The Whore of Babylon is a
city-state mentioned in the Book of Revelation in the Bible.
She is associated with the Antichrist and the Beast of Revelation by
connection with the kingdom with seven heads and ten horns. She makes her
appearance in Revelation chapter 17, in which she is described as: "the great
whore that sitteth upon many waters: with whom the kings of the earth have
committed fornication, and the inhabitants of the earth have been made drunk
with the wine of her fornication." (Rev. 17:1-2 KJV) She bears the title,
"Mystery Babylon the Great, The Mother of Harlots and Abominations of the
Earth", and is described as being "drunken with the blood of the saints, and
with the blood of the martyrs of Jesus." (Rev. 17:5-6) Her apocalyptic downfall
is prophesied at the hands of the kingdom with seven heads and ten horns.
Many Bible scholars agree that Babylon in the whore's title is meant as an
allegory of Rome — perhaps specifically at the time to some aspect; of Rome's
rule (brutality, greed, paganism), or even a servant people that does the
bidding of Rome. The Roman Catholic commentary of the Jerusalem Bible, the
evangelical Protestant commentary of the New International Version Study Bible,
the Rastafarians and the liberal Protestant commentary of the Oxford Annotated
Study Bible all concur that "Babylon is the symbolic name for Rome" and that
(1st century) "Rome" is the "type of any place where evil is supreme."
(Jerusalem Bible, commentary to Rev. 17) Elsewhere in the New Testament, in 1
Peter 5:13, "Babylon" is possibly used to refer to Rome. This is bolstered by
the remark in Rev. 17:9 that she sits on "seven mountains", which could be the
proverbial seven hills of Rome. "Rome" would therefore be the 'new Babylon' and
all of the symbolism characterizing Babylon as a wanton "whore", would be
transferable to Rome, according to this view. |
