Before Jerusalem Fell

The Perstzution of Christiani~ 299
and, if accepted, Domitian’s persecution pales in comparison. Interestingly,
while admitting that “the evidence for widespread persecution
under Domitian is not especially strong,” Mounce goes on rather
boldly to add that yet “there is no other period in the first century in
which it would be more likely” !Gl
Furthermore, the very chronological occurrence of the Neronic
persecution is more suitable to Revelation’s treatment. “To all appearance,
at Rome, the Christian Church was drowning in its own
blood in Nero’s reign. We must consider the feeling of the ordinary
Christian – the man in the street, so to speak – and look at it from
his point of view. In later persecutions men had got to know that the
Church could survive the furious edicts of Rome. But that was just
the doubt which presented itself to the mind of the average Christian
man in Nero’s time. ”G2 No imperial persecution other than the very
first would be more important to establishing the durability of the
faith. No imperial persecution more than this one required a word
of exhortation and consolation to the beleaguered faith.
61. Mounce, Revelatwn, p. 34.
62. Ratton, Apoca~pse, p. 87.