Apcalyptic Literature and the Bk f Daniel I. Intrductin t the Curse With the year 2000 being the transitin between an ld millennium and a new ne, sme attentin has been given t what peple call the End f the Wrld, r the Parusia. Part f the Christian Faith states that Christ has died, Christ is risen, [and] Christ will cme again. Fr sme Christians, the year 2000 is a milestne. They believe that the End Times are near and that Jesus will cme back t earth t take dminin and pwer. T this end sme Christians qute the bks f Daniel and Revelatin, in rder t prve and/r shw certain prphesies. Sme Fundamentalist preachers use these bks f Dm t shw the wrld that Christ is cming sn. Because f this widespread use f these tw bks, this fundamentalist view is ften the nly interpretatin peple have f what is called Apcalyptic Literature. On the cntrary, Daniel and Revelatin are nt bks f Dm but, rather, bks f hpe. Our gal fr this curse is t lk at the genre f Apcalyptic Literature and t use the knwledge f it t study the Bk Revelatin.. II. Intrductry ntin regarding the term Apcalyptic S. what is Apcalyptic? Father Felix Just, S.J., a prfessr at Lyla Marymunt University states the fllwing: Preliminary Descriptin f Apcalypse : In ppular terminlgy tday, an apcalypse is a catastrphic event (e.g., nuclear hlcaust). In biblical terminlgy, an apcalypse is nt an event, but a revelatin that is recrded in written frm: it is a piece f crisis literature that reveals truths abut the past, present, and/r future in highly symblic terms; the revelatin ften cmes in dreams r visins, and usually needs t be interpreted with the help f an angel; it is usually intended t prvide hpe and encuragement fr peple in the midst f severe trials and tribulatins. Please nte: The Apcalypse is an alternate name (used esp. by Prtestants) fr The Bk f Revelatin in the New Testament.
Als, The Little Apcalypse and/r The Apcalyptic Discurse are names smetimes given t Mark 13 (and the parallel passages in Matt 24 and Luke 21), cntaining the teachings f Jesus abut the future f Jerusalem and the end f the wrld. Schlarly Definitin f Apcalypse (frm SBL Apcalypse Grup ; published in J. J. Cllins, Semeia 14 [1979] 9): Apcalypse is a genre f revelatry literature with a narrative framewrk, in which a revelatin is mediated by an therwrldly being t a human recipient, disclsing a transcendent reality with is bth tempral, insfar as it envisages eschatlgical salvatin, and spatial insfar as it invlves anther, supernatural wrld. Definitin additin regarding the genre s purpse, incrprating suggestins f Hellhlm (1982) & Aune (1986): intended t interpret the present, earthly circumstances in light f the supernatural wrld and f the future, and t influence bth the understanding and the behavir f the audience by means f divine authrity. Subdivisins r Types f Apcalypses: Apcalypses can be classified accrding t features in their CONTENT: Sme apcalypses cntain Otherwrldly Jurneys (e.g., the seer is purprtedly taken n a tur f heaven) Others d nt cntain Otherwrldly Jurneys (e.g., while seeing heavenly things, the seer stays n earth) Apcalypses can als be classified accrding t their primary REFERENTS: Sme apcalypses deal with Persnal Eschatlgy (the death and after-life f individuals) Others fcus mre n Ethnic r Natinal Eschatlgy (the end f a natin r empire) Many thers cntain Csmic Eschatlgy (the ultimate end f the whle wrld) n.b. see the addendum fr ther related terminlgy. n.b. Please see the addendum fr ther definitins and explanatins f Apcalyptic Literature.
III. Apcalyptic Literature and Symblism A gd Example f symblism in scripture is Daniel 8: 1 In the third year f the reign f King Belshazzar, I, Daniel, was granted a visin. This visin was after that first ne. 2 In the visin I saw myself in the frtress city f Susa in the prvince f Elam, where I was at the Ulai Gate. 3 As I lked abut, I saw a ram standing befre the gate. It had tw lng hrns; ne was lnger than the ther and appeared after it. 4 I nticed that the ram was butting tward the west, the nrth, and the suth; and n beast culd withstand it r be rescued frm its pwer. It did as it pleased and became mighty. 5 As I was lking n, I saw a he-gat cme frm the west, and crss the whle earth withut tuching the grund; and a cnspicuus hrn was n its frehead. 6 The he-gat came up t the tw-hrned ram that I saw standing befre the gate, and rushed at it with savage frce. 7 I nticed that, when it reached the ram, it was enraged against it, and gave it such a blw that it brke ff its tw hrns; fr the ram had nt the pwer t withstand it. The he-gat kncked the ram t the grund and trampled it dwn; and there was n ne t rescue the ram frm its pwer. 8 The he-gat then grew exceedingly. But at the height f its pwer, its big hrn brke ff, and in its place fur cnspicuus nes came up tward the fur winds f the heavens. 9 Frm ne f them there came frth a small hrn, which grew mightily tward the suth and the east [and the Lvely One]. 10 It grew up t the hst f the heavens and hurled sme f the hst [sme f the stars] t the earth, where it trampled them dwn. Frm the abve qutatin ne can easily see the use f symblism and figurative language. In Apcalyptic Literature the use f symbl is ne f the mst prminent features f the genre. At the same time it is a surce f prblems and cnfusin in interpretatin. Because Apcalyptic Literature is filled with figurative language, symbls, types and literal language, the danger the interpreter faces is t NOT interpret the wrds/passages as if it has sme hidden meaning. Smetimes we think that there is sme deep mystery invlved with these passages, and admittedly there is sme, but the Bible is unified in its message and has a cnsistent cherence f truth with it. What this means is that Apcalyptic Literature is a reflectin f the authr's times and circumstances. It als means that there is a biblical basis fr its interpretatin as it can be linked with previus revelatin. What is the nature f a symbl? The nature invlves a 1 fr 1 crrespndence between the symbl and the bject. A gd example wuld be a rad sign (e.g., a STOP sign) r prduct trademarks and lgs. It is nt a simile r a metaphr. A simile is defined as a figure f speech in which tw essentially unlike things are cmpared, ften using like r as, as in eyes like a cat. A metaphr is defined as a figure f speech in which a wrd r phrase that rdinarily designates ne thing is used t designate anther, thus making an implicit cmparisn, as in the evening f life. Simile Zechariah 12:8
On that day the LORD will put a shield abut the inhabitants f Jerusalem s that the feeblest amng them n that day shall be like David, and the huse f David shall be like Gd, like the angel f the LORD, at their head. Metaphr Genesis 49:27 Benjamin is a ravenus wlf, in the mrning devuring the prey, and at evening dividing the spil. IV. Decding Symbls When we lk at symbls in general and hw we decde them, at ne at the same time it is easy but yet, difficult. We d it cnstantly in life; therefre, we all have the skill (fr example, d we think abut what a stp sign is? Dn t we just stp, lk and prceed?). What is necessary, and what makes things difficult is the need fr a key. Withut the key decding culd be difficult. When there are difficulties in decding symbls in scriptures, schlars take int accunt varius factrs. Ptential histrical references The symbl may be referring t a histrical event. Because f this use, the authr may presume that the reader has knwledge f the histrical event. The symbl may be paque withut this histrical knwledge, s a remedy may be t lcate the wrk in its histrical settings. It is very easy fr meanings in this area t be lst. Pssibility f cnventinal symbls In this scenari the symbl has an agreed n meaning in literary sciety. Because the symbl is assumed, the meaning may have t be learned. Fr example, in ur sciety, the symbl f the dve means peace. The dnkey and the elephant mean plitical parties. The bear means Russia.the glden arches. In the Bible examples may be Hrn = pwer Sea = chas Zin = Yahweh s dwelling place One thing t keep in mind is t knw when the symbl s meaning ends. Fr example, the bear may mean Russia, but what f the fur, clr, height, claws, etc? What are their meanings? Smetimes they d nt have any, s we shuld nt put meaning there. Therefre, DON T OVER-SYMBOLIZE!
A prblem ccurs when there is a lss r remval f the histrical rts f a particular text. Fr ne thing it may render the text incmprehensible. Fr anther the remval f the histrical rts pens the way fr reassigning meaning. REMEMBER, symbls d nt have meaning in themselves but nly assigned nes, and a symbl may be apt fr many things (fr example, H 2 O). The techniques f sme Apcalypticists (that is, thse wh try t predict the future frm using scripture) When they remve the histrical rts, they usually ignre the questin f the text. They dn t investigate the histrical rts Therefre, since it wasn t fulfilled then; therefre, it refers t the future (the future being the here and nw). They reassign meaning Because the histrical meaning was remved, a new meaning may nw be given. This can be superficially cnvincing because the symbl may be apt. They fragment the text When they qute part f a passage, it destrys the symbl system. They key in its ttality is lst. It, therefre, reduces the passage t a raw single symbl, independent f everything else. This wrks well with thse wh d nt have a knwledge f the whle f Daniel, Ezekiel, and Revelatin. This use is ften cupled with phrases like The Bible says that., It is clear frm Biblical Prphesy that., etc. Intelligent discussins require a better than average knwledge f the biblical text and a gd deal f specific detail.
V. Apcalyptic as a Literary Genre When reading Apcalyptic Literature there are sme BASIC ELEMENTS t lk fr. These are: The Recipient f the Revelatin (the Biblical figure) The Mediatr f Revelatin (the Heavenly figure) Narrates Describes Guides Interprets A Revelatin Visin (seeing) Auditry (hearing) e.g., Daniel, chapter 9 Other wrldly jurney ( traveling ) The MANNER OF REVELATION may invlve: Medium f Revelatin: the Visual Dream Visins Circumstance Descriptin f the visin Request fr an interpretatin Mediatr interprets The Cnclusin: reactin, instructins, etc. E.g., Daniel, chapters 7 and 8 Epiphany A visin f a single supernatural figure This cannt be apcalyptic itself withut ther frms The supernatural figure ften becmes revealed E.g., Daniel, chapter 10 Medium f Revelatin: the Auditry Angelic Discurse Revelatin as speech Delivered by an angel Often fllws epiphany E.g., Daniel, chapters 10-11 Revelatry dialgue A cnversatin between the recipient and revealer This is relatively rare except in Gnstic wrks E.g., 4 Ezra Revelatin Reprt The cntent f the revelatin frm visin, etc, just stated Rare
E.g., 1 Ench 93:1-10 Medium f Revelatin: the therwrldly jurney Literary frmat Reprt f ascent (by cluds, angels, etc.) The Revelatin Accunt Reprt f the tur (f anywhere) Ascent thrugh numbered heavens Usual number 7 Similar t perids in histry The heavens shw the rder f creatin Things usually bserved Lists f revealed things The abde f the dead Judgment scenes A thrne visin List f vices (and virtues) E.g., III Baruch Medium f Revelatin: the writing Written usually in a sacred bk The Otherwrldly Mediatr Identity A heavenly being Usually an angel (mst frequent) Smetimes Jesus Christ (in sme Christian Apcalyptics) Functin Cmmunicate (e.g., auditry) Interpret (e.g., visins) Guide (e.g., jurneys) This is ften the surce f the key t the symbls. The Human Recipient Pseudnymity the recipient is presented as a figure frm the past. Dispsitin the state f the recipient when the revelatin is revealed (e.g., sad, trubled, perplexed) Reactin state arising frm the revelatin (e.g., awe, fear, physical disturbance) The Cntext in which the Revelatin is received Immediate exact place, etc. f the revelatin Prximate the larger narrative cntext An elabratin f biblical narratives (the ladder f Jacb ) An elabratin f a biblical figure
The CONTENT OF REVELATION may invlve a TEMPORAL AXIS (The cntent is the Tempral axis. It envisins an eschatlgical salvatin) Prtlgy (the rigins, beginning that is, where it all began) Thegny an accunt f the rigin and descent f the gds Csmgny an accunt f the rigin f the wrld Primrdial Events an accunt f the rigin f ur situatin It has a paradigmatic significance fr the rest f humanity E.g., the fall f the watchers, the fall f Adam. Reviews f histry Purpse Hw we arrived where we are What led up t the present Where are we in the schemes f histry Manner f review Straight-frward telling ex eventu prphesy a survey f the past in the frm f a predictin Ex Eventu Prphesy: further detail Meaning: a predictin f events that have already taken place. It is fund in all Jewish Apcalyptic Literature with therwrldly jurneys. It always leads t eschatlgical cnclusins. It is a peridizatin f histry This means that it divides histry int set perids Typical units: kingdms, weeks, year grups. Typical numbers used: 4, 7, 10, 12 and their multiples E.g., Daniel 7 and 2 Regnal prphesy It s nt divided by perids f histry by by kings (r kingdms) E.g., Daniel 11 and 8:23-27 The purpse f Ex Eventu prphesy is t shw that histry is cntrlled, nt just sme randm happenings It allws the readers t lcate their place It is always at the end f a sequence. Eschatlgical Crisis Persecutin Eschatlgical upheavals in nature and histry
Eschatlgical Judgment / destructin n: Sinners / ppressrs The wrld (nature) Otherwrldly beings (Satan, evil beings) Eschatlgical Salvatin A csmic transfrmatin (e.g., a new earth) Persnal salvatin Vindicatin Exaltatin/restratin Resurrectin/afterlife Please nte: Judgment and Salvatin are brught abut by a divine actin. The CONTENT OF REVELATION may invlve a SPATIAL AXIS (The cntent is the spatial axis. It invlves the ther wrld jurney) Peple had assumptins regarding the ther wrld There were parallel wrlds The celestial The terrestrial r earthly The actins in the celestial wuld affect the earthly Beings in the celestial wrld affect beings in the earthly Because f these tw factrs there is a necessity t see what happens behind the scenes. Otherwrldly Beings Gd Angels Demns N.b. the develpment f angellgy and demnlgy enters int the picture with apcalyptic literature Otherwrldly Regins Heaven Heaven is smetimes divided int stages, regins, r levels (e.g., 7 th heaven) Hell Shel (this is the place in Jewish thught where the dead went. It was underneath the earth. A neither gd r bad place. The CONTENT OF REVELATION may invlve a PARANESIS AXIS (The cntent is the Paranesis axis. It invlves instructin)
This area is rare It is usually fund in Christian Apcalypses E.g., the letter t the 7 churches in the Bk f Revelatin The CONCLUDING ELEMENTS may invlve Instructins t the Recipient T publish what he hears T cnceal them until the End, etc. Narrative Cnclusin Awakening Return t earth Departure f the mediatr Cnsequent actins f the Recipient VI. The Sitz im Leben f Apcalyptic Literature Sitz im Leben is a German term that can be translated as settings in life and was first used by Herman Gunkel. It is a term used in frm criticism t describe the idea that we need t lk at the settings r situatins f the peple wh created the literature. The term can als describe the scial cntext r particular situatin with which a certain text type r genre is cnnected. This term becmes imprtant in the analysis f a text because it refers us t lk int the backgrund f ur writers. It is als smetimes used in redactin criticism in a similar way t discver what the cmmunity r church was like that prduced a particular writing. When we lk at Apcalyptic Literature and the setting that it was in, there are sme factrs that we shuld keep in mind. The influencing cultures f the times include: Pst-Exilic prphesies (especially Zechariah), Babyln, Persia (especially Zrastrianism and Dualism), and the general Hellenistic (Greek) milieu (the disenfranchised natins and the culture shck). Sme typical suggestins fr the Apcalyptic Era might include: Late Prphesies Disaffected Grups The Essenes Hasidism The Persecuted But, as with all things, there are prblems, since nt all apcalyptic literature fits the grups named. J.J. Cllins, ne f the first mdern schlars t take up the challenge f defining Apcalyptic Literature, suggests the fllwing:
He suggests that there was a crisis f sme kind, which may have invlved persecutin, a culture shck, an evil/injustice in histry, r death. Think abut it. Hw d we in tday s sciety exhibit a crisis mentality? VII. Features f Apcalyptic Thught View f Histry in general Because f a threat (r reality) f imminent death, peple d nt see salvatin cming in their lifetime. Therefre life has little value. Salvatin cmes frm a heavenly r transcendent rder. This implies an end t the histrical rder Abslutely r as experienced This is where we get the surce f the image f the End f the Wrld. The Heavenly realm enters with salvatin It terminates the evil and restres Justice Nte: this is a majr difference frm prphecy Peridizatin f Histry The Phenmenn This is a sequential list f eras, ages, empires, kings, etc. It s basically a histrical review. Its Functin T demnstrate a pattern in histry which may/will repeat in the present. It is t shw hw everything leads up t the present as a culminating pint. It is a histrical perspective f a crisis. Universalizatin f Histry The fcus is nt just Israel, but the csms. The cnsequences extend t all There is a fcus n the individual s decisin in the crisis. Ntin f the Present It is a culminating pint / a crisis pint. The past is ften seen as building up t the present There is a necessity f a radical decisin that is, ne must align neself with true values. A Tendency twards Determinism
A thery r dctrine that acts f the will, ccurrences in nature, r scial r psychlgical phenmena are causally determined by preceding events r natural laws A belief in predestinatin Things dn t flw ut f acts as much as they break int the present experience Cmparisn with prphetic utterance There is a cntrast between the Act and the Cnsequence Repent, lest yu. If yu turn t Yahweh. Apc. Lit. uses mre f a psitive act f grace. This aspect, hwever, is als part f the prphetic view. A Tendency twards Dualism Literary imagery Light Darkness Abve Belw Hideus Beautiful See Daniel 7 Real images Gd Satan Angels Demns The Gd The Wicked This Age The Age t cme Earth - Heaven The ntin f Tw Wrlds : the Celestial and the Earthly The Bttm Line f Apcalyptic Thught There is a perceptin f basic rder beynd appearances The Present may be paque and/r meaningless This dictates a visinary frm The peridizatin, etc, attempt t see behind the appearances f histry. There is a chice f which wrld t live by There is an affirmatin f the true ecnmy f the wrld. There is a statement f faith rather than an encuragement f the wishy-washy. Nte: this is mre f a feeling f ptimism; peple were nt naïve.