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The Greatest Mirror: Heavenly Counterparts in the Jewish Pseudepigrapha
The Greatest Mirror Heavenly Counterparts in the Jewish Pseudepigrapha Andrei A. Orlov On the cover: The Baleful Head, by Edward Burne-Jones. Oil on canvas, dated 1886– 1887. Courtesy of Art Resource. Published by State University of New York Press, Albany © 2017 State University of New York All rights reserved Printed in the United States of America No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission. No part of this book may be stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means including electronic, electrostatic, magnetic tape, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise without the prior permission in writing of the publisher. For information, contact State University of New York Press, Albany, NY www.sunypress.edu Production, Dana Foote Marketing, Fran Keneston Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Names: Orlov, Andrei A., 1960– author. Title: The greatest mirror : heavenly counterparts in the Jewish Pseudepigrapha / Andrei A. Orlov. Description: Albany, New York : State University of New York Press, [2017] | Includes bibliographical references and index. Identifiers: LCCN 2016052228 (print) | LCCN 2016053193 (ebook) | ISBN 9781438466910 (hardcover : alk. paper) | ISBN 9781438466927 (ebook) Subjects: LCSH: Apocryphal books (Old Testament)—Criticism, interpretation, etc. Classification: LCC BS1700 .O775 2017 (print) | LCC BS1700 (ebook) | DDC 229/.9106—dc23 LC record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2016052228 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 For April DeConick . in the season when my body was completed in its maturity, there imme- diately flew down and appeared before me that most beautiful and greatest mirror-image of myself. -
The Seven Spirits of God in the Operation of the Divine Trinity
by James Fite n addressing each of the seven churches in Revelation 2 and 3, Christ designates IHimself as having specific attributes and characteristics that relate to the condition of that particular church. Of all the designations provided in these two chapters, per- haps the most revealing, yet most misunderstood, designation is the one spoken to the church in Sardis. In the epistle to Sardis, John was instructed to write, “These things says He who has the seven Spirits of God and the seven stars: I know your works, that you have a name that you are living, and yet you are dead” (3:1). To counteract the deadness of the church in Sardis, the Son of Man who walks in the midst of the lampstands emphasized that He “has the seven Spirits of God” (1:13; 3:1). The seven Spirits of God is a specific term used only four times in the Bible—all of which occur in Revelation (1:4; 3:1; 4:5; 5:6). The implications of this unique title are pro- found because this designation points to the judging, enlightening, redeeming, life- dispensing, building, administrating, and reigning operation of the Divine Trinity in His economy. Three Interpretations of the Seven Spirits of God Among Bible commentators there are generally three distinct interpretations of the seven Spirits in Revelation, each of which can be found in some of the earliest extant commentaries on Revelation. The first interpretation considers that the seven Spirits refer to seven angels.1 In his sixth-century Greek commentary Oecumenius, referring to 1:4, says that “the seven spirits are seven angels” but clarifies that “they are not to be regarded as of equal honor or co-eternal with the Holy Trinity, by no means, but as true assistants and faithful servants” (Weinrich 4). -
Andrei A. Orlov the Face As the Heavenly
Andrei A. Orlov Marquette University, Milwaukee, WI USA The Face as the Heavenly Counterpart of the Visionary in the Slavonic Ladder of Jacob [published in: Of Scribes and Sages (ed. C. Evans; London: T&T Clark/Continuum, 2004) 59-76] Introduction The book of Genesis portrays Jacob as someone who not only saw God but also wrestled with Him. Jacob’s visionary experiences begin in Gen. 28 where he sees in a dream the ladder on which the angels of God are ascending and descending. Above the ladder Jacob beholds the Lord. The distinct feature of the Bethel account is the paucity of theophanic imagery. Despite the fact that the vision is linked with the celestial realm (“ladder’s top reaching to heaven”), which is labeled in the story as “the awesome place”, “the house of God”, and “the gate of heaven”, the narrative does not offer any descriptions of God’s celestial court or His appearance. Instead we have the audible revelation of God, His lengthy address to Jacob with promises and blessings. God appears again to Jacob in Gen. 32. While the narrative stresses the importance of the vision of God (the account claims that Jacob “saw God face to face” and even called the place of wrestling Peniel/Penuel - “The Face of God”), it focuses its description on Jacob’s wrestling with God rather than his seeing of God. The reference to the motif of God’s Face (which plays an important role in a number of Biblical theophanic accounts)1 and to Jacob’s seeing of God “face to face” could however indicate that the authors or editors of Jacob’s account might be cognizant of the broader anthropomorphic theophanic debates in which the motif of God’s Face2 1 See for example Exod. -
