The Violence of the Lamb: Martyrs as Agents of Divine Judgement in the Book of Revelation

[...]Paul Middleton argues that such an act represents direct participation by Christians in divine violence against those the author of the Book of Revelation portrays as God's enemies." Middleton considers societal and governmental persecution, some of which was ostensibly related to the imperial cult, to be a genuine reality behind numerous early Christian texts, including canonical ones (pp. 29-39). [...]he contends that "suspicion or hostility toward Christians" could have led to a "demand to demonstrate loyalty to Rome" through sacrifice to local cults, or interrogation before a judge in which "a sacrifice test could have been deployed" (p. 39). [...]he shares the attributes and functions of God" (p. 131).