1Then I saw an angel coming down from heaven with the key to the Abyss, holding in his hand a great chain.
2He seized the dragon, that ancient serpent who is the devil and Satan, and bound him for a thousand years.
3And he threw him into the Abyss, shut it, and sealed it over him, so that he could not deceive the nations until the thousand years were complete. After that, he must be released for a brief period of time.
4Then I saw the thrones, and those seated on them had been given authority to judge. And I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded for their testimony of Jesus and for the word of God, and those who had not worshiped the beast or its image and had not received its mark on their foreheads or hands. And they came to life and reigned with Christ for a thousand years.
5The rest of the dead did not come back to life until the thousand years were complete. This is the first resurrection.
6Blessed and holy are those who share in the first resurrection! The second death has no power over them, but they will be priests of God and of Christ and will reign with Him for a thousand years.
7When the thousand years are complete, Satan will be released from his prison,
8and will go out to deceive the nations in the four corners of the earth—Gog and Magog—to assemble them for battle. Their number is like the sand of the seashore.
9And they marched across the broad expanse of the earth and surrounded the camp of the saints and the beloved city. But fire came down from heaven and consumed them.
10And the devil who had deceived them was thrown into the lake of fire and sulfur, into which the beast and the false prophet had already been thrown. There they will be tormented day and night forever and ever.
11Then I saw a great white throne and the One seated on it. Earth and heaven fled from His presence, and no place was found for them.
12And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne. And books were opened, and one of them was the Book of Life. And the dead were judged according to their deeds, as recorded in the books.
13The sea gave up its dead, and Death and Hades gave up their dead, and each one was judged according to his deeds.
14Then Death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death—the lake of fire.
15And if anyone was found whose name was not written in the Book of Life, he was thrown into the lake of fire.
Revelation 20 Section and Chapter Commentary
Rev 20:1-7
The Millennium as a Literal Future Reign
Early Christian readers, known as 'kilasts,' interpreted Revelation's prophecy of a thousand-year reign of peace as a literal future event on Earth. This view, based on the description of a millennium where Satan is bound and God's people rejoice, was later criticized by some church fathers as a 'grotesque' and overly sensual understanding of eternal life.
Summarized by AI · Bart D. Ehrman · YouTube · Does the Book of Revelation Predict our Future? · watch the clip
Augustine's Metaphorical Millennium
St. Augustine proposed an interpretation that became dominant for over a millennium: the millennium described in Revelation refers to the era of the Christian church. In this view, the binding of Satan and the rejoicing of God's people are not future literal events but are currently experienced within the church.
Summarized by AI · Bart D. Ehrman · YouTube · Does the Book of Revelation Predict our Future? · watch the clip
Dispensational Premillennialism and God's Plan
Dispensationalism, a 19th-century theological view, posits that God guides history through distinct 'dispensations,' each with a different method of salvation. Revelation is seen as the fulfillment of God's plan, representing the seventh dispensation, the kingdom, which has not yet occurred. This is 'premillennialism' because it places the current age before the millennium.
Summarized by AI · Bart D. Ehrman · YouTube · Does the Book of Revelation Predict our Future? · watch the clip
Rev 20:1-6
Cosmic Week and Eschatological Timekeeping
Augustine discussed the Christian tradition of calculating the end times based on a 'cosmic week,' combining Psalm 90 with Genesis 1 and Revelation 20. This system posited that the world would exist for six thousand-year ages, followed by a thousand-year Sabbath reign of saints, with Christ's return marking the end of the sixth age.
Summarized by AI · Ancient Christianities: The First Five Hundred Years · Lecture 18: Augustine, The City of God | Israel and Empire · watch the clip
Augustine's Amillennial View of Revelation
Throughout much of Christian history, particularly since St. Augustine in the fifth century, the Book of Revelation's millennium (Christ ruling with His saints) was understood as a present reality within the church, not a future earthly event. This 'amillennial' view holds that Christ rules through believers, and Satan's power is constrained during the church age, with no future rapture or distinct earthly millennium.
Summarized by AI · Will You Be Left Behind? A History of the Rapture · Will You Be Left Behind? A History of the Rapture · watch the clip
Apocalyptic Views in Early 2nd Century Christianity
While apocalyptic expectations were fading, many Christian groups in the early 2nd century still believed the end was imminent. Disputes arose even among Proto-Orthodox Christians regarding the literal interpretation of a thousand-year reign of Christ on Earth, with some advocating for a literal understanding and others for a metaphorical one. Writings like the Letter of Barnabas and the Didache presupposed a literal millennium.
Summarized by AI · Bart D. Ehrman · YouTube · Where Was Christianity on its 100th Birthday? · watch the clip
Materialism in the Millennial Kingdom
Early church leaders were troubled by Revelation's depiction of a literal thousand-year reign of Christ on Earth, known as the Millennium. They opposed the idea of a material paradise with feasting and banqueting, as described in Revelation, because it contradicted their ascetic view of Christianity, which emphasized detachment from the material world and bodily pleasures.
