Before Jerusalem Fell

Clemwn.t of Alexandria 85
here at Mticellanies 7:17 it is equally plain that he also holds that all
revelation given through the apostles ceased under Nero. How could
he have made this statement if John’s Revelation had been written
about 25 years after Nero?
Conclusion
When all the Clementine evidence is considered together, it is
evident that Clement can be discounted as a late date witness: (1)
The reference employed in the argument is vague, at best (it does
not mention Domitian). (2) It demands an incredible situation (a
ninety year old John riding a horse at full gallop). (3) It would
contradict a clear assertion by Clement that all revelation ceased
under Nero. Not only so, but Clement even serves as a positive
external witness to the early date composition of Revelation (in that
Clement holds to the Johannine authorship of Revelation, while
declaring that all revelation ceased under Nero).
And this from a father not far removed in time from Irenaeus
– and one much closer to the region where John labored. Of
Clement’s statement regarding “the tyrant” we must concur with
Weiss: “Clement is naturally as ignorant of the name of the wpdwo~
as Origen; but he is undoubtedly in favour of Nero rather than
Domitian.”9 3
93. Bernhard Weiss, A Manual of Introduction to the New Testarrwnt, trans. A. J. K.
Davidson, vol. 2 (New York: Funk and Wagnalls, 1889), p. 51.