Before Jerusalem Fell

84 BEFORE JERUSALEM FELL
fact that he is said to have forgotten his age does not indicate he may
have been ninety, for Paul calls himself “the aged” while nowhere
near that old (Phile. 9). The whole episode is much more believable
if speaking of a man much younger than in his 90s.
If the story does speak of Domitian’s era, it borders on the
incredible. If it does not (and it certainly does not mention Domitian),
then, in terms of geriatric experience, the whole context is easily
to be believed. Indeed, on this basis Ratton afirms that Clement is
“a firm believer in the Neronian date of the Book” because of his
detailed stories ofJohn’s strenuous mission activity and his nebulous
reference to “the tyrant. “g ]
The Cessation of Revelation
Despite the late date advocates’ assured convictions as to Clement’s
evidence for a Domitianic date for John’s banishment, the above
arguments call for a pause and reconsideration. Furthermore, a
careful consideration of the implications of the statement of Clement
now to be given should totally reverse the usefulness of Clement in
our debate, if the above failed that purpose.
In Clement’s Mi.dlanies a statement is made that clearly turns
the usefulness of Clement toward early date advocacy. In Book 7 of
this work Clement deals with the perversion of truth by heretics he
calls “Mystagogues of the souls of the impious. ” Their error is: “They
do not make a right but a perverse use of the divine words. ” He then
states that apostolic revelation has ceased: “For the teaching of our
Lord at His advent, beginning with Augustus and Tiberius, was
completed in the middle of the times of Tiberius. And that of the
apostles, embracing the ministry of Paul, end with Nero. “9 2
It is
patently clear in the very text originally under question (Who h the
Rich Man? 42), as well as in other places (Miscellanies 6:13), that
Clement. considers the Apostle John as the author of Revelation. And
Illustr. ix. adu. Jovin. i. 14) he must have been nearly ninety-eight. The Chronicon Paschale
says he lived one hundred years and seven months, and pseudo-Chsysostom (de S. Johan.)
that he lived to one hundred and twen~ as also Suidas s. v. Ioanna, and Dorotheus
(Lampe, p. 92)” (Frederick W. Farrar, The EQrb Days of Christiami~ [New York Cassell,
1884], p. 403n).
91. J. L. Ratton, Tb Apoca~pse of St. John (London: R. & T. Washbourne, 1912), p.
27.
92. Clement of Alexandria, Misce~~anies 7:17.