We had a very fruitful discussion/study of Jesus’ letters to the churches at Thyatira and Sardis. During the discussion, we came across this startling verse: “So I will cast her on a bed of suffering, and I will make those who commit adultery with her suffer intensely, unless they repent of her ways.” (NIV, Revelation 2.22) This verse is troubling for various reasons. But we must ask ourselves, “What’s happening to ‘Jezebel’? The context of the verse strongly indicates that ‘Jezebel’ refers to a woman, but that the name ‘Jezebel’ is used as a cipher. The verse quoted earlier indicates that something terrible is going to happen to her and to those who ‘commit adultery with her.’ Most of our translations suggest something like this. However, I think that they are trying to avoid something horrendous that the text is actually saying.

For the purpose of this post, I am reproducing the SBL Greek text of the verse followed by an English transliteration and then my translation of the verse.

SBL Greek: ἰδοὺ βάλλω αὐτὴν εἰς κλίνην, καὶ τοὺς μοιχεύοντας μετ’ αὐτῆς εἰς θλῖψιν μεγάλην, ἐὰν μὴ μετανοήσωσιν ἐκ τῶν ἔργων αὐτῆς·

Transliteration: idou ballo autain eis klinain, kai tous moicheuontas met autais eis thlipsin megalain, e-an may metanoaisosin ek ton ergown autais

My translation: see I am throwing her on a bed, and those who commit adultery with her will afflict greatly, unless they repent of her works.

As can be seen, the translation I have presented differs considerably from the NIV text. The first thing we notice is that there is no ‘bed of suffering’ but just a plain ‘bed’. This is neither a bed for convalescence, as suggested by some other translations, nor a bed specifically intended for punishment, as might be construed from the NIV text. Rather, it is just a bed that, in context, is used for adulterous activity – that is, illicit sex.

The second difference we can observe is that the NIV indicates that those who commit adultery with ‘Jezebel’ will also suffer if they do not repent. However, my translation suggests that those who commit adultery with ‘Jezebel’ are the ones causing her affliction if they do not repent. The difference is stark. The NIV text does not provide any purpose to her being thrown on the bed. Moreover, the NIV has to force words for suffering twice even though the Greek text has it only once. However, my translation, while keeping the mention of affliction to just once, also shows that there is a purpose to her being thrown on the bed.

‘Jezebel’ refused to repent and continued with her practices. Her fellow adulterers followed suit. Jesus announces that these very actions, getting into bed to engage in illicit sex, will prove to be the way in which she is violated by the very people who are partners in her sin. Of course, if they repent, they will no longer partner with her and will not be agents of her affliction.

But we must face the horror of the text. It announces that the illicit sex that she is engaged in will prove to be what causes her to be afflicted. Since the focus of the text is the illicit sex she is engaged in, one cannot shy away from the conclusion that she is being warned about being violated sexually.

This is a hard pill to swallow. And that is perhaps why our translations couch it in more palatable language. How can Jesus announce such a warning? What about the dignity of this woman? What about her rights?

We need to realize that their licentious behavior precedes Jesus’ warning. Jesus’ warning is not issued in a vacuum. ‘Jezebel’ was okay with engaging in adulterous behavior and perhaps even spouted them as what Jesus calls the ‘deep secrets of Satan’. Jesus’ warning is simply that these very activities will prove to be how she is violated. Since there was no marriage covenant between the ones engaged in these sexual activities, there was no dignity for either party involved. Since they engaged in adulterous behavior, they would face the consequences of this behavior. Sex outside the scope of the covenant of marriage results in the fracture of the image of God within humans. When this happens, regardless of whether or not there was consent, there is a violation. ‘Jezebel’ and her fellow adulterers may not recognize it as a violation, but it is.

The language Jesus uses here suggests a punishment of rape. However, this must be understood within the context of a biblically grounded view of sexuality in which sex is the good creation of a good God to be enjoyed within the context of the covenant of marriage.

Consider an example. No one would put a metal saucepan into a microwave to heat water. The metal is good and strong. But used in a wrong context would only harm everything involved – the saucepan and the microwave.

A similar thing is happening here. If ‘Jezebel’ and her fellow adulterers were going to engage in sex outside the covenant of marriage, then disaster would befall them. It would be tantamount to a rape. And Jesus uses such horrific words so that those hearing them would be shocked to their senses.

(For further reading see Women’s Divination in Biblical Literature by Esther J. Hamori