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.
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