THE ABOMINATION OF DESOLATION IN BIBLICAL ESCHATOLOGY

A Thesis Presented the University of Manchester to

In Partial

Fulfilment the Degree

of the Requirements for

Doctor of Philosophy

by Desmond Ford July 1972

BEST COPY AVAILABLEVariable print quality

Dedicated To the memory of Oven Ford, encouraged this project -who though aware she would not live to see it; and to Gill Ford, whose whole-hearted help made the hope a reality.

is deeply indebted ACKNOWLEDGMENTS The writer to Avondale College, Cooranbong, N. S. Y. which granted him two years leave-of-absence for F. F. Bruce whose learning, kindness, study purposes, and to Professor help made "the rough places plain" unstinted and "the crooked things and straight".

OF EXPERIENCE After completing his STATEMENT EI*X ATION AND RESEARCH Potomac University, Washington D. C. for B. A. in 1957, the writer attended From for a Ph. D. in Rhetoric. the M.A., and the Michigan State University 1961-70 were spent on the Faculty of Avondale College in the Department of Since the beginning of 1971 he has been engaged in research on Theology. the present topic at Manchester University.

OF THESIS A few of the STATEMENT PERTAININGTO THE CONTENTS THE PRESENT , M.A. related to the writer's statements in chapter three are indirectly thesis. Otherwise, nothing in the present study has been submitted in support for another degree or qualification of an application of this or any other university, or other institution of learning.

TABLE OP CONTENTS Pa2e Abstract List of Abbreviations iv vii PART I.Chapter

PROLEGOMENA

I.

Issues Concerning, Mark Thirteen: The Presuppositions Definitions The Origin of Exegetes and Apocalyptic Discourse" of Q Materials by Nark 13

i

of Eschatology of the "Olivet Contradiction

19 25 50 55 60Gospel,

The Apparent

The Problem posed by the Congruence (or Incongruence) of vv. 28-30 with v. 32, and other "Inconsistencies" The Composition Wes of the Synoptic Gospels

The Specific Purpose, or Purposes, and of Chapter 13 in particular The Contextual Chronological Setting of Mark 13 -

of Mark's Literary

64 68

and

PART II.

MK. 13: 14 -

ITS CONTEXT,BACKGROUND, BIS AND

II. III. IV.

Exegetical Relationship Exegesis

Survey of Mark Thirteen of Daniel to the Olivet Discourse

71 126 158

of Nk. 13: 14

PART III.

MK. 13: 14 LOPMMTS

SUBSEQUENT IL

V.Vi.

Relationship between II Thess. 2 and the f'Nwac 'r`lcThe Apocalypse and the Pau*a -rrs

5&AAu1NaPc, wa iC

217277

Conclusion Select Bibliography

343 353

iv.

ABSTRACT

The present of the mysteriousin discovering

its relationship to similar The study canonical references. involves the nature and place of apocalyptic necessarily and its links with the Olivet discourse eschatology, in the Synoptics, and therefore as recorded Daniel, Revelation, and 2 Thessalonians are primary sources. Chapter

investigation aims at determining the origin and significance Sgvyjo. t in Ilk. 13: 14, and allusion nH,;, atzc

one shows the importance by many of the study as acknowledged the issues comprehended by any exhaustive exegetes, and highlights study of Mark 13, a chapter which has provoked more scholarly than perhaps controversy Gospels. The contradictory in this any other in the Synoptic opinions extant have often deflected the true area suggest that presuppositions and prejudices intent of exegesis. two offers an exegetical taken on the chapter. positions 1. 2. 3. Chapter survey of Mark 13, analyzing These positions are: the four

chief

4.

