Journal of Biblical Literature - Society of Biblical Literature

Friesen: Myth and Resistance in Revelation 13 311
John’s use of myth in Rev 13 was extraordinarily creative. He placed
distinct Leviathan traditions side by side; he reused the Leviathan/Behemoth
pattern in a manner that is unprecedented in our existing sources; he wove
Danielic themes into the mix and took liberties with the details; he compressed
originally distinct symbols (Leviathan and the beasts of Dan 7) into one monster;
and he mythologized social institutions and legendary material. His
method was voracious, drawing on a variety of sources. It was also recombinant,
producing startling new images and plot twists.
IV. Comparison, Conclusion
The deployments of mythology in imperial cult settings and apocalyptic
literature dealt with many of the same themes that are found in John’s Apocalypse.
The most significant include the administration of justice in particular
communities and in the world; the subjugation of nations and peoples; the role
of the Roman emperor in these processes; and worship. If there is a common
question operative in these themes, it is the question of authority in this world:
Who is the king over kings? Imperial cult institutions and apocalyptic texts
answered this question differently. Imperial cults in the Roman province of
Asia created and deployed myths to show that the (current) emperor was the
king of kings. Revelation—written to congregations in this same province—
created and deployed myths to show that ultimate authority was not located in
this world. In these two sets of materials, then, justice, vengeance, and community
come from different thrones. 88
Imperial cults and Revelation also trafficked in similar methods in their
deployments of myth. One important method was mythologization: both settings
elevated known characters and stories to a higher level of authority.
Another common method was the modification of established myths. This is
not an unusual practice; myths are constantly retold and reshaped. Imperial
cults and Revelation, however, dealt in an exaggerated form of the practice,
introducing new characters for their respective projects. A third method common
to imperial cults and to Revelation was the deployment of myth in ritual
settings. 89 Imperial mythology was appropriate in the obvious settings of impe-
88 Revelation 13 does not provide enough gendered imagery for a comparison with the kyriarchal
character of imperial cult mythology. The imperial cult materials have similarities with other
parts of Revelation where gendered imagery is more evident (e.g., Rev 12 and 17–18), but the
scope of this article does not allow for an exploration of those themes. For some comments on these
issues, see Friesen, Imperial Cults, 185–89.
89 Revelation is more clearly written for a ritual setting than are the other apocalyptic texts
examined in this article.