British New Testament Society

The framing chapters of Revelation strongly emphasize the need to follow its advice in order for the churches' deeds to be found complete when their Lord comes ‘soon’. My hypothesis is that in order to appropriately interpret the ‘body’ of Revelation, we need to see it in the light of the seven messages. They describe the concrete situations into which Revelation was meant to speak and are relatively clear in what they are trying to say. They can therefore help us to understand the message of most if not all images of the rest of the book.

What is John’s attitude to the fall of the “great harlot” in Rev. 18? In order to shed more light on this controversial question, this paper opts for an iconographical approach that regards images as constructs of reality. Objects of everyday use, epigrams and a famous statue from Asia Minor show that Roman society scoffed at the fate of the “typical” aging prostitute who, once wealthy and attractive, living at the expense of her lovers, loses everything in old age, ending up as a drunken woman. With its image of the fall of the “great harlot”, Rev. 18 alludes to this stereotype and re-interprets the concept of old age with that of divine judgment. In “quoting” the lament of the kings, merchants and ship-owners, John forces a role upon those who co-operate with Rome that is ridiculous by the moral standards of Roman society itself. Thus, the Seer’s rhetorical strategy does not only consist in opposing two different sets of moral standards, is also consists in proving his opponents wrong by their own set of moral standards.

Commentators on Revelation, particularly in the historical-critical mould, have paid a great deal of attention to the historical and social setting of the seven churches of Asia in their readings of the book. Few, however, show more than a fleeting interest in the author’s context of Patmos (and its historically-close relationship with the mainland city of Miletus). This paper will suggest that attention to this context – the context of an island exile – remains a fruitful avenue for exploration. Evidence relating to Patmos and Miletus in the first century will be considered, as will early traditions about John’s sojourn on the island. Finally, some reflections will be offered on the contemporary reception of the Apocalypse on Patmos, and what this might have to offer to the contemporary commentator.