Before Jerusalem Fell
by Kenneth L. Gentry by Kenneth L. Gentry
Th Identi@ of th Sixth King 151 he exhorted them to read, hear, and heed the book (Rev. 1:3; 22:7). ‘ As Stuart noted ofJohn: “He wrote, not only in order that he might be read, but also that he might be understood. Why then should we suppose, that a mind like his would not accomplish its design?” 13 Everywhere throughout the empire Rome was known as the city on seven hills. When John wrote Revelation (whether in the A.D. 60s or in A.D. 95-96) there was no other city conceivable that was so universally noted for its seven hills. It should be expected that as inspired Scripture, it would be profitable (2 Tim. 3:16) to its histori- cal recipients. Indeed, this would be a major and distinctive differ- ence between Revelation and the representatives of the uninspired apocalyptic genre. All of this is especially compelling in that the expectation of the book (as dealt with in the previous chapter) is of the soon eventuation of the prophecies and their contemporary rele- vance to the original audience. The matter of the relevancy of the referent to the original audience should be a paramount concern for the modern interpreter. Consequently, it should not be considered an insoluble dilemma. The Line of Kings Now we come to the specific portion of the Revelation 17 state- ment that is crucial for determining the date of Revelation. Verse 10 states factually and in a straightforward manner: “They are seven kings; five have f~len, one is, the other has not yet come; and when he comes, he must remain a little while.” Here we learn that five kings have “fallen” (3mEoGzv) and one “is” (#rev). If there is any chronologically precise statement in the book, Revelation 17:10 should certainly be it. Reuss notes that “the time of composition . . . may be closely fixed by xvii. 10.”14 Torrey is quite certain of this passage’s utility: “This certainly seems to provide, as exactly as could be expected of an apocalypse, information as to the time – the precise reign – in which the book was composed.”15 Al- though demurring from its acceptance as such (due to his liberal 13. Moses Stuart, Camrnda~ on tb Apoca@se, 2 vols. (Andove~ Allen, Merrill, and Wardwell, 1845) 2:319. 14. Eduard Wilhelm Eugen Reuss, Histoy of ttw Sacred Scriptures of the New Testam.znt (Edinburgh: T.& T. Clark, 1884), p. 160. 15. Charles Cutler Torrey, The Apoca~pse ofJohn (New Haven: Yale, 1958), p. 60.
152 BEFORE JERUSALEM FELL fragment hypothesis theory), Moffatt comments that this is “the one passage . . . which appears to be a water-mark of the date.” 16 N1 that is required for determining the chronology indicated by Revelation 17:10 is that we find a series of seven kings, five of whom “have fhllen,” the sixth of whom “is” still ruling, and the last of whom was of but a brief reign. The one who “is” will be the king alive and ruling at the time John wrote Revelation. Then, of course, the discov- ery of the dates of his reign will serve as the twnini within which Revelation must have been composed. We provided ample demonstration above to show that the place of the seven kings is the famed city of “seven hills,” i.e., Rome. And given the contemporary expectation of the book, the obvious candi- dates for fulfilling the role of the seven kings would have to be the emperors of Rome, the line of the Caesars. It is an indisputable historical fact that the Caesars were ruling at the time John wrote Revelation, regardless of whether an early (pre-A.D. 70) or late (c. A.D. 95) date be advocated. Various Approaches Though it seems certain that the line of the emperors is in view in Revelation 17:10, nevertheless, several difficulties arise as to the proper enumeration of the line of the Caesars. In regard to the chronology, two particularly important questions arise: With whom does the enumeration begin? And, are any of the Gaesars to be omitted? Some scholars (e.g., Dusterdieck, Bleek, Swete, Weigall, Morris, and even Torrey and Robinson) 17 begin the counting of the emperors with Augustus, in that he was the first official ;emperor.” Some (e.g., Dusterdieck, Gilmour, and Rist) 18 in their overall enumeration ornit 16. James Moffatt, 2% Revelation of St. John the Divine, in W. R. Nicoll, cd., Engltihm’s Greek Testarnd, vol. 5 (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, rep. 1980), p. 318. 