Revelation 9:21 recipe for the mystery rite

References

• Video: anyone remember the video where this was presented?

Phonon φόνων (death without death) pharmakion φαρμακιῶν(drug magic) porneias πορνείασ (sex as initiatory act) klemmaton κλεμμάτων (theft of faculties via seduction of the mind through ecstatic states) - recipe for the mystery rite

Revelation 9:21

Revelation 9:21 - New Testament - Nestle 1904

καὶ (and) οὐ (not) μετενόησαν (changed one’s mind, repented) ἐκ (out of, from) τῶν (the) φόνων (death without death, transformation) αὐτῶν (of them) οὔτε (nor) ἐκ (out of, from) τῶν (the) φαρμακιῶν (drug sorcery) αὐτῶν (of them) οὔτε (nor) ἐκ (out of, from) τῆς (the) πορνείας (sex as initiatory act, divine union) αὐτῶν (of them) οὔτε (nor) ἐκ (out of, from) τῶν (the) κλεμμάτων (theft of faculties via seduction of the mind through ecstatic states) αὐτῶν (of them).

Revelation 9:21 reads like a blanket condemnation to mystery rites, particularly if viewed through the lens of Dionysian and Eleusinian traditions. The elements in the verse align closely with well-documented ritual practices:

Mystery Rite Parallels in Revelation 9:21

• φόνων (death without death) → Central to mystery traditions, especially Eleusinian and Dionysian. Initiates underwent a symbolic death (φόνος) to be reborn into higher knowledge. In Orphic traditions, Zagreus (Dionysos) himself undergoes ritual dismemberment, a myth reflected in initiatory reenactments.
• φαρμακιῶν (drug sorcery) → Entheogenic substances were crucial to the mysteries. The Eleusinians used kykeon, a barley-based drink possibly containing ergot alkaloids. Dionysian rites often involved wine infused with psychoactive herbs. The term φαρμακεία was later demonized but originally referred to the ritual use of potions in divination, initiation, and healing.
• πορνείας (sex as initiatory act) → The standard translation as “fornication” is misleading in a mystery context. Dionysian rituals involved sacred ecstasy, and some forms of temple initiation incorporated hieros gamos (sacred union). The Maenads, female Dionysian devotees, engaged in wild, ecstatic states that were often misunderstood as mere debauchery by outsiders.
• κλεμμάτων (theft of faculties via seduction of the mind through ecstatic states) → Mysteries aimed to dissolve the self (ekstasis). This could be seen as a "theft" of one’s mundane faculties, allowing divine possession or revelation. Dionysian enthousiasmos (being filled with the god) and Eleusinian visions were states where ordinary perception was “stolen” and replaced with divine knowledge.

Revelation 9:21 as a Cryptic Recipe for Initiation

If we reverse the moralistic interpretation and read this verse as a guide, it lays out the stages of a mystery rite:

1. Ritual Death (φόνων) → The initiate symbolically dies, shedding their previous self.
2. Pharmakon-Induced Vision (φαρμακιῶν) → A potion or substance opens the doors of perception.
3. Sacred Ecstasy (πορνείας) → The initiate experiences a profound sexual union.
4. Theft of the Mundane Mind (κλεμμάτων) → Ordinary perception is dissolved, leading to revelation.

Christianity vs. the Mysteries

The New Testament (especially Revelation) critiques these practices because they represent an alternative spiritual path — one that offered direct, ecstatic experience rather than faith-based salvation. The early church sought to displace these traditions, reframing them as sinful or deceptive. The reality is the early apostles, Jesus/Mary, and the Judaics, were all following these mystery rites as well. This was also about replacing the female power structure with a male one, and to do that key parts of that old order was made heretical.