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APOLLO in ASIA MINOR and in the APOCALYPSE Abstract

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APOLLO in ASIA MINOR and in the APOCALYPSE Abstract Title: CHAOS AND CLAIRVOYANCE: APOLLO IN ASIA MINOR AND IN THE APOCALYPSE Abstract: In the Apocalypse interpreters acknowledge several overt references to Apollo. Although one or two Apollo references have received consistent attention, no one has provided a sustained consideration of the references as a whole and why they are there. In fact, Apollo is more present across the Apocalypse than has been recognized. Typically, interpreters regard these overt instances as slights against the emperor. However, this view does not properly consider the Jewish/Christian perception of pagan gods as actual demons, Apollo’s role and prominence in the religion of Asia Minor, or the complexity of Apollo’s role in imperial propaganda and its influence where Greek religion was well-established. Using Critical Spatiality and Social Memory Theory, this study provides a more comprehensive religious interpretation of the presence of Apollo in the Apocalypse. I conclude that John progressively inverts popular religious and imperial conceptions of Apollo, portraying him as an agent of chaos and the Dragon. John strips Apollo of his positive associations, while assigning those to Christ. Additionally, John’s depiction of the god contributes to the invective against the Dragon and thus plays an important role to shape the social identity of the Christian audience away from the Dragon, the empire, and pagan religion and rather toward the one true God and the Lamb who conquers all. ASBURY THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY CHAOS AND CLAIRVOYANCE: APOLLO IN ASIA MINOR AND IN THE APOCALYPSE SUBMITTED TO THE FACULTY OF ASBURY THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY IN BIBLICAL STUDIES BY ANDREW J. COUTRAS 8 April, 2018 Copyright 2018 Andrew Jonathan Coutras All rights reserved Dedicated to the Memory of Dr. M. Robert Mulholland Jr. TABLE OF CONTENTS Abbreviations .................................................................................................................................. 1 Table of Figures .............................................................................................................................. 4 Introduction ..................................................................................................................................... 6 John’s Multiculturalism and Revelation ......................................................................... 9 Why Apollo? ................................................................................................................. 16 Chapter 1: Literature Review ........................................................................................................ 19 The History of Interpretation of Apollo in the Apocalypse .......................................... 19 Apollo in the Background and Local Context Material ................................................ 20 Apollo as a Major Interpretive Lens ............................................................................. 25 Conclusions ................................................................................................................... 46 Chapter 2: Critical Theories and Methodology ............................................................................ 48 Defining Identity ........................................................................................................... 48 Critical Spatiality .......................................................................................................... 49 Social Memory Theory ................................................................................................. 58 Critical Interplay, Issues, and Application of These Models to Revelation ................. 68 Chapter 3: Apollo in Asia Minor .................................................................................................. 75 The Prominence of Apollo ............................................................................................ 75 The Panhellenic Apollo................................................................................................. 76 Apollo and Asia Minor ................................................................................................. 80 Apollo, Politics, and Empire ....................................................................................... 100 Chapter 4: Apollo in the Seven Cities of Revelation: A Case Study of Sardis and the Lycus Valley .............................................................................................................................. 114 Apollo in the Lycus Valley ......................................................................................... 116 Apollo at Sardis........................................................................................................... 141 Conclusion .................................................................................................................. 153 Chapter 5: Apollo in Revelation ................................................................................................. 155 Passages Where Apollo Features as a Key Interpretive Lens ..................................... 156 Alternate Readings in Light of a Counter-Apollo Motif ............................................ 173 Conclusion .................................................................................................................. 218 Chapter 6: Summary and Conclusions ........................................................................................ 220 Summary ..................................................................................................................... 220 Conclusions ................................................................................................................. 223 Avenues for Further Research .................................................................................... 224 Bibliography ............................................................................................................................... 226 ABBREVIATIONS Except for the abbreviations listed below, all abbreviations follow § 8.4 of The SBL Handbook of Style, 2nd ed. AES – Archaeological Exploration of Sardis. Harvard University Press; Cornell University. AMC – Asia Minor Coins. Online at www.asiaminorcoins.com. Item numbers are displayed as AMC + website reference number. AGR – Aspects of Greek and Roman Life AReG – Archiv für Religionsgeschichte BBSci – Behavioral and Brain Sciences BCAW – Blackwell Companions to the Ancient World BibTS – Biblisch-theologische Studien Bronze – Walters, H. B., Catalogue of the Bronzes in the British Museum. Greek, Roman and Etruscan. London: British Museum Publications, 1899. CMe – Clio Medica Com – Communication CR – The Classical Review CRJ – Collection de la Revue des études juives DI – Albert Rehm and Richard Harder. Didyma II: Die Inschriften. Berlin: Mann, 1958. ECHE – Early Christianity in Its Hellenistic Environment GCRW – Greek Culture in the Roman World GHAW – Gods and Heroes of the Ancient World GRHSGCCA – Groningen-Royal Holloway Studies on the Greek City after the Classical Age HAW – Handbuch der Altertumsweissenschaft HesperiaSup – Hesperia Supplements HH – Homeric Hymns HHS – History of the Human Sciences HoS – The Heritage of Sociology HStS – Hellenic Studies Series IAATSK – Internationale Archäologie Arbeitsgemeinschaft, Tagung, Symposium, Kongress IE – Impact of Empire IGRR – Iscriptiones Graecae ad res Romanas pertinentes, ed. R. Cagnat, al. 3 vols. Paris: Lafaye, 1906–1927, repr. Chicago: Ares, 1975. IPA – International Political Anthropology IVPNCS – The IVP New Testament Commentary Series JP – Journal of Pragmatics JARS – Journal of Archaeological Science JRC – Journal of Religion and Culture JSRC – Jerusalem Studies in Religion and Culture Lamp – Bailey, Donald Michael. Catalogue of the Lamps in the British Museum, 4 vols. London: British Museum Publications, 1975. LBD – Lexham Bible Dictionary LBS – Linguistic Biblical Studies LHR – Law and History Review MHR – Mediterranean Historical Review NER – New England Review NHA – Notes in the History of Art OP – Ordia Prima ORCS – Oxford Readings in Classical Studies OSAD – Oxford Studies in Ancient Documents PH – Searchable Greek Inscriptions: A Scholarly Tool in Progress. Packard Humanities Institute. To reference, go to http://epigraphy.packhum.org/text/[insert PH# here] PSPB – Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin RIC – Sutherland, C.H.V., and R.A.G. Carson, eds. The Roman Imperial Coinage. Vol. 1. Revised Ed. London: Spink and Son, 1984. Mattingly, Harold, and Edward A. Syndenham, eds. The Roman Imperial Coinage. Vol. 2. Revised Ed. London: Spink and Son, 1926. RUS – The Rice University Studies SA – Sociological Analysis Silver – Walters, H. B., Catalogue of the Silver Plate (Greek, Etruscan And Roman) in the British Museum. London: British Museum Publications, 1921. SMR – Symbol, Myth, and Ritual Series SBLSymbS – Society of Biblical Literature Symposium Series SBLWGRWSup – Society of Biblical Literature Writings from the Greco-Roman World Supplement Series SuSIA8˚ – Skrifter utgivna av Svenska Institutet i Athen, 8˚ TAZ – Texte und Arbeiten zum neutestamentlichen Zeitalter ThesCRA – Thesaurus Cultus et Rituum Antiquorum WSC – Wisconsin Studies in Classics TABLE OF FIGURES Figure 1 Bronze Figurine of Apollo.............................................................................................. 33 Figure 2 Coin from Hierapolis Showing Apollo and
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