Over a week ago, Michael Nugent (chairperson of Atheist Ireland) tweeted about his recent blog post on Jesus, and the alleged role that Jesus happens to take from the Jesus (presumably meek and mild) of the Gospels which differs from the Jesus of the book of Revelation (presumably cruel and callous). A prophetic book, and the closing book of the Biblical canon in all Christian traditions. He claimed that moderate Christians didn’t really have a real case for arguing that Jesus overturned the Law of Moses, since He Himself was quite capable of exercising judgement on His own. I’ve been meaning to follow up on this for quite a while.
As the blog went on, I began to notice that the assumption behind his reading of Revelation was that it should be taken literally. There can be no middle ground, either you read it this way, or you don’t read it at all, effectively being the reasoning that is being used. The book itself however, is written in a cryptic fashion in a way that the early Christian communities would have understood, but in a way that others outside these communities wouldn’t have been able to understand easily. This is what can make the book complex to a modern reader, and indeed Revelation is arguably the most complicated book in the entire Bible.
One example seemed to be familar, and indeed, I had a back and forth with him on Twitter about this (Hopefully this will open up a broader discussion). That is the reference concerning Jezebel (quoted below) in Jesus’ description of the 7 churches at the beginning of John’s vision:
He told the angel of one church that a woman called Jezebel had seduced his servants to fornicate, so he was going to kill her children with death.
This is referring to Revelations chapter 2, particularly the quoted section below:
‘I know your works, your love and faith and service and patient endurance, and that your latter works exceed the first. But I have this against you, that you tolerate that woman Jezebel, who calls herself a prophetess and is teaching and seducing my servants to practice sexual immorality and to eat food sacrificed to idols. I gave her time to repent, but she refuses to repent of her sexual immorality. Behold, I will throw her onto a sickbed, and those who commit adultery with her I will throw into great tribulation, unless they repent of her works, and I will strike her children dead. And all the churches will know that I am he who searches mind and heart, and I will give to each of you according to your works.
Revelation 2:19-23 (ESV)
He had brought up the concept of the two Jesus’ at the debate that occurred at NUI Maynooth at the end of March concerning God’s role in moral action, and it is clear that this is something that he has been researching for the last while. He quotes this passage, as if it is referring to a literal woman Jezebel, whose children are about to be killed for their mothers actions.
I pointed out on Twitter that Jezebel was in reference to the Biblical figure described in 1 Kings of the Hebrew Scriptures, to which I received a response that indeed this was in reference to Jezebel, but that this was also a literal person, and that no Christian commentaries he had come across offered an alternative interpretation. My interpretation being that the reference is referring to those who had lived lives in a similar fashion to Jezebel the woman referred to in 1 Kings.
Indeed, verse 23 which refers to the children, Jesus refers to Himself as the one who “searches mind and heart”. If these children were merely the innocent who were punished due to the actions of their mother, why would it be important that Jesus searches mind and heart. If their consciences were clean, then surely Jesus would know whether or not these people were deserving of such judgement. It makes little or no sense that the emphasis on Jesus as the knower of conscience would even be emphasised if we are to accept the reading that Jezebel is referring to a literal person within the church of Thyatira. Not only this Jesus goes on before the verse ends “I will give to all according to their works”. If the “children” being referred to were innocent, and that Jesus was going to give to all “according to their works” surely there would be nothing to give?
In the Matthew Henry Bible Commentary from verses 19 – 23 of chapter 2 in Revelation says the following concerning the Jezebel reference. What was lacking was:
A faithful reproof for what was amiss. This is not so directly charged upon the church itself as upon some wicked seducers who were among them; the church’s fault was that she connived too much at them.
Henry, M. (1996). Matthew Henry’s commentary on the whole Bible : Complete and unabridged in one volume (Re 2:18–29). Peabody: Hendrickson.
These seducers were plural if anything. The commentary goes on to describe these “wicked seducers” who were in the church of Thyatria:
These wicked seducers were compared to Jezebel, and called by her name. Jezebel was a persecutor of the prophets of the Lord, and a great patroness of idolaters and false prophets. The sin of these seducers was that they attempted to draw the servants of God into fornication, and to offer sacrifices to idols; they called themselves prophets, and so would claim a superior authority and regard to the ministers of the church.
Henry, M. (1996). Matthew Henry’s commentary on the whole Bible : Complete and unabridged in one volume (Re 2:18–29). Peabody: Hendrickson.
There was a comparison involved, between these evil seducers and the Biblical Jezebel of 1 Kings in the Hebrew Scriptures.
It is also true, that other commentaries including the Adam Clarke commentary do refer to the Jezebel figure, as an allusion to a particular woman in the Thyatria Christian community, but if this is the case, this does make verse 23 where Jesus makes clear that he will punish those based on their own actions, and their own hearts more questionable. This part of 23 is not referred to at all in Adam Clarke’s commentary.
Touching on the broader view of the blog post. When Jesus was on earth, in the Gospel text Jesus Himself made clear that He Himself had received all authority from the Father (Matthew 28:18). The Jewish prophet Isaiah had written concerning the Messiah that:
For to us a child is born,
to us a son is given;
and the government shall be upon his shoulder,
and his name shall be called
Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,
Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
Isaiah 9:6 (ESV)
Jesus had always made clear that for this time that God has bestowed mercy upon those who were looking to be forgiven their sins. He had said to the woman in adultery, “Neither do I condemn you, go and sin no more” (John 8:10). Concerning his purposes while He was serving on this earth, Jesus says:
If anyone hears my words and does not keep them, I do not judge him; for I did not come to judge the world but to save the world. The one who rejects me and does not receive my words has a judge; the word that I have spoken will judge him on the last day.
John 12:47-48 (ESV)
Jesus didn’t come to condemn, but on His return He will. This is the reason why I can believe that the Jesus of the Gospels, is the same Jesus of the Revelation. Jesus came to offer us a chance of forgiveness so that we can be restored to God the Father, and at the end of all time, Jesus will return to bring all in the world back to the Father. This is what Revelations is describing. His judgement is expected.
Paul writes concerning it:
For we must all appear before the judgement seat of Christ, so that each one may receive what is due for what he has done in the body, whether good or evil.
2 Corinthians 5:10 (ESV)
If you are reading this from Facebook, my blog is at http://www.gpeoples.net, and I would welcome any criticism or comment on the Jezebel reference in Revelations chapter 2.
