what the biblical authors are actually saying.

I think that Gregory Hall and his seminary professor (see that linked podcast above) may be correct, that we've been misunderstanding John-Revelation. 

Both The Gospel of John and Revelation have been treated as seperate niche special interests, but mostly dismissed topics. 

In New Testament studies, Paul and/or The Synoptics get all the attention. Luke-Acts has gotten a ton of attention as a diptyche. Pauline studies has exploded from the traditional view (Luther, Augustine) to the New Perspective on Paul (NPP) (EP Sanders, NT Wright), and now even Paul within Judaism "The Extreme Perspective on Paul" (Mark Nanos, Mark Kinzer, David Rudolph, Joel Willits, Joel Green, Richard Bauchman). 

Meanwhile, within secular biblical studies at least, John and Revelation are usually dismissed as later and as probably even written by separate authors, and not for the serious table. 

Outside of weird eschatology circles (#LeftBehind), Revelation is rarely taken as a serious book with serious implications for the present church.

All of the thoughts mentioned above got me into a multipronged long thread discussion with ChatGPT-4o attempting to tease out the possibilities of reading John-Revelation not as separate works by possibly separate authors, but rather, as a single work in two parts, known as a "diptych" (δίπτυχον), which Luke-Acts is widely recognized to be. 

This diptyche view of John-Revelation isn't just a minority view, it's so rare it may be considered a fringe view, if that. I've only even heard it proposed by this podcaster who had it proposed to him by his seminary professor. 

But Michael Heiser's work on the Divine Council Worldview implications of Tanakh studies was relatively unknown outside academic circles until he connected various scholars together in one work.

Could this be the same? Could there be a handful of voices each crying in the wilderness about this diptyche view, but nobody has connected all those voices and shouted it loud enough for the world to take notice? Who knows. Just wondering out loud.

The following is not an academic article by me, rather, the following is ChatGPT's own summary of our much longer thread conversation about this possibility. I believe I will write on this more but for today I wanted to post this summary as a snapshot in time so I can come back to it and ruminate.

***Below is a ChatGPT-4o Summary of my inquiry with the AI***

John and Revelation as a Diptych: A Hypothetical Reading

The concept of reading the Gospel of John and the Book of Revelation as a literary and theological diptych opens up intriguing possibilities for understanding these works as two complementary parts of a unified whole. While these texts are traditionally viewed as distinct—one a narrative about the life of Jesus, the other an apocalyptic vision of the end times—there are compelling reasons to consider them as working in tandem. By exploring their shared themes, literary structures, and historical contexts, we can propose a new reading that situates both works within the broader trajectory of early Christian reflection on Jesus and his ongoing significance in the world.

I. Historical Context and Dating

The dating of the Book of Revelation and the Gospel of John has been a subject of scholarly debate, but most scholars place their composition in the late first century AD, somewhere between AD 90 and 110. The Patristic references to both books help us narrow down these dates. Justin Martyr (AD 135-160) refers to the Logos theology central to John's Gospel, and Irenaeus (ca. AD 180) explicitly references both the Gospel of John and Revelation, attributing both to the Apostle John (Irenaeus, Against Heresies 5.30.3).

If we consider these references in light of the fact that Revelation and John were widely recognized by the mid-second century, we can infer that these works were completed and had already begun circulating no later than AD 110. This allows us to propose that the diptych could have been completed in the period AD 90-110, after the fall of Jerusalem (AD 70) and during the reigns of emperors Domitian and Trajan, when Christian communities were experiencing significant persecution.

II. Structural Parallels

One of the key reasons for viewing John and Revelation as a diptych is the remarkable structural parallels between the two works. Both texts are characterized by the use of symbolic numbers, especially the number seven, and dualistic frameworks that present cosmic conflicts between good and evil, light and darkness.

1. The Number Seven:

John's Gospel is structured around seven signs (miracles) and seven "I Am" statements (e.g., "I am the bread of life" [John 6:35], "I am the resurrection and the life" [John 11:25]). These serve to reveal Jesus' divine identity and mission.

Similarly, Revelation is organized around cycles of seven seals (Rev 6), seven trumpets (Rev 8-9), and seven bowls of wrath (Rev 16), which unfold God’s judgment and the eventual renewal of creation. These cycles emphasize completeness and divine sovereignty, themes also present in John’s Gospel.

