Экзегетическое обозрение Апокалипсиса,

which we give in general, fundamental outlines, without historical and archaeological details APOCALYPTIC MESSAGES TO THE SEVEN ASIAN CHURCHES In his seven epistles to the churches of Asia Minor 35, the Seer of Secrets shows their actual state in significant defects and obligatory ideals, and thereby establishes the basic principles of the truth of Christian life and its normal historical development. Seven churches are named (I, 4), then precisely named (I, 11) and actually addressed (II-III), but we have already mentioned that they serve for the Apocalyptic only as specific points of departure and are symbolic 36. It is significant that at first only the bare number (I, 4) is noted, but it could not be in vain and accidental and must contain something in itself. But seven is almost the most favorite number of the Apocalyptic (Rev. 1:4, 13, 16, 20, 8:2, 6, 13:1, 15:1, 6, 7, 8, 16:1, 21:9 cp. Rev. 5:1, 6, 17:1, 3, 7, 9, 10, 11 ) and everywhere it means completeness and perfection of one or another character. Therefore, in the seven-part collection of apocalyptic letters, we are obliged to see a complete expression of the known truth from different sides and points of view. In each of them one must see a partial Revelation of this truth, which, in the totality of all messages, has a holistic outline, for which it is not historical and archaeological examples that are important, but inspiring and penetrating ideas. The first letter was sent to the Church of Ephesus, and it deserves this first place not because of its civil position in the province 37, where Pergamum was officially listed as the main city, but because it says “He who holds the seven stars in His right hand, He who walks in the midst of the golden lampstands” (II, 1), but earlier it was said (I, 20) that the seven stars are the Angels of the seven churches, which are represented by the seven lampstands. Consequently, the Angel of Ephesus was the bearer of all heavenly church leadership for the new universal Church. His voice turns out to be fundamentally positive and fundamentally dogmatic. It is useless to argue about the specific meaning of the Angels of the churches and to go into fabrications or analysis of various hypothetical, even fantastic theories 38 . None of the Jewish and Christian readers of that time could doubt for a minute that God, who watches over the world and its elements 39, over individual people (Ps. 90:1; Matt. 4:6, 18:10; Luke 4:10) and over entire nations 40 through heavenly messengers, 41 all the more contains His spiritual guidance in heaven for the entire Church of Christ and in this way leads her, among earthly trials, to the final heavenly goal (cf. Heb. 1:14), protecting her from the deceit of the spirits of wickedness in high places (Eph. 6:12). They note that then all the reproaches of the Apocalyptic will have to be transferred to the heavenly servants of God, as those responsible for the actual shortcomings and downfalls of their church 42; but to a certain extent the same difficulty also applies to earthly bosses, who are responsible for various defects, although they themselves are pure and not shameful in everything - for example. John and Paul in relation to the churches they founded, particularly in Asia Minor, where all the lamps have long wavered and moved. Humanly speaking, from this side, repentance is learned from God in the Bible (Gen. 6:6; Heb. 4:3); in Angels, who do not always penetrate into the depths of Divine mysteries (1 Pet. 1:12), something obstinate is seen (Job 4:18); according to the Book of Jubilees (XV, cf. “Psalms of Solomon”, XVII, 17) God even “conducts litigation against His Angels and His Spirits.” It goes without saying that the heavenly Angels actually act through their earthly representatives, as authorized heads of churches, corresponding specific persons of the church hierarchy, i.e. – today – through bishops 43. The positive advantage of the Ephesian Christians was that they embodied their faith in their own deeds and in this unremitting work they endured everything for the sake of the name of the Lord, resolutely not allowing themselves to be carried away by various spiritual corruptions even from some imaginary apostles, in fact - simply liars, and with hatred rejecting any Nicolaitan practice. But along with this, the Ephesians arouse Divine condemnation against themselves because they left their first love (II, 4: ὅτι τ ὴ ν ἀ γ ά πην σου τ ὴ ν πρ ώ την ἀ φ ῆ κας). However, even now, saving restoration through cleansing repentance and the return of original activity is quite accessible. From the associations of thoughts it is clear that what is meant is “faith furthered by love” (Gal. 5:6) the fiery burning of all-perfect self-devotion to God in Christ and in the Holy Spirit, when everything shines with the light of Christ’s ideal in every thought and movement. In this regard, there is no doubt that the weakening and extinction of such faith indicates a falling away. So, the ardent love of fruitful faith is depicted as the main beginning of blessed Christian development, which culminates in heavenly life-giving. But it has already been noted that many difficulties are encountered on this path of salvation, and now this is certified for the Smyrna Church (II, 8 et seq.) by the Divine Redeemer, testifying that death for the truth of Christ leads to life, contrary to all human calculations. It is decisively asserted that the above-described deeds for the sake and in the name of Christ create the grief of external torment, capable of being resolved by death 44, even martyrdom, 45 and physical and material poverty - with all the spiritual wealth - through slander of Jewish origin, and all sorts of dark and dirty blasphemies against Christians are invented, not only not at all justified, but deliberately shameful, maliciously inciting hatred towards them in all layers of society. These dark slanderers call themselves Jews who stand for biblical ideals, but the latter's perverted rabbinic understanding made them anti-Christian fighters of a purely satanic character, because they became the servants of Satan, who fell from heaven (Luke 10:18) in order to sift all the faithful as wheat (Luke 22:31). This most closely dates back to apostolic times, when it was the Asian Jews with demonic fury who betrayed St. Paul (Acts 21:27 et seq.). But this was the case both after and to this day (with the Turkish brutal bloodbath in Smyrna itself), permeated with anti-Christian deceit. But the Apocalyptic categorically declares that the intended blasphemers were not the true Jews, the keepers of the divine covenants and promises. These are the apostates who trampled them, well organized as συναγωγ ὴ το ῦ σατανᾶ (II, 9) 46 and carrying out their anti-Christian plans with satanic fanaticism. They will force the confessors of Christ to endure a lot, since they are motivated exclusively by the devil, who subjects the entire society to physical torment (for example, imprisonment) and long-term torment (“for ten days” - which number means a rounded, not short period of time; cp.: XIII, 12; XVIII, 3, 7, 12, 16). Here, premature and even violent death is quite possible, but this will be a great victory for the Christian indestructible spirit and therefore ensures eternal vitality for it with deliverance from the second, after physical, death and, obviously, spiritual in the final condemnation. All of the above presupposes the actual dominance of Jewish incited terrorism, historically undeniable for Asia Minor of the apostolic era, but a decisive struggle against it is commanded, as against a satanic attempt. And since there is truth on the other side, then its triumph is undeniable. An example of this is the Pergamon Church (II, 12 et seq.), before which the Lord appears as the Divine Judge of what people should and can do in the name of Christ, but they move towards the fornicating and treasonous acceptance of shameful religious customs, practically implementing the acquired Nicolaitan theories 47 . There was also something pagan-licensed in the latter, but in their anti-Christian interests the fanatical Jews of that time were capable of all sorts of pagan forgeries and, for example, they were always zealous in inciting the pagan masses against Christians and brought matters to bloody catastrophes, 48 ​​so that during the martyrdom of St. Polycarp of Smyrna (February 23, 155), when it was decided to burn him, most likely the Jews came running according to custom with the necessary materials ἐ ουδα ί ων προθ ύ μως, ὡς ἔ θος α ὐ το ῖ ς, ε ἰ ς τα ῦ τα ὑ πουρχ ό νιον) for the execution of this apostolic and prophetic man, and the centurion handed over the saint to be burned (θε ὶ ς α ὐ τ ὸ ν, ἐ ν μ έ σῳ, ὡς ἔ θος α ὐ το ῖ ς, ἔ καυσεν) at the extremely furious insistence of the Jews, who, together with the pagans, cried out about “ο ἱ ἡ μ έ τεροι θεο ί”, supposedly this is “the teacher of Christians, the destroyer of our gods, teaching