Apocalipse 17
Leon Morris · Citado em PreceptAustin
Apocalipse 17
Morris - The seven heads of the beast are said to represent seven mountains on which the woman sits. This has been widely interpreted as the “seven-hilled city of Rome,” with the woman correspondingly identified as the Roman Catholic Church. Such an identification is wrong, however, for several reasons. The Roman Catholic Church does not sit on the seven hills of Rome. Its churches are all over the world and its headquarters only in Vatican City. Furthermore, many cities have seven hills, and Rome itself has more than seven. Besides that, a “hill” (Greek bounos) such as in Rome is not a “mountain” (Greek oros), and it is the latter word that is used here. The clearest interpretation is shown in the very next verse, which identifies the seven mountains as seven kings, with one being the beast mentioned in this chapter. The latter we have already seen to represent a Satan-controlled kingdom, the first (and last) in a series of similar kingdoms, all comprising political Babylon. Thus the scarlet-arrayed harlot is seen as supported through the ages by seven kingdoms..... The seven heads of the beast on which the harlot rides are thus interpreted as seven mountains, but these in turn are interpreted as seven kings. The equating of mountains with kings requires yet another link in the chain to conform to scriptural example elsewhere. That is, mountains often represent kingdoms, and each kingdom is usually equated with some prominent king at its head. For example, prophesying of the messianic kingdom coming in the millennium, Isaiah says “And it shall come to pass in the last days, that the mountain of the Lord’s house shall be established in the top of the mountains, and shall be exalted above the hills; and all nations shall flow unto it” (Isaiah 2:2). Speaking of the same kingdom, the prophet Daniel said: “… and the stone that smote the image became a great mountain, and filled the whole earth” (Daniel 2:35). The interpretation of this mountain, which (in the emperor Nebuchadnezzar’s vision) had destroyed the great image representing the age-long succession of great world kingdoms, was as follows: “… the God of heaven [shall] set up a kingdom, which shall never be destroyed: … and the kingdom … shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand for ever” (Daniel 2:44). (Revelation Record) John
Apocalipse 17
Morris - The seven heads are explained as seven hills on which the woman sits. This identifies her with Rome, for the seven hills of that city are often mentioned in ancient literature. (Ladd sees a reference to seven empires and their rulers, but most agree that Rome is meant.) But Rome does not exhaust the meaning of the symbol. As we have seen, the great city is every city and no city. It is civilized man, mankind organized apart from God. It has its embodiment in every age. ‘Babylon, then, is the world as the centre of seduction at any moment of history, particularly during this entire present dispensation. The harlot, Babylon, always opposes the bride, new Jerusalem (Rev. 21:9ff.)’ (Hendriksen). In the first century, Rome was a striking embodiment of what John means by Babylon. In Rome, as nowhere else, people could see the city of mankind bent on its own blasphemous way, opposing with all its might the things of God. The heads are also seven kings. They symbolize both hills and kings. Attention moves now to the city’s rulers. Nelson Study Bible note on Revelation 17:9-10 - The seven heads of the beast (v. 3) symbolize both seven mountains and seven kings. Since the word mountains also means “hills” in Revelation (Rev 14:1), most interpreters understand this as referring to the seven hills along the Tiber River, a well-known designation of the city of Rome. However, seven mountains may also refer to successive world empires, since mountains are typically symbols of earthly kingdoms or empires (see Ps. 30:7; Jer. 51:25; Dan. 2:44, 45). According to this view, five would be past kingdoms (perhaps Egypt, Assyria, Babylon, Medo-Persia, and Greece), with sixth being the Roman Empire and seventh another which has not yet come. Perhaps it is to be a revived Rome Empire. Defender's Study Bible - seven mountains. Many commentators have alleged the “seven heads” to be the “seven-hilled city” of Rome, hence deducing the great harlot to be the Roman Catholic Church. Such identification is impossible, however. Many cities have seven hills, and Rome actually has more. Besides, the Catholic Church does not sit on the hills of Rome, for its churches are all over the world and its headquarters are in Vatican City. Furthermore, a “hill” (Greek bounos) is not a “mountain” (Greek oros). The seven “mountains” are quite clearly expounded in the next verse as seven kings and/or kingdoms. MacArthur Study Bible - 17:9 seven mountains. The Gr. word is often used of hills (Mt 5:1; 15:29; Jn 6:15; 8:1). Many commentators interpret this expression to mean Rome, which sits on 7 hills. It is true that the final worldwide system of false religion includes, but is not necessarily limited to, Rome; but specifically, the 7 mountains in context likely symbolize the 7 kingdoms and their kings of v. 10. Faithlife Study Bible on Revelation 17:9 flatly stated "seven mountains on which the woman sits. The city of Rome was well-known for being built upon seven hills. ESV Study Bible on Revelation 17:9 - Rome, which then had “dominion over the kings of the earth” (v. 18), rests on seven mountains (or seven hills; cf. Introduction to Romans: The Ancient City of Rome). In prophetic imagery, mountains symbolize the seat of power (Jer. 51:24–25; Da 2:35, 44–45). The beast’s seven heads, symbolizing both mountains and kings, show its power over earth-dwellers whose names are not in the book of life. Efforts to identify in history the five … fallen kings (or kingdoms), the sixth (current) king, a seventh (future) king who would reign briefly, and the eighth that belongs to the seven have yielded conflicting conclusions (proposals include several Roman emperors, several world empires, or simply numerical symbols standing for all worldly kingdoms that culminate in the beast). NIV Study Bible (Revised) - 17:9 seven hills. It is perhaps significant that Rome began as a network of seven hill settlements on the east bank of the Tiber River (see map, p. 1962). Its designation as the city on seven hills is commonplace among Roman writers (e.g., Virgil, Martial, Cicero). Ryrie Study Bible - 17:9 seven mountains. Though Rome is built on more than seven hills, it has been known as the legendary city on seven hills, indicating that the center of Antichrist’s power will be Rome. New Oxford Annotated Bible - 17:9 This calls for a mind that has wisdom, like the formula in 13:18, this expression introduces the interpretation of the symbolism of the preceding verses. The seven mountains are the seven hills of Rome. The seven kings are Roman emperors (cf. Dan 11:2; 2 Esd 12:22–26), which interpreters have sought to identify with emperors from Julius Caesar to Domitian. David