Revelations: Visions, Prophecy, and Politics in the Book of Revelation (29 page)

Damascus, 43

Daniel, prophet, 16, 17, 30–32, 69, 82, 185
n,
187
n

Dante Alighieri, 175

David, king of Israel, 16

deacon, use of term, 137

Dead Sea Scrolls, 51, 53

De Christo et Antichristo
(Hippolytus of Rome), 209
n

Declaration of Independence, 212
n

Deuteronomy, 160

Devil, 23

Dialogue of the Savior, 90–91, 92–93

diocese, use of term, 137

Dionysius, bishop of Alexandria, 2–3, 162–63, 165

Dionysus (god), 15

Discourse on the Eighth and Ninth, 76, 93–95, 153

Domitian, emperor of Rome, 11, 16, 82, 113

dragons,
see
beasts

Egypt, 11, 14, 48, 76, 98, 121

Christians in, 136–60

Hermes cult in, 94–95

monastic movement in, 145–59

as stand-in for Babylon, 27–28

elect:

Black Death and, 37

in Revelation, 5, 19–20

Elijah, prophet, 49

end-times, 3, 38, 111, 121

in Hebrew Scriptures, 29–30, 113

as preoccupation in times of crisis, 73–74

in Revelation, 20–24, 34, 113, 114, 134, 163

in Revelation of Ezra, 79–80

Enoch, 166

Ephesus, 11, 14–15, 16, 45, 58, 65, 67–68, 112

epinoia, 86

Essenes, 51–53

Rome seen as God’s enemy by, 52–53

Euphrates, 6

Eusebius, bishop of Caesarea, 51, 134, 161–62, 167–68, 194
n,
199
n

Eve, 98

evil:

cosmic war against, 4, 5–7, 21–24, 53, 165, 167–69, 172, 173

triumph of justice over, 34, 175

Ezekiel, prophet, 2, 4, 16, 17, 44, 69

visions of, 41–42, 43

Ezra (Salathiel), revelation of, 76–84, 93

Felicitas, 120

fornication, 48–50, 63

as metaphor for idolatry, 49–50

four angels, in Revelation, 5, 19–20

Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse, 4–5, 19, 37

France, 11

Frankfurter, David, 174

Frankl, Viktor, 73

freedom of religion, 131–32, 134

Friesen, Steven, 13

Fronto, M. Cornelius, 116–17

Gaius, 107

Galatians, Letter to, 43–44, 56, 57, 64

Galen, 117

Gaul, 91–92, 104, 111

gematria, 33

Genesis, Book of, 25–26, 98

Gentiles, as followers of Jesus, 34–35, 43–44, 47, 54–55, 56, 58–59

marriage between Jews and, 54–55

as spiritual Jews, 59, 64–65

Germany, 11

Gnostic gospels, 3, 40, 145, 167

see also
Nag Hammadi texts

God, humankind’s relationship to, 100–102

Goebbels, Joseph, 38

Golden Ass, The
(Apuleius), 124–27

Goya, Francisco, 1

Greece, 11, 31, 54, 56, 76, 97, 121

Greek language, 48

Gregory of Nazianzus, 161

Hadrian, emperor of Rome, 123

Hathor, 98

heaven, in Revelation, 4, 5, 17, 20, 22–23, 182
n,
186
n
–87
n

Hebrew, 48

Hebrews, Gospel to, 162

Hebrew Scriptures, 70, 76

beasts in, 24–30

end-times in, 29–30

messiah in, 29

prophesies in, 69

secret books of, 83–84

Herculaneum, 21

heresy, heretics:

Arian, 137–39, 142–43, 144

Athanasius’ battle against, 135, 141–42, 143, 144–45, 155, 159–60, 165–66, 173, 218
n,
223
n

