aa5874

Isn't there no evidence for such a speculation??

outhouse

Paul wrote to houses, where people hid.

They prayed around the dinner tables of fellow memebers.


Probably went from one place to another the next week to avoid being found.

outhouse

post #3 didnt explain it good enough for you?

aa5874

Even the writers of the Church did NOT claim Revelation was composed as early as c 70 CE.

According to the very Church, the earliest date for the Apocalypse by John was 96 CE or the 15th year of the reign of Domitian based on "Against Heresies" and "Church History".

"Irenaeus' Against Heresies" 5.30.3Eusebius' Church History 3.18 We also have another apologetic source which made a most significant charge.

In the Muratorian Canon it is claimed the Pauline letters were composed AFTER Revelation by John. This would mean the Pauline letters were composed AFTER c 96 or after the reign of Domitian.

The Muratorian Canon Now, Justin Martyr c 150 CE corroborates the chronology that Revelation by John was composed BEFORE the Pauline letters by making mention of Revelation by John but never of the Pauline letters or Churches.

And further, if we take into account, the analysis of Textual variants, it would also corroborate that the percentage of Textual variants in Revelation by John is compatible with EARLY writings and those of the Pauline letters are compatible with LATE writings like the Pastorals.

See http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Novum_T..._New_Testament

The Churches in Revelation by John PREDATE the Churches in the Pauline letters.

DCHindley

Chances are that it is a number of independent works that were sewn together by a Christian editor. The editor adds the first 3 chapters and the last chapter or two, adds words and connective phrases. He was not always consistent.

Notice that in Revelation 1:8 the Alpha and Omega is God Almighty. Rev 1:8' "I am the Alpha and the Omega," says the Lord God, who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty.'

In 21:6 it is the one who sits on the Great White Throne. It is confusing because right after the "I am the Alpha and the Omega" phrase it says "To the thirsty I will give from the fountain of the water of life." In John this is Jesus speaking of himself. That this is God here is made clear in Rev 21:7 "He who conquers shall have this heritage (a new heaven and earth with god dwelling in the midst of it), and I will be his God and he shall be my son."

Finally, in Rev 22:13 "I am the Alpha and the Omega, the first and the last, the beginning and the end." This would apply to God Almighty in 1:8 & 21:6, but who is speaking? Rev 22:16 "I Jesus have sent my angel to you with this testimony for the churches.

DCH

Duvduv

I guess it never occurred to even the Reformers that the book is a composite and that the great churches are never discussed by Paul. For that matter, even Ephesus gets short shrift considering how important it was alleged to have been.

Chili

I think it was to the presiding spirit of the churches, and so the churches were not.

Just the common error is what they are all about.

But don't worry about the reformers, they are just reading the book.

Or, conversely, the trigger that will do it for them.

Duvduv

Chili, the fact that these great "churches" are not mentioned in the epistles is of no consequence? Where were these great "churches" and what happened to them?