Gonzalo Rojas-Flores, «The Book of Revelation and the First Years of Nero’s Reign», Vol. 85 (2004) 375-392
In this article I try to demonstrate that the Book of
Revelation was written in the first years of Nero’s reign, because (a) there
is an important patristic tradition in favor of Nero and (b) the internal
evidence shows that the text was redacted after Nero’s ascension to the throne
in 54 and before the earthquake of Laodicea in 60.
The Book of Revelation and the First Years of Nero’s Reign 385
stand before the Lord of the earth� Although this argument is not as
conclusive as the two previous ones, it is going in the same direction:
John did not say a word about the martyrdoms of James, Peter and
Paul because he wrote the Book of Revelation before 62.
4. The earthquake of Laodicea
In his epistle to the Community of Laodicea, John wrote:
I know your works; you are neither cold nor hot. I wish that you were
either cold or hot. So, because you are lukewarm, and neither cold nor
hot, I am about to spit you out of my mouth. For you say, ‘I am rich, I
have prospered, and I need nothing.’ You do not realize that you are
wretched, pitiable, poor, blind, and naked. Therefore I counsel you to
buy from me gold refined by fire so that you may be rich; and white
robes to clothe you and to keep the shame of your nakedness from
being seen; and salve to anoint your eyes so that you may see. I
reprove and discipline those whom I love. Be earnest, therefore, and
repent. Listen! I am standing at the door, knocking; if you hear my
voice and open the door, I will come in to you and eat with you, and
you with me. (Rev 3,15-20)
The message is clear. The Community had much material well-
being, just like the opulent city of Laodicea, which was known for its
banking, wool industry and medical school (29). On the other hand,
the Community was “wretched†(3,17) due to its spiritual poverty.
Therefore, it had to repent before the return of the Messiah.
It is noticeable that, at the time this epistle was being written, the
city had not yet been destroyed by the earthquake of 60 (30). In fact,
after sarcastically alluding to its hot springs and warm mud-baths (“I
know your works; you are neither cold nor hot. I wish that you were
either cold or hotâ€), to its banking (“I counsel you to buy from me gold
refined by fire so that you may be richâ€), to its black wool
manufacturing industry (“and white robes to clothe you and to keep
the shame of your nakedness from being seenâ€), and to its ophthalmic
medicine (“and salve to anoint your eyes so that you may seeâ€), it is
impossible to imagine that, knowing the magnitude of the disaster,
John had not interpreted the earthquake as a sign of God.
In fact, the earthquake is a recurrent subject in the OT: Ps 75,2-3;
97,4-5, Ezek 38,18-19, Joel 3,16, Mic 1,3-4, Zech 14,3-5.
(29) W.M. RAMSAY, The Letters to the Seven Churches of Asia and their place
in the plan of the Apocalypse (Grand Rapids [1904] 1963) chap. 29.
(30) Tacitus, Ann. 14.27.