dog-on

this:

8And their dead bodies shall lie in the street of the great city, which spiritually is called Sodom and Egypt, where also our Lord was crucified.


Thanks

Julian

Which part are you having trouble with? The author is refering to Jerusalem, comparing it to Sodom, which was morally corrupt and persecuted the righteous and was subsequently punished by god. The same with Egypt, they also persecuted the righteous and was punished by god, i.e. plagues and all that. Obviously, this guy doesn't like Jerusalem.

Julian

Clouseau

It will help to have more context.

'Now when they have finished their testimony, the beast that comes up from the Abyss will attack them, and overpower and kill them. Their bodies will lie in the street of the great city, which is figuratively called Sodom and Egypt, where also their Lord was crucified. For three and a half days men from every people, tribe, language and nation will gaze on their bodies and refuse them burial. The inhabitants of the earth will gloat over them and will celebrate by sending each other gifts, because these two prophets had tormented those who live on earth.' Rev 11:7-10 NIV

The city is Jerusalem:

'"Among the prophets of Jerusalem I have seen something horrible: They commit adultery and live a lie. They strengthen the hands of evildoers, so that no-one turns from his wickedness. They are all like Sodom to me; the people of Jerusalem are like Gomorrah."' Jer 23:14 NIV

But this Jerusalem, being in Revelation, is probably a figurative one, and probably denotes false religious authority generally. Refusal to bury was a great insult.

gstafleu

Revelations is generally considered to be very early. So I wonder, are we, in Rev 11, seeing an early version of the passion?

God sends down two (rather than one) intermediaries. Those will be killed by the big bad beast (Rome?) and will then resurrect after 3 1/2 days. This will be accompanied by an earthquake, and the intermediaries will ascend to heaven on a cloud. It all sounds rather familiar, doesn't it?

(This would require the bit about "where also our Lord was crucified" to be an interpolation.)

Gerard Stafleu