2023/01/30

76. Jezebel

Chapters 2 and 3 of the Book of Revelation are letters to the angels of the seven churches. When reading them, it is clear that these letters were written so that the next generation could share the experience of the disciples of Jesus who had shared his worldview with him (cf. blog № 75). These letters are addressed to "angels," and this "angel" implies a priest. The reason for this is that singular "you" and plural "you"¹ are written distinctly to evoke the image of a church community with a priest and a congregation and that the promises made to the one "who conquers" in each letter are in turn theologically advanced, which means that these series of letters represent a model for priestly development.² 

The priest likened to an angel, despite his own shortcomings and weaknesses, confronts, for the sake of the ecclesial community to which he is entrusted, "evil men," "those who call themselves apostles but are not," those "who hold the teaching of Balaam," "some who hold the teaching of the Nicolaitans," as well as "members of the assembly of Satan." Furthermore, it is written that "Satan's throne" is in his dwelling place. The priest who receives the letters is in such a difficult situation. The gravest problem, however, is the presence of a woman named Jezebel, who appears in the fourth letter to the church in Thyatira. The fact that only the fourth letter reveals the author, introduced at the beginning of each letter, as the "Son of God" tells the seriousness of the problem. It reads as follows: "But I have this against you, that you tolerate the woman Jez'ebel, who calls herself a prophetess and is teaching and beguiling my servants to practice immorality and to eat food sacrificed to idols" (Revelation 2:20). 

In the church community, some lay women close to the priest have the illusion that they have the priest's special trust and serve the church as his mouth, hands and feet. In that situation, if the priest has no hesitation in showing his private connection with the woman to the community, the image of a marriage like Ahab and Jezebel in the Book of Kings becomes visible on them. And when she gets into a fictional world where she believes she has the backing of the priests' authority, the problems described above occur. Even though the priest prides himself on his ability to manage, he is seen by God as "tolerate" her. That is because some congregations of the church community suffer at the sight of the two. 

The "Son of God" encourages them by saying, "But to the rest of you in Thyati'ra, who do not hold this teaching, who have not learned what some call the deep things of Satan, to you I say, I do not lay upon you any other burden; only hold fast what you have, until I come" (Revelation 2:24-25). "What you have" means continuing the training of reciting and hearing the words of this prophecy and holding on to the worldview of Jesus Christ. Revelation says: "Blessed is he who reads aloud the words of the prophecy, and blessed are those who hear, and who keep what is written therein; for the time is near" (Revelation 1:3); "'And behold, I am coming soon.' Blessed is he who keeps the words of the prophecy of this book" (Revelation 22:7).

[References] 1. Revelation 2:10, 13, 23, 24  2. Revelation 2:7, 11, 17, 28, 3:5, 12, 21

Maria K. M.