many not to make sacrifices to them and not to worship” 49. Such people were ready to do anything for the death of hated Christians. In Pergamum there is the “throne of Satan”, who lives there, being the organizing and controlling agent 50. Based on what has been said about the Smyrna slanderers, one must think that, of course, it was precisely the “synagogue of Satan” of fierce pseudo-Judaism, but it had its producing and ruling center in Pergamon, where Judaistic anti-Christian intrigues were forged and imperiously carried out everywhere 51. There was the royal throne of anti-Christian dominion. It was scary and dangerous to live under its dark shadow, and yet the Pergamum Christians, being in such threatening proximity, continued their Christian activity in relevant matters, keeping the name of Christ unashamedly and openly and not in the least wavering in their saving faith, even in those bloody days when Antipas was forcibly killed, having proven by martyrdom that he was a faithful witness (II, 13): Αντ ί πας, ὁ μ ά ρτυς μου ὁ πιστ ό ς until death (cp. II, 10 and XVII, 6), which was this sacred testimony 52, remaining in praiseworthy purity. The Pergamon church, however, was defiled in some of its parts, where the Valaam temptation to use things sacrificed to idols and fornication spread. In the literal sense, this is hardly acceptable, but there was only something similar in the temptation to religious treason, which was true spiritual fornication 53 in relation to the Church as τη παρθ έ νῳ μητρ ί 54 . This analogy is noted by the Apocalypticus (II, 15) with an expressive rapprochement: “since you also have those who hold the teaching of the Nicolaitans” - διδαχ ὴ ν τ ῶ ν Νικολα ϊ τ ῶ ν ὁ μο ί ως. The phrase irresistibly states that in Pergamon the latter acted like the ancient Balaam in relation to Israel, and there were no genuine “Balaamites” at all, and such an early descent into paganism, which is generally not inclined to put on Christian clothing for the sake of propaganda, is completely unthinkable. It is much more likely that there were only a few (II, 14) Valaamite imitators, and about them we should think that they were Judeo-Christians or Judaites who carried away φαγ έῖ ν ε ἰ δωλ ό θυτα κα ὶ to the Valaamite seduction πορνε ῦ σαι 55, even in the name of supposedly Christian freedom. Such betrayal on the part of Christians is unacceptable and threatens with the sword of Divine rejection. Anyone tempted by material goods, at least in the field of nutrition (which was undoubtedly the case for the Asia Minor people of that time and with boundless Jewish cruelty), must remember that he is guaranteed heavenly saturation, just as Israel had manna in the desert. Those who were wavering were tempted by the fact that, by accepting the recommended practice, they would receive a corresponding protective nickname instead of the name “Christian,” which was their distinction and a clear “challenge” to outsiders, especially to Jews (but initially not at all to Jews). The new name for the faithful winners will be from the same category (for example: “Son of God”) - pure, like a white pebble on which the chosen person was written, and equally secret, known to the recipient and not annoying anyone else by its very name, like a confessional statement: “χριστιαν ό ς (χριστιαν ή ) ε ἰ μ ί ". This means that not the slightest deviation from the principle of faith, pursued and realized love is permissible. Moreover, direct deviations of a similar nature are reprehensible and intolerable, and they will certainly incur the righteous wrath of “the Son of God, Whose eyes are like a flame of fire and whose feet are like chalkwood.” This truth is undeniable based on the fate of the Thyatira church (II, 18 et seq.). The latter possessed the high qualities of deeds of love in the service of faith and inevitable passion-suffering on earth for her. Even more than that, it surpassed the Ephesian Church, for in normal Christian development it increased in its deeds compared to the initial stages. And, however, something shameful and harmful turned out to be here too. The people of Thyatira allowed the “wife of Jezebel,” who called herself a prophetess, to teach and mislead Christians, to commit fornication and eat things sacrificed to idols. Due to her unrepentance, the Lord casts her into a bed and those who commit adultery with her into great sorrow and threatens to strike her children with death. This image is so clear that some scholars see the Thyatira