Application to the fall of Jerusalem only, Application to the end of the Age only, Application to both events (though understood in the Gospel as distant in fulfilment Christ from each other) or the on the basis that either Evangelist blended the themes, Application to both events, iegarding to such as promised by Christ the generation This view makes the fall contemporary of with Him. Jerusalem a part of the predicted end of the Age. is

two schools depend heavily out that the first pointed upon reading literally that an important section of the chapter, metaphorically and taking Each therefore so to construe. shows its which the opposing school refuses for error is more often manifested in what is denied weakness and its strength, The third than what is affirmed. position seems to have been adopted for be said to spring from thorough exegesis. purposes and can hardly apologetic An excursus discusses Only the fourth can survive close examination. position in common with other Hebrew prophets, may here have delivered whether Christ, A further the excursus discusses a contingent. prophecy in whole or in part. in Mark 13, and whether it is limited to scope of the tribulation mentioned the confines of Jerusalem and Judea. illustrates the fact that Mark 13 is a midrash of Daniel, the basic theme of that book; the place of the seeks to discover between the the relationship and the rip W `1p the It is stressed the and and . that the kingdom of God and the vindication is t,he primary of its heirs motif. t,, 111] 1f3 to Daniel the religious Prior little but this use of world made book gives a more precise delineation kingdom than hitherto of the divine is presented The sanctuary in the Old Testament. as a microcosm of offered has skilfully interwoven to the the kingdom of God, and the writer references to the promises of the establishment of Yahweh's sanctuary as background These references kingdom of glory. occur in both the narrative and prophetic Dan. 8: 14, with its promise of In many respects, of the book. sections for the sanctuary is the key verse of the and its worshippers, vindication the literary This passage marks a distinct division, for it terminates book. three Chapter and therefore tjal2i 138 ) '171?

It

V.

usage of visionary symbols requiring tion. Thus Dan. 8: 14 is the climax

interpretation. of the symbolic

Hereafter, "forecasts"

The vindication promised there is expanded in Dan. 9: 24 and also in 12: 1-3, 7: 22,27 and 2: 44. Even the narratives and parallels of Daniel stress vindication. In each story we see the righteous The rewarded or the wicked punished. despite servants their of the true God triumph over all opposition apparent helplessness before the might of their heathen oppressors. The historical link with the prophetic. The introduction by Daniel passages inevitably invader to ravage its temple and pictures a northern marching upon Jerusalem The theme of the treading worshippers. underfoot of the sanctuary and the host in the Old Testament Antichrist. begins here and reaches its high point Even in chapter nine, the narrative helps interpret the vision, to with references iniquity, Jerusalem, desolation, sin, transgression, sanctuary, righteousness, All the key characteristics being found in both. pride, etc., of Antichrist blasphemy, idolatry, in the stories and oppression are represented as well "deliver" The use of the key word in both sections as the visions. of the book illustrates For the purposes of the present the artistry of the author. study the most important in the message of Daniel fact is that all the primary factors discourse, in each case the presentation is are found also in the Olivet and true to the original is Old Testament picture in form, though the substance Particularly by the Son of is this true of the theme of vindication augmented. Man. The coming of the Son of Man in Nk. 13: 26 is the counterpart of the rise ') Even in a of the as is also the case in Daniel 7. C H,, ,a 'ithe eschatological discourse number of minute particulars echoes the very wording of Daniel, as well as by its stress on the same major themes of the advent of the kingdom and the exaltation of its heirs. Chapter four offers textual of I-1k. 13: 14 itself. criticism and exegesis is paid to the various Particular for defining interpretations attention offered bXuyr. Roman Those viewpoints the which see in the invading -rsc eprgfL&s . the fulfilment Antichrist ensigns, and in the final army with its idolatrous the closest The reason why most receive scrutiny. prophecy, of Christ's in history is and no fulfilment see only the Antichrist modern commentators Again the commentator's indicated. position on the origin of Alk. 13: 14 is to be often determinative of his exegesis. shownPaul's in between the close prediction relationship shows The main elements requiring interpreta13: 14. in M. 2 Thess. 2 and Christ's V6OC ?\ ctTo TBC vot. iioc, tion, 0 vaoQ, rcoc-fEXov -fo o7i'C, The usual in relationship to their context and other passages. are analyzed c' In taken Koc-rexwv positions and rejected w incomplete. examined are on their the strengths is offered place of each and avoiding comprehending a Gestalt PdE / XuyNV their inadequacies. between the Some linguistic connections -rsc 4gwa 2 are indicated as Ew c as well of 2 Thess. and key-terms It is pointed what we have here in Paul is, conceptual parallels. out that Chapter five

all is explanaof the book.

an echo of a genuine

tradition

of Christ's

words.

