Re: Question on "tribulation for ten days" in Revelation 2:10 (Smyrna)
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Thank you, Ray, for the detailed reply - it gives greater depth to my understanding of the passage - appreciated.
I also asked my pastor and his conclusion was similar to yours, except that he used the Daniel 1:12 passage mentioned by Barclay.
I feel blessed that l can apply to two such knowledgeable sources for help with further understanding the Scriptures.
Re further study topics later in the year, is Isaiah too big an undertaking? It is a big ask, l daresay.
Enjoy the rest of this rather damp week Christine
Hi Christine,
Thanks for the great
question.? As usual, I'll provide the answer you asked for as well as a
lot of additional information that makes the point. Details are included in the attached PDF.
First, "ten days" likely
has little or nothing to do with the spiritual meaning of the number ten.?
As you'll see, there is nothing "ordinally perfect" in the various
explanations of the "ten" which commentators have long debated.
There are four general
explanations (and a host of best-forgotten other ones which I've omitted):
- Noted Scottish theologian Wiliam
Barclay wrote,?“The expression?ten days?is not
to be taken literally; it is the normal Greek expression for a short time.”??This is confirmed in Thayer's
Greek Lexicon: G1176 deka; (1) a primary number;
ten; (2) i.e., to last a short time: Revelation 2:10; cf. Daniel 1:12, 14; Numbers
11:19.
? ? - The plain text indicates that Jesus
was warning certain Smyrnaeans that they would be imprisoned for ten days.? Prison then was for those awaiting trial and execution,
not for rehabilitation.? They could
expect tribulation because of this satanic persecution, but their pain was
measured and limited by God and their reward for being faithful until death is
the victor’s crown (stephanos) of (eternal) life.
Please refer to the attached PDF for further information.
? ? - Some commentators (Clarke) think
that Jesus was using “prophetic days,” where each day corresponds to a
year.? Hence, they read the term to mean “ten
years of tribulation.”
Please refer to the attached PDF for analysis.??
? ? - The next theory about “ten years”
posits that Jesus meant persecution over the reign of ten Roman Emperors, from
Nero through Diocletian. This theory was set
out in John Foxe’s highly influential Acts and Monuments aka Book of
Martyrs (1563) and is still popular today.
Please refer to the attached PDF for analysis and table setting out the Ten Roman Persecutions.
Conclusion:?
There is no compelling reason to think
that Jesus was giving a coded message about the length of Domitian’s
persecution or ten emperors or whatever.?
It seems most likely that He said what He meant, that Christians are not promised to be kept from persecution, but we will
be kept through persecution and it will be for a limited time (that we can
endure). Blessings,
Ray
U3A R09 Tutor
Hi Ray
Thank you for the good wishes for Mothers' Day.
Question re church at Smyrna :
Rev 2:10
'...Behold, the devil is about to cast some of you into prison, so that you will be tested, and you will have tribulation for ten days.'
Please, Ray, what is your understanding of the significance of 'ten days'?
I understand that in Hebrew this number represents numerical perfection but does that have bearing in this context?
You may well have commented on this when covering Revelation in semester 2 2019, but l was unable to attend R09 at that time.
Thanks for your ever readiness to give interesting and helpful responses to our queries
Christine
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