Summarized by AI · Bart D. Ehrman · YouTube · Why is the Book of Revelation in the Bible? · watch the clip
Augustine's symbolic interpretation of the Millennium
Saint Augustine's interpretation of Revelation helped resolve the controversy over the literal thousand-year reign of Christ. He argued that Revelation is highly symbolic, and the Millennium represents the current era of the church, where Satan is bound and the Saints have supremacy over evil. This view, which became dominant for over a thousand years, made Revelation more acceptable by reinterpreting its 'materialistic' prophecies as spiritual realities already present.
Summarized by AI · Bart D. Ehrman · YouTube · Why is the Book of Revelation in the Bible? · watch the clip
Messianic Reign and Resurrection
The angel reveals a future where the Messiah, referred to as the Son of God, will be revealed and reign for 400 years, after which he will die. This period will be followed by a return to primeval silence for seven days, symbolizing a new creation and an earthly resurrection of the dead, a concept also found in the Book of Revelation with a 1,000-year reign.
Summarized by AI · Judaism Before Jesus · Lecture 20: After the Fall · watch the clip
Rev 20:10-15
Revelation's last judgment: raised once, then the lake of fire
Asked whether people are judged twice, Ehrman says no: in Revelation everyone is raised at the end and judged before the great white throne. Believers are brought into the heavenly realm and everyone else, including Christians who did not believe the right way, is thrown into the lake of fire, a place of torment made for the devil and his angels. He says people thrown in are destroyed rather than kept forever, since death and Hades are thrown in and destroyed too.
Summarized by AI · What the Hell? Jesus' Teachings on the Afterlife · Lecture 2: Who Invented Hell? · watch the clip
Rev 20:11-15
Being 'God-like' can be interpreted as hating enemies
The biblical injunction to be 'God-like' is often understood positively, implying love, kindness, and mercy. However, if one considers God's actions in the Book of Revelation, being 'God-like' could also be interpreted as hating enemies, including humans, and destroying the vast majority of the human race, even some who thought they were faithful. This interpretation can lead to justifying violence against those perceived as God's opponents.
Summarized by AI · The Bible and the Quran: Comparing Their Historical Problems · Lecture 7: A History of Hatred, Intolerance, and Violence | Is the Bible to Blame? · watch the clip
Revelation 20 Verse Notes
Rev 20:2
Revelation links the serpent to Satan
The identification of the Genesis serpent with Satan primarily stems from the book of Revelation. This apocalyptic text describes God's enemies, including the devil and Satan, and refers to one of them as "the dragon, that ancient serpent, who is the devil and Satan." This verse creates the theological link between the serpent in Eden and the figure of Satan.
Summarized by AI · Bart D. Ehrman · YouTube · Where did Satan actually come from? · watch the clip
Rev 20:4-6
Reinterpreting the Apocalypse: First Resurrection
Augustine ingeniously reinterpreted John's Apocalypse to counter millenarian expectations. He moved the 'first resurrection' from the end of time to the present, identifying it with baptism, which symbolizes a passage from death to life in the here and now. The second resurrection alone refers to the raising of bodies.
Summarized by AI · Ancient Christianities: The First Five Hundred Years · Lecture 18: Augustine, The City of God | Israel and Empire · watch the clip
Reinterpreting the Apocalypse: Saints' Reign
Augustine argued that the saints' thousand-year reign on earth had already occurred, specifically through the manifest presence of martyrs at their tombs. He also suggested that 'a thousand years' might not be a literal quantity but a symbol of totality, representing the entire period of the world's history.
Summarized by AI · Ancient Christianities: The First Five Hundred Years · Lecture 18: Augustine, The City of God | Israel and Empire · watch the clip
Rev 20:4
Terrestrial New Jerusalem and Millennial Reign
Justin affirms the prophetic revelation that Jerusalem will be rebuilt and enlarged, where patriarchs, prophets, proselytes, and many people will gather to reign with Christ for 1,000 years. This terrestrial vision of redemption, in contrast to those who deny bodily resurrection, emphasizes that flesh will be redeemed to dwell on Earth, aligning with his incarnational Christology and reappropriation of Jewish biblical heritage.
Summarized by AI · Ancient Christianities: The First Five Hundred Years · Lecture 7: Jews and Heretics | Justin Martyr and Israel · watch the clip
Rev 20:6
Jesus's Emphasis on Service vs. Revelation's Domination
Jesus's teachings in the Gospels are centered on a life of service, humility, and not lording over others, exemplified by his washing of the disciples' feet. He taught that the humble would be great through service, even to the point of self-sacrifice. Revelation, however, promotes domination, with God and Christ destroying enemies and casting them into a lake of fire, and true followers of Jesus ruling the Earth from the New Jerusalem, slaughtering their enemies. This ideology of domination is directly contrary to Jesus's message of service.
