Iwan M. Whiteley, «Cataphora and Lack of Clarity in the Book of Revelation», Vol. 21 (2008) 75-90
This article argues that John adopts a lack of clarity as a strategy for communication in the Book of Revelation. This lack of clarity can be identified in his use of the asyndeton, καί, anarthrous nouns and cataphora. His use of cataphora is investigated in three areas; in Revelation 1, in his use of
ἃ δεῖ γενέσθαι and the colours of the horses. The conclusion is that exegetes should not impose readings on passages in Revelation that are, in themselves, inherently unclear. Instead, they should wait until John clarifies his own ambiguity so that the full rhetorical force of the text can be provided.
76 Iwan M. Whiteley
(i) The Asyndeton
An asyndeton is present when there is a lack of conjunction that would
connect the respective clauses. The asyndeton by its nature is unclear
because it involves the absence of markers to inform the reader of the
relationship between two units of text. Revelation has an unusually large
quantity of asyndeta.
(ii) καί
Aune noticed that, ‘A larger percentage of clauses and sentences in
Revelation are introduced with καί than is the case with any other early
Christian composition’2. Titrud’s definition of καί appears to be accurate,
he sees it as expressing ‘...a close relationship between the elements it con-
joins, whether clauses, phrases or words’3. John’s use of καί is significant
because it is his default choice for a conjunction. Aune argues that καί
bears a similar semantic value to its use in the LXX.4 I would suggest
that most (but not all) of John’s use of the conjunction conform to the
semantics of the koine use of καί5. However, the quantity of the conjunc-
tion indicates that John is endeavoring to create a Hebraic atmosphere.
∆έ, and οὖν are noticably lacking especially after chapter 3 and Î³á½±Ï is
used relatively little. When John uses καί, he is effectively saying, ‘Both of
these clauses are semantically related, although I am unwilling to give you
further clarification and you will have to work out the rest by yourself’:
John is being unclear.
(iii) Anarthrous Noun
The function of the article is to point at something and therefore it
has referential significance. When an author wishes to point at multiple
entities, then the use of an article can become problematic, leading to
the need for an anarthrous noun. John has this difficulty in 1:12, καί
á¼Ï€Î¹ÏƒÏ„Ïέψας εἶδον ἑπτὰ λυχνίας χÏυσᾶς. Aune6 challenges the idea that
D. E. Aune, Revelation (WBC, Texas: Word Books, 1997) cxci.
2
K. Titrud, ‘The Function of και, in the Greek New Testament and an Application to
3
2 Peter’ in D. Black, ed., Linguistics and New Testament Interpretation (Nashville: Broad-
man, 1992) 248.
Aune, Revelation, cxcii.
4
This issue is investigated extensively in my thesis, see Whiteley, A Search for Cohesion
5
78-80, 209.
Aune, Revelation, 65, 89.
6
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