The Apocalyptic Genre

(AI, chap. 1)

I. Introduction: Ambivalent Attitudes toward "Apocalyptic"

A. "the mother of all Christian theology" (Käsemann)

 

B. "Ratlos vor der Apocalyptik," i.e., perplexed/embarrassed by apocalyptic (Koch)

 

C. Theological embarrassment

1. Millenarian groups

 

2. Product of "Late Judaism"

 

D. Semantic confusion factor

 

II. The Genre Apocalypse

A. "Apocalyptic" class of writings recognized since Lücke (1832)

 

B. "Apocalypse" literary label used since ca. 100 C.E. (Smith)

 

C. Complicating factors

1. Earlier apocalyptic works that were not called apocalypses

 

2. Apocalyptic works that have other genre affinities

 

D.  Apocalyptic genre defined by a cluster of traits

 

E. SBL Genres Project definition (see pp. 4-6)

 

F. Two major strands: "historical" apocalypses and otherworldly journeys

 

G. Genre study highlights both typical traits and distinctive elements.  It does not posit some pure metaphysical entity called "apocalyptic."

 

H. The SBL definition's generic framework involves a conceptual structure or view of the world.

 

I. Function of the genre

1. Supernatural revelation provides assurance, guidance, and authority.

 

2. Prospect of final judgment creates a context for clarifying values.

 

J. Not a self-contained isolated entity (see also G. above).

 

K. Other views of the genre.

 

III. Apocalyptic Eschatology

A. Both different types of apocalypses and different types of apocalyptic eschatology

 

B. All apocalypses involve a transcendent eschatology and retribution beyond history

 

C. Retribution after death is a major difference from prophetic eschatology

 

IV. Apocalypticism and Apocalypses

A. Koch's eight motifs (see p. 12)

 

B. "A movement might reasonably be called apocalyptic if it shared the conceptual framework of the genre, endorsing a worldview in which supernatural revelation, the heavenly world, and eschatological judgment played essential parts" (p. 13).

 

C. Both "historical" types and "mystical" types of movements

 

V. Apocalyptic Language: the nature of apocalyptic language and the question of setting and function

A. Influence of R. H. Charles

1. Lack of empathy resulted in preoccupation with information, historical allusions, and doctrine

 

2. Expectation of consistency caused him to posit interpolations and propose emendations freely

 

3. Tendency to assimilate apocalyptic literature to the prophets

 

4. Lack of appreciation for symbolic narratives

 

B. Influence of Hermann Gunkel

1. Recovery of traditional and mythological material

 

2. Lack of consistency may mean the use of multiple traditions, not multiple authorship

 

3. Apocalyptic literature close to the poetic nature of myth

 

4. Apocalyptic literature is more expressive than referential

 

C. Traditional Imagery

1. Constant echoes of biblical phrases.

 

2. Controversy over mythological allusions

(a) Myth in biblical studies

 

(b) Theological bias

 

(c) Not simple copies of original mythical source

 

D. The Quest for Sources

1. Generic approach vs. genetic approach

 

2. Meaning is constituted not by sources but by how they are combined: "the product is more than the sum of its sources" (p. 21)

 

3. Viewing apocalypticism as an inferior phenomenon derivative from the prophets displays a theological prejudice.

 

4. The sources of ideas do not determine their inherent value.  Many central biblical ideas are adapted from pagan mythologies

 

5. The best thing about von Rad's theory that apocalypticism is derived from wisdom is that it drew more attention to cosmological and speculative aspects

 

VI. The Settings of the Genre

A. Sometimes the Sitz im Leben is lost.

 

B. Settings are of different sorts resulting in a need for a typology of settings

1. Social and historical settings

 

2. Manner of composition

 

3. Function of the text apart from original social or historical setting

(a) illocution of a text (Hartman and Hellholm)

 

(b) Reception history

 

VII. The General Matrix

A. Postexilic Prophecy

1. Apocalyptic thought already in late prophetic texts (Hanson, The Dawn of Apocalyptic)

 

2. Some major characteristics of apocalyptic thought lacking

(a) Lack of interest in heavenly world

 

(b) Lack of interest in other-worldly eschatology

 

3. Generic framework of apocalypse lacking

 

B. The Earliest Apocalypses

 

C. A Babylonian Matrix?

1. "Mantic wisdom" of the Chaldeans

 

2. The Akkadian prophecies (see Grayson's description on p. 27)

 

3. The Akkadian dream visions (Kvanvig's analysis of The Vision of the Netherworld)

 

4. Conclusion: Not the complete matrix but very significant

 

D. Persian Apocalypticism

1. Until recently considered a heavy influence, but now a parallel

 

2. Problem of source dates

 

3. Bahman Yasht and Bundahisn

 

4. Plutarch and the Oracle of Hystaspes

 

5. There are several Persian parallels to both the historical and heavenly journey apocalypses

 

6. Persian parallels are more comprehensive than either postexilic prophecy or Babylonian prophecies

 

E. The Hellenistic Milieu

1. The matrix of the Jewish apocalypses is not a single tradition

 

2. Otherworldly journey texts (pp. 34-35)

 

3. Eschatological prophecy (pp. 35-36)

 

4. Jewish apocalypses are distinctively Jewish but broadly typical of the Hellenistic age

(a) Hellenistic Zeitgeist

 

(b) Loss of native kingships

 

5. Conclusion: the "Hellenistic mood" is the matrix for apocalyptic literature

 

 

 

VIII. The Social Settings

A. Must be discussed with reference to individual texts

 

B. We cannot automatically assume the existence of millenarian movements or "apocalyptic religion" behind texts

 

C. It is misleading to speak of "the apocalyptic movement"

 

D. The "conventicle" theory (Vielhauer) is an over generalization at best

 

E. "Distresses" are of various kinds and sometimes more perceived than actual

 

 

IX. The Compositional Setting

A. A "scribal phenomenon"

 

B. Experiential authenticity complicated by pseudonymity

1. Pseudonymity widespread in the Hellenistic age

 

2. Authors had to know what they were doing and presumed a credulous audience

 

3. What is the psychology of pseudonymity?

 

X. The Literary Function

A. Illocutionary or literary function is separable from social setting

 

B. Exhortation and consolation are typical of most Jewish apocalypses

1. Nature of exhortations may vary

 

2. The "apocalyptic technique" is applied to the problem

 

3. Conclusion: "The function of the apocalyptic literature is to shape one's imaginative perception of a situation and so lay the basis for whatever course of action it exhorts" (p. 42)