The aim of this commentary on John's Apocalypse is to render it readable and appealing. Built around the orderly presentation of the author's translation of John's Greek text, the commentary enables the reader to perceive and appreciate the literary unity, coher-ence, and definable theological emphasis of John's composition. Intended strong points are a compre-hensible analysis of the carefully wrought, rhythmic structure of John's visions, of his understanding of the "end-time" in which we live, and of dominant thematic aspects such as presenting God's Holy War of Liberation as the Gospel. The commentary tries to do justice to John's own intention of providing an open, "unsealed" book for a variety of readers.

Fr. Charles H. Giblin, S.J., received his S.S.D. from the Pontifical Biblical Institute, Rome, in 1967 upora publication of his dissertation on an apocalyptic text in the Pauline tradition, 2 Thessalonians 2. Among his published works are other books and articles dealing with the apocalyptic eschatology of New Testament authors. He teaches New Testament Studies at Fordham University. He has also been Catholic Biblical Association of America Visiting Professor both at the École Biblique in Jerusalem and at the Biblicum, Rome, and co-chair of the Interna-tional Society of New Testament Studies Seminar on the Apocalypse.