" (Revelation 13:1) Malina and Pilch explain this beast as a reference to the oppression that first and second century Christians were experiencing at the hands of the Romans. They write that the concept of "blasphemy on his head" refers to the fact that The Roman emperors were called divus or sebastos, words that referred to a divinity they claimed or accepted for themselves. ... (Malina & Pilch 2000) Although both Revelation and 1 Enoch clearly share a monster motif, the beasts in Enoch function as a reward for the righteous, while the beasts in Revelation serve as a kind...

• Word Count: 2680
• Approx Pages: 11
• Grade Level: Undergraduate

INTRODUCTION In his book "Love of Enemies" William Klassen examines the various interpretations of love of enemies in relation to war and peace in the Jewish and Christian faiths. Klassen has three distinct concerns that make an influence on his views on peace. First, Klassen feels he has a responsibility, as a student of the bible, to listen to the word of the bible. He feels that most of the Anglo-Saxon scholars have not done a good job of actually listening to the word and what it really means. Klassen believes that the use of references to the biblical word a...

• Word Count: 3806
• Approx Pages: 15
• Grade Level: High School

This word was not coined by Christians but was already in use among the Romans in the first century AD. ... The Cult of Caesar was the state religion of the Roman Empire, in which the emperor was worshipped as a god. ... Even though it is not believed that the New Testament message has been derived from this Roman cult, we see that people would have already associated a religious content with euangelion.# This insight helps in understanding passages such as Hebrews 4:2: "For unto us was the gospel preached, as well as unto them: but the word preached did not profit them, not being mixed wit...

• Word Count: 5937
• Approx Pages: 24
• Has Bibliography
• Grade Level: High School

It is estimated by historians that there were about 60 million slaves in the Roman Empire. ... In Romans 12:1-8, Paul states, "Therefore, I urge you, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship. ...

• Word Count: 3348
• Approx Pages: 13
• Grade Level: High School