Ruben Zimmermann, «Nuptial Imagery in the Revelation of John», Vol. 84 (2003) 153-183

In this article is argued that the nuptial imagery of the Book of Revelation is not limited to chapters 19 and 21 but rather runs throughout the book. While the imagery is certainly most pronounced in the final part of the book, it also appears in the letters to the churches (bridal wreath in Rev 2,10; 3,11), in the scene depicting the 144,000 as virgins (Rev 14,4-5), and is encountered again in Rev 18,23 (silencing of the voice of bridegroom and bride) and Rev 22,17 (summons of the bride) at the end of the book. Thus the wedding metaphors can be seen as one of the structural patterns of Revelation as a whole directly in contrast to the metaphors of fornication.

female city, or more concretely the "bride of Zion", that then is implemented above all in view of her urbane aspects. The metaphor of the bride comes to its climax finally in the visionary presentation of the bride (Rev 21,2.9) and thereby is consciously connected to formulations from Rev 19,7.

        The achievement of the author lies in the fact that he has joined the tradition of harlot and bride or bridal city (Zion) to that of the messiah bridegroom. The wedding of the royal bridegroom is made into a turning point through its clever placement in Rev 19. The turning point thus shows the switch between harlot and bride. At the same time, the female figures are completed with male counterparts. While the bride in Rev 19,7-8 is given to the Lamb, the celestial-godly king, as the only bridegroom, the kings (plural!) of the earth have fornicated with harlots (Rev 17,2; 18,3.9). Further, ever more people are integrated into the story. The harlot gets the inhabitants of the earth (17,2) or all peoples (18,3, see 18,23) drunk and the merchants of the earth have become rich through her (18,3.11.15). On the other side, the virginal 144,000 (Rev 14,4) or the wedding guests (Rev 19,9) are assigned to the Lamb.

        It can not be doubted that various anticipatory events within the book prepare the contrast of the two cities (Rev 11,2.8;14,1.8; cp. 22,14.18). Corresponding to this all other gender metaphors found in this book remain closely related to the contrastive program of whoredom and wedding at the end. The sentence, repeated in several variations, that the great harlot has ruined the earth and all its peoples with her fornication (Rev 14,8; 18,3; 19,2) should be read programmatically. This is an idea that was also taken up in the title "mother of whores [mh/thr tw=n pornw=n] and of every obscenity on earth" (Rev 17,5). At the same time the figurative way of speaking makes it clear that fornication should not be here limited to sexual mores but rather stands within a traditional concept of metaphors that identifies fornication with the service of false gods. Based on the weight that is granted to this metaphor at the end of Rev, one will certainly be able also to understand the other use of formulations of fornication in the scope of this tradition. In this way, one can assume, with H.-J. Klauck, that this traditional assignment of pornei/a and the idolatry suggests the cult of the emperor ⁷¹. The harlot Babylon as an