The Seven Spirits of God,” Affirmation & Critique, I.4 (Oct
AFFIRMATION & CRITIQUE MONOGRAPHS The Spirits Seven of God Ron Kangas Ron Anaheim, California A&C PRESS © 1996 Living Stream Ministry All rights reserved. No part of this work may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means— graphic, electronic, or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or information storage and retrieval systems— without written permission from the publisher. Original publication: Ron Kangas, “The Seven Spirits of God,” Affirmation & Critique, I.4 (Oct. 1996): 28-44. First Edition 2008. ISBN: 978-0-7363-1601-9 A & C Press, P. O. Box 2032, Anaheim, CA 92814-0032 A & C Press, an imprint of Living Stream Ministry Printed in the United States of America 080910111213 54321 The Seven Spirits of God one of the historic creeds and confessions and none of today’s Ntheologies stress adequately five critical points concerning the Spirit of God: the Spirit who was “not yet” before the Lord Jesus was glorified (John 7:39); the last Adam (the incarnate Christ) becoming a life-giving Spirit (1 Cor. 15:45); the compound Spirit typified by the anointing ointment (Exo. 30:23-25); the Spirit of life, the Spirit of God, the Spirit of Christ, Christ Himself, and the indwelling Spirit as all referring to the compound Spirit who gives life (Rom. 8:2, 9-11; 2 Cor. 3:17-18); and the seven Spirits of God. This inadequacy has serious ramifications for our Christian experience of and participation in the Triune God and His move on earth. If we neglect these aspects, perhaps out of a defective theology, we are, in many respects, neglecting some crucial items of Christian faith and experience. -
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THE BOOK OF JUBILEES AMONG THE APOCALYPSES VOLUME II A Dissertation Submitted to the Graduate School of the University of Notre Dame in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy by Todd Russell Hanneken James C. VanderKam, Director Graduate Program in Theology Notre Dame, Indiana June 2008 CONTENTS Volume II Chapter 5: The Spatial Axis.............................................................................................261 5.1. Angels and demons............................................................................................264 5.1.1. Before the flood: the origin of evil..........................................................265 5.1.1.1. The Enochic apocalypses ..............................................................265 5.1.1.2. The Danielic apocalypses..............................................................268 5.1.1.3. Jubilees..........................................................................................269 5.1.2. After the flood: the persistence of demons..............................................272 5.1.2.1. The early apocalypses ...................................................................273 5.1.2.2. Jubilees..........................................................................................274 5.1.3. Angelic mediation ...................................................................................277 5.1.3.1. Evidence outside the apocalypses .................................................277 5.1.3.2. The early apocalypses ...................................................................281 -
A N G E L S (Amemjam¿) 1
A N G E L S (amemJam¿) 1. Brief description 2. Nine orders of Angels 3. Archangels and Other Angels 1. Brief description of angels * Angels are spiritual beings created by God to serve Him, though created higher than man. Some, the good angels, have remained obedient to Him and carry out His will. Lucifer, whose ambitions were a distortion of God's plan, is known to us as the fallen angel, with the use of many names, among which are Satan, Belial, Beelzebub and the Devil. * The word "angelos" in Greek means messenger. Angels are purely spiritual beings that do God's will (Psalms 103:20, Matthew 26:53). * Angels were created before the world and man (Job 38:6,7) * Angels appear in the Bible from the beginning to the end, from the Book of Genesis to the Book of Revelation. * The Bible is our best source of knowledge about angels - for example, Psalms 91:11, Matthew 18:10 and Acts 12:15 indicate humans have guardian angels. The theological study of angels is known as angelology. * 34 books of Bible refer to angels, Christ taught their existence (Matt.8:10; 24:31; 26:53 etc.). * An angel can be in only one place at one time (Dan.9:21-23; 10:10-14), b. Although they are spirit beings, they can appear in the form of men (in dreams – Matt.1:20; in natural sight with human functions – Gen. 18:1-8; 22: 19:1; seen by some and not others – 2 Kings 6:15-17). * Angels cannot reproduce (Mark 12:25), 3. -