seductress as a real historical person, sometimes even suggesting that she is the wife of the Thyatira bishop 56 . No matter how fascinating this interpretation is for realistic commentators, it is very doubtful due to the very vagueness and obscurity of the apocalyptic description, which would then simply require a harsh condemnation of the Thyatira primate or his complete rejection. The biblical Jezebel was a pagan and worked fiercely in favor of paganism, while it is said about the Thyatirian woman of the same name that she seduced her into eating something sacrificed to idols, like the Pergamon troublemakers. Obviously, this Jezebel was similar to them and was a Nicolaitan sectarian with pagan tendencies, 57 seducing the Thyatirians and luring some of them into her nets (II, 23) with the energy of Ahab’s wife, who was not at all limited to roundabout ways of introducing the Israelites to paganism through eating idol sacrifices. The Thyatira Jezebel (like the Pergamum Balaamites) only resembled her biblical name of the same name in her method of cruel persistence and went on a rampage in her circle of kin. Hence, it is highly likely that she was a Jewish false prophetess (II, 20, cp. II, 9) with libertine propaganda 58. We see confirmation of this in the fact that her opponents did not adhere to Jezebel’s teachings and did not understand the so-called “depths of Satan” (II, 24), which undoubtedly signify Jewish doctrines and accommodations, but only applied here for obscene Jezebelite practice 59 . In Smyrna and Pergamum they spread among Christians in their immediate form, but in Thyatira a further fatal step was taken, although, it seems, not yet (much) further than participation in pagan sacrificial meals 60. The former seduction was clothed in the form of a sound doctrine that found devoted servants (II, 23), and this conviction rested on the fact that the proclaimed doctrine was in complete agreement with Jewish premises, for the partisans possessed a complete Jewish vision and accurately knew all the “satanic depths” of the highest Jewish contemplation - in contrast to the true τ ὰ β ά θη το ῦ θεοὖ (1 Cor. 2:10). But we must accept that now there has been a strong bias towards the pagan side. The betrayal of Christianity in favor of Jewish sectarianism naturally disposed believers to a certain religious indifference, especially when it was allowed for the sake of material interests and in cases of violence of a similar nature. Indifference gradually moved to a preference for what was specifically better in this sense and was resolved by pagan libertinism, where at that time all licentiousness was covered by religious sanctification (as later with the Gnostics). And such an understanding can be based on the remark of the Apocalyptic that the Christian winner is promised strong, crushing power over the pagans (II, 26). It is obvious that the latter’s admirers of the prophetess had already had contact with the latter, but it was associated only with reprehensible and disastrous pagan extremes, and true success in this area lies where the confessors of the Lord have the “morning star” 61 (II, 28), the shining day of the light of Christ (XXII, 16). The final conclusion of all observations is the truth that the love of the faith of Christ, active with equal fruits, does not tolerate Judaistic attacks and falls and decisively eliminates all pagan impurities. For every Christian, a single call should sound imperative: be faithful to your first love until death! Otherwise, extreme necrosis of the spiritual organism, its contamination and death will occur. A sad illustration of this is given by the Sardician Church (III, 1 et seq.), which is denounced by the Great Judge, who possesses all the Divine fullness and keeps in his right hand the entire universal Church. Sardis consoled themselves with the deceptive knowledge that they bore a life-giving name - of course, of the Christian population - but underneath there was no adequate content at all, and therefore the inert abstract nomenclature hid the real lifelessness. This is indisputable in principle, but in Sardis such an active approach to death actually took place that they were threatened with an unexpected final sentence if they were not vigilant in preserving the pledge they had received and in implementing it in the same way. But this is only a hypothetical possibility, salutary because (like what was promised for Sodom and Gomorrah: Gen. 18:26 et seq.) in Sardis there are several people