Feb 2, 2026
Rev. 5:1-14 depicts a dramatic heavenly scene in which the Lamb
alone is worthy and able to take and open what is referred to as a
βιβλίον (biblion) with seven seals and
inscribed in a particular way. The attempt to gain a more precise
mental picture of this literary object and its nature as a text
includes matters of word meaning and textual criticism. Dr.
Christian Askeland, a past contributor to this podcast, is Advisor
for The Green Collection (Oklahoma City) and works with Inspire.org. He is
interested in the origins and diversity of early Christianity,
endeavoring to reconstruct historically the movements from which
the relevant texts and manuscripts arose. He has
authored John’s
Gospel: The Coptic Translations of its Greek Text and has
co-authored The
Bible in the U.S. Capital: Inviting All People to Engage with the
Transformative Power of the Bible.
Check out related programs at Wheaton College:
B.A. in Classical Languages (Greek, Latin, Hebrew): https://bit.ly/3LLFswf
M.A. in Biblical Exegesis: https://bit.ly/4jYUwTL