Part Four The Function of Apocalyptic Brent Sandy says that understanding the function of apocalyptic literature is probably the most important thing about it.[1] He says that the main thing is to bring hope in adversity. As he puts it, “The lofty heights of the [rollercoaster] ride – so unlike anything known on this earth – help the persecuted put their misfortunes in perspective.”[2] Sandy describes the six effects of apocalyptic upon the hearers[3]: It creates worshipful awe of the …
Category: Apocalyptic
Part Three Some Major Characteristics of Apocalyptic (with Responses) Take up any book on the subject and you will be told that the many features of apocalyptic literature can scarcely if ever be found in one single work. Indeed, a piece of apocalyptic can be absent many of the list of characteristics. Still, it is worth trying to get at the criteria. Brent Sandy has provided a list of eleven characteristics (twelve if one includes pseudonymity) of the genre[1]: I …
Part Two Going Far Beyond the Bible All of the major advocates of apocalyptic gather data, albeit not exclusively, from outside of the Bible. Brent Sandy demonstrates his procedure of going beyond Scripture when he says, “In order to understand the language of apocalyptic, we must review the period of world history relevant to Daniel 8 and then examine Daniel’s language.”[1] He is not alone. Notice what is entailed in this statement about the genre: Apocalypse was a literary genre …
Part One The ‘Apocalypse’ of John and Picking Sides The first composition to call itself an “apocalypse” was the Book of Revelation, written by the Apostle John circa 95 A.D.[1] “And even there” says Collins, “it is not clear whether the word denotes a special class of literature or is used more generally for revelation.”[2] But right here at the start I believe we are misdirected. John expressly tells us that his book is a “prophecy” (Rev. 1:3; 22:7, …
This is a draft chapter from the forthcoming book ‘The Words of the Covenant’ The purpose of this article is to cast a little doubt upon the generally received view of the reading of biblical apocalyptic literature. As the unique Word of God, the Bible itself is its own interpreter, and much of the edifice of genre criticism and particularly apocalyptic genre is not based on biblical premises, nor should the “apocalyptic” sections of the Bible be read as if …
