Knowing the End from the Beginning: The Prophetic, the Apocalyptic and Their Relationships (Journal for the Study of the Pseudepigrapha)

Much has been written on prophecy and apocalyptic in recent decades, but the relationship between the two has been little explored. A major explicit debate on the question is very much needed and is now provided here. This collection of essays addresses the subject from a variety of points of view, including the issues of definitions, ancient Near Eastern 'prophecies', social anthropology, place of the temple, and modern apocalyptic movements. The Introduction summarizes the individual essays and then engages the contributors in a debate on the main points relevant to the topic. It argues that many scholars operate with subconscious assumptions about how apocalyptic writings relate to the prophetic writings but that many of these assumptions now need to be questioned in the light of the essays in this volume. Such a comprehensive attempt to tackle the main theoretical issues arising from the study of the prophetic and the apocalyptic has not been attempted for some time. Most of the contributors are already well known for their contribution to scholarship on prophecy, apocalypticism, or both. This volume brings fresh questions and insights that both specialists and students will want to consider. Part 1. Introduction. Introduction And Overview / Lester L. Grabbe -- Prophecy, Apocalypse And Eschatology: Reflections On The Proposals Of Lester Grabbe / John J. Collins -- Part 2. Articles. Transformations Of Apocalypticism In Early Christianity / David E. Aune -- The Changing Face Of Babylon In Prophetic/apocalyptic Literature: Seventh Century Bce To First Century Ce And Beyond / Alice Ogden Bellis -- The Eschatology Of Zechariah / John J. Collins -- Mythological Discourse In Ezekiel And Daniel And The Rise Of Apocalypticism In Israel / Stephen L. Cook -- Phophetic And Apocalyptic: Time For New Definitions - And New Thinking / Lester L. Grabbe -- Neither Phophecies Nor Apocalypses: The Akkadian Literary Predictive Texts / Martti Nissinen -- Apocalypse, Prophecy And The New Testament / Christopher Rowland -- The Priesthood And The Proto-apocalyptic Reading Of Prophetic And Pentateuchal Texts / Marvin A. Sweeney -- Are You The One? The Textual Dynamnics Of Messianic Self-identity / James D. Tabor -- Part 3. Appendix. Poets, Scribes, Or Preachers? The Reality Of Prophecy In The Second Temple Period / Lester L. Grabbe. Lester L. Grabbe & Robert D. Haak. Includes Bibliographical References And Indexes. Much study has taken place of the prophetic and apocalyptic writings in recent decades, but the relationship between the two has been little explored. A major explicit debate on the question is very much needed and is now provided. This collection of essays addresses the subject from a variety of points of view, including studies on the issues of definitions, ancient Near Eastern "prophecies", social anthropology and modern apocalyptic movements. In the introduction, Lester Grabbe argues that many scholars operate with subconscious assumptions about how apocalyptic writings relate to the prophetic writings, but that many of these assumptions now need to be questioned in the light of the essays in this volume. Such a comprehensive attempt to tackle the main theoretical issues arising from the study of the prophetic and the apocalyptic has not been attempted for some time. This volume brings fresh questions and insights that both specialists and students will want to consider. Much has been written on prophecy and apocalyptic in recent decades, but the relationship between the two has been little explored. A major explicit debate on the question is badly needed and is now provided here. This collection of essays addresses the subject from a variety of points of view, including the issues of definitions, ancient Near Eastern 'prophecies', social anthropology, place of the temple, and modern apocalyptic movements.In the introduction, Lester Grabbe argues that many scholars operate with subconscious assumptions about how apocalyptic writings relate to the prophetic writings but that many of these assumptions now need to be questioned in the light of the essays in this volume. Such a comprehensive analysis of the main theoretical issues arising from the study of the prophetic and the apocalyptic has not been attempted for some time. This volume provides fresh questions and insights that both specialists and students will want to consider.