Book contents
- Frontmatter
- Contents
- Preface
- List of abbreviations
- Introduction
- Part I Apocalyptic eschatology and apocalypticism
- 1 The major characteristics of apocalyptic eschatology
- 2 The social setting of apocalypticism and the function of apocalyptic eschatology
- Summary of Part I
- Part II Apocalyptic eschatology in the gospel of Matthew
- Part III The social setting of the Matthean community and the function of apocalyptic eschatology in the gospel of Matthew
- Conclusions
- Select bibliography
- Index of passages cited
- Index of modern scholars
- Index of subjects
1 - The major characteristics of apocalyptic eschatology
Published online by Cambridge University Press: 04 November 2009
- Frontmatter
- Contents
- Preface
- List of abbreviations
- Introduction
- Part I Apocalyptic eschatology and apocalypticism
- 1 The major characteristics of apocalyptic eschatology
- 2 The social setting of apocalypticism and the function of apocalyptic eschatology
- Summary of Part I
- Part II Apocalyptic eschatology in the gospel of Matthew
- Part III The social setting of the Matthean community and the function of apocalyptic eschatology in the gospel of Matthew
- Conclusions
- Select bibliography
- Index of passages cited
- Index of modern scholars
- Index of subjects
Summary
The problem of terminology
It is well recognised in the field of apocalyptic studies that this area of study is plagued by considerable and continuing difficulties. First and foremost of these is the problem of confusing and ambiguous terminology which has its origin in the past. For many decades scholars conducted research into what was then called apocalyptic. This term came into English as an adaptation of the German ‘Apokalyptik’, which itself derives from the Greek word for revelation(ἀποκάλυψιζ), specifically from its presence in the first verse of the book of Revelation where it denotes the contents of that document. The word was eventually used to express two quite distinct ideas. On the one hand, it denoted a specific literary genre of ancient Jewish and Christian texts which focused on the revelation of heavenly secrets. This identification of an apocalyptic genre traces back to early Christian practice where a number of documents, similar in form to Revelation, were grouped together and referred to as apocalypses. On the other hand, the word ‘apocalyptic’ was also employed to describe a particular eschatologically oriented world view which was thought to dominate the apocalyptic literature. Almost inevitably this dual sense of the same term led to semantic confusion. Because the same word covered quite different concepts, a literary genre and a world view, it was often difficult to decide which of the two senses was intended in any given reference to apocalyptic.
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- Apocalyptic Eschatology in the Gospel of Matthew , pp. 23 - 53Publisher: Cambridge University PressPrint publication year: 1996