Book of Revelation, The

Trinity Journal, Spring 2000 by Luter, A Boyd

Robert H. Mounce. The Book of Revelation. Rev. ed. NICNT. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1999. xxxvi 439 pp. $30.80.

G. K. Beale. The Book of Revelation. NIGTC. Grand Rapids/Carlisle: Eerdmans/Paternoster, 1999. lxiv 1245 pp. $52.50.

A helicopter view of noteworthy wider evangelical commentary publishing on the Apocalypse in the 1990s presents something less than a picture of balance. Viewed as to bulk, at one end of the pendulum swing are slender works, such as those of Talbert and Michaels. At the other extreme are the true mega-commentaries, particularly Thomas's two and Aune's three volumes. For whatever reason, there hasn't been a lot in between, size-- wise. Viewed as to approach/content, on one flank is Thomas's workmanlike, extended dispensational treatment. Way out on the other flank is Aune's sometimes speculative "massive ("magnum" would be, at best, a "double-minded" descriptor to attach to Aune's brilliant, but foundationally flawed, work) opus." Again, there hasn't been much middle ground.

Fortunately, the two latest Revelation commentaries released can be characterized as more balanced in various meaningful ways. One (Mounce) is a revision of a well-received older work, seeking to build upon its earlier success. In the evangelical publishing context sketched above, though, Mounce's volume also fills the void of "middle-sized" commentaries. The other (Beale) is a new work, but one creatively retooling an older viewpoint. At the same time, it turns out to be a mega-commentary. It is, in most respects, fresh without being far-fetched.

The following review will consider: 1) The considerably different careers Mounce and Beale bring to the production of their volumes; 2) the actual "newness" of each newly-released work; 3) the significant strengths/ contributions and weaknesses of each; and 4) whether, given their not inconsiderable prices, these commentaries deserve a place on the bookshelf of the student, specialist, or pastor.

It has been over twenty years since Robert Mounce, then Dean of the Potter College of Arts and Humanities at Western Kentucky University, published his original NICNT commentary on Revelation. There was much about that work that provided a breath of fresh air for wider evangelical Revelation scholarship. Now, Mounce's revision is offered as part of the emerging second generation of the NICNT series, some of which are revisions and others replacement volumes by different authors.

Over the duration of his primarily administrative career, later as President of Whitworth College, finally in pastoral ministry (in semi-- retirement, before his current retirement), Mounce has continued to utilize his expertise in regard to the Apocalypse, besides writing for Eternity magazine and publishing several other books and commentaries. Notably, he contributed the notes on Revelation to the enormously successful NIV Study Bible, as well as popularizing his views in the little paperback, What are We Waiting for? A Commentary on Revelation (Eerdmans, 1992), which remains the quickest and most inexpensive route to a crisp setting forth of Mounce's basic views on the Apocalypse.

In an era in which scholars increasingly produce a small mountain of "lead-in" works on the way to writing a major commentary (clearly the route of Aune and Beale; see below), it is somewhat odd to note that Mounce published only one tiny scholarly study before his 1977 volume. Perhaps odder yet is the observation that, with the exception of the popular treatments mentioned above, he has made no further contributions to the study of the Apocalypse. While a portion of this loud silence undoubtedly should be chalked up to the time-consuming rigors of Mounce's administrative roles in the preparation of his 1977 edition, what about this revision, done largely in retirement? As will be discussed below, the answer seems to be that there is very little new.

The considerable insights of Gregory K. Beale, a Professor of NT at Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary, in regard to the book of Revelation began to be noted by the wider evangelical scholarly community following the publication of his Cambridge doctoral thesis, The Use of Daniel in Jewish Apocalyptic Literature and in the Revelation of St. John (Lanham: University Press of America, 1984). Since 1980 his "body of work" on the Apocalypse is an impressive twenty-plus relevant articles, chapters, and major reviews (see his bibliography), in stark contrast to Mounce.

Beale emerges as a major scholar with the long-awaited appearance of his impressive NIGTC contribution. He has paid his dues, but now much will be expected of his future studies and commentaries.

Though Beale expresses appreciation to former professors A. [sic] Lewis Johnson, Barnabas Lindars, and J. P. M. Sweet (p. xx), he also demonstrates clearly that he is his own man. For example, Beale's choice to quote (beyond his own translations) from the NASB is hardly in keeping with the standard wider evangelical allegiance to NIV. Also, his use of Nestle-Aland's twenty-- sixth edition (p. xxii) is independent of the series book jacket announcement: "The text on which these commentaries are based is the UBS Greek New Testament."