Dark Mirrors: Azazel and Satanael in Early Jewish Demonology
Orlov Dark Mirrors RELIGIOUS STUDIES Azazel and Satanael in Early Jewish Demonology Dark Mirrors is a wide-ranging study of two central figures in early Jewish demonology—the fallen angels Azazel and Satanael. Andrei A. Orlov explores the mediating role of these paradigmatic celestial rebels in the development of Jewish demonological traditions from Second Temple apocalypticism to later Jewish mysticism, such as that of the Hekhalot and Shi ur Qomah materials. Throughout, Orlov makes use of Jewish pseudepigraphical materials in Slavonic that are not widely known. Dark Mirrors Orlov traces the origins of Azazel and Satanael to different and competing mythologies of evil, one to the Fall in the Garden of Eden, the other to the revolt of angels in the antediluvian period. Although Azazel and Satanael are initially representatives of rival etiologies of corruption, in later Jewish and Christian demonological lore each is able to enter the other’s stories in new conceptual capacities. Dark Mirrors also examines the symmetrical patterns of early Jewish demonology that are often manifested in these fallen angels’ imitation of the attributes of various heavenly beings, including principal angels and even God himself. Andrei A. Orlov is Associate Professor of Theology at Marquette University. He is the author of several books, including Selected Studies in the Slavonic Pseudepigrapha. State University of New York Press www.sunypress.edu Andrei A. Orlov Dark Mirrors Azazel and Satanael in Early Jewish Demonology Andrei A. Orlov Published by State University of New York Press, Albany © 2011 State University of New York All rights reserved Printed in the United States of America No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission. -
BOOK of ENOCH From-The Apocrypha and Pseudepigrapha of the Old Testament R.H
BOOK OF ENOCH From-The Apocrypha and Pseudepigrapha of the Old Testament R.H. Charles Oxford: The Clarendon Press Section I. Chapters I-XXXVI INTRODUCTION [Chapter 1] 1 The words of the blessing of Enoch, wherewith he blessed the elect and righteous, who will be 2 living in the day of tribulation, when all the wicked and godless are to be removed. And he took up his parable and said -Enoch a righteous man, whose eyes were opened by God, saw the vision of the Holy One in the heavens, which the angels showed me, and from them I heard everything, and from them I understood as I saw, but not for this generation, but for a remote one which is 3 for to come. Concerning the elect I said, and took up my parable concerning them: The Holy Great One will come forth from His dwelling, 4 And the eternal God will tread upon the earth, (even) on Mount Sinai, [And appear from His camp] And appear in the strength of His might from the heaven of heavens. 5 And all shall be smitten with fear And the Watchers shall quake, And great fear and trembling shall seize them unto the ends of the earth. 6 And the high mountains shall be shaken, And the high hills shall be made low, And shall melt like wax before the flame 7 And the earth shall be wholly rent in sunder, And all that is upon the earth shall perish, And there shall be a judgement upon all (men). 8 But with the righteous He will make peace. -
Angels/Angels.Htm
To purchase the accompanying PowerPoint and Instructor’s Guide ($20), or to order printed booklets: http://www.sundayschoolcourses.com/angels/angels.htm To access this .pdf file on the Web (free): www.sundayschoolcourses.com/angels/angels.pdf Angels: In the Bible, the Apocrypha & the Dead Sea Scrolls Written by Robert Jones Acworth, Georgia © 2001 Robert C. Jones Christian Theology and History Adult Sunday School Courses Robert Jones www.sundayschoolcourses.com I’ve always been a strong believer in adult Sunday School classes and Bible studies in our churches. And many churches have quality, Biblically-based adult-focused programs. Unfortunately, just as many churches tend to downplay adult education, focusing on children’s education (not a bad thing in itself), or focusing on the needs of the “unchurched”, where topics such as church history and theology are often purposely ignored. Yet there is a strong need for adult education focused on both the Bible and the basic tenets and history of the Faith. Among the reasons: Not all adults come from a strong childhood background in the church – adult Sunday School classes/Bible studies may be their first serious introduction to what Christianity is all about Christianity (and especially Evangelical Christianity) is under constant attack from the media and popular culture (movies, music, etc.). We need to give fellow Christians the tools to defend the Faith against at- tack (or to provide a “ready defense” as Peter says in 1 Peter 3:15) Even adult Christians that have a strong Biblical background often know little about the origins and history of their Faith To better meet the needs of adult Christians (both those mature in their Faith, and those just starting out in the “School of Christ”), I’ve written a series of courses that focus on the history of the Christian Church (including the Jewish roots), as well as the development of doctrine in the Church. -
