by gumby 85 Replies latest watchtower beliefs
Does anyone have any idea where Enoch went.....since he never died?
Well, the general idea in the apocalyptic tradition was that he was placed in heaven as a scribe to observe the deeds of humanity and write them down. Ever heard of the "book of life" and the books that are opened on Judgment Day through which the resurrected are judged? Who wrote those books? Enoch, according to this belief.
the general idea in the apocalyptic tradition was that he was placed in heaven
apocryphal tradition
apocalyptic refers only to the end times
apocalyptic refers only to the end times
Well, no, not exactly (it also includes other kinds of revelation), but I was in fact using it in that overall sense.
Judgment is a key feature in most apocalyptic texts. The apocalyptic notion of heavenly books being opened on Judgment Day is closely linked to this notion of Enoch as a heavenly scribe. Enochic literature as a whole is apocalyptic, even the astronomical texts (which consist of special revelation to Enoch).
Apocrypha and Apocalyptic come from the same word they both mean to unveil. Though Apocalyptic has to do with prophecy and Apocryphal has to do with stuff in the past that isn't in the bible like what happened to Enoch.
Example of an Apocalyptic tradition
Prophesied Destructions of Jerusalem
Example of an Apocryphal tradition
Satan's position before the rebellion
No, that's not quite right. The two words (aside from the prefix) do not come from the same root and etymologically are quite opposite; "apocrypha" is what is hidden and "apocalypse" is what is revealed. The term "Apocrypha" is referentially problematic beause it usually refers to a category of deuterocanonical literature that excludes the "Old Testament pseudepigrapha," yet the latter category includes various apocalypses (including 1 Enoch) and apocryphons that are not part of the capitalized "Apocrypha" but which are apocryphal for being "hidden" books. And "apocalypse" is not the same thing as prophecy, they are quite distinct literary genres. In prophecy, the prophet speaks for God as his authorized representative and delivers God's oracles. In apocalypse, an angel or other mediator reveals things to the writer, or shows them to him, or interprets them for him (if they are revealed through dreams or visions). There are many, many literary motifs in apocalypse that are not found in OT prophecy. And sometimes what is revealed through apocalyptic revelation has nothing to do with the future or end times, such as the cycles of the sun and moon and the phases of the moon, as revealed to Enoch in the Book of Luminaries. Finally, "Apocryphal" doesn't necessarily have anything to do with "stuff in the past", as the deuterocanonical Apocrypha includes wisdom literature and (following the Eastern tradition) other psalms.
The apocalyptic literature of Judaism and Christianity embraces a considerable period, from the centuries following the exile down to the close of the middle ages. Apocalyptic literature was a new genre of prophetical writing that developed in post-Exilic Jewish culture and was popular among millennialist early Christians.
Apocrypha (from the Greek word ?p????fa , meaning "those having been hidden away" [1] ) are texts of uncertain authenticity or writings where the authorship is questioned. In Judeo-Christiantheology, the term apocrypha refers to any collection of scriptural texts that falls outside the canon. Given that different denominations have different ideas about what constitutes canonical scripture, there are several different versions of the apocrypha. During sixteenth-century controversies over the biblical canon the word "apocrypha" acquired a negative connotation, and it has become a synonym for "spurious" or "false". This usage usually involves fictitious or legendary accounts that are plausible enough to commonly be considered as truth. For example, the Parson Weems account of George Washington and the cherry tree is considered apocryphal
Example of an Apocalyptic traditionProphesied Destructions of Jerusalem
Only true if revealed via an apocalpse. Jeremiah in the OT wrote a lot about the impending destruction of Jerusalem, but his book is not apocalypse at all. The Hebrew portions of Daniel, on the other hand, talk about the desolations of Jerusalem in the form of apocalypse (i.e. what is revealed and/or interpreted by the angel Gabriel).
Example of an Apocryphal traditionSatan's position before the rebellion
Only true if found in the Apocrypha (if you are thinking of the class of deuterocanonical literature) or found in an apocryphon, which in most cases is probably the case, but bear in mind that a book or tradition can easily be BOTH apocryphal AND apocalyptic. If the book portrays "Satan's position before the rebellion" as something revealed to the writer by an angel or through a vision that is then interpreted, the use of the label "apocalypse" may be justified.
That's a fairly decent description (Wikipedia?), it is somewhat simplified and avoids the nuance you'd find in the critical literature, but it gives the general sense. I would say that it is not fully accurate to call apocalypse a "genre of prophetical writing," but it is a pretty handy quick way at describing it.
Justified, but not the proper english definition as currently used by most people.
Apocalypse
1: a) one of the Jewish and Christian writings of 200 b.c. to a.d. 150 marked by pseudonymity, symbolic imagery, and the expectation of an imminent cosmic cataclysm in which God destroys the ruling powers of evil and raises the righteous to life in a messianic kingdom; b) capitalized : Revelation.
2: a) something viewed as a prophetic revelation; b) armageddon.
3: great disaster (an environmental apocalypse).
A·poc·ry·pha
1 : writings or statements of dubious authenticity
2 a : books included in the Septuagint and Vulgate but excluded from the Jewish and Protestant canons of the Old Testament — see bible table b : early Christian writings not included in the New Testament
