Before Jerusalem Fell

284 BEFORE JERUSALEM FELL
rode as the sun god in his chariot? 121
Could there be a two-fold
meaning in the concept that the Christians were CCsa.mj$ced not on the
altar of public interest, but to satis~ the cruelty of one man”? Were
they in essence being “sacrificed” as on an “altar”?
These and other matters could be developed to fill out the
picture. It should be clear, however, that the emperor cult motif in
Revelation is no stumbling block to a ISeronic date for the book.
Conclusion
Despite the vigorous employment of the emperor cult motif in
Revelation as an evidence of its late date by some, the motif does not
demand a post-Neronian date at all. We have seen and late date
advocates even admit that the emperor cult was prevalent from the
times ofJulius Caesar. Its presence can be detected under each of the
forerunners to Nero. To make matters worse for the late date school,
the cult seems especially significant to Nero. Any objection to the
early date of Revelation that involves the emperor cult must be
discounted altogether. In point of historical fact, the emperor cult
motif in Revelation fits well the circumstances demanded by early
date advocacy.
121. Tacitus notes that ‘Nero had offered his own gardens for the spectacle, and
exhibited a circus show, mingling with the crowd, himself dressed as a charioteer or
riding in a chariot” (AnmfJ 15:4-4).