Chapter six pursues the Antichrist throughout the last half motif of the Apt)Ntoaaas 4v/Na book of Revelation. The has its seed in the book -rjr_ "blade" discourse, "ear" in 2 Thess. 2, but its in the Olivet its of Daniel, is to be found in what is pre-eminently the "full the Apocalypse. grain" Antichrists Comparisons are made between the various book and those of this Suggestions M. 13, and 2 Thess. 2. the hermeneutic of Daniel, are made regarding to the passages studied. This consideration to be applied of a special is made necessary by the existenoo'of hermeneutic such contrary assessments

vi.

The exegete's of the value of Revelation and of its significance. own Weltanschauung interpenetrate his application can too easily of the laws of gra maticoThus the array of interpretations historical is practically exegesis. as bewildering book itself. Supplementary hermeneutic as the puzzling principles from the fact that its basic symbolism springs for the Apocalypse spring from the Old Testament and the life teachings primarily and eschatological of While this Christ. it is heavily, symbolism and the language expressing the Christian Hebraic, the Seer evidently considers church to be the heir of literal Minor principles Israel. include which help to guide exegesis such forms as contrast, The first-named and recapitulation. stylistic prolepsis, interpretation is the most important for correct and is vital of many of the Chapter 11 is considered figures. in symbols associated with the Antichrist the type of hermeneutical thus illustrating some detail, approach advocated. features of the visions embody not only the familiar ID6W from Daniel. The "war" also many less obvious borrowings in the climactic terminology particularly of the latter reappears, and "flood" Armageddon and Euphrates. Dan. 11: 45 is seen as part of plagues concerning The in Rev. 16. described for the last battle the Old Testament background The whore Babylon of the Apocalypse is, of course, of Daniel. also reminiscent the sun, and while Rome in obvious contrast to the woman clothed stands with the centre of the Seer's vision, it does not exhaust, the significance stands at the necessity Rev. 17 is an excellent illustration his symbol. of beginning of of The flight before historical further. the local out meaning and enquiring with The Antichrist PIPI but

of Babylon,Rev.

according

to many interpreters,

echoes Mark 13: 14f.

as surely

as

Rev. 17-20 contain 13 rings the changes afresh several on that same passage. 'and the related theme is to the concept of desolation, abomination allusions The final in the closing of 1,2c. 13: 14 is chapters. application also present in the twentieth surrounding of Antichrist's chapter where the last manifestation takes At that point, in Dan. 7,8,9,11-12, the sanctuary vindication occurs. as of in glory. the kingdom of God materializes place, and from the investigathat have arisen The conclusion summarizes convictions Mk. 13: 14 as part of Christ's the necessity tion, of recognizing and emphasizes is made that Mark 13 and The suggestion Daniel. interpretation of creative teaching they cast on the Scriptural Daniel, because of the light of the kingdom begun in the present the lines God, merit work. of study along continued

vii.

ABBREVIATIONS

AB AG

Analeeta

Biblica

W. F., and Gingrich, Arndt, F. W., edd., A Greek English Lexicon of the New Testament and Other Early Christian (E. T., Cambridge-Chicago, Literature 1957). Das Alte nglican Testament Theological Deutsch Review

ATD ATR

BDB CBg CB CGTC ed. EB f2 E. T. ET GerThT HAT UNT ICC JBL JThCh JTS KAT LXX IN

Brown, Catholic

Driver, Biblical

Briggs,

Hebrew Lexicon

Quarterly

The Cambridge The Cambridge editor The Expositor's The Evangelical English

Bible Gk. Testament Commentary

Bible Quarterly

Translation Times Theologisch Tijdschrift

The Expository Gereformeerd Handbuch Handbuch

zum alten

Testament

Reuen Testament zum Critical Literature and Church Studies Testament Commentary

The International Journal Journal Journal of Biblical for

Theology

of Theological zum Alten

Kommentar

The Septuagint Moulton London, Moffatt's and Milligan's 1930 New Testament Vocabulary of the Greek Testament,

