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Question on "tribulation for ten days" in Revelation 2:10 (Smyrna)

 

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):

  1. 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.
    ? ?
  2. 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.
    ? ?
  3. 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.??
    ? ?
  4. 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




On Monday, 9 May 2022, 03:15:27 pm AEST, Christine <cjmcfadyen46@...> wrote:


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

Ten days of persecution.pdf
Ten days of persecution.pdf

 

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

On Tue, 10 May 2022, 1:55 pm Ray via , <ray.sarlin=[email protected]> wrote:

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):

  1. 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.
    ? ?
  2. 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.
    ? ?
  3. 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.??
    ? ?
  4. 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




On Monday, 9 May 2022, 03:15:27 pm AEST, Christine <cjmcfadyen46@...> wrote:


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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