great whore of Babylon as embodiment of, 143, 165, 173

Irenaeus on, 114–15, 145

Hermes Trismegistus, 94–95

Hermeticism, 153

Hindus, Hinduism, 84, 101

Hippolytus of Rome, 209
n

history, meaningfulness of, Revelation as promise of, 34

History of the Church
(Eusebius), 161, 199
n

Hitler, Adolf, 38

holy war, holy warriors, 50–51, 52–53

see also
evil, cosmic war against

homoousios,
138

Horsisius, abbot of Nag Hammadi, 159

Hosea, prophet, 49

idolatry, fornication as metaphor for, 49–50

Ignatius of Antioch, 65–67, 197
n,
198
n

Judaism repudiated by, 70–71

Paul’s letters cited as authority by, 69–70

prophetic authority claimed by, 68–69

as self-described bishop of Syria, 67

Inferno
(Dante), 175

Iraq, 11

Irenaeus, bishop, 91–92, 101, 162, 197
n,
202
n

on heretics, 114–15, 145, 217
n

on persecution of Christians as work of “the beast,” 114–15

Revelation championed by, 111–13, 120, 141–42, 160, 165

secret books denounced by, 111, 145

Isaiah, prophet, 16, 24, 44, 69, 105, 166

vision of, 40–41, 42, 167, 181
n

see also
Second Isaiah, prophet

Isis, cult of, 15, 98, 122, 124, 125–27, 128–29

Israel, 11, 59

“holy remnant” of, 46

in Revelation, 5, 20

woman “clothed with the sun” as metaphor for, 29–30, 181
n

Italy, 11

James, son of Zebedee (apostle), 163

James, William, 73–74

James (brother of Jesus), 38, 50

as author of Secret Revelation, 87, 149–50

death of, 9, 46

as Jewish follower of Jesus, 53–54, 71

Paul’s doctrinal disputes with, 44, 54, 55–58, 62–63, 191
n,
195
n

Jeremiah, prophet, 16, 24, 27, 49, 69, 173–74

Jerusalem:

followers of Jesus in, 44

Great Temple of,
see
Temple of Jerusalem

in wars with Rome, 7–8, 10, 11, 16

Jesus of Nazareth:

baptizing of, 43

crucifixion of, 8–9, 13, 151, 186
n

destruction of Jerusalem Temple prophesied by, 9–10, 113, 184
n

divinity of, 138–39, 166

end-times prophecies of, 10, 16, 51, 113

Gentile followers of,
see
Gentiles, as followers of Jesus

Jewish followers of, 4, 8, 30, 31–32, 46–47, 53–55, 61, 66–67, 70, 71

as living presence in books of revelations, 150, 176

as messiah, 8, 30, 46, 53, 61, 80, 138, 188
n

in Nag Hammadi dialogues, 90–91

parables of, 89, 92, 172

Jesus of Nazareth (cont.)

physical vs. spiritual resurrection of, 151–52

post-resurrection appearances of, 87–90, 152

in Revelation, 4, 6–7, 17, 37

on Roman authority, 121

as sacrificial lamb, 18

as Son of Man, 17, 150

visions of, 43

Jewish-Roman wars, 7–8, 10, 11, 16, 33, 53, 73, 76, 81, 82, 110

Jews, Judaism:

Christian violence against, 174

Constantine’s demonization of, 169

esoteric tradition of, 84, 85, 95, 100

and feminine aspects of deity, 98, 100

as followers of Jesus, 4, 8, 30, 31–32, 46–47, 53–55, 59–60

Ignatius’ repudiation of, 70–71

marriage between Gentiles and, 54–55

Paul’s writings on, 63–64

regarded as “atheists” by Romans, 62

relationship of God to humankind in, 100–101

Roman assimilation of, 35, 47–48, 50, 53–55, 109

sanctions on, 136

Jezebel (Canaanite queen), 49

“Jezebel” (prophet), denounced by John of Patmos, 39–40, 49, 50, 55, 192
n
–93
n

Job, Book of, 78, 79

John, Gospel of, 2, 99, 106–7, 112, 113, 120, 138, 151, 186
n,
206
n

John, son of Zebedee, apostle, 56, 150

as author of Gospel of John, 2, 112

as author of Secret Revelation, 84

John of Patmos confused with, 2–3, 8, 84, 107, 112, 163

John of Patmos:

in Asia Minor, 11, 14, 16

current events as concern of, 37

and destruction of Great Temple, 10

duality of good vs. evil in worldview of, 96–97, 165–66, 189
n

eating of sacrificial meat denounced by, 48–49, 50

as exile, 8, 46

fellow believers criticized by, 38–40, 45, 48–51, 54, 58–61, 196
n
–97
n

feminine aspect of deity rejected by, 99

fornication denounced by, 48–50

identified as “Christian” by scholars, 60–61

as Jewish follower of Jesus, 4, 8, 30, 31–32, 46–47, 55, 61, 66–67, 70, 71

as Jewish prophet, 7, 42–43, 47, 67, 171–72

John, son of Zebedee confused with, 2–3, 8, 84, 107, 112, 163

Paul’s followers attacked by, 38, 45, 54, 58–59, 64–65, 67–68, 194
n

see also
Revelation, Book of

John the Baptist, 43, 51, 69

Josephus, 51, 109

Judas, 90

Judea, 12, 15, 33, 48

Roman occupation of, 7–8

Judgment Day, 1, 3, 7

division of believers from nonbelievers on, 113–14, 165, 174–75

Jesus’ prophecies of, 10, 16

in Revelation of Ezra, 79–80

justice, divine, Revelation as assurance of, 34, 175

Justin “the Philosopher,” 107–11, 116, 117, 118, 120, 121, 122, 127, 128, 160, 162, 171