Before Jerusalem Fell

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.
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