John the Revelator
March 14, 2006 9:43 AM Subscribe
I've been listening to the song John the Revelator, and putting his name into Google gets me lyrics. Who is John the Revelator?
Best answer: specifically, John of Patmos. Wikipedia here
posted by gage at 9:47 AM on March 14, 2006
posted by gage at 9:47 AM on March 14, 2006
The author of the New Testament Book of Revelations.
Just to be excrutiatingly correct, check any Bible and you'll find Revelation is singular, it's all one big revelation, not a bunch of revelations. And strictly speaking, it was a revelation to him, not by him, so calling him a revelator (if that's even a word) is off the mark.
posted by beagle at 10:11 AM on March 14, 2006
Just to be excrutiatingly correct, check any Bible and you'll find Revelation is singular, it's all one big revelation, not a bunch of revelations. And strictly speaking, it was a revelation to him, not by him, so calling him a revelator (if that's even a word) is off the mark.
posted by beagle at 10:11 AM on March 14, 2006
Revelation, aka the Book of the Seven Seals, as stated in the lyrics:
Tell me who's that writing?
John the Revelator;
wrote the book of the seven seals.
posted by Pollomacho at 10:32 AM on March 14, 2006
Tell me who's that writing?
John the Revelator;
wrote the book of the seven seals.
posted by Pollomacho at 10:32 AM on March 14, 2006
Beagle: Just to be really pedantic, 'John the Revelator' is actually correct. The OED defines a revelator as "One who .. makes a revelation", where a revelation is "The disclosure or communication of knowledge to man by a divine or supernatural agency." So, given that the revelation is the disclosure, not the knowledge itself, saying "John the Revelator" is in fact correct.
posted by matthewr at 10:42 AM on March 14, 2006
posted by matthewr at 10:42 AM on March 14, 2006
Don't know if this helps at all, but there was a bit of a discussion about the song over on the White Stripes bulletin board.
posted by rmm at 11:10 AM on March 14, 2006
posted by rmm at 11:10 AM on March 14, 2006
matthewr -- that still doesn't make sense to me. If it was a revelation to him, he didn't make the disclosure to himself -- it was disclosed by a divine agency -- so wouldn't that divine agency be the revelator?
posted by Big Fat Tycoon at 11:11 AM on March 14, 2006
posted by Big Fat Tycoon at 11:11 AM on March 14, 2006
John then went on to disclose the revelation to the world by writing it down. Hence revelator. The name of the Book of Revelation in latin is the Apocalypse, which means litterally, the Uncovering. John uncovered what had been made know to him by heavenly messengers.
posted by blue_beetle at 11:50 AM on March 14, 2006
posted by blue_beetle at 11:50 AM on March 14, 2006
John the Revelator wrote the book of the seven seals.
posted by Hildago at 11:57 AM on March 14, 2006
posted by Hildago at 11:57 AM on March 14, 2006
Also, we're talking about the folk process here, so having a badass name that scans well counts for more than theological correctness. "John To Whom Some Stuff Was Revealed" would not make nearly so catchy a song.
posted by nebulawindphone at 4:33 PM on March 14, 2006
posted by nebulawindphone at 4:33 PM on March 14, 2006
A apostle. The one whom Jesus loved. The brother of James. Together they were called 'The Sons of Thunder.' The Phil Keaggy version of the song rocks out loud!
posted by JamesMessick at 6:53 AM on March 16, 2006
posted by JamesMessick at 6:53 AM on March 16, 2006
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by Miko at 9:44 AM on March 14, 2006