17. Friedrich Dusterdieck, Criticul and Exegetial Handbook to th Revelation of John, 3rd cd., trans. Henry E. Jacobs (New York Funk and Wagnalls, 1886), p. 48. Friedrich Bleek, An Introduction to the New Tatarnent, 2nd cd., trans. William Urwick, vol. 2 (Edinburgh: T. & T. Clark, 1870), p. 226. Swete, Revelation, p. 220. Arthur Weigall, Nero: Emperor of Rome (London: Butterworth, 1933), p. 298. Leon Morris, The Revelation of St. John (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1969), p. 38. Torrey, Reoelatbn, p. 60. John A. T. Robinson, Redating the New Teskzmmt (Philadelphia: Westminster, 1976), p. 243. 18. Diisterdieck, Revelation, p. 49. S. MacLean Gilmour, “The Revelation to John,” in Charles M. Laymen, cd., % Irttapreter’s One Volume Commentav on the Bible (Nashville:
- Page 116 and 117: Additional External Witnesses 99 St
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152 BEFORE JERUSALEM FELL<br />
fragment hypothesis theory), Moffatt comments that this is “the one<br />
passage . . . which appears to be a water-mark of the date.” 16<br />
N1 that is required for determining the chronology indicated by<br />
Revelation 17:10 is that we find a series of seven kings, five of whom<br />
“have fhllen,” the sixth of whom “is” still ruling, and the last of whom<br />
was of but a brief reign. The one who “is” will be the king alive and<br />
ruling at the time John wrote Revelation. Then, of course, the discov-<br />
ery of the dates of his reign will serve as the twnini within which<br />
Revelation must have been composed.<br />
We provided ample demonstration above to show that the place<br />
of the seven kings is the famed city of “seven hills,” i.e., Rome. And<br />
given the contemporary expectation of the book, the obvious candi-<br />
dates for fulfilling the role of the seven kings would have to be the<br />
emperors of Rome, the line of the Caesars. It is an indisputable<br />
historical fact that the Caesars were ruling at the time John wrote<br />
Revelation, regardless of whether an early (pre-A.D. 70) or late (c.<br />
A.D. 95) date be advocated.<br />
Various Approaches<br />
Though it seems certain that the line of the emperors is in view<br />
in Revelation 17:10, nevertheless, several difficulties arise as to the<br />
proper enumeration of the line of the Caesars. In regard to the<br />
chronology, two particularly important questions arise: With whom<br />
does the enumeration begin? And, are any of the Gaesars to be<br />
omitted?<br />
Some scholars (e.g., Dusterdieck, Bleek, Swete, Weigall, Morris,<br />
and even Torrey and Robinson) 17 begin the counting of the emperors<br />
with Augustus, in that he was the first official ;emperor.” Some (e.g.,<br />
Dusterdieck, Gilmour, and Rist) 18 in their overall enumeration ornit<br />
16. James Moffatt, 2% Revelation of St. John the Divine, in W. R. Nicoll, cd., Engltihm’s<br />
Greek Testarnd, vol. 5 (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, rep. 1980), p. 318.<br />
17. Friedrich Dusterdieck, Criticul and Exegetial Handbook to th Revelation of John, 3rd<br />
cd., trans. Henry E. Jacobs (New York Funk and Wagnalls, 1886), p. 48. Friedrich<br />
Bleek, An Introduction to the New Tatarnent, 2nd cd., trans. William Urwick, vol. 2 (Edinburgh:<br />
T. & T. Clark, 1870), p. 226. Swete, Revelation, p. 220. Arthur Weigall, Nero:<br />
Emperor of Rome (London: Butterworth, 1933), p. 298. Leon Morris, The Revelation of St.<br />
John (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1969), p. 38. Torrey, Reoelatbn, p. 60. John A. T.<br />
Robinson, Redating the New Teskzmmt (Philadelphia: Westminster, 1976), p. 243.<br />
18. Diisterdieck, Revelation, p. 49. S. MacLean Gilmour, “The Revelation to John,”<br />
in Charles M. Laymen, cd., % Irttapreter’s One Volume Commentav on the Bible (Nashville:
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