5.1 The Scroll
Digression 5.1: The Scroll
VISUALISING THE SCROLL JOHN SAW
In order to understand what John is saying it is always important to visualise his descriptions. The scroll that John sees is written on both sides and sealed on the outside. It is unusual for a scroll to be written on both sides – we might presume that this is because parchment or papyrus was a scarce commodity, but as it is the occupant of the throne that hands the scroll to the Messiah, we can rule this out. Another reason might be that the layout of the scroll is important to it’s interpretation.
As the scroll is sealed on the outside, this means that it starts with chapter 6 (the seals) and contains chapters 7-22. A reasonable assumption is that half the chapters are on the inside (7-14) and half on the outside (15-22) including chapter 6
I have represented this in a diagram, roughly drawn to scale – with the verses indicated by numbers. The chapters are written from left to right and not right to left as is customary in our literature. Chapter divisions are indicated for ease of reference, but did not exist in the original. I have operated on the premise that the scroll is about 21 verses wide, otherwise we would end up with a scroll that was very short but extremely wide. Even with a width greater than 21 verses the analysis is still valid, but I am fairly certain that the width was less than two consecutive chapters. The seals, probably wax, would be attached to the back of the scroll, and therefore this portion of the scroll is reserved for chapter 6.
In order to experiment with this concept I recommend cutting out the diagram along the dotted line and pasting the back to the front, so that chapter 15 (back) is opposite chapter 14 (front). Once this is done roll the two ends towards each other, ensuring they meet in the centre (insert a pen or pencil on each side the exact thickness of the cylinder in order to facilitate this).
The scroll would have been bound by something like leather thongs, sealed with wax to the exterior of the parchment. Once the seals are broken and the scroll opened, we observe some unusual features. The first thing the reader sees when opening the scroll, is chapters 10 and 11 – the commission to witness, and the witnessing itself – this is an extremely important theme in the Apocalypse. As the scroll is gradually unrolled, we notice that the chapters on the back of the scroll come to lie on the cylinder itself, next to the inside chapters. We find the following unusual configurations:
LEFT CYLINDER
INSIDE
RIGHT CYLINDER
Revelation 18:21
And a mighty angel took up a stone like a great millstone, and cast it into the sea, saying, Thus with violence shall that great city Babylon be thrown down, and shall be found no more at all. )
Revelation 9:1
And the fifth angel sounded, and I saw a star fall from heaven unto the earth: and to him was given the key of the bottomless pit.
Revelation 20:1
And I saw an angel come down from heaven, having the key of the bottomless pit and a great chain in his hand.
LEFT CYLINDER
INSIDE
RIGHT CYLINDER
Revelation 19:7
Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honour to him: for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and his wife hath made herself ready.
Revelation 7:4
And I heard the number of them which were sealed: and there were sealed an hundred and forty and four thousand of all the tribes of the children of Israel.
Revelation 21:2
And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.
Revelation 17:3
So he carried me away in the spirit into the wilderness: and I saw a woman sit upon a scarlet coloured beast, full of names of blasphemy, having seven heads and ten horns.
Revelation 12:6
And the woman fled into the wilderness, where she hath a place prepared of God, that they should feed her there a thousand two hundred and threescore days.
Revelation 21:8
But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.
Revelation 16:2
And the first went, and poured out his vial upon the earth; and there fell a noisome and grievous sore upon the men which had the mark of the beast, and upon them which worshipped his image.
Revelation 13:5
And there was given unto him a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies; and power was given unto him to continue forty and two months.
Revelation 22:15
For without are dogs, and sorcerers, and whoremongers, and murderers, and idolaters, and whosoever loveth and maketh a lie.
The configuration of the chapters on the inside and the outside of the scroll depend on the width of the scroll. Nevertheless, provided a reasonable width is chosen (1- 1½ chapters), the result is that roughly the same chapters lie next to each other (i.e. 17 on the outside left, 12 on the inside) – this cannot be coincidence, and should influence the way we approach the book.
The inside of the scroll begins with a vision of the144, 000 sealed in chapter 7 and ends with a vision of the 144,000 on Mt.Zion in chapter 14. The outside of the scroll also begins and ends with a vision of those who are victorious (15: 2; 22: 4). The inside of the scroll seems to deal with events from a Jewish perspective – witnessing to the nation – persecution of the (Jewish) ecclesia, oppression and destruction of the nation. The outside of the scroll relates the same events but from a Gentile perspective – the punishment of all the surrounding nations for their hatred and duplicity and the introduction of the kingdom.
Can we assume then that John sent a similar type of scroll to the ecclesias with a separate covering letter consisting of chapters 1-5?
This digression is only a suggestion, and would provide a useful field for further research.