Summarized by AI · Bart D. Ehrman · YouTube · Does John of Patmos Accept the Gospel of Jesus? · watch the clip
Rev 20:7-8
Gog and Magog in the Bible and Quran: Apocalyptic Symbolism
The figures of Gog and Magog appear in both the Bible and the Quran. In the Hebrew Bible (Ezekiel 38-39), Gog is an individual and Magog his land, symbolizing ultimate chaos. In the New Testament (Revelation 20:7-8), they represent nations gathered for a final apocalyptic battle. The Quran (Surah 18:93-98) features them as barbarous tribes enclosed by a wall built by Dhul-Qarnayn, to be released at the end of time. This shared apocalyptic symbolism across texts suggests a non-literal, eschatological interpretation rather than a strictly historical one.
Summarized by AI · The Bible and the Quran: Comparing Their Historical Problems · Lecture 4: The Quran | How Much History, How Much Story? · watch the clip
Rev 20:10
Eternal Punishment in Hell
Augustine asserts that the punishment of hell is everlasting, directly contradicting Origen's view that even the devil and his angels might be rescued. He states that this opinion is perverse and goes against God's express word, emphasizing that hell's torments are its purpose and last forever, with specially constituted flesh designed to feel ceaseless pain without being consumed.
Summarized by AI · Ancient Christianities: The First Five Hundred Years · Lecture 19: Augustine, The City of God | Flesh, History, and Redemption · watch the clip
Lake of Fire in Revelation is for immortal beings, not humans
The speaker clarifies that the 'lake of fire' described in the Book of Revelation is not a place of eternal torment for human beings. Instead, it is intended for the devil and his immortal minions, who, being immortal, are tormented forever. Humans, being mortal, are thrown into the lake of fire for destruction and annihilation, not eternal torment, making it an eternal punishment because it is irreversible.
Summarized by AI · Bart D. Ehrman · YouTube · Did Jesus Actually Believe in Hell? · watch the clip
Jesus's Emphasis on Service vs. Revelation's Domination
Jesus's teachings in the Gospels are centered on a life of service, humility, and not lording over others, exemplified by his washing of the disciples' feet. He taught that the humble would be great through service, even to the point of self-sacrifice. Revelation, however, promotes domination, with God and Christ destroying enemies and casting them into a lake of fire, and true followers of Jesus ruling the Earth from the New Jerusalem, slaughtering their enemies. This ideology of domination is directly contrary to Jesus's message of service.
Summarized by AI · Bart D. Ehrman · YouTube · Does John of Patmos Accept the Gospel of Jesus? · watch the clip
Justice and Torture in Revelation
Some attempts to defend the violence in Revelation argue that God is just, and the suffering inflicted is a consequence of people rejecting Him. However, the speaker questions whether divine justice necessitates torture, citing instances like scorpions tormenting people for five months without allowing them to die, or throwing people alive into a lake of burning fire. This level of prolonged, agonizing punishment seems to go beyond what mere justice would require, suggesting an element of extreme cruelty.
Summarized by AI · Bart D. Ehrman · YouTube · Is the Christ of Revelation Out for Blood? · watch the clip
Rev 20:14-15
Revelation's depiction of torment and annihilation
The Book of Revelation describes a series of escalating disasters and torments inflicted by God upon humankind, including scorpion-like figures that sting non-believers for five months with excruciating pain, preventing death. Ultimately, all who are not faithful followers of Jesus are thrown into a lake of fire for annihilation, showcasing extreme divine violence and punishment.
Summarized by AI · The Bible and the Quran: Comparing Their Historical Problems · Lecture 7: A History of Hatred, Intolerance, and Violence | Is the Bible to Blame? · watch the clip
Rev 20:14
Lake of Fire in Revelation is for immortal beings, not humans
The speaker clarifies that the 'lake of fire' described in the Book of Revelation is not a place of eternal torment for human beings. Instead, it is intended for the devil and his immortal minions, who, being immortal, are tormented forever. Humans, being mortal, are thrown into the lake of fire for destruction and annihilation, not eternal torment, making it an eternal punishment because it is irreversible.
Summarized by AI · Bart D. Ehrman · YouTube · Did Jesus Actually Believe in Hell? · watch the clip
Rev 20:15
Lake of Fire in Revelation is for immortal beings, not humans
The speaker clarifies that the 'lake of fire' described in the Book of Revelation is not a place of eternal torment for human beings. Instead, it is intended for the devil and his immortal minions, who, being immortal, are tormented forever. Humans, being mortal, are thrown into the lake of fire for destruction and annihilation, not eternal torment, making it an eternal punishment because it is irreversible.
Summarized by AI · Bart D. Ehrman · YouTube · Did Jesus Actually Believe in Hell? · watch the clip
