Revelation

For John, the son of Zebedee, who was originally a Galilean fisherman, the Sea of Galilee held a special place as the foundation of his life. Consequently, he had a profound love for the Sea of Galilee. Furthermore, the tranquil sight of seagulls peacefully gliding over the Sea of Galilee was a place that harbored sharp memories of his first encounter with Jesus, a moment that led him to decide to become His disciple. Therefore, John did not perceive the 'sea' (or 'water') as a symbol of the 'forces of chaos' as ancient Hebrews often did. In the Gospel of John, it is indeed rare to find the use of 'sea' in a negative context. The Johannine tradition, rooted in the Northern Kingdom, can be summarized as a book that sings of the longing for the 'first love' of Jesus, the love that was first encountered on the shores of Galilee.

On the other hand, the author of Revelation, the visionary prophet John, had no connection to the Sea of Galilee. He was someone who lived in Jerusalem and looked upon the Jerusalem Temple as the center of Jewish life and faith. However, one fateful day, the Jerusalem Temple was ruthlessly destroyed by the Roman army. The shock he experienced on that occasion became a defining event that influenced the rest of his life. Afterwards, he became a Diaspora Jew and migrated to Asia Minor. Due to Christian persecution, he found himself in captivity on the small Mediterranean island of Patmos. To him, the 'sea' (or 'water') traditionally symbolized the descending 'forces of chaos.' Therefore, in the Book of Revelation, the 'sea' is used in an almost entirely negative sense, in stark contrast to the Gospel of John.

The author of Revelation, rooted in the Southern Kingdom tradition, can be summarized as a book that, much like the prophet Ezekiel, who wept for Zion by the banks of the Chebar River, expresses anger (vengeance) against those who destroyed the Jerusalem Temple while also singing of a longing for the 'New Jerusalem' as the kingdom of the 'new David.'(Among Prologue).

This book marks a new milestone in the history of biblical theology, as it opens up a new horizon in the study of Revelation, following the Gospel of John. - Professor Park Shin-Bae (Kang-Seo University, Old Testament Studies)