Introduction
The Book of Revelation is filled with powerful symbols: beasts, angels, trumpets, plagues, and a heavenly Jerusalem. Yet few images have sparked as much debate as the woman who rides the beast in Revelation 17 — called “Mystery, Babylon the Great, the Mother of Harlots.”
Who is this woman? Is she Rome, Jerusalem, the Catholic Church, or a universal symbol of evil? Across Christian history, interpreters have offered diverse answers. To truly understand her identity, we must examine the biblical text, early Church Fathers, church history, Catholic teaching, and modern biblical scholarship.
1. The Text of Revelation 17
Revelation 17 describes the woman in vivid detail:
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She is “clothed in purple and scarlet” and adorned with jewels (Rev. 17:4).
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She holds “a golden cup full of abominations” (v. 4).
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On her forehead is written: “MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND OF THE ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH” (v. 5).
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She is “drunk with the blood of the saints” (v. 6).
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She sits on a scarlet beast with seven heads and ten horns (v. 3).
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The angel explains: “The woman … is the great city that rules over the kings of the earth” (v. 18).
👉 Key clue: The text explicitly identifies the woman with a city of great power and global influence.
2. Main Interpretations Through History
| Interpretation | Description | Key Evidence |
|---|---|---|
| Imperial Rome (Preterist) | Babylon = Rome, the empire persecuting Christians | Seven hills = Rome’s geography; Rome ruled the kings of the earth; Roman persecutions |
| Jerusalem | Babylon = apostate Jerusalem | OT prophets call Jerusalem a “harlot” (Isaiah 1; Ezekiel 16); she killed the prophets |
| The Papacy (Historicist) | Babylon = corrupted institutional church (Papacy) | Reformation view; woman’s wealth, political power, persecution of reformers |
| Symbol of Worldly Powers (Idealist) | Babylon = every corrupt world system opposing God | Fits the timelessness of Revelation’s imagery; echoes of Babylon in Daniel/Isaiah |
| Future Global Power (Futurist) | Babylon = a future empire or city dominating the world | Futurist readings emphasize end-time fulfillment |
3. Early Church Fathers on the Woman
The Apostolic Fathers and early exegetes saw the woman mostly as Rome:
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St. Irenaeus (2nd c.): Interpreted the Beast and Babylon as signs of Rome’s imperial power.
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Tertullian (c. 200 AD): Identified Rome as “Babylon” due to its persecution of Christians.
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Victorinus of Pettau (3rd c.): Wrote the earliest Latin commentary on Revelation and clearly equated the woman with Rome on seven hills.
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St. Augustine (5th c.): Interpreted Babylon more broadly as the “City of Man” opposed to the “City of God.”
👉 The Fathers show both historical (Rome) and theological (worldly corruption) interpretations.
4. Catholic Teaching on Revelation 17
The Catholic Church does not officially identify the woman with one single city or institution but emphasizes the symbolic nature of apocalyptic language:
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Catechism of the Catholic Church (CCC 1137–1139): Interprets Revelation as a liturgical and symbolic vision.
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CCC 677: Reminds us that before Christ’s return, the Church will face trial, and evil powers will rise, echoing Revelation’s imagery.
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Catholic exegetical notes (e.g., USCCB Bible) explain that Babylon refers first to Rome but also serves as a symbol of worldly power, idolatry, and persecution.
👉 Catholic perspective: The woman is not “the Church” but the anti-Church — the worldly city opposed to God’s kingdom.
5. Protestant Reformation and Historicist View
During the 16th century, Reformers such as Martin Luther, John Calvin, and John Knox identified the woman with the Roman Catholic Church (especially the Papacy). They pointed to:
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The woman’s wealth (purple, scarlet, gold) → Vatican imagery.
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Her global influence → Catholic Church’s reach.
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Her persecution of saints → Inquisitions and martyrs of conscience.
However, this reading reflects polemical context rather than the historical-critical meaning of Revelation.
6. Modern Scholarship
Contemporary scholars highlight the layered symbolism:
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Rome as the immediate referent. The “seven hills” (Rev. 17:9) directly evoke Rome.
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Old Testament echoes. John borrows imagery of harlotry from Isaiah, Ezekiel, and Jeremiah, where Jerusalem was called an unfaithful wife.
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Typological universality. The woman represents all worldly empires that corrupt, seduce, and persecute God’s people (Babylon, Rome, Nazi Germany, etc.).
👉 Most scholars today conclude that Rome was the first-century context, but the symbol has timeless application.
7. Comparative Analysis
| Clue in Revelation 17 | Fits Rome | Fits Jerusalem | Fits Papacy | Fits World-System |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Seven hills (17:9) | ✅ Obvious reference | ❌ Jerusalem not known for 7 hills | ❓ Some try to link symbolically | ✅ Symbol of power |
| Rules kings of earth (17:18) | ✅ Rome ruled the known world | ❌ Jerusalem had no such power | ❓ Papacy has influence, not empire | ✅ Fits any empire |
| Drunk with saints’ blood (17:6) | ✅ Rome persecuted Christians | ✅ Jerusalem killed prophets/Jesus | ❓ Church accused in history | ✅ Fits persecuting powers |
| Wealth & luxury (17:4) | ✅ Rome’s splendor | ❌ Jerusalem less so | ✅ Papal riches (argued by Reformers) | ✅ Any empire |
| Named “Babylon” (17:5) | ✅ Used by Jews/Christians for Rome | ❓ Sometimes for Jerusalem | ❌ Used polemically in Reformation | ✅ Archetype of evil city |
8. Theological Reflection
Revelation is not merely a political critique but a spiritual warning:
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The woman is a counterfeit bride (contrast with Revelation 21’s “Bride of Christ,” the New Jerusalem).
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She symbolizes idolatry, greed, immorality, and persecution.
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Every generation must discern its “Babylon” — the worldly system that tempts Christians away from fidelity to Christ.
Conclusion
So, who is the woman in Revelation 17?
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For John’s first-century readers, she most naturally referred to Rome — the empire ruling on seven hills, wealthy, idolatrous, and guilty of persecuting Christians.
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For biblical theology, she also recalls Jerusalem’s prophetic unfaithfulness and stands as a type of any worldly power opposed to God.
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For history, the woman has been read against the Papacy by Reformers, but Catholic tradition and modern scholarship reject this as a polemical misinterpretation.
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For the Church today, she remains a symbol of the ever-present danger of idolatrous culture and false power.
In the end, Revelation 17 challenges believers to resist the seductions of “Babylon” in all ages and remain faithful to the true Bridegroom, Jesus Christ.
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