Living in a time of constant change and upheaval, John, the author of the Apocalypse, was torn between the community and traditions of his ancestors and the new message from the Lord in the person of Jesus Christ. He sought to reconcile these two elements in the safe harbor of his visionary and prophetic New Jerusalem, where apostles and patriarchs could coexist.The fruit of over ten years of research and an academic best-seller in its Italian edition, Edmondo Lupieri's commentary seeks to do justice to both sides of John's tension. It makes judicious use throughout of pseudepigraphic and Qumranic texts and presents a fresh translation that draws on a wide variety of credible sources. A constructive response to postmodern criticism, Lupieri's "Commentary on the Apocalypse of John" introduces readers to John as both a first-century Jew and a follower of Jesus, offering balanced new proposals and traditional interpretations to shed light on this complex coda to the biblical message.

Edmondo F. Lupieri is Professor of the history of Christianity at the University of Udine, Italy.