Open Heaven: Study Of The Apocalyptic In Judaism And Early Christianity

CHRISTOPHER ROWLAND The Open Heaven A Study of Apocalyptic in Judaism and Early Christianity LONDON SPCK First published 1982 SPCK Holy Trinity Church Marylebone Road London NW1 4DU © Christopher Rowland 1982 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Biblical quotations are from the Revised Stan­ dard Version of the Bible, copyrighted 1946, 1952, © 1971, 1973, and are reproduced by permission of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the U.S.A. Extracts from The Dead Sea Scrolls in English by G. Vermes are reprinted by permission of Penguin Books Ltd. Thanks are due to Soncino Press for extracts from The Babylonian Talmud and Midrash Kab­ bah, edited by I. Epstein et al. Phototypeset by Trident Graphics Limited, Bell Street, Reigate, Surrey Printed and bound in Great Britain at The Camelot Press Ltd, Southampton ISBN 0 281 03784 1 To Catherine, Christopher, Rebekah and Benedict Contents 1. 2. 3. 4. Preface Abbreviations Introduction ix xi 1 Part One What is Apocalyptic? 7 Knowledge of the Divine Mysteries through Revela­ tion 11 14 Apocalyptic and Eschatology 23 Apocalyptic and Rabbinic Eschatologies Transcendent Eschatology The Qumran War Scroll and the Synoptic Apocalypse 29 37 38 Apocalypse and Apocalyptic 49 The Apocalypse Types of Visions Apocalyptic Imagery Pseudepigraphy Summary 49 52 58 61 70 Part Two The Content of the Heavenly Mysteries 73 What is Above: the Mysteries of God, the Angels, and Astronomy 78 The Heavenly World The Development of an Exalted Angel in Apocalyptic Literature Man and the World Above: the Community and the Glory of Heaven in the Qumran Scrolls Astronomy 5. What is Below: Man and his World Enoch's Journeys through the Universe The Lot of Man 6. 9 Daniel and Revelation Apocalyptic Material in Judaism and Christianity What Had Happened Previously: the Interest in Past History in Apocalyptic The History of Israel The Creation of the World 78 94 113 120 124 124 126 136 136 146 vii viii 7. Contents What is to Come The Last Stages of the Present Age The Climax of History Messianic Belief The Son of Man Part Three Towards an Understanding of the Origins of Apocalyptic and the Dates of the Apocalypses 8. A Survey of Recent Study on the Origins of Apocalyptic 9. An Attempt to Elucidate the Origins of Apocalyptic Visions Excursus: Visionary Experience and Pseudonymity 10. Dating the Apocalypses Part Four The Esoteric Tradition in Early Rabbinic Judaism 11. The Meditation of Rabban Johanan Ben Zakkai and his Circle on the Chariot-Chapter 12. The Problems posed by the Esoteric Tradition in the Time of Rabbi Akiba The Later Mystical Tradition 13. Part Five Apocalyptic in Early Christianity Reports of Visions in Early Christian Literature to AD 200 The Gospels The Acts of the Apostles The Pauline Letters Extra-Canonical Writings The Evidence of Montanist Visions and the Passio Perpetuae 14. Revelation Date and Setting The Composition of the Book of Revelation The Message of Revelation Conclusion Notes Bibliography Index of Ancient Sources Index of Subjects Index of Authors 156 156 160 176 178 191 193 214 240 248 269 282 306 340 349 358 358 368 374 386 392 403 403 413 423 443 449 521 546 555 558 Preface As THIS BOOK is the culmination of eight years study, it almost goes without saying that many have given me advice and help during that time. While it would not be possible to mention all who have contri