Before Jerusalem Fell
by Kenneth L. Gentry by Kenneth L. Gentry
Clement of Alexandria 75 Another passage found in Sibylline Oracles 4:115-124 teaches that Nero had fled Rome to Parthia, from whence he would come to terrify Rome. Two impostors claiming to be Nero are mentioned in profane history, one, in A.D. 69 and the other twenty years later. 43 Their attempts to deceive and to gain power required the pervasive belief in Nero’s being alive and in hiding. Book 5 of the Sibylline Oracles is also a Jewish composition, written for the most part sometime after A.D. 80.W In this book “the evil of Nero has the same three dimensions as the evil of Rome: he is morally evil, he was responsible for the destruction of Jerusalem, since the Jewish war began in his reign, and he claimed to be God. “4 5 There we read: One who has fifty as an initial will be commander, a terrible snake, breathing out grievous war, who one day will lay hands on his own family and slay them, and throw everything into confusion, athlete, charioteer, murderer, one who dares ten thousand things. He will also cut the mountain between two seas and defile it with gore. But even when he disappears he will be destructive. Then he will return declaring himself equal to God. But he will prove that he is not. Three princes after him will perish at each other’s hands.46 Later in the same book Nero’s return from Persia is envisioned. 47 He is called a savage-minded man, much-bloodied, raving non- 43. Tacitus, Histories 2:8,9; Dio Cassius, Rom Histqv 649; Suetonius, Nero 57. 44. Collins, “Sibylline Oracles,” OTP 1:390. 45. Ibid. 46. Sib>lline Oracles .5:28-35; OTP 1:393. 47. Sibyllinz Oracles 5:93-110. See Collins, “Sibylline Oracles,” OTP 1:395, notes y and b2.
76 BEFORE JERUSALEM FELL sense, with a full host numerous as sand, to bring destruction on you.w Nero’s “flight to the East” is recorded, and he is called a terrible and shameless prince whom all mortals and noble men despise. For he destroyed many men and laid hands on the womb.49 His return is prophesied, and he is called “the impious king.”5° Later in Book 5 the return of Nero is to be terribly dreaded: There will come to pass in the last time about the waning of the moon a war which will throw the world into confusion and be deceptive in guile. A man who is a matricide will come from the ends of the earth in flight and devising penetrating schemes in his mind. He will destroy every land and conquer all and consider all things more wisely than all men. He will immediately seize the one because of whom he himself perished. He will destroy many men and great rulers, and he will set fire to all men as no one else ever did. Through zeal he will raise up those who were crouched in fear. There will come upon men a great war from the West. Blood will flow up to the band of deep-eddying rivers. Wrath will drip in the plains of Macedonia, an alliance to the people horn the West, but destruction for the king.5] 48. Sibylliru Oracks 5:96; OTP 1:395. 49. Stiyllim Oracles 5:143- 145; OTP 1:396. 50. Si@Mne Oracles 5:224 OTP 1:398. 51. Silyllim Oracles 5:361-374; OTP 1:401-402.
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76 BEFORE JERUSALEM FELL<br />
sense,<br />
with a full host numerous as sand, to bring destruction<br />
on you.w<br />
Nero’s “flight to the East” is recorded, and he is called<br />
a terrible and shameless prince<br />
whom all mortals and noble men despise.<br />
For he destroyed many men and laid hands on the<br />
womb.49<br />
His return is prophesied, and he is called “the impious king.”5° Later<br />
in Book 5 the return of Nero is to be terribly dreaded:<br />
There will come to pass in the last time about the<br />
waning of the moon<br />
a war which will throw the world into confusion<br />
and be deceptive in guile.<br />
A man who is a matricide will come from the ends<br />
of the earth<br />
in flight and devising penetrating schemes in his<br />
mind.<br />
He will destroy every land and conquer all<br />
and consider all things more wisely than all men.<br />
He will immediately seize the one because of whom<br />
he himself perished.<br />
He will destroy many men and great rulers,<br />
and he will set fire to all men as no one else ever<br />
did.<br />
Through zeal he will raise up those who were<br />
crouched in fear.<br />
There will come upon men a great war from the<br />
West.<br />
Blood will flow up to the band of deep-eddying<br />
rivers.<br />
Wrath will drip in the plains of Macedonia,<br />
an alliance to the people horn the West, but destruction<br />
for the king.5]<br />
48. Sibylliru Oracks 5:96; OTP 1:395.<br />
49. Stiyllim Oracles 5:143- 145; OTP 1:396.<br />
50. Si@Mne Oracles 5:224 OTP 1:398.<br />
51. Silyllim Oracles 5:361-374; OTP 1:401-402.
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