The Interpreting Angel Motif in Prophetic and Apocalyptic Literature

The Interpreting Angel Motif in Prophetic and Apocalyptic Literature PDF Author: David P. Melvin
Publisher: Fortress Press
ISBN: 1451469667
Category : Religion
Languages : en
Pages : 247

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Book Description
Melvin traces the emergence and development of the motif of angelic interpretation of visions from late prophetic literature (Ezekiel 40-48; Zechariah 1-6) into early apocalyptic literature (1 Enoch 17-36; 72-82; Daniel 7-8). Examining how the historical and socio-political context of exilic and post-exilic Judaism and the broader religious and cultural environment shaped Jewish angelology in general, Melvin concludes that the motif of the interpreting angel served a particular function. Building upon the work of Susan Niditch, Melvin concludes that the interpreting angel motif served a polemical function in repudiating divination as a means of predicting the future, while at the same time elevating the authority of the visionary revelation. The literary effect is to reimagine God as an imperial monarch who rules and communicates through intermediaries-a reimagination that profoundly influenced subsequent Jewish and Christian tradition.

The Interpreting Angel Motif in Prophetic and Apocalyptic Literature

The Interpreting Angel Motif in Prophetic and Apocalyptic Literature PDF Author: David P. Melvin
Publisher: Fortress Press
ISBN: 1451469667
Category : Religion
Languages : en
Pages : 247

Get Book Here

Book Description
Melvin traces the emergence and development of the motif of angelic interpretation of visions from late prophetic literature (Ezekiel 40-48; Zechariah 1-6) into early apocalyptic literature (1 Enoch 17-36; 72-82; Daniel 7-8). Examining how the historical and socio-political context of exilic and post-exilic Judaism and the broader religious and cultural environment shaped Jewish angelology in general, Melvin concludes that the motif of the interpreting angel served a particular function. Building upon the work of Susan Niditch, Melvin concludes that the interpreting angel motif served a polemical function in repudiating divination as a means of predicting the future, while at the same time elevating the authority of the visionary revelation. The literary effect is to reimagine God as an imperial monarch who rules and communicates through intermediaries-a reimagination that profoundly influenced subsequent Jewish and Christian tradition.

Interpreting Apocalyptic Literature

Interpreting Apocalyptic Literature PDF Author: Richard A. Taylor
Publisher: Kregel Academic
ISBN: 0825427614
Category : Religion
Languages : en
Pages : 208

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Book Description
"An appreciation for the rich diversity of literary genres in Scripture is one of the positive features of evangelical scholarship in recent decades." —David M. Howard Jr., series editor At one time, Old Testament apocalyptic literature was relegated to the more obscure reaches of biblical scholarship, acceptable to occasionally refer to, but too thorny to delve into deeply. However, in recent decades it has moved to the forefront of research. The rich veins of insight to be mined in the book of Daniel and other apocalyptic texts are being rediscovered. Richard A. Taylor has crafted a handbook to explore those riches and uncover a way to understand apocalyptic literature more fully. Taylor begins with a helpful introduction to the genre; surveys the purpose, message, and primary themes of Old Testament apocalyptic literature; and then discusses critical questions and key works for further study. He also provides guidelines for interpreting apocalyptic texts, followed by Old Testament passages that serve to illustrate those guidelines. While primarily written for pastors and graduate students, Interpreting Apocalyptic Literature is nonetheless accessible to those who simply want to study the texts more deeply than previously possible.

Angels, a Messenger by Any Other Name in the Judeo-Christian and Islamic Traditions

Angels, a Messenger by Any Other Name in the Judeo-Christian and Islamic Traditions PDF Author: John Tracy Greene
Publisher: Cambridge Scholars Publishing
ISBN: 1527514412
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 164

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Book Description
What were/are angels and what was/were their purpose(s) still agitates many readers of the many documents in which they are mentioned. This topic proved to both interest and challenge the presenters at the Seminar in Biblical Characters in Seoul, South Korea, from which this book is derived. Communication between the heavenly realms and the earth were/are at the core of the human consideration of, and openness to the existence of beings from the heavens who can and have visited us humans. Humans have constructed a taxonomy of types of what we employ with the catch-all term angels. Some are identified with warfare, others with healing, yet others with informing. Even others are associated with the role of guardian and teacher. These, however, do not exhaust the possibilities. What, apparently, humans volunteer is to acknowledge in their experiences is that extra or ultra-beings have, and continue to influence their lives and destinies. The essays contained in this volume reflect some of the thoughtful responses to this abiding concern.

Yahweh's Council

Yahweh's Council PDF Author: Ellen White
Publisher: Mohr Siebeck
ISBN: 9783161532931
Category : Religion
Languages : en
Pages : 252

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Book Description
Ellen White explores the depiction of the divine council under the authority of Yahweh in the type-scenes of the Hebrew Bible. She proposes criteria for determining a Council of Yahweh type-scene and membership requirements. Following these criteria the Council of Yahweh texts are Isaiah 6, 1 Kings 22, Job 1-2, Zechariah 3, and Daniel 7. After determining a cast of characters, the author explores the structure of the council and realizes that the structure contains three tiers with two divisions on tiers 2 and 3. The first tier belongs to the chief god, the second tier is called the Councilors and the two divisions are Judicial Officials and Advisors. The third tier is the Agents and the two divisions on this tier are the Court Officers and Commissioned. Characters who play a role relating to the council, but are not themselves members of the council are also analyzed. Finally, Ellen White evaluates the potential for conceptual evolution, especially in relationship to monotheism and the participation of human beings within the Council of Yahweh.

Paul, a New Covenant Jew

Paul, a New Covenant Jew PDF Author: Brant Pitre
Publisher: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing
ISBN: 1467457035
Category : Religion
Languages : en
Pages : 301

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Book Description
After the landmark work of E. P. Sanders, the task of rightly accounting for Paul's relationship to Judaism has dominated the last forty years of Pauline scholarship. Pitre, Barber, and Kincaid argue that Paul is best viewed as a new covenant Jew, a designation that allows the apostle to be fully Jewish, yet in a manner centered on the person and work of Jesus the Messiah. This new covenant Judaism provides the key that unlocks the door to many of the difficult aspects of Pauline theology. Paul, a New Covenant Jew is a rigorous, yet accessible overview of Pauline theology intended for ecumenical audiences. In particular, it aims to be the most useful and up to date text on Paul for Catholic Seminarians. The book engages the best recent scholarship on Paul from both Protestant and Catholic interpreters and serves as a launching point for ongoing Protestant-Catholic dialogue.

The Oxford Handbook of Christmas

The Oxford Handbook of Christmas PDF Author: Timothy Larsen
Publisher: Oxford Handbooks
ISBN: 0198831463
Category : Religion
Languages : en
Pages : 657

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Book Description
"The origins of Christmas lie in an Egyptian festival on 6 January, which spread to much of the Christian world as a celebration of the birth and/or baptism of Christ and known as the Epiphany or Theophany. The church at Rome did not adopt this festival but later instituted a celebration of the nativity of Christ on 25 December, which gradually supplanted its observance on 6 January in other churches, leaving this latter occasion as a commemoration of Christ's baptism alone, or of the visit of the Magi in those churches like Rome that had not observed that date previously. This essay traces that evolution and examines the merits of the two competing scholarly theories that have sought to explain the original choice of these particular dates"--

I Lifted My Eyes and Saw'

I Lifted My Eyes and Saw' PDF Author: Elizabeth R. Hayes
Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing
ISBN: 0567655393
Category : Religion
Languages : en
Pages : 272

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Book Description
This volume addresses the function and impact of vision and dream accounts in the Hebrew Bible. The contributors explore the exegetical, rhetorical, and structural aspects of the vision and dream accounts in the Hebrew Bible, focusing on prophetic vision reports. Several contributors employ a diachronic approach as they explore the textual relationship between the vision reports and the oracular material. Others focus on the rhetorical aspects of the vision reports in their final form and discuss why vision reporting may be used to convey a message. Another approach employed looks at reception history and investigates how this type of text has been understood by past exegetes. A few chapters consider the inter-textual relationship of the various vision reports in the Hebrew Bible, focusing on shared themes and motifs. There are also papers that deal with the ways in which select texts in the Hebrew Bible portray dream/vision interpreters and their activities.

Muhammad

Muhammad PDF Author: Juan Cole
Publisher: Bold Type Books
ISBN: 1568587821
Category : Biography & Autobiography
Languages : en
Pages : 285

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Book Description
In the midst of the dramatic seventh-century war between two empires, Muhammad was a spiritual seeker in search of community and sanctuary. Many observers stereotype Islam and its scripture as inherently extreme or violent-a narrative that has overshadowed the truth of its roots. In this masterfully told account, preeminent Middle East expert Juan Cole takes us back to Islam's-and the Prophet Muhammad's-origin story. Cole shows how Muhammad came of age in an era of unparalleled violence. The eastern Roman Empire and the Sasanian Empire of Iran fought savagely throughout the Near East and Asia Minor. Muhammad's profound distress at the carnage of his times led him to envision an alternative movement, one firmly grounded in peace. The religion Muhammad founded, Islam, spread widely during his lifetime, relying on soft power instead of military might, and sought armistices even when militarily attacked. Cole sheds light on this forgotten history, reminding us that in the Qur'an, the legacy of that spiritual message endures. A vibrant history that brings to life the fascinating and complex world of the Prophet, Muhammad is the story of how peace is the rule and not the exception for one of the world's most practiced religions.

Early Christianity in Pompeian Light

Early Christianity in Pompeian Light PDF Author: Bruce W. Longenecker
Publisher: Fortress Press
ISBN: 150641897X
Category : Religion
Languages : en
Pages : 272

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Book Description
Scholars of early Christianity are awakening to the potential of Pompeii’s treasures for casting light on the settings and situations that were commonplace and conventional for the first urban Christians. The uncovered world of Pompeii, destroyed by the eruption of Mount Vesuvius in 79 C.E., allows us to peer back in time, capturing a heightened sense of what life was like on the ground in the first century – the very time when the early Jesus-movement was beginning to find its feet. In light of the Vesuvian material remains, historians are beginning to ask fresh questions of early Christian texts and perceive new contours, nuances, and subtleties within the situations those texts address. The essays of this book explore different dimensions of Pompeii’s potential to refine our lenses for interpreting the texts and situations of early Christianity. The contributors to this book (including Carolyn Osiek, David Balch, Peter Oakes, Bruce Longenecker, and others) demonstrate that it is an exciting time to explore the interface between the Vesuvian contexts and the early Jesus-movement.

Sight and the Ancient Senses

Sight and the Ancient Senses PDF Author: Michael Squire
Publisher: Routledge
ISBN: 1317515374
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 465

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Book Description
It is to Greek critical thinking about seeing that we owe our conceptual framework for theorizing the senses, and it is also to such thinking that we owe the lasting legacy of Greco-Roman imagery. Sight and the Ancient Senses is the first thorough introduction to the conceptualization of sight in the history, visual culture, literature and philosophy of classical antiquity. Examining how the Greeks and Romans interpreted what they saw, the collection also considers sight in relation to the other senses. This volume brings together a number of interdisciplinary perspectives to deliver a broad and balanced coverage of this subject. Contributors explore the cultural, social and intellectual backdrops that gave rise to ancient theories of seeing, from Archaic Greece through to the advent of Christianity in late antiquity. This series of specially commissioned thematic chapters demonstrate how theories about sight informed Graeco-Roman philosophy, science, poetry rhetoric and art. The collection also reaches beyond its Graeco-Roman visual framework, showcasing how ancient ideas have influenced the longue durée of western sensory thinking. Richly illustrated throughout, including a section of color plates, Sight and the Ancient Senses is a wide-ranging introduction to ancient theories of seeing which will be an invaluable resource for students and scholars of classical antiquity.