RUC

Commentary

viii.

n. d. NLCNT (and NICHT)

no date The New London Commentary on the New Testament (the English version of the American series, The New InternationalCommentary on the New Testament)

NovT n. s. NT NTD NTS RB RGG RSR RSV SJTh StCath TBC TBNT

Novum Testamentum new series New Testament Das Neue Testament New Testament Revue Biblique in Geschichte Die Religion und Ge enwart, 1956-65 T{ibingen, Recherches de Science Religieuse The Revised Standard Version of the Bible Scottish Studia Torch Journal Catholica Bible Commentary Begriffslexikon zum Neuen Testament of Theology Galling, K., ed., Deutsch

Studies

Theologisches

TINT

the New Testament, Dictionary Theological ed. G. Kittel of (Grand Rapids, 1964-) E. T. by G. W. Bromiley G. Friedrich, and Theodotion Theologische Theologia Theologische Tyndale Theolor Blatter Viatorum Literaturzeitung, Commentary

Th. ThB1 ThViat TLZ TNTC TT TWNT

New Testament Today

Wrterbuch Theologisches zum Neuen Testament, (Stuttgart, 1933-) G. Friedrich and Theologia Theologische Viatorum Zeitschrift

ed. by G. Kittel

TV TZ

ix.

WC ZAW ZNW

Westminster Zeitschrift Zeitschrift

Commentaries fr fr die die Alttestaientliche Neutestamentliche Wissenschaft Wissenschaft

ONE CHAPTER

MARKTHIRTEEN ISSUES CONCERNING

The

&E'Auypoc -f

-fiji

oewC l Ep9p

phrase

is

the

enigmatic

heart

of the most puzzlingAs such, for in its of setting

chapter

in the primaryit

book of the New Testament.continuing attention

of Mark 13,

challenges '

purposes The

criticism of the

and exegesis. P6. AuyJa

context

phrase

is particularly

rich

thematically.Christ, the

It

reflectsof

not only two of the master teachingsSon of Man, but associated

ofthemes

Kingdom

God and the

such as the Remnant, Antichrist, Thebut

the Tribulation,

and the Parousia. allusion,In

-

13&Auyparepeatedly

-rsc

. HL'%3ocuws is not an isolatedin eschatological

a refrain

occurring

passages.

concept it absent.Gospels,

is sometimes present In the New Testament it

even when the precise

terminology

is

is found not only in the Synopticand the book of Revelation. Apart

but

in

2 Thessalonians

1. C. H. Dodd, "The Fall of Jerusalem of Desolation", and the Abomination (Manchester, "Recent More New Testament Studies 1968), 70, comments: trends in criticism for a more radical reconsideration of the seem to call " Despite the passage than it has (to my knowledge) question yet received. of twenty-five was first made, this plea for years since the statement has relevance, discourse continued still as the following study of the Olivet "This passage presents the exegete with difficulties indicate. references as great as any in the Gospel. " D. E. Nineham, The Gospel of Saint Mark (London, 1963), 351. (Hereinafter to as Saint Mark). "No one referred is. " William Barclay, quite knows what the desolatin abomination Matthew (Daily "Une crux Study Bible)(Edinburgh, 1958), II, 338. interpretationis " f36XvyH celebre. " B. Rigaux, p%. awaeu C -r64 Mk. 13: 14; Mt. 24: 15", Bib, IL (1959), "Dens les Evangiles, 675. il nest de Jesus sans doute pas de passage plus obscur que le discours " Andre sur la ruine du temple rapporte par les trois synoptiques. "Le discours Feuillet, de Jesus sur la ruine du temple d'apres Marc XIII Luc %XI, 5-36", RB, LV (1948), 481. "Mark 13 is the biggest et The Gospel According to St Mark problem in the Gospel. " A. M. Hunter, (London, 1948), 122. ". one of the unsolved problems of New Testament .. " Vincent "The Apocalyptic Taylor, Discourse exegesis. of Mark XIII",

ET, LX (1948),

94.