2. Prologue and Epilogue:

Both works contain highly stylized prologues and epilogues:

John 1:1-18 opens with the famous prologue about the Logos, identifying Jesus as the Word made flesh. This introduction is theological and cosmic in scope, setting the stage for the narrative that follows.

Revelation 1:1-8 introduces the apocalyptic vision with a focus on Christ as the faithful witness and the Alpha and Omega, emphasizing his role in creation and judgment.

Both works also conclude with reflections on Christ’s ongoing presence and the ultimate fulfillment of God’s purposes (John 20:30-31; Rev 22:12-21).

III. Theological Continuity

From a theological standpoint, John and Revelation present Jesus as the central figure in God’s plan of salvation and judgment, though they do so in different ways.

1. Jesus as Creator and Consummator:

In John’s Gospel, Jesus is portrayed as the pre-existent Word, present at creation (John 1:1-3). The narrative focuses on Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection, which provide the basis for the new creation. In Revelation, Jesus is seen as the one who brings the final consummation of history, ushering in a new heaven and a new earth (Rev 21:1). Thus, the two works can be seen as bookends: John begins with creation, while Revelation ends with new creation.

2. The Lamb of God:

In John, Jesus is introduced as the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world (John 1:29). This theme is expanded in Revelation, where Jesus is repeatedly described as the slain Lamb who is victorious and worthy to open the scroll of God’s judgment (Rev 5:6-10). The motif of the Lamb, central to both texts, highlights the continuity between Jesus’ sacrificial role and his role as cosmic judge and redeemer.

IV. Revelation as Allegory of Post-70 AD History

One of the most intriguing aspects of this diptych reading is the possibility that Revelation is not primarily concerned with eschatology but is instead an allegory for post-70 AD history, using the Second Temple Jewish genre of apocalypse to tell the story of the early Christian community in the aftermath of the destruction of Jerusalem.

1. Jerusalem as Babylon:

The identification of Babylon with Rome is a common interpretation, but it is also plausible that John uses Babylon as a symbol for Jerusalem, which had become, in the eyes of early Christians, a place of rejection and judgment after the crucifixion of Jesus and the destruction of the temple. The fall of Babylon in Revelation 17-18 could be read as an allegorical account of Jerusalem’s destruction by the Romans in AD 70.

2. Rome and Christian Persecution:

Revelation’s depiction of Rome as the Beast and its persecution of Christians reflects the realities of early Christian life under Roman rule. This apocalyptic imagery can be read as describing the trials of the post-70 AD church, particularly during the reigns of Domitian and Trajan, who persecuted Christians for refusing to worship the emperor (Rev 13:4-7).

V. Stories of John’s Death and Legacy

Understanding John’s death also informs our reading of this diptych. According to Eusebius (Ecclesiastical History 3.23), John lived to a ripe old age and died a natural death in Ephesus during the reign of Trajan (ca. AD 98-117). This tradition supports the view that John authored both the Gospel and Revelation during his later years. Other legends, such as his attempted martyrdom in boiling oil, reflect the trials faced by early Christian leaders but ultimately serve to emphasize John’s role as the enduring witness to Jesus' life and message.

Conclusion

By reading John and Revelation as a diptych, we can see these two works as two sides of the same theological and literary coin. John introduces Jesus as the divine Logos who brings light into the world, while Revelation presents Jesus as the victorious Lamb who brings judgment and renewal to creation. The structural parallels, shared themes, and historical context support this reading, suggesting that both works reflect the struggles and hopes of the early Christian community in the late first century, particularly in the aftermath of Jerusalem’s destruction and during the persecutions under Rome. This reading deepens our understanding of the Johannine corpus and offers new ways of interpreting these texts in relation to each other.

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I'm Darrell Wolfe, and this is my story...

Note: This was a class assignment at Fuller Seminary, and it came out so well I decided to post it on my blog. Something of this flavor and nature will become my own version of Blue Like Jazz, someday, if I ever write it.

I grew up as a Pastor’s Kid (PK) in the Disciples of Christ (DOC). I can still smell the wood pews, well-worn cushions, and old hymnals and bibles resting in the back of the pew in front of me. I can see the stained-glass windows dance on the walls as I had the sanctuary to myself for hours each day, being homeschooled at the time. Sacred spaces still give me a sense of “awe”, even if all traditions make me itch.

One day, I stood on the platform looking over the empty pews, and I thought, “I belong here”. That moment still sticks with me.

