Several years ago I developed the following theory of how the Revelation of John was written.
The book contains two sources or source-traditions which were cut together, redacted, and slightly rearranged by an editor. The Myth source, with the visions of the dragon, the wild animal with seven heads, and Babylon, contained most of 12–14 and 17–22, with parts from chapters 7 and 11. This came from a Judean apocalypticist (who was not a Jesus-follower) who may have belonged to the same milieu which produced 4 Ezra and 2 Baruch. The Throne source contained the visions of God sitting on his throne in heaven, the three sets of seven, and the judgment from God’s white throne. This source, which comprised parts of chapters 1, 4–9, 11, 15–16, and 20–21, came from a Judean follower of Jesus. The Throne source may have been written anytime in the second half of the first century CE, while the Myth source dates to Domitian’s reign, albeit with some older material present. The name ‘John’, if not completely an invention of the Redactor, would have belonged to the otherwise unknown author of the Throne source. After combining the material from these sources into their present form, the Redactor wrote the epistolary framework in chapters 1–3 and 22, along with other, sometimes awkward additions throughout the book. (Less certain are chapters 10 and 18. The former I see as plausibly belonging to either the Throne source or the Redactor. The latter I think may have been an older source incorporated by the Myth author into his work.) The Redactor took up ‘John’ as a pseudonym—intending to be identified with the son of Zebedee—to lend his final product authority.
I developed this theory early in my critical study of the Revelation of John, before I became familiar with scholarly attempts at similar reconstructions. I now recognize my theory has one major weakness: the idiosyncratic linguistic style of the book is consistent throughout, effectively ruling out multiple authors. However, I still find my general distinction of material into three primary categories compelling enough not to be discarded entirely. In the time since I developed my hypothesis, studying other theories proposed by commentators, I now think it is strongly compatible with the reconstruction efforts made by David Aune, enough so that I consider my thought process an independent argument that points toward (but falls short of) the same conclusion he arrived at.
Aune’s theory is as follows.
The author was probably Judean and was not fluent in Greek. The book was composed in three stages. First, the author wrote twelve prophetic tracts (roughly equivalent to 7.1–17; 10.1–11; 11.1–13; 12.1–18; 13.1–18; 14.1–20; 17.1–18; 18.1–24; 19.11–16; 20.1–10; 20.11–15; 21.9–22.5) in the 60s CE and perhaps after. These were mostly independent of each other. Next, the author situated his twelve tracts into an overarching framework (the seals, trumpets, and bowls), resulting in a document approximating 1.7–12a and 4.1–22.5. This was produced around 70 CE, in the immediate wake of the Judean-Roman War. Finally, the author added the epistolary framework, roughly 1.1–6; 1.12b–3.22; 22.6–21, along with several other additions throughout. The book reached its current form in the late 80s or early 90s CE. During the course of composing his book, the author may fled from the vicinity of Jerusalem, settling north in Asia. He likewise transitioned to becoming a Jesus-follower, but some of the surviving text of the book predates this transition. He identified himself as named ‘John’ in the first or second stages, but this name may be a pseudonym.
The three stages of composition roughly parallel the three source layers I attempted to reconstruct (i.e. Myth ≈ first stage, Throne ≈ second stage additions, Redactor ≈ final additions). I find Aune’s reconstruction attempts persuasive, though there are some details I think could be syncretized from my own theory. For example, the hypothesized Final Judgment tract (Rev 20.11–15) reads better to me not as having originated as a distinct tract, but as being the result of merging the concluding elements from separate judgment scenes other, larger tracts.
And when the thousand years are complete the satan will be released from his prison. And he will go to deceive the nations in the earth’s four corners—Gog and Magog—to gather them for war. Their number was like the sand of the sea. And they rose over the earth’s surface and surrounded the camp of the holy ones and the beloved city. And fire came down from the sky and devoured them. And the slanderer, the one who deceived them, was thrown into the lake of fire and sulfur where the wild animal and the false prophet also are. And they will be tortured day and night for ever and ever. And I saw an august white throne and the one sitting on it. The earth and the sky fled from his presence, and no place was found for them. And I saw the dead, great and small, standing in front of the throne, and scrolls were opened.And another scroll was opened, which is the one of life. And the dead were judged according to their works, which were written in the scrolls. And the sea gave the dead who were in it, and Death and Hades gave the dead who were in them, and they were judged according to their works. And Death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death, the lake of fire. And if anyone was not found written in the scroll of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire.
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And when the thousand years are complete the satan will be released from his prison. And he will go to deceive the nations in the earth’s four corners—Gog and Magog—to gather them for war. Their number was like the sand of the sea. And they rose over the earth’s surface and surrounded the camp of the holy ones and the beloved city. And fire came down from the sky and devoured them. And the slanderer, the one who deceived them, was thrown into the lake of fire and sulfur where the wild animal and the false prophet also are. And they will be tortured day and night for ever and ever. This is the second death, the lake of fire. And if anyone was not found written in the scroll of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire.
And I saw an august white throne and the one sitting on it. The earth and the sky fled from his presence, and no place was found for them. And I saw the dead, great and small, standing in front of the throne, and scrolls were opened. And the dead were judged according to their works, which were written in the scrolls. And the sea gave the dead who were in it, and Death and Hades gave the dead who were in them, and they were judged according to their works.