Abstract
This multi-authored volume examines the development of apocalyptic literature within Judaism in the Second Temple period, down to current expressions of apocalypticism. The majority of the book is, however, focused on examples of apocalyptic literature from antiquity, along with exploring key themes and expressions of the apocalyptic mentality in that period.
The Handbook is arranged with an introductory chapter followed by five parts covering various aspects of apocalypticism. The introductory chapter covers issues of definition and scope. Here Collins notes that, from the outset of the use of the term ‘apocalyptic’, it was not clear whether it ‘designated a literary genre or a kind of theology’ (p. 1). That remains a question that confronts those who continue to study the apocalyptic phenomenon. Moreover, as Collins helpfully sets out, the task of definition is far from resolved and remains highly contested, depending on whether the definition emphasizes ‘form and content’, is stated in ‘purely formal’ terms or reflects more of ‘a thematic definition’ (p. 5). In some ways such distinctions reflect different emphases, rather than being ultimately resolvable.
The first section of the volume comprises six essays grouped under the heading ‘The Literary and Phenomonological Context’. In the opening chapter of this section, Cook examines what he calls ‘Apocalyptic Prophecy’. In essence, he traces the roots of apocalypticism in the Hebrew Bible to texts such as Ezek. 38-39, Isa. 24-27, Joel, and Zechariah. He notes that a variety of apocalyptic expressions arose during and after the exile, with probably influence from Persian or Zoroastrian sources. However, in a balanced conclusion, he simply states ‘we must reckon with a diversity or provenance and streams behind Israel’s earliest apocalyptic literature’ (p. 33). In the following chapter Hindy Najman careful explores the link and transition from prophecy to apocalypse by considering two ideas – the genre thesis and the chronological thesis. For Najman, ‘[t]he apocalyptic deployment of figures and themes from prophetic literature was part of a deliberate strategy of inheritance, intended to sustain the relevance of prophecy’ (p. 48). In chapter four, Matthew Goff explores the relationship between ‘Wisdom and Apocalyptic’ (pp. 52-68). Here he draws upon the stream of scholarship that has probed the link between sapiential and apocalyptic traditions. Here Goff notes how the interplay between wisdom and apocalyptic themes plays out in the Q material. In the remaining three chapters in this section Jassen provides an insightful study of the function of scriptural interpretation within early Jewish apocalypses (pp. 69-84). Next, Boustan and McCullough discuss the place of apocalyptic literature in relation to early Jewish mysticism (pp. 85-103). Lastly, Frances Flannery looks specifically at dream and vision accounts in early Jewish and Christian apocalypse (pp. 104-120). Flannery sees the accounts of dreams and visions as being one aspect of apocalyptic texts that added to their popularity. She notes that ‘the apocalyptic dreams and vision were thereby able to bring the audience imaginatively into the visionary’s experiential world, as well as to impart revelation that carried divine authority’ (p. 117).
In the second part of the collection there are four carefully written and enlightening essays covering the topic of the social function of apocalyptic literature. To highlight Philip Esler’s essay, ‘Social-Scientific Approaches to Apocalyptic Literature’ (pp. 123-144), many of the important insights offered by such approaches are carefully presented. In particular, Esler draws out the insights that can be gained by applying social-scientific research into sectarian groups, as well as in the area of identity formation.
The third relatively short section consists of three essays but these tackle the important question of the ‘Literary Features of Apocalyptic Literature.’ The first, by Carol Newsom, is entitled ‘The Rhetoric of Jewish Apocalyptic Literature’ (pp. 201-217). Newsom sees Apocalyptic literature as an example of what she calls ‘epiphanic rhetoric’. Thus she argues, ‘[w]hile the evocations of the transcendent reality are persuasive in and of themselves, the repetition of similar descriptions in a variety of apocalypses and related literature contributes significantly to the socially persuasive nature of a shared apocalyptic rhetorical vision’ (pp. 206-207). In the following chapter Greg Carey undertakes a rhetorical analysis of early Christian apocalypses. Carey focuses upon four examples of Christian Apocalyptic literature from the late first to early second century CE: the canonical Revelation, the Shepherd of Hermas, the Ascension of Isaiah, and the Apocalypse of Peter. The following rhetorical aims are noted. For Revelation, a call for cultural resistance; for Hermas a concern with repentance; for the Apocalypse of Peter an emphasis on personal sins; and for the Ascension of Isaiah concern with the issues of incarnation and Jewish-Christian relations. This diverse set of rhetorical aims leads Carey to conclude that apocalyptic discourse provided ‘a rich set of resources for imagining the world, shaping opinion, and influencing behavior’ (p. 232). The final essay in this section, ‘Deconstructing Apocalyptic Literalist Allegory’ (pp. 235-252) by Erin Runions, builds upon insights from deconstructionist literary theory to suggest that allegory often reduces multidimensional relationships into a single dimension in order to accentuate the comparative power of the allegory. In terms of apocalyptic allegory, horizontal relationships are erased and the apocalyptic element creates a vertical hierarchy that creates a sense of transcendence (p. 236). The example that is used to focus the discussion is that of the killing of Osama bin Laden, and the ensuing use of texts such as Rev. 18.20 to present the act as the judgment of God on evil.
