Summary of New Testament From Jewish Point of View Class - 1/16/2023

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I apologize for forgetting to post this summary until 1/22/2023, but I was traveling and writing up the summary got delayed.

We had quite a good group: Jo Ann, Dan, Steve, Merrill, Robin, Randy, David, Dave, Ruth, and Jessica attended.

Below is a summary of what went on written by Dan:

By the way John = John of Patmos

Revelation chapter 16 tells of the event called the pouring out of the seven bowls of God’s wrath, which are poured onto the earth which bring plagues like the plagues that God brought on Egypt in the Book of Exodus. 

In chapter 17 John sees the Whore of Babylon which David said any educated person of this time would know is the city of Rome.  The commentary talked of John’s preoccupation with sexual purity and how the Whore of Babylon was the inverse of Jewish sexual purity. To put it politely. 

Robin spoke of John’s problem with women in general and of a prophetess who was part of the church of Thyatira in particular, suggesting that he may have been jealous of her.

Chapter 17 verse 11 spoke of the Beast who was (existing)  but is not (existing) now, and who is to come. This may he been a prediction of the return of Cesar Nero, who had two titles (among many), one of whose numerical value added up to 616 and the other 666.

Finally, chapter 18 spoke of the fall of Babylon (Rome), the revenge of God’s people murdered there. It reads a little bit like the Book of Lamentations, except instead of being sad about the fall of this city, like Lamentations is sad about Jerusalem’s destruction, the author of Revelation gloats over Rome’s demise.

Contrary to John’s prediction, Rome is obviously still with us, long ago given the title “the eternal city.

If anything is missing from this summary, please add your input by clicking on the comment box.





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