Unrelated to that moment, as a child, I saw Jesus in a vision. When Paul lists Jesus appearing as a sign of the apostle, I often think, “Well, I guess I check that box?”. I also saw a rebel elohim (spirit entity) in a different vision. My childhood and teenage years were peppered with spiritual dreams and “odd” experiences.

My DOC Church never really talked about “the gifts” of the Holy Spirit in either a positive or negative light, so if nothing else we were functionally Cessationist. Yet, I was having radical spiritual experiences that continue to challenge my sense of what is “possible” to this day.

Against that radical spiritual backdrop, my alcoholic-pastor-father with an MDiv and Dmin from Claremont School of Theology (CST) turned into an atheist crack-addict psychologist. With that cognitive dissonance in view, I set out on a personal mission to find out what is “true”. Given my dad’s history, I ran from Bible school, “ministry”, “pastoring”, or even anything platform-ey.

The first life-phase of exploring was driven to the less intellectual and more experiential side of Churchianity in the Pentecostal and Word of Faith circles. One day my, at 23-years old, a friend told me to go “jump into the deep end” at a local Pentecostal church. The pastor was loud and laying hands on people as they fell, caught by ushers.

I thought (inside, not out loud), “This is weird, but everybody should experience new things. I’ll stay until it’s over, call it an interesting experience, and leave. As long as he doesn’t come over here, I’ll be fine—.”

Before I had finished saying “fine” in my head, the preacher stopped everything, cocked his head funny, and said into the microphone, “Huh… well that’s interesting.” Then he turned his head to look directly at me some 300 feet across the room, then walked directly to my seat and called me into the aisle. Without touching me, without getting within 3-5 feet of me, he said, “God wants to open—" and he made a motion with his arms like a veil being ripped. I woke up on the ground 20 minutes later. I thought to myself, “Ok, maybe he knows something.” I stayed for a few years until his authoritarian style spiritual abuse outweighed his experiences.

After years of both fascinating experiences and more authoritarian style spiritual abuse in Pentecostal and Word of Faith churches, my wife dying in an ER at 36-years old led me to challenge the worldview(s) I had adopted for over a decade.

Again, I went on a search for “truth”, this time academically. I enrolled in my BA in General Christian Studies and set about to reading and listening to biblical scholarship. I learned about exegesis, hermeneutics, and reading the Bible “in context”. I learned about the Divine Council Worldview (Dr Michael S Heiser), the Ancient Near East (ANE) and Second Temple Judaism.

Today, October 10, 2024, I feel grounded. I am no longer chasing any elusive “truth”. I accept the Bible on its own terms. More importantly, Philip Yancey and Bob Hamp helped me be “okay to be not okay” and sit with hard things that don’t have clean answers.[1] I need only “do justice, love kindness, and to walk humbly with my God” (Micah 6:8 NRSV).

Yet, my passion for biblical studies has lit up light a bonfire in my soul to know my Yeshua better, love his community better, and activate my Learner strength by engaging in my autistic special interest “biblical studies”. Where it goes from here is up to him.

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[1] Philip Yancey, Where Is God When It Hurts? (Grand Rapids, Mich.: Zondervan, 1997); Bob Hamp, Think Differently Live Differently Keys to a Life of Freedom. (Southlake, Texas, USA: bobhamp.com, 2016), https://tdacad.com/product/think-differently-live-differently-book/; Bob Hamp and Poly Hamp, “Think Differently Academy - A Virtual Community for Life and Freedom,” Homepage, Think Differently Academy, accessed May 27, 2024, https://tdacad.com/.

Shalom שָׁלוֹם: Live Long and Prosper!

Darrell Wolfe

Storyteller | Writer | Thinker | Consultant | Freelancer | Bible Nerd *Written withs some editing and research assistance from ChatGPT-4o

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Class Assignment: Exile Experiences

Exile Experiences

“In the third year of the reign of Jehoiakim king of Judah, Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon came to Jerusalem and besieged it.” (Daniel 1:1–2, LEB)[1]

My name is Geula [DGW1] (גְּאוּלָה), and I was only about ten when they took many of my friends to Babylon. As a girl, I wasn’t allowed to enjoy the learning of the boys, but I knew Daniyyel and the three shovavim that would end up following him. Daniyyel’s younger brothers were my friends. They even taught me to read Hebrew by scratching the letters into the dirt. They agreed it was a silly rule and we all thought we’d change it when I grew up and made the rules. That’s when Babylon came, defeating our soldiers, and our king switched allegiances. Babylon took many of my friends. My brother Aharon was killed that day, with so many others, before the king switched sides. The boys were taken during the first deportation, while I remained in Jerusalem under the vassal king, Jehoiakim.