Book of Enoch and Noah
Book Of Enoch And Noah ‘Enoch lived three hundred sixty-five years. Enoch walked with God and he was not for God took him’ (Genesis 5:23 & 24). ‘By faith, Enoch was taken so he would not see death, and he was not found (on earth) because God translated him. Enoch has the testimony given to him, before his translation he had been well pleasing to God’ (Hebrews 11:5). ‘Enoch, the seventh generation from Adam prophesied saying, "Behold, the Lord came with ten thousands of His holy ones to execute judgment on all, and to convict all the ungodly of all their works of ungodliness which they have done in an ungodly way, and of all the blasphemous things which ungodly sinners have spoken against Him’” (Jude 1:14 & 15). This quote in Jude was a prophecy written by Enoch about the final judgement of all mankind. About 300 BC, the Jewish group called the Sadducees removed from the Tenach (Old Testament), the Book of Enoch. During that time, much of the Old Testament was translated into Greek for the Greek-speaking Jews. The Sadducees did not believe in the resurrection or life after death (Matthew 22:23; Luke 20:27), putting the Sadducees at odds with the prophets, because the Book of Enoch majors on the Godly being resurrected to eternal life with God, and the ungodly being resurrected to damnation, as is also written in the Book of Daniel (Daniel 12:2). Jesus warned the Jewish people living in His day, not to accept the wrong teaching, or the ‘leaven’ preached by the Sadducees (Matthew 16:6). -
Intertextuality in the Book of Jubilees
Intertextuality in the Book of Jubilees Pieter M Venter Department of Old Testament Studies University of Pretoria Abstract Intertextuality in the Book of Jubilees The second century BCE Book of Jubilees presents the contents of Genesis-Exodus in a new form. This article studies the techniques used in Jubilees 23. It indicates how Psalm 90:10 was used to link the death of Abraham to a declining-inclining scheme of longevity. This scheme was then combined with a heptadic jubilee scheme. To this the author added a Deuteronomistic retributive scheme of sin- punishment-repentance-salvation. On this combination an apocal- yptic framework was finally superimposed. 1. INTRODUCTION The Book of Jubilees belongs to the pseudepigrapha. It is part of the Ethiopian Canon. The book has only survived in its entirety in classical Ethiopic (Ge’ez). It enjoyed canonical status in the Abyssinian Church and later among the Falashas (the black Jews of Ethiopia). It was probably rendered into Ethiopic very early in the Christian history of that land, perhaps 500 AD (cf VanderKam 1985:112). It was originally written in Hebrew during the middle of the second century BCE. Fragments of the book were found in 18 manuscripts in the caves at Qumran. The oldest of these comes from approximately 100 BCE (cf VanderKam 1985:115). The book is in essence a re-writing of the materials in Genesis-Exodus 19. It was classified by Vermez as “Rewritten Bible”, one of the “parabiblical writings” (Trebolle-Barrera 2000:102), in which we find “rewriting with intent and purpose in mind” (Endres 1987:15). -
The Church at Sardis Rev
"Scripture taken from the NEW AMERICAN STANDARD BIBLE®, © Copyright 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation Used by permission." (www.Lockman.org) The Church At Sardis Rev. 3:1-6 Sardis 1. Sardis was a city of western Asia Minor and located about 50 files East of Smyrna, and 35 miles Southeast of Thyatira. It was the capital of the ancient kingdom of Lydia. 2. This is the fifth of the seven churches of Asia Jesus addressed in Revelation. (Rev. 1:11; 3:1,4). 3. Sardis was made wealthy by textile manufacturing and jewelry making. 4. Here are said to have been minted the first coins under the opulent [wealthy] Croesus. 5. Cyrus the Great overcame the city in 546 B.C., and Antiochus the Great did the same in 218 B.C. 6. Wealthy Sardis citizens took up with mystery cults, notably with that of Cybele. a. She was a Phrygian goddess who represented the Mother Earth and was worshiped as a goddess of fertility, nature, caverns , and mountains, as well as the walls and fortresses. b. She was worshiped in the cities of ancient Greece and the Roman Empire. c. Sardis has been called as a city of degeneration, and the church was quickly becoming like the city. d. They were conforming to the world rather than transforming the world. (Rom. 12:1,2). 7. Neither the city or the church exist today. 8. Righteousness exalted a nation or city or church, and righteousness barely existed in the church at Sardis.