Revelations: Visions, Prophecy, and Politics in the Book of Revelation (30 page)

kabbalah, 84

King, Martin Luther, Jr., 175

Koester, Helmut, 90

LaHaye, Tim, 1

Latopolis, 157

Lepidus, Marcus, 14

Letter to Rheginos (Treatise on the Resurrection), 152, 155, 156

Leviathan, 25, 26, 29

Liber, cult of, 122

Licinius, emperor of Rome, 134, 168

Life of Anthony
(Athanasius), 157–58, 221
n

Lucius Verus, emperor of Rome, 108

Luke, 44, 55, 62–63

Luke, Gospel of, 11, 43, 84, 89, 138

Luther, Martin, 3, 166, 173

Lutherans, 173

Magna Mater, cult of, 124

Maimonides, Moses, 154

Marcus (prophet; active 160 c.e.), 91–92, 111

Marcus Aurelius, emperor of Rome, 108, 116–18

Marduk, 24, 25

Mark, Gospel of, 9–10, 11, 43, 69, 138

marriage, between Jews and Gentiles, 54–55

Mary, 30, 181
n

Mary Magdalene, 90, 92–93, 101

Mary Magdalene, Gospel of, 101

Matthew, apostle, 90, 93

Matthew, Gospel of, 11, 69, 84, 89, 138, 172

Maxentius, emperor of Rome, 134

Maximilla, 104, 106

Maximinus II, emperor of Rome, 134

meaningfulness, of history, Revelation as promise of, 34

meat, sacrificial, dispute over eating of, 48–49, 50, 53–54, 56–57, 63

Melitius, bishop of Lycopolis, 133, 137, 139–40, 143–44, 156, 223
n

Messiaen, Olivier, 1

messiah, 80

in Hebrew Scriptures, 29

Jesus as, 8, 30, 46, 53, 61

in Revelation, 5, 30, 188
n

Metamorphoses
(Apuleius),
see Golden Ass, The

Michael, archangel, 5, 22

Michelangelo, 1, 166, 175

Milton, John, 1, 175

Mithra, cult of, 122, 127, 128

monastic movement, Egyptian, 145–59

Anthony and, 146–47, 154–56

Athanasius’ campaign for control of, 145–46, 154, 156–59

Pachomius and, 147–49, 154, 155, 156–57, 158–59

women in, 148

see also
Nag Hammadi texts

Montanus, 103–6, 119–20

Moore, Marianne, 33

Moses, 41, 127, 166

multivalent language, 34

Muslims, 84, 100

religious violence and, 174

Nag Hammadi, monastic federation based at, 148, 154, 156–57

Nag Hammadi texts, 40, 74, 92, 99, 100, 101, 145, 148, 167, 202
n

dialogues with Jesus in, 90–91

see also specific books

Nazis, 1, 38, 73

Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, 27

Neoplatonism, 95

Nero, emperor of Rome, 12, 32–33

new Jerusalem, 2, 7, 103, 132, 163, 165, 171, 198
n

New Prophecy, 103–6, 119–20

demonization of, 106–7

New Testament, 38, 148

Athanasius and canon of, 135, 145, 160–61, 163–64, 169, 176

Revelation included in, 40, 71–72, 100, 135, 145, 160–61, 163–64, 169–70, 174, 175

Nicea, Council of, 138–40, 141, 144, 169

Nicene Creed, 101–2, 138–39, 142, 143, 161, 166, 169

Nicolaus (Pauline convert), 197
n

Octavia, 14, 15

Octavian,
see
Augustus, emperor of Rome

Old Testament,
see
Hebrew Scriptures

Origen, 146, 155, 156, 176, 210
n,
222
n

orthodoxy:

Catholic Church’s establishment of, 101–2, 173

revelation and, 176

Pachomius, abbot of Nag Hammadi, 147–49, 154, 155, 156–57, 158–59

Paradise Lost
(Milton), 1, 175

Parthia, 16

Passover, 186
n

Patmos, 4, 7, 8, 16, 42

Paul of Tarsus, 38, 62, 121, 152, 186
n

as apostle to the Gentiles, 43–44, 54–55, 56, 58, 59, 62–63

authority of revelation invoked by, 43–44, 57–58, 112

beheading of, 9, 46

in doctrinal disputes with Peter and James, 44, 54, 55–58, 62–63, 191
n,
195
n

as Jewish follower of Jesus, 53–54, 71

John of Patmos’ attacks on followers of, 38, 45, 54, 58–59, 64–65, 67–68, 194
n

letters of, 43–44, 56, 57, 58, 63–64, 69–70, 138, 199
n

vision of, 43–45

Pergamum, 11–12, 16, 47, 48

Perpetua, 119–20

Persia, 31

Peter, apostle, 38, 50, 62, 93, 150, 152

crucifixion of, 9, 46, 75

as Jewish follower of Jesus, 53–54, 71

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

in Secret Revelation of James, 88–90

Peter, bishop of Alexandria, 133, 134, 137, 139, 143

Petronius, abbot of Nag Hammadi, 159

Philadelphia, 58, 65, 68–69, 103

Philip, apostle, daughters of, 68

Philip, Gospel of, 101

Philo, 48, 109–10, 194
n

Picasso, Pablo, 1, 175

Pilate, Pontius, 8

plague, 37, 104

Plato, 123, 127, 129, 153, 155, 204
n

Platonism, 153–54

Pliny, 61–62, 116

Plotinus, 204
n

Plutarch, 14

political rhetoric, Revelation imagery in, 2

politics:

as inseparable from religion in Roman Empire, 12–13, 130–31

separation of religion and, 108–10, 131–32

Polycarp, bishop, 111

Pompeii, 21

prayer, in Nag Hammadi texts, 153

Prayer of Thanksgiving, 220
n

Prayer of the Apostle Paul, 91, 149

Price, Simon, 13

priest, use of term, 67, 137, 198
n

Priscilla, 104, 106

prophecy:

coded language of, 30–31

see also
Revelation, Book of; secret writings;
individual prophets

Protennoia, 85–86

Protestant reformation, 37, 174

Protestants, 3, 37, 174

Psalm 74, 25, 26–27

Psalms of David, 69

Quartet for the End of Time
(Messiaen), 1

Quintilla, 103

Qumran, 51

Rahab, 25, 28

Refutation of All Heresies
(Hippolytus of Rome), 209
n

religion:

as inseparable from politics in Roman Empire, 12–13, 130–31

mystery cults, 94–95, 98, 121–22, 124, 125–27, 128

separation of politics and, 108–10, 131–32

religious violence, history of, 174

Revelation, Book of:

as anti-Roman propaganda, 16

as assurance of divine justice, 34, 175

attacks on, 104, 106–7

authorship of, 2–3, 112, 163

coded language in, 31–35

commerce associated with idolatry in, 51–52

continued resonance of, 1–2, 170, 171–77

controversies surrounding, 2–3, 160–63, 206
n

Dionysius’ view of, 162–63

Eusebius’ view of, 161–62

excluded from lists of canonical books, 161–62

included in New Testament canon, 40, 71–72, 100, 135, 145, 160–61, 163–64, 169–70, 174, 175–76

Irenaeus’ championing of, 111–13, 120, 141–42, 160

Jewish prophetic tradition reflected in, 16–17, 24, 31–32, 42–43, 105

John’s vision recounted in, 4–7, 16–24, 30, 32, 82–83, 103, 113, 167, 171

letters to churches in, 37

multivalent language in, 34

and persecution of Christians, 102

reinterpretation of, 135

Tertullian inspired by, 120, 131, 160

as wartime literature, 7, 24, 73

as weapon in Athanasius’ battle against heresy, 135, 141–42, 143, 144–45, 165–66, 173

revelation, books of,
see
secret writings

Revelation of Elijah, 174

Revelation of Ezra, 76–84, 93

Revelation of Paul, 74, 175

Revelation of Peter, 74, 75, 84, 162

Revelation of Zostrianos, 74

Roma (goddess), 12, 16

Roman emperors:

deification of, 12–13, 52

red dragon as representation of, 32–33

Roman Empire:

captive nations portrayed as female slaves in art of, 12

Christianity as dominant religion of, 3, 165, 170

Christians as subjects of, 109, 121, 131

coinage in, 52

in Daniel’s vision, 31–32

extent of, 11

inflation in, 19

instability in, 73

Jewish assimilation in, 35, 47–48, 50, 53–55, 109

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

persecution of Christians in,
see
Christians Christianity, persecution of

religion as inseparable from politics in, 12–13, 130–31

religious cults tolerated in, 121–22

Revelation beasts as embodiments of, 30, 32–33, 115–16

victories of, as divinely ordained, 13

as whore of Babylon, 35, 77, 80, 119, 141

Romans, Letter to, 63–64

Rome, 103

bishop of, 107

Rubenson, Samuel, 156

Rusticus (Roman prefect), 110–11, 117

sacrificial lamb, in Revelation, 4, 18–19

Salathiel,
see
Ezra

salvation:

importance of actions vs. beliefs in, 173

Judgment Day and, 113–14, 165, 174–75

Satan, 7, 23, 39, 45, 47, 48, 157

“synagogue” of, 59–60, 62, 64

Saturninus, 119–20

Saturus, 119–20

Scapula (Roman magistrate), 131

Scroll of the War of the Sons of Light Against the Sons of Darkness, 53

scroll with seven seals, 18–20

Sebasteion, 12, 13

Second Isaiah, prophet, 28–30

Secret Revelation (Apocryphon) of James, 87–90, 91, 93, 149–50, 153, 156

Secret Revelation of John, 84–87, 90, 91, 92, 99, 176, 202
n,
203
n

secret writings, 71–72, 73–102, 200
n

branded as heretical by Athanasius, 145, 155, 159–60, 166, 218
n,
223
n

Irenaeus’ denunciation of, 111, 145

Jesus as living presence in, 150, 176

as messages from God, 3

see also
Nag Hammadi texts;
specific books

self-knowledge, 156

Serapion, bishop, 157

Serapis, cult of, 128

Serbia, 11

Seth, 95

seven angels, in Revelation, 6, 20, 21–22

sexual activity:

abstinence from, 50–51, 146

doctrinal disputes over, 48–50, 54–55, 56–57, 63

as metaphor, 49–50

Sibyl of Cumae, 21

Sistine Chapel, 166

six hundred sixty-six, as number of the beast, 6, 24, 33, 115, 182
n

Smyrna, 65, 111, 196
n

Son of Man:

in Daniel’s vision, 31

Jesus as, 17

Spain, 11

spiritual ascent, 90

spirituals, 1

Stone, Michael, 81–82

Sufism, 84

“synagogue of Satan,” 59–60, 62, 64

Syria, 11, 54