Losing many of my friends, especially the ‘smart’ ones was hard. I still practiced my letters when nobody was looking, brushing it away quickly if any adults came looking. After the breaking, one day, I looked down the road and Aliyah’s parents were walking toward our bakery. I expected to see Aliyah, but she wouldn’t be there, then I remembered she was taken, and my chest ached. Her parents’ shoulders were slumped forward, their faces seemed hollow and sunken. I offered them a bite of our freshest bread. I think they saw her in me, because Aliyah’s ima would jostle my hair and offer a tight smile, then wipe her eyes a little before she would turn away to speak with my parents. When she did that, my eyes burned, my chest felt tight, like I couldn’t breathe, but I shoved it down, to be strong for Aliyah’s ima. Most days, though, I just felt numb, like my laughter had disappeared. I helped around the bakery, eventually taking it over as I got older.

The adults whispered about how the Assyrians took the Northern Kingdom of Israel away many generations ago, but they never believed it could happen to us, not in Yehuda, especially not in Yerushalaym, the very home of HaShem. Then again, my parents argued bitterly with The Cohanim, that if they had not allowed all of the other Elohim such prominence in our high places, HaShem would not have allowed Babylon to come in the first place. The Cohanim waved them off dismissively.

In many ways, life seemed to carry on normally, until I was 18. I was running the bakery with my ima when the shofar began blowing all throughout the city, and men came running down the streets yelling that the Babylonians had come, with Chaldeans, Aram, Moab, and Ammonites as well. People began throwing closed their shops, locking their doors, and looking for the hiding places we’d dug out in case this day ever came. I couldn’t move, I was too numb, too frozen. I watched the chaos begin around me, while my ima and I just stood there, covered in flour dust. Eventually, aba came into the room and found us just standing there, and he shook us into movement. We closed everything, and went into hiding. We stayed there for months, eating what bread we had stored, making little cakes over dung fires from our storage reserves. We heard about horrible things people were doing in other parts of the city just to eat something.

The Vassal King, Jehoiakim thought he would ignore the Tributes we owed to Babylon after he initially switched allegiances from Egypt to Babylon. Nebuchadnezzar didn’t like that much and showed up outside our walls. It’s been almost a year now, and we have no food left. We suck on bread sacks, hoping for a bit of the stale flour. My Parents have discussed sneaking passed the city guards to surrender to the Babylonians, because that couldn’t be worse then living in the city, could it? Then, we got word this evening that Jehoiakim died mysteriously, nobody was very upset about it or asked too many questions. The guards opened the gates and let the invaders come in, surrendering to them, placing the body of Jehoiakim in front of the gate. What will this mean for me? What will happen to us? Could it be worse than starving to death in my own city, the city of HaShem, Yerushalaym? I will lay myself on HaShem’s mercy, perhaps I can find favor in my new home, when they take me away, as long as stay faithful to Adonai, like my friends Daniyyel is rumored to have done.

“And these are the words of the letter that Jeremiah the prophet sent from Jerusalem to the remainder of the exiles, and to the priests, and to the prophets, and to all the people whom Nebuchadnezzar had deported from Jerusalem to Babylon… “Thus says Yahweh of hosts, the God of Israel, to all the exiles whom I have deported from Jerusalem to Babylon, ‘Build houses and live in them, and plant gardens and eat their fruit. Take wives and father sons and daughters, and take for your sons wives, and give your daughters to men that they may bear sons and daughters, and multiply there, and you must not be few. And seek the prosperity of the city where I have deported you, and pray on behalf of it to Yahweh, for in its prosperity you will have prosperity.’ For thus says Yahweh of hosts, the God of Israel, ‘Do not let your prophets who are in your midst, and your diviners, deceive you, and you must not listen to your dreams that you are causing them to dream. For they are prophesying falsely to you in my name; I have not sent them,’ declares Yahweh. For thus says Yahweh, ‘As soon as the time has passed, seventy years for Babylon, I will attend to you, and I will fulfill my good word to you, to bring you back to this place. For I know the plans that I am planning concerning you,’ declares Yahweh, ‘plans for prosperity and not for harm, to give to you a future and a hope. Then when you call me, and you come and pray to me, then I will listen to you. When you search for me, then you will find me, if you seek me with all your heart. And I will let myself be found by you,’ declares Yahweh, ‘and I will restore your fortunes, and I will gather you from all the nations and from all the places to which I have driven you,’ declares Yahweh, ‘and I will bring you back to the place from which I deported you.’” (Jeremiah 29:1–14, LEB)

