“How long, O Lord, holy and true, dost thou not judge and avenge our blood?” (Rev 6, 9-11): The scandal of divine violence in the Revelation to John
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Abstract
Apocalyptic language never ceases to cause a certain perplexity in those who approach the sacred text. This contribution seeks to present a research study on the possible reconciliation between the request for vengeance by the righteous, contained in Rev 6:10, and the vision of the enemies presented by Christ in the New Testament. In order to fulfill this objective, the apocalyptic language will be first analyzed. This apocalyptic genre is a literary phenomenon typical of Israelite culture. It uses symbols, visions, accounts of hearings and other resources, which need to be correctly understood within their literary and theological context to get to the core of the message. Secondly, the translation of Rev 6:9-11 and a brief exegetical-theological commentary are presented, with particular attention to v. 10. Then, the theme of violence in the apocalyptic narrative is analyzed and, finally, a reflection on the theme of vengeance and its meaning in the apocalyptic context is provided. The article seeks to contribute to a more contextual look at the pericope, analyzing the themes of justice, retribution and salvation, as well as to dialogue with other areas, especially history and ethics, in overcoming fundamentalist readings. The research shows that the understanding of the verse in question only occurs when it is considered in the context of the pericope, where vengeance does not appear as the result of a warlike action but as a participation in the paschal mystery of Christ.
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