who did not defile their clothes, while all the others obviously desecrated them. This crime may be in connection with libertinistic licentiousness and is partly even expressed in it, but the promise of white clothes categorically speaks of the spiritual purity and lordship of a few Sardinians. This necessarily suggests that there, too, in the majority there was spiritual darkness, which entailed “defilement of the flesh and spirit” (2 Cor. 7:1). The reason for this is the lack of wakefulness, when spiritual hibernation causes the fading of vital functions and is accompanied by their weakening and actual inactivity. The accepted gift of faith from the life-giving Primary Source of the Divine with the preservation of only dead theoretical knowledge, in which (and demons believe and tremble: James 2:12), naturally, such a demonic disposition opens up space for demonic influences, and therefore “the drying up of the love of many” (Matthew 24:12) is called by the Lord one of the anticipations of the last times and the coming of the Antichrist. Hence the dogmatically moral covenant: to be always vigilant in fulfilling the norm of the pledge given by us in all everyday confession, not allowing either ideological or practical aberrations. This is difficult in the earthly world of all kinds of temptations, but God does not allow temptations beyond our strength, but opens for them a convenient way out (1 Cor. 10:13) for our weakness (2 Cor. 12:9–10). Therefore, the Christian triumph of pure fidelity is always available to us and is clearly confirmed by the fate of the Philadelphia Church (III, 7 et seq.), before which the Lord appears as the owner of the key of David, opening and closing the entrances to the promised “house” (Isa. 22:22) of His messianic-spiritual kingdom (Matt. 16:19). This ultimately depends on the single will of God, but to use it, personal diligence is also necessary according to our condition. Here is the Philadelphian Church, outwardly very weak, but nevertheless it turned out to be worthy of the blessed ascent, for it preserved the word of the teaching of its Redeemer, never renounced His Name, but always and clearly confessed itself to be Christ’s. Therefore, the victorious power of the Lord is made perfect in its weakness (2 Cor. 12:9), despite the cruel pressure of rudely triumphant enemies. There is a whole army of them, forming a close-knit “assembly”, but the latter is a satanic union of anti-Christian false Judaism, for it appeared in pagan Hellenized Antioch (Acts 11:26), which must certainly perish from its own internal untruth and humbly bow to the bearers and confessors of the grace-filled power. No one has the right to make an excuse with their weakness, because... The all-effective grace of Christ is equally open to everyone according to the diligence and acceptance of each. True, while this creates such living conditions that painful patience is required according to the commandment and example of Christ, but such confessional success is all the higher and more perfect, ensuring the unshakable stability of Christian prosperity. This means that no matter how easy it is to fall, gradually dragging you into the abyss of destruction, growth is just as possible, for here you only need to follow the word of the Lord: “Hold what you have, lest anyone take your crown” (III, 11), remembering the ascension of the humble (Luke 1:52), who are being strengthened by present undeserved suffering against the coming widespread temptations, intensifying and expanding to universal scope, corresponding to the worldwide predominance of Christianity. In this sense, the Christian confession of humble devotion is a permanent pillar of the church of God and bears the title of Him to whom it is dedicated in the highest citizenship of the new name of Christ as the risen, triumphant and reigning Redeemer. In the last two letters we saw two ultimate extremes - complete mortification and inexhaustible vitality. In the face of these opposites, apathetic indifference is unacceptable, since in fact there is no and theoretically unthinkable something third and middle, reconciling between two negations. A decisive choice with a complete turn this way or that is necessary, otherwise, with deadly hesitations, everything will be lost; Meanwhile, only creative creation is desirable in accordance with the life-giving truth of Christ. This sad fatality is terrifyingly revealed to us by the following Laodicean Church (III, 14 et seq.), to which the