>>This interpretation of corrupt religious leaders as merchants>>
That's a very interesting interpretation. And to me, it does not in the slightest degrade the profession of merchant. Similarly, in the Book of Revelation the new Law is foreshadowed as a woman (12:1); and corrupt religion as a corrupt woman (Rev. Ch. 17). I wonder how the image of the corrupt merchants fits in with this verse concerning "buying and selling", about which I have long wondered. Your comment may well be a key: "And he causeth all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond, to receive a mark in their right hand, or in their foreheads; and that no man might buy or sell, save he that had the mark, or the name of the beast, or the number of his name." (Rev. 13:16-17) Then in chapter 18 the corrupt woman, the whore of Babylon, falls, and the merchants who were made rich through her "weep and mourn over her; for no man buyeth their merchandise any more", the merchandise of "gold, and silver, and precious stones ... and horses, and chariots, and slaves, and souls of men." Brent __________________________________________________ You are subscribed to Baha'i Studies as: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] To unsubscribe, send a blank email to mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] To subscribe, use subscribe bahai-st in the message body to [EMAIL PROTECTED] Baha'i Studies is available through the following: Mail - mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Web - http://list.jccc.edu/read/?forum=bahai-st News - news://list.jccc.edu/bahai-st Public - http://www.escribe.com/religion/bahaist Old Public - http://www.mail-archive.com/[EMAIL PROTECTED] New Public - http://www.mail-archive.com/[EMAIL PROTECTED]