The eight chapters in part four survey various theological concerns that arise in apocalyptic texts. Each of these discussions presents new insights. These include the following topics: Popovic, ‘Apocalyptic Determinism’; Frey, ‘Apocalyptic Dualism’; Allison, ‘Apocalyptic Ethics and Behaviour’; Henze, ‘Apocalypse and Torah in Ancient Judaism’; Adela Yrbro Collins, ‘Apocalypticism and Christian Origins’; Bremmer, ‘Descents to Hell and Ascents to Heaven in Apocalyptic Literature’; Burns, ‘Apocalypses among Gnostics and Manicaeans’; Beyerle, ‘The Imagined Worlds of Apocalypses.’ Together these studies for an incisive assessment of major themes spanning various of the Apocalyptic texts. The final six chapters move beyond the ancient world and look at the continued application of apocalyptic ideas.
This is a well-planned and coherent treatment of the subject, although, as Collins flagged up in his introduction, questions of definitions and parameters still remain. At times, especially in the final section, one wonders if this is more a handbook to Apocalypticism, rather than to Apocalyptic Literature, and perhaps the need to ask that question is reinforced by the decision to treat the source material thematically and topically rather than by discussing individual texts. Despite this slight quandary over title and arrangement, what is presented here is a masterful overview of the topic. Every contribution is deeply incisive and the collection in total is a case of the whole being greater than the sum of its admittedly excellent parts. For that, the editor of this volume must be highly praised.
More Old Testament Pseudepigrapha
Richard Bauckham, James R. Davila, Alexander Panayotov (eds), Old Testament Pseudepigrapha: More Noncanonical Scriptures, volume 1 (Grand Rapids, Michigan: Eerdmans, 2013. $90.00/£59.99. pp. xl + 808. ISBN: 978-0-8028-2739-5).
This volume is the first fruit of the More Old Testament Pseudipigrapha Project that the editors have headed at the University of St Andrews. The intention is to build upon the two-volume work by James Charlesworth, The Old Testament Pseudepigrapha (New York: Doubleday, 1983, 1985), by making readily available texts that were not included in his volumes or other major collections. The title of this work seeks to signal a difference in perspective. The omission of the definite article is intended to reflect that there is no fixed ‘canon’ or any agreed corpus of pseudepigraphical texts, rather, the boundaries of the collection are artificial. The editors have taken the decision to include all texts previously unpublished or not readily available in English translation prior to the rise of Islam in the seventh century.
This collection is arranged into thirty-nine sections, which broadly equate to individual texts. However, given the fluidity of many of those textual traditions and the differing textual recensions, several sections often contain multiple versions of the same or related texts. The volume is arranged into two sections. The first section contains ‘Texts ordered according to Biblical Chronology’. Texts in this section include: Adam Octipartite (Mackaskill and Greenwood); The Life of Adam and Eve (Gathercole); The Apocryphon of Eber (VanderKam); The Hydromancy of Solomon (Torijano); and texts involving figures such as Ezekiel, Daniel, Zechariah, and Ezra. The second section, entitled ‘Thematic Texts’, is much briefer. It contains only four texts: The Cave of Treasures (Toepel); Palaea Historica (Adler); Quotations from Lost Books in the Hebrew Bible (Davila); and Hebrew Visions of Hell and Paradise (Spurling). A description of the handling of the first text in the volume provides a typical picture of how each of the writing is treated. The Adam Octipartite / Septipartite text (pp. 3-21) is presented as ‘a new translation and introduction’ by Grant Macaskill with a contribution by Eamon Greenwood. After a brief introduction, there is a major discussion of ‘manuscripts and original language’ (pp. 3-11). This section describes surviving Latin, Slavonic and Irish manuscripts as well as ‘the thorny question of the relationship between Adam Octipartite / Septipartite and the creation story found in 2 En. 30:8-9’ (p. 8). The next section offers notes on translation and this is followed by a helpful bibliography. The actual text is present in various versions (pp. 17-21) with separate translations of the Latin tradition (with the appendix from the Corpus Christi manuscript, the Slavonic and the Irish.
This volume will obviously become a key reference work. The English translations make previously relatively neglected texts much more readily accessible. Furthermore, the centrist positions offered in introductory sections serve as helpful orientations to these texts. Readers will no doubt eagerly await the second volume, and perhaps subsequent volumes that emerge from this project.
PAUL FOSTER
School of Divinity, University of Edinburgh