Reliable Witness, adamant in His essence, now speaks, by direct observation and correspondence to objective truth, contemplating everything that happens from its very beginning, as the First Author of God’s creation. And so He proclaims that the Laodicean is neither cold nor hot - he is devoid of typical certainty, since he himself has not decided at all, but helplessly and passively swings to both sides, where the spontaneous wind of deceptive infatuation leads him at the moment. This is like lukewarm water that tastes nasty, most often causing nausea and vomiting. The religious and moral state of mind of the Laodiceans was similar. They became rich because they became rich and lacked for nothing. In appearance it is undeniable, but it refers exclusively to material security, which acquires its importance only from its spiritual basis, and in this regard is a seductive tinsel. Therefore, the Laodicean wealth hid the pitiful misfortune of spiritual poverty and blindness regarding its availability among them. What is needed is the only wealth that is acquired only from God and represents the pure test gold of grace-filled gifts, provides the spiritual robe of snow-white purity, eliminating the vision of even naked nudity and delivers a person from painful blindness with unremitting visuality. The Laodicean did not renounce all this directly and clearly, but has a cold indifference to it, and the Lord denounces and warns like a loving father who does not lose even his last hope. We must hear and accept with all our hearts the calling voice for establishment and vital communion with our Savior in His abodes, when the Christian naturally wins and reigns together with the Lord the Redeemer, seated with the Father. This well-being requires unremitting application, in the insight of which all everyday roughness will be lost and people will be white, i.e. chosen heirs according to the “book of life”, witnessed by the Son to His Father and before the Angels - spectators of saving redemption. Here is the crown and end of the entire image, because what follows is a continuous, endless stay in the kingdom of God. Secured and sustainable continuation is guaranteed and illuminated by its anticipation and therefore does not require a detailed description. It is clear that apocalyptic epistolography is ending, and we must put together and ideologically express all its content. There the fate of the Church of God is destined in its historical course and heavenly consummation. But the first already predetermines the second if they coincide with each other as a good undertaking and a blessed achievement. From this side, the middle period is especially dangerous, when all sorts of deviations from the normal direction towards various crossroads are possible. Such fluctuations can ruin all success, and therefore it is natural that the Seer focuses on this moment as fatal for the entire movement, where the usual course should proceed with the regularity indicated above and does not allow either shocks or catastrophes. In this case, such a tempting and destructive force for Christianity is called the Nicolaitan sect (II, 6), which parallels the ancient tempter Balaam (II, 15, cf. Num. 31:16), but only he now acts among Christians and draws them into his networks of religious and moral licentiousness. From other connections and hints it follows that such propaganda flourishes in the area of Satan (II, 13), and his “synagogue of Satan”, with the leadership of the devil (II, 10), was Jewish in origin and composition (II, 9) and professed a mysterious teaching with hidden satanic depths (II, 24) in arcanœ hœreticæ 62, who justified all sorts of obscenities among the Gnostics 63. Nicolaitanism was apparently of Jewish genealogy, although in perverted offspring, as some accept it for their antipodes - the Colossian fanatics. Therefore, I consider it completely unfounded to elevate the apocalyptic Nicolaitans to the deacon Nicholas 65 who they seduced 64, for there is no doubt that he was a proselyte (Acts 6:5), i.e. a person of pagan origin who converted to Christianity from perceived Judaism, which he could not have and did not contain satanic aspirations and was in fact a favorable propaedeutic to Christian enlightenment. And in apostolic times, of course, there were many Nicholas pure Jews, at least through the Greek resounding of the name “Balaam” 66. This is not completely destroyed by scrupulous philology, since it in no way determined the entire onomatological game