A person can, and many have, spend a career trying to decode the work as it is today. In my view that is in a large way because the work is a composition of multiple authors. The final redactor no doubt had contemporary Roman events in mind, but the underlying texts were thoroughly Jewish and likely predate 70CE. I don't just mean the near universal intertextuality of the symbols and idioms, (Ezekiel, Daniel, Exodus etc) but that large sections were complete original works by a Jewish scribe who, like many of his day, saw the Temple and its priests as corrupt. This work/s was adapted by a Christian (likely in Rome), with similar apocalyptic expectations, living a few decades later.
Oddly, Jesus is easily removed from nearly the entire work without altering the flow or straining the meaning beyond what was current in the pre-Christian era. Some time ago we discussed this, and someone asked if we could recover the Jewish Vorlage within the composition. I personally think the task is impossible given the overlap in terminology, but a sample example might demonstrate how the obvious Christian elements often appear redactional and secondary. This is true of even sections that are generally regarded as original to the Christian author. The additional redactional quality of it jumps out. :
Rev 1:1 The revelation [of Jesus Christ,] which God gave [him] to show his servants what must soon take place; he made it known by sending his angel to his servant John,
2 who testified to the word of God [and to the testimony of Jesus Christ,] even to all that he saw.
3 Blessed is the one who reads aloud the words of the prophecy, and blessed are those who hear and who keep what is written in it; for the time is near.
4 John to the seven churches that are in Asia: Grace to you and peace from him who is and who was and who is to come, and from the seven spirits who are before his throne,
[5 and from Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the firstborn of the dead, and the ruler of the kings of the earth. To him who loves us and freed us from our sins by his blood,
6 and made us to be a kingdom, priests serving his God and Father, to him be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.]
Rev 1:9 I, John, your brother who share with you [in Jesus] the persecution and the kingdom and the patient endurance, was on the island called Patmos because of the word of God [and the testimony of Jesus.]
NRS Rev 11:8 and their dead bodies will lie in the street of the great city that is prophetically called Sodom and Egypt, [where also their Lord was crucified.]
Rev 12:17 Then the dragon was angry with the woman, and went off to make war on the rest of her children, those who keep the commandments of God [and hold the testimony of Jesus.]
Rev 14:12 Here is a call for the endurance of the saints, those who keep the commandments of God [and hold fast to the faith of Jesus.]
Rev 17:6 And I saw that the woman was drunk with the blood of the saints [and the blood of the witnesses to Jesus.] When I saw her, I was greatly amazed.
Rev 19:10 Then I fell down at his feet to worship him, but he said to me, “You must not do that! I am a fellow servant with you and your comrades [who hold the testimony of Jesus.]Worship God! [For the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy.“]
Rev 20:4 Then I saw thrones, and those seated on them were given authority to judge. I also saw the souls of those who had been beheaded [for their testimony to Jesus and] for the word of God. They had not worshiped the beast or its image and had not received its mark on their foreheads or their hands. They came to life and reigned [with Christ] a thousand years.
Rev 22:16 [“It is I, Jesus, who sent my angel to you with this testimony for the churches. I am the root and the descendant of David, the bright morning star.”]
Rev 22:20 The one who testifies to these things says, “Surely I am coming soon.” Amen. [Come, Lord Jesus]
