From: Carlton Winbery (winberyc@popalex1.linknet.net)
Date: Wed Dec 17 1997 - 08:18:02 EST
>Revelation 14:10 says:
>
>EI TIS EIS AICMALWSIAN
> EIS AICMALWSIAN hUPAGEI
>EI TIS EN MACAIRHi APOKTANQHNAI
> AUTON EN MACAIRHi APOKTANQHNAI
>
>I do not know how to read the first and third lines of this. That is, I
>think I know roughly what it must mean, but I do not know how the
>grammatical constructions add up to that meaning.
>
>I also notice lots of textual variations. Is this just a confusing
>sentence, one which the scribes decided to make clearer, or is there a
>straightforward way to understand it?
>
Off the top of my head I would answer this way.
This is 13:10. Chapter 13 is surely all about persecution associated with
emperor worship. The first beast (a composite of the four in Daniel) was
given authority to cause "all those who dwell upon the earth" to worship
him (vss. 7-8). The little beast (two horns--a parody of the Lamb of God)
was given the power of the first beast to make those that dwell on the
earth "to worship the first beast."
In between the two beast the Seer gives the warning,
"If anyone has ears, let him hear."
"If anyone is unto prison," (can choose prison or worship the beast)
"unto prison he goes." (There really is no choice.)
"If any is to be killed by the sword," (to choose emperor worship or sword)
"by the sword he must die."
The next line is equally nebulous. hWDE ESTIN hH hUPOMONH KAI hH PISTIS
TWN hAGIWN. "Here is the endurance and the faith of the saints." The word
hUPOMONH is used in a number of places of enduring in the face of threats
(Mk 13 & parallels, Heb. 12:1 & 2 vb., etc.). What it says is the
willingness to choose imprisonment or sword rather than worship the emperor
is a statement of faith and endurance.
Carlton L. Winbery
Fogleman Professor of Religion
Louisiana College
Pineville, LA 71359
winberyc@popalex1.linknet.net
winbery@andria.lacollege.edu
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