with multilingual designations of one subject. At first, this organized Jewish intrigue 67 penetrated into Asia Minor from the outside in the form of legate envoys, probably from Jerusalem, who knew well the fanatical sentiments of the local Judaism, but when it was exposed in its false apostleship, it had already left its evil legacy in Nicolaitanism. There is no reason to significantly distinguish them, judging by the attitude of the Ephesians and the Seer towards them 68. These aliens tried to shake the basic foundations of the active and life-giving love of Christ and, through cruel external constraints, to arouse in believers treasonous sentiments of a pagan nature in the name of Paul’s freedom and under the cover of John’s forgiveness. This is quite consistent with the flow of Christian history, where Jewish deceit was associated with pagan mixtures and hobbies, even penetrating them with anti-Christian intent. But in all these types and forms, such an enemy attack is defeated by grace-filled fidelity with small human forces and must be completely destroyed, for otherwise Christianity will be defeated, just as Christ was outwardly killed. The widespread participation of Judaism is not clear here to the point of immediate obviousness, but it was the “beginning of the creation” of all anti-Christianity and in all centuries, for all kinds of combinations, it was its creator, accomplice, distributor and patron. From here we see that Judeo-demonic attacks continue intensely throughout the entire historical course of Christianity. For him, all this overwhelm is not at all absolute and must be suppressed by human zeal with the help of the grace of God, and it consists in living faith and active love, when faith is hastened and reaches perfection by works (James 2:22), which is why the Lord, in all the Asian churches, first examines their deeds (II, 2, 9, 13, 19; III, 2, 8, 15) as obligatory for truly Christian life and its correct historical development. For them, see in Russian the master's thesis of the associate professor of the Moscow Theological Academy A. A. Zhdanov: The Revelation of the Lord about the seven Asian churches. Experience in explaining the first three chapters of the Apocalypse. Moscow, 1891. Cp. R. H. Charles: A commentary on the Revelation of St. John, I, p. 142, 348. For Ephesus in the time of the Apostle Paul, see R. P. R. Tonneau in Revue Biblique Internationale, XXXVIII, 1: 1-er Janvier 1929, p. 5–34. See about this from A. A. Zhdanov: Revelation of the Lord about the seven Asian churches, pp. 96, 97. See in Apocalypse VII, 1: Angels holding the four winds of the earth; XIV, 18: Angel having power over fire; XVI, 5: Angel of the waters. See prof. A. A. Glagoleva: Old Testament biblical teaching about Angels: experience of biblical and theological research. Kiev, 1900, pp. 372–80. Wed. from V.V. Chetyrkin: Apocalypse of St. John the Theologian, p. 179. – A. A. Zhdanov: Revelation of the Lord about the seven Asian churches, p. 107. A. A. Zhdanov: Revelation of the Lord about the seven Asian churches, p. 103. Dr. Friedrich Bleek: Vorlesungen über die Apokalypse. Herausgegeben von Lic. Th. Hossbach, Berlin, 1862, S. 167; Prof. P.Fr. Sales Tiefenthal: Die Apokalypse des Hl. Johannis. Paderborn, 1892, S. 143; Robert Kuebel: Die Offenbarung Johannis, für bibelforschende Christ zur Lehre und Erbauung übersetzt und erklärt. München, 1895, S. 39. But υλ ί χις does not necessarily indicate the actuelle Verfolgung, see Prof. Ernst Lohmeyer: Die Offenbarung des Johannis, S. 13. Cp. Robert Kuebel: Die Offenbarung Johannis, S. 52. The term συναγωγ ὴ in itself does not contain anything reproachful, but could easily receive such an application - sometimes even due to religious and confessional fanaticism, when, for example, the “Congregation of Propaganda” and its missionaries often called Orthodox churches “synagogues” (like Calvin’s). (Prof. E.F. Shmurlo: The Roman Curia in the Russian Orthodox East in 1609–1654. Prague, 1928, pp. 34,134). Cp. Selmar Keferstein: Die Offenbarung St. Johannis, S. 44; Dr. Friedrich Bleek; Vorlesungen über die Apokalypse, S. 172. Tertullian: Adv. gnosticos. Mignë Patrologiæ cursus compl., séria lat. II, 163. Martyrium S. Polycarpis, cap. XII, 2; XIII, XVI, XVII, XVIII, 1. Pr. Dr. Sales Tiefenthal: Die Apokalypse des Hl. Johannis, S. 166. suggesting here even the speech “von einigen massgebenden Persönlichkeiten”. It is not entirely clear when A. A. Zhdanov writes (“The Revelation of the Lord about the Seven