3.

from

the

Olivet namely

discourse, Daniel, the

its

most familiar

setting

is

that

cited

by the as so

Matthew, theological Daniel it is

book which in the earlier

above all first

others

influenced And as surely Old Testament, phrase

climate

of Judaism reflects

century. books of the

itself in this

sometimes instance. are found

The constituent first in the

elements

of the

under

consideration

Pentateuch,

and subsequently

throughout

the Old Testament writinV, Ezekiel,

being particularly

clustered

in

the books of Jeremiah, of Daniel freelyare

and Isaiah,

books from which the writer

1 draws.good grounds abstraction for believing merely, that but this cryptic reflects phrase concrete old and does

There not

embody a tenuous events crises

rather

historical new. sources Major

considered are thereby

pivotal referred 2

in the to,

experience crises

of Israel

which

became the

of apocalyptic The Auypoc symbol Bible of all grace "I will to

formulations. Tyr-

&pqH W cYF-wC ancient make the history. theocracy variegated Initially

is

ever

linked

with

the

temple,

the

of the writers salvation dwell

and of the

New Testament of the temple God's

community. a microcosm coming promises, in

experiences it

represented the Covenant walk

with

men, and illustrated ...

make my abode among you.

I will

among you,

1.

"Dafr

lsst

2 Chr 30,7; 1 Esr 1,55; Ps 72,19; Jer 4,7; 7,34; 8,22; 22,5; 32,18; 51,6.22; DanLXX 8,13; 9,18.27; 11,31; 12,11; DnTh 8,13; 9,2.27; 12,11; 1 Makk 12,11) ist. Die Vokabel kommt im NT nur ?k 13,14 Parr vor. " R. Pesch, geprgt Naherwartungen: Tradition in Ilk 13 (Dsseldorf, 1968), 143. und Redaktion (Hereinafter to as Naherwartungen). referred

,-(?gNwQ-S

der Vokabel sich nun auch die Bedeutungsgeschichte geltend machen, die ganz durch die LXX (vgl. Lev. 26,34f.;

2. G. Schrenk, "iepe, -rc%3 v. . ." TDNT, III9 239. "Purification of the Temple", JBL, XC (1971), 82-90.

R. H. Hiers,

4.

and will is

be your

God, and you shall climactic pictuze 21: 3. of

be my peoples"1 consummation

The same terminology entrusted and its to the

used in the

and glory temple,

new Israel.

See Rev.

The profanation

of the

devastationthe

under the Babylonianof the Maccabean crisis finally

woe, providedera, that

the imagery for picturingand also the The

catastrophe

of 70 A. D.,

eschatological

to be precipitated

by the Antichrist.

reconstruction

of the temple after

the exile,

and the cleansing

by Judas "anointing when

Naccabeus, became to Daniel's of the most holy", "everlasting for all

readers

shadows of the ultimate of the Messianic in, temple,

the establishment

righteousness"

would be brought

and atonement made

iniquity.

The theme of attackplus the

upon the kingdom of God by itsvindication of those loyal

idolatrous

desolators,

compensating

to

-Yahweh.,

constitutes

the essence of the holy war, and enshrines 2 ages.

the

basic

dangers and hopes of the remnant in all Our study seems contributory

to the ongoing debate over eschatof the kingdom spoken of by

ology

and kindred

issues.

The nature

Christ,

the place

of apocalyptic, exegeticalits

the significance issues associated

of the temple imagery with the destinysymptoms and studies

in the New Testament,both delay, Israels, the the historical

of

Parousia

supposed

premonitory

and exegetical

approach

to Nev Testament

versus the philosophical involved in the attempted

existential unravelling

mode -

all

these and others of the

are

of the significance

iAuypa

Tos

Epr)WaEwc.New Testament source in this study

Because Mark 13 as the primary has long been considered

as the passage in the Gospels most "replete

1.2.

Lev. 26: 12 (R. S, V, throughout

thesis).

Y. Conger, The Mystery of the Temple (London, 1962), 139; B. GIrtner, The Temple and the Community in Qumran and the New Testament (Cambridge, M5)9 lulpi2q; it. J. is e vey, e ivew Temple on on, , passim; R. A. Cole, The New Temple (London, 1961)p passim.

T

with

critical

and exegetical

difficulties",

1

and because

its

unique

natureredaction

has speciallycritics, 2

challengedanother

source,

form,is

(more recently) andnot without justification. 3

investigation

The approach here made is thatto understand the New Testament

of Biblical

Realism,the

"the

effort

writings

from within

mind of their

authors,the biblical

to stand where the biblicalmessage into

writers

stood,

rather

than to force

modern thought

forms''4

We are not now concerned with the relevancebiblical world-view system or views. wherein Thus the

or irrelevanceof the

of theuniverse

modern concept or other

as a closed manifestations

neither

miracle

supernatural or the

such as revelation

or prediction

are possible,

opposing view of primitive pertinent to the exegetical

theological problem,

orthodoxy, except for

are not considered their prejudicial impact.

1.

G. E. Ladd, Jesus to as Jesus). referred 2. W. Marxsen, J.

the KinjZdom (London, and

1966),

305.

(Hereinafter

Lambrecht,

F. Flflckiger,

in particular.

and speaks of the "chaotic of historical state is concerned. Premises are scholarship where apocalyptic rarely shared; no themes, perhaps, and open the seams in the historical " JThCh VI (1969), theological fabric 13. so readily and so completely. "Mark 13 dominates the B. H. Streeter wrote over fifty years ago: eschatology of the Second Gospel, and through him that of the two Gospels. later It is the citadel of the extreme eschatological ... Hence the question how far it fairly school of interpretation. " Studies the mind of our Lord is crucial, in the Synoptic represents (Hereinafter Problem (Oxford, 1911), 428. to as Synoptic referred Problem). 3. Robert theological

W. Fink

4. Ladd, Jesus, xiii. Testament Interpretation",

See also Otto Piper, "Principles TT, III (1946-47), 197.

of New

6.

ISSUES PERTINENT TO THE EXEGESIS OF MARK 13 Relationship of Mark 13: 14 to the in this section Rest is of the to Chapter the relationship between

Our purpose

indicate

Mark 13: 14 and the restfor an early glance

of the chapter,relating

in order to show the necessityto the referred chapter to as a whole. 14 is not

at problems -res

The_ (SrXuyHa

6'prflwa&uiG

in v.

something isolated Scholars,the

in significance

from the remainder

of Mark 13. asout

in commenting upon the verse,"Hohepunktn2,

have used such expressions"Crescendoi4, pointing

"Wendungn',

"Angelpunkt"3,

its

crucial

position

in the chapter.

Marxsen has a particular true

case to

support

by his

estimate,

but the same is hardly

of the others. this

J. Schmid suggests,

"For the understanding

of the whole discourse, it

passage is of the greatest merkwtirdig"6, ... ist fur while

importance. n5 Haenchen values

as "atisserst

Suhl summarizes,

"Das Wort vom Greuel der Verwstung Apocalypse von

das VerstndnisBedeutung. "7

der synoptischen

entscheidender

1. J. Weiss, "Die Testaments, ed. J. 2. 3. Ibid., 380.

drei glteren Evangelien", Weiss (4 vols.; Gttingen,

Die Schriften des Neuen 21906), I, 195.

W. Marxsen, Der Evangelist to as Markus. ) referred

Markus

(Gottingen,

1956),

125.

(Hereinafter

4. J. Lambrecht, (Hereinafter 148.5.

Die Redaktion der Markus-Apokalypse to as Redaktion. ) referred

(AB XXVIII)(Rome,

1967),

The Gospel according to Mark, (The Regensburg New Testament, II), (Hereinafter Kevin Condon (New York, 1968), 238. trans. and referred 6. Ernst Haenchen, Der Weg Jesu (Berlin, 1968), 443.

ed. to as Mark. )

A. Suhl, Die Funktion der Alttestamentlichen 7. Zitate (Gerd Mohn, 1965), 3. (Hereinafter in Markus-evangeliwu ) Zitate. Alttestamentlichen

und Anspielungen to as referred

7.

