Eusebius, Revelation, and Its Place in the New Testament Canon

Abstract

This article examines Eusebius's treatment of the book of Revelation and its place in the New Testament canon. Puzzled scholars have proposed various interpretations as to why Eusebius placed Revelation in both “accepted” and “rejected” categories of texts provided in the Ecclesiastical History, but little persuasive consensus has emerged. To this point, most historians have approached Eusebius's treatment of Revelation not from focus on Eusebius himself so much as interest in the canon and its development. This approach has tended to impose later, more rigid ideas of canonicity upon Eusebius. Moreover, some modern readers have been quick to assume that Eusebius's politics prejudiced the bishop against Revelation with its subversive imagery. By examining other references to Revelation in Eusebius's corpus, this study argues that Eusebius is actually inclined to accept and employ Revelation alongside other accepted texts. Though his approach is critical and circumspect, in the end we need not read him—as some have insisted—as confused or subtly hostile to the Apocalypse. In addition to clarifying Eusebius's opinion of Revelation, this analysis elucidates his approach to the biblical canon generally.