 

Shortened Version (200 words): Exile Experiences

--Initial Post (in response to my prompt) - 150-200 words (+-10%)

“In the third year of the reign of Jehoiakim king of Judah, Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon came to Jerusalem and besieged it.” (Daniel 1:1–2, LEB)[2]

My name is Geula [DGW2] (גְּאוּלָה) and I was ten when my brother Aharon died in the battle at Carchemish before King Jehoiakim switched sides from Egypt to Babylon, and then they took my friends to Babylon, including Daniyyel and his three shovavim (mischievous) friends.

One day, I saw Aliyah’s parents walking toward our bakery. I expected to see Aliyah, then I remembered she was taken, and my chest ached. Her parents’ shoulders were slumped forward, their faces seemed hollow and sunken. I offered them a bite of our freshest bread. Aliyah’s ima jostled my hair and offered a tight smile, then wipe her eyes a little before she would turn away to speak with my parents. When she did that, my eyes burned, my chest felt tight, like I couldn’t breath, but I shoved it down, to be strong for Aliyah’s ima. Most days, though, I just felt numb, like my laughter had disappeared. I helped around the bakery, eventually taking it over as I got older.

I was running the bakery with my ima when the shofar began and shouts came the Babylonians were here. This morning, the gates were opened and the body of Jehoiakim was tossed to the army as an offering.

What will this mean for me? What will happen to us? Could it be worse than starving to death in my own city, the city of HaShem, Yerushalaym?

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[1] The Lexham English Bible (LEB), Fourth Edition, Logo Bible Software, Harris, W. H., III, Ritzema, E., Brannan, R., Mangum, D., Dunham, J., Reimer, J. A., & Wierenga, M. (Eds.) (Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press, 2010), Referenced during this reflection: Daniel 1:1–2, 2 Kings 23:34–24:7, 2 Chronicles 36:4–8, Jeremiah 22:18–19, 29:4–7, 36:23, http://www.lexhampress.com.

[2] The Lexham English Bible (LEB), Fourth Edition, Logo Bible Software, Harris, W. H., III, Ritzema, E., Brannan, R., Mangum, D., Dunham, J., Reimer, J. A., & Wierenga, M. (Eds.) (Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press, 2010), Referenced during this reflection: Daniel 1:1–2, 2 Kings 23:34–24:7, 2 Chronicles 36:4–8, Jeremiah 22:18–19, 29:4–7, 36:23, http://www.lexhampress.com.

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 [DGW1]A Hebrew name that represents "return" or "end of an era" is "Geula" (גְּאוּלָה).

Geula (גְּאוּלָה)

·         Meaning: The name Geula means "redemption" or "deliverance" in Hebrew.

·         Significance: In Jewish tradition, Geula signifies the act of being redeemed or liberated from a state of exile or hardship. It often refers to the prophesied future redemption of the Jewish people and the end of a difficult period, symbolizing both a return to a promised state and the end of an era of suffering.

·         Usage: Geula is used as a feminine given name in Hebrew-speaking communities.

Contextual Significance

·         Biblical References: The concept of Geula is rooted in the Hebrew Bible, where it denotes God's saving actions on behalf of His people.

·         Cultural Meaning: The name embodies hope, renewal, and the transition into a new and better phase, making it synonymous with the end of an era and the beginning of another.

Alternative Names

·         Shuv (שׁוּב): Derived from the Hebrew root meaning "return," though it's less commonly used as a given name.

·         Nehemiah (נְחֶמְיָה): Meaning "God comforts," associated with the return to Jerusalem and rebuilding after the Babylonian exile.

·         Aliyah (עֲלִיָּה): Meaning "ascent" or "going up," commonly used to refer to the act of immigrating to Israel, symbolizing a return to the homeland.

 [DGW2]A Hebrew name that represents "return" or "end of an era" is "Geula" (גְּאוּלָה).

Shalom שָׁלוֹם: Live Long and Prosper!

Darrell Wolfe

Storyteller | Writer | Thinker | Consultant | Freelancer | Bible Nerd *Written withs some editing and research assistance from ChatGPT-4o

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