Pergamus dan Imperial Cult
Abstract
Bukti-bukti imperial cult sudah ada secara umum dalam literatur-literatur teologi dan biblika. Namun, hadir kajian-kajian baru yang menyatakan bahwa tidak adanya hubungan antara imperial cult dengan penganiayaan orang Kristen. Meresponi kajian-kajian baru tersebut, tulisan ini akan menekankan bahwa kota Pergamus adalah pusat imperial cult di Asia Minor, dan memiliki hubungan dengan penganiyaan orang-orang Kristen. Fakta bahwa Pergamus menjadi pusat imperial cult di Asia Minor ditunjukkan oleh kehadiran pemerintah Roma di kota tersebut dengan pembangunan kuil-kuil kultus kaisar, gelar neokoros yang disandang oleh Pergamus sebanyak tiga kali berturut-turut, dan melalui bukti-bukti internal dalam Wahyu 2:12-17 yaitu gambaran tahta iblis dan Antipas, Bileam dan Nikolatian serta perang dan kemenangan yang merujuk pada unsur-unsur yang berkaitan dengan kultus kaisar. Artikel ini menerapkan studi literatur yang meliputi analisa teks Alkitab dan kepustakaan.
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