Before Jerusalem Fell
by Kenneth L. Gentry by Kenneth L. Gentry
260 BEFORE JERUSALEM FELL tions that Revelation was written in a time of persecution” accord “muchbetter with Domitian. ”3 Third, “the book shows evidence of knowledge of the Nero rediuivw myth” that “took time to develop and Domitian’s reign is about as early as we can expect it.”4 Fourth, the “indication is that the churches of Asia Minor seem to have a period of development behind them. This would scarcely have been possible at the time of the Neronic persecution.”5 Let us, then, turn our attention to a seriatim consideration of the substance of these arguments. pp. 32ff. R. H. Charles, The Revelation 0J51. John, 2 vols. International Critical Commentary (Edinburgh: T. & T. Clark, 1920) 1 :xciv-xcv. James Moffatt, 2% Revelation of St. John the Divirw, in W. R. Nicoll, cd., Englishman’s Greek Tutanwnt, vol. 5 (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, rep. 1980), pp. 307-316. Henry Barclay Swete, Comrrwntu~ on Reaelution (Grand Rapids: Kregd, [1906] 1977), p. ci. Guthrie, Zrztwdkztion, pp. 949-951. Werner Georg Kummel, Introduction to the New Te@umrmt, 17th cd., trans. Howard C. Kee (Nashville: Abingdon, 1973), pp. 467-468. William Barclay, The fielation ofJohn, 2 vols. Daily Study Bible (Philadelphia: Westminster, 1960) 1:18. 3. Morris, Revelation, p. 36. See also Moffatt, Revelation, pp. 317-320 (though his approach iS much diflerent> ~. P. 313). Charl=) R~e~at~O. 1 :xciv-x~. Mounce, R~la% pp. 33-34. Guthne, Introaiution, pp. 951-953. Kiimmel, Introduction, p. 467. 4. Morns, Revelation, p. 37. See also Mounce, Reueiation, p. 34. Charles, Revelatwn 1 :xcv-xcvii. Moffatt, Revelation, pp. 305-307. Swete, Riwelation, pp. ci-cii. Kiimmel, Introduction, p. 468. Guthrie, Introdudwn, pp. 953-954. 5. Morris, Rewlation, p. 37. See also Mounce, Revelutwn, pp. 34-35. Swete, Revelation, ‘pp. c-ci. Kiimmel, Introduction, p. 469. Guthrie, Introduction, pp. 954-956.
16 THE ROLE OF EMPEROR WORSHIP As we saw in our last chapter, Leon Morris considers the argument from the role of emperor worship in Revelation to be “the principal reason” for dating the book during Domitian’s reign. Undoubtedly his statement finds widespread concurrence among late date advocates. Morris, Guthrie, Mounce, and others list it as either their first or most conclusive argument. 1 For Moffatt the role of emperor worship in Revelation is virtually conclusive: “When the motive of the Apocalypse is thus found in the pressure upon the Christian conscience exerted by Domitian’s emphasis of the imperial cultus, especially as that was felt in Asia Minor, any earlier date for the book becomes almost impossible.”z He stated quite positively that the emperor worship that could be found no earlier than Domitian was the “peril which formed at once the occasion and the theme of John’s Apocalypse.”3 Perhaps Charles put the argument as vigorously and ably as possible: There is no evidence of any kind to prove that the conflict between 1. Donald Guthrie, New Tedamznt introduction, 3rd ed. (Downers Grove, IL: Inter- Varsity Press, 1970), p. 949. Robert H. Mounce, The Book of Reuelatiorz. New International Commentary on the New Testament (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1977), p. 32. See also its prominence in Andre Feuillet, T/u Apocalypse, trans. Thomas E. Crane (Staten Island: Alba House, 1965), p. 91; Henry C. Thiessen, Introduction to the New Te~tmncmt (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1943), p. 323; Isbon T. BeckWith, The Apoca~pse of John: Studies in Introduction (Grand Rapids Baker, [191 7] 1967), p. 201; to name but a few. 2. James Moffatt, The Revelation of St. John th Ditim, in W. R. Nicoll, cd., Englishman’s Gredc Testament, vol. 5 (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, rep. 1980), p. 317. See also James Moffatt, An Znkdudion to h Li.k-rature of the Nsw Testamd (Edinburgh: T. & T. Clark, 1911), p. 503. 3. Moffatt, Revelation, p. 307. 261
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260 BEFORE JERUSALEM FELL<br />
tions that Revelation was written in a time of persecution” accord<br />
“muchbetter with Domitian. ”3<br />
Third, “the book shows evidence of knowledge of the Nero rediuivw<br />
myth” that “took time to develop and Domitian’s reign is about<br />
as early as we can expect it.”4<br />
Fourth, the “indication is that the churches of Asia Minor seem<br />
to have a period of development behind them. This would scarcely<br />
have been possible at the time of the Neronic persecution.”5<br />
Let us, then, turn our attention to a seriatim consideration of the<br />
substance of these arguments.<br />
pp. 32ff. R. H. Charles, The Revelation 0J51. John, 2 vols. International Critical Commentary<br />
(Edinburgh: T. & T. Clark, 1920) 1 :xciv-xcv. James Moffatt, 2% Revelation of St.<br />
John the Divirw, in W. R. Nicoll, cd., Englishman’s Greek Tutanwnt, vol. 5 (Grand Rapids:<br />
Eerdmans, rep. 1980), pp. 307-316. Henry Barclay Swete, Comrrwntu~ on Reaelution<br />
(Grand Rapids: Kregd, [1906] 1977), p. ci. Guthrie, Zrztwdkztion, pp. 949-951. Werner<br />
Georg Kummel, Introduction to the New Te@umrmt, 17th cd., trans. Howard C. Kee (Nashville:<br />
Abingdon, 1973), pp. 467-468. William Barclay, The fielation ofJohn, 2 vols. Daily<br />
Study Bible (Philadelphia: Westminster, 1960) 1:18.<br />
3. Morris, Revelation, p. 36. See also Moffatt, Revelation, pp. 317-320 (though his<br />
approach iS much diflerent> ~. P. 313). Charl=) R~e~at~O. 1 :xciv-x~. Mounce, R~la%<br />
pp. 33-34. Guthne, Introaiution, pp. 951-953. Kiimmel, Introduction, p. 467.<br />
4. Morns, Revelation, p. 37. See also Mounce, Reueiation, p. 34. Charles, Revelatwn<br />
1 :xcv-xcvii. Moffatt, Revelation, pp. 305-307. Swete, Riwelation, pp. ci-cii. Kiimmel, Introduction,<br />
p. 468. Guthrie, Introdudwn, pp. 953-954.<br />
5. Morris, Rewlation, p. 37. See also Mounce, Revelutwn, pp. 34-35. Swete, Revelation,<br />
‘pp. c-ci. Kiimmel, Introduction, p. 469. Guthrie, Introduction, pp. 954-956.
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