Asian Churches,” p. 188) that “there is no question of the Jewish element of church life (Pergamon),” meanwhile the Jews undoubtedly existed there (Jos. Flav.: Antiq. Jud., XIV, 10–22) and, of course, tried to exert a corrupting influence in Christian society. R. Pleters: Analecta Bollandiana, XXXIX (1920), p. 50–64: Les traditions orientales du mot "Martyr", states that this word, as soon as it appeared in Eastern languages, marks a person who died for the faith; however H. D (elaharge), ibid. XXIX, P. 20-49 states that the meaning of "martyr" is not firmly attested in the New Testament, and refers to Apocalypse, XXIV, 20; but the latter shows that this term has not lost its original meaning, having also acquired a Christian special character. And in the Old Testament, any departure from God was called “adultery.” Wed. V.V. Chetyrkina: Apocalypse of St. John the Theologian, p. 339. – See also A. A. Zhdanov: Revelation of the Lord about the seven Asian churches, p. 222; See Privat Dozent Gustav Staehlin: Skandalon (“Beiträge zur Förderung der Christlichen Theologie”, herausg. von Privat Dozent A. Schlatter und D. W. Luetgert), Gütersloh, 1930, S. 168: “In dem Wleam-Beispiel scheint es sich um Verführung zur Hurerei, vielleicht zur sacraler Prostitution, wie sie mit dem ε ἰ δωλ ό θυτα φαγε ῖ ν · verbunden gewesen sein mag, zu handeln... Das πορνε ῦ σαι im thatsächlichen Sinn war nur Mittel und Weg zu dem schlimmeren πορνε ῦ σαι im übertragenen Sinn (ein Treubruch) zu begegnen.” This is what it says in a letter to the Lyons and Vienna Church (p. 45 in Eusebius, Ecclesiastical History, V, 1: μητρί). About σκ ά νδαλον as Veranlassung, Verführung zur Sünde selbst, - in Gustav Staehlin, Skandalon, S. 164,166,168. Even Prof. Theodor Lahn: Einleitung in das Neue Testament, II. Leipzig, 1907, S. 616. – Robert Kuebel: Die Offenbarung Johannis, S. 59; See about this from A. A. Zhdanov: Revelation of the Lord about the seven Asian churches, pp. 210, 213, 214. Wed. P.Fr. Sales Tiefental: Die Apokalypse des Hl. Johannis, S. 185 A. A. Zhdanov (“Revelation of the Lord about the Seven Asian Churches,” p. 220) says: “Jezebel deviated into paganism, lost pure concepts of Christian morality, arbitrarily assumed the title of prophetess and gathered a circle of followers who served her immoral lusts.” But then such a person would be too exposed by her fall into the former pagan state and could not have the slightest authority in Christian society, where “your last deeds are greater than your first” (Apoc. II, 19). Jezebel would have turned out to be simply an arch-cynical harlot, carried away by unbridled depravity, but she was actually considered and revered as a teacher. Cp. Robert Kuebel: Die Offenbarung Johannis, S. 61. Prof. Ernst Lohmeyer: Die Offenbarung des Johannis, S. 29. By the association itself, it is clear that there is no reason to correlate this name with the Babylonian Ishtar and in II, 28 of the Apocalypse to mean the Holy Spirit, as prof. Ernst Lohmeyer (Die Offenbarung des Johannis, S. 28); rather, a similar expression of Isaiah XIV, 12 about the king of Babylon, shining brightly on the then horizon: “How you fell from heaven, Lucifer, son of the morning!” Tertullianï De resurectionæ carnis, 19. Robert Kuebel: Die Offenbarung Johannis, S. 61. Privat-Dozent Gustav Staehlin: Skandalon: Untersuchung zur Geschichte eines biblischen Begriffs. "Beiträge zur Förderung der christlichen Theologie", herausg. von Proff. A. Schlatter und W. Luetgert, 2. Reihe, 24. Band. Gütersloh, 1930, S. 169, 2”. A. A. Zhdanov: Revelation of the Lord about the seven Asian churches, p. 135; Prof. Theodor Lahn: Einleitung in das Neue Testament, 12, S. 270–73; Pr. Dr. Sales Tiefenthal: Die Apokalypse des Hl. Johannis, S. 153–54, 170, 173; Dr. Friedr. Bleek: Vorlesungen über die Apokalypse, S. 172–73; Selmar Keferstein: Die Offenbarung Hl. Johannes, S. 44. Pr. Dr. Sales Tiefenthal: Die Apokalypse des Hl. Johannis, S. 153–54; Dr. Friedrich Bleek: Vorlesungen über die Apokalypse, S. 173. Wed. in A. A. Zhdanov: Revelation of the Lord about the seven Asian churches, pp. 134–35. The Jewish character also seems probable for the false teaching exposed in the first letter of John (see in my “Christian Reading” 1904, No. 6, pp. 867–870). Prof. W. Bousset (уH. Amg. Wilk Meyer XVI): Die Offenbarung Johannis. Göttingen, 1906, S. 206; Prof. T. Lahn: Einleitung in das Neue Testament, 112. S. 111,15,17, 623; Prof. E. Lohmeyer; Die Offenbarung Johannis, S. 20. You might be interested in: