The Apocalyptic Imagination: An Introduction to Jewish Apocalyptic LiteratureApocalyptic literature evokes an imaginative world that is set in deliberate counterpoint to the experiential world of the present. Apocalypticism thrives especially in times of crisis, and it functions by offering a resolution of the relevant crisis, not in practical terms but in terms of imagination and faith. The Apocalyptic Imagination by John Collins is one of the most widely praised studies of Jewish apocalyptic literature ever written. And this second edition of Collins's study represents a complete updating and rewriting of the original work. Especially noteworthy is the chapter on the Dead Sea Scrolls, which now takes into account all of the recently published texts. Other chapters discuss apocalypse as a literary genre, explore the phenomenon and function of apocalypticism in the ancient world, study a wide range of individual apocalyptic texts, and examine the apocalyptic character of early Christianity. |
Contents
The Apocalyptic Genre | 1 |
The Early Enoch Literature | 43 |
Daniel | 85 |
Related Genres Oracles and Testaments | 116 |
Qumran | 145 |
The Similitudes of Enoch | 177 |
After the Fall 4 Ezra 2 Baruch and the Apocalypse of Abraham | 194 |
Apocalyptic Literature from the Diaspora in the Roman Period | 233 |
Apocalypticism in Early Christianity | 256 |
Epilogue | 280 |
| 284 | |
| 318 | |
Common terms and phrases
allusion Ancient angels Animal Apocalypse apoca Apocalypse of Abraham Apocalypse of Weeks apocalyptic genre apocalyptic literature Apocalypticism Aramaic argues ascent Babylonian Baruch biblical Book of Daniel Books of Enoch Brill century B.C.E. chap chapter context cosmology covenant Damascus Dead Sea Scrolls death destruction Diaspora divine E. P. Sanders Early Christianity earth eschatological Essenes evidence Ezra figure Fortress fragments G. W. E. Nickelsburg Gentiles Greek heaven heavenly Hebrew Hellenistic Hellholm holy human identified interpretation Isaiah Israel J. J. Collins Jerusalem Jesus Jewish apocalypses Jews JSOT Jubilees Judaism judgment king kingdom Leiden Levi Lord Maccabean messiah Milik Missoula Mohr-Siebeck motif mysteries Myth original parallels passage period Persian prophecy Qumran R. H. Charles reference resurrection revelation righteous role schema Scholars Press sect Sibylline Oracles Sibyls Studies temple Testament of Abraham Testament of Moses theology tradition University Press VanderKam vision Watchers wisdom Yarbro Collins