Cosmology and Eschatology in Jewish and Christian Apoocalypticism

Adela Yarbro Collins

BRILL, Jan 1, 2000 - Religion - 261 pages

This comprehensive work covers many different Jewish and Christian apocalyptic texts and movements from the second century BCE through the fourth century CE. It focuses on two major themes, cosmology - which studies the structure of the universe, including its religious function - and eschatology, which interprets history and the future. The detailed historical and literary analysis of these themes are introduced by an essay on the cultural gap between the original contexts of these texts and those of readers today and how that gap may be bridged. The book deals with the interrelations between post-biblical Judaism and early Christianity. The relevant Jewish texts and history are discussed thoroughly in their own right. The Christian material is approached in a way that shows both its continuity with Jewish tradition and its distinctiveness.

Contents

• The Seven Heavens in Jewish and Christian: 21
• Numerical Symbolism in Jewish and Early Christian: 55
• The Origin of the Designation of Jesus as Son: 139
• The Son of Man Tradition and the Book: 159
• The Political Perspective of the Revelation to John: 198
• Resistance in the Revelation to John: 204
• The Revelation to John and the Zealots: 212
• The Origin of Christian Baptism: 218
• Index of Ancient Persons and Texts: 239
• 1: 246
• Index of Modern Authors: 255
• 99100: 260

Popular passages

Page 241 - they devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers

About the author

Adela Yarbro Collins, Ph.D. (1975) in the Study of Religion, Harvard University, is the Buckinham Professor of New Testament Criticism and Interpretation at Yale University. She has published extensively on the book of Revelation and the Gospel of Mark, including "The Beginning of the Gospel: Probings of Mark in Context" ("Fortress," 1992).

Bibliographic information

• Title: Cosmology and Eschatology in Jewish and Christian Apoocalypticism; Brill's Scholars' List; Scholar's List Series
• Author: Adela Yarbro Collins
• Publisher: BRILL, 2000
• ISBN: 9004119272, 9789004119277
• Length: 261 pages
• Subjects: Religion / Biblical Criticism & Interpretation / General; Religion / Comparative Religion; Religion / Eschatology; Religion / Judaism / General