The beginning, involvethe

middle,

and we believe The chapter

the end,

1

of Mark 13 a referencecloses with

allusionsbuilding

to the temple.and its for the

opens withand it

to

sacred

threatened coming

destruction, of the

warnings

to be ready

Son of Plan.

The scene

depicting

the latter

intimates2

the eschatological

fulfilment

of the

temple-dominating

Shekinah.

In Dan. 7, by the symbolism of the "Son of Man" being given the kingdom, the suffering This sufficedits vision

remnant of Israel

was promised vindication. as Ezekielof soul

in the days of Antiochusheavenly glory,

Epiphanes,anguish

19 withcaptives

of the

met the

of the

who had been torn restoration of that

from their

holy

city.

M.

13: 26 implies

the ultimate when

new temple promised since the days of Ezekiel

G. R. Beasley-Murray, 1. (Hereinafter to referred

A Commentary on Mark Thirteen ) Mark Thirteen. as

(London,

1957),

93.

d'homme' de Daniel, le 'fils 2. "0. Procksch qui regoit rapproche ... daps '. domination, divine de is gloire se manifestant at regne', gloire (Ez. I, 4) 'comme une figure d'homme' (Ez. I, 26) au une nuee P. Volz (Die Chobar. les bords du fleuve Ezechiel sur prophete (Theologie des Alten 189) et W. Eichrodt Eschatologie. p. .., t. 11, Leipzig, 1935, p. 11) sont pareillement Testaments, en d'autant litteraire, de cette relation faveur qua plus vraisembable VII, " 9-10, avec le judiciaires des assises is description en In. trne de feu at les roues de feu, s'inspire eile aussi de la vision divine du fils de Buzi. Pour Isa! e, la gloire inaugurale que n'etait dans is nature de Yahweh se manifestant la saintete et dans 1'histoire (cf. (Is. 12,23; VIII, 4; I%, 3; X, 4 III, VI, 3); avec Ez. 1,26sq.

), is gloire divine commence en quelque sorte se materialiser at . .. en somme avec la theophanie ells s'identifie prendre 'figure d'homme'; lui rappelle Is le voyant a contempl'ee et quip en terre d'exil, qua Avec Daniel de Dieu dans le sanctuaire de Jerusalem. presencele Messie chez lui, au dernier assistons stade du developpements nous de cette d'homme' se presente 'fils comme une Sorte d'incarnation 'la gloire divine', forme d'apparition surnaturelle gui s'appelle de is manifestation de is Moire comme une repligue en particulier et "Le discours Yahweh dans is nuee du Saint des Saints. " A. Feuillet,

de

de Jesus sur la, raine du temple d'aDres Mc XIII RB, LVI (1949), 70-71.

at Lc XXI: 5-36",

8.

"the dwelling

of God" shall

be "with

men".

1pe-r< T? v 6Aibiv advent the of the

The Son of Nan is after the Auyioc from the days of the .

pictured

as coming created

tribulation is

by the

previous

There threat refers

no legitimate temple. temple ever 2

way of separating That is the expression

Parousia 196

to the

EPr)H woevC the

to the is

made certain with

by the the

fact

that 3

in Daniel

135 Auypa

associated

sanctuary.

The obvious

relation

of v. 14 to the first crescendo presentcKOOol)T ...

half

of the chapter section.. pi

is

also shown by the literaryv. 7 Tav O

in this

7TOi1Elou

epo

11; &rv v. v. 14 ? oav

y ci&

ojv rf-

OPRC i

Trapp

&v-re-c

rk TtpOP-, pII+v-rr

Thus these to cause mental

verses distress,

picture

the preliminary with the

agitations situation

which

are not

as contrasted In this setting

when the its

duyNa full 'adversative

appears. force. for

the_

must be given

The necessity tribulation oppression the pictured of believers

flight

spoken

of

in v.

14 is

linked Vv.

with

the

in prior

and succeeding the

verses.

9-13

picture a Christs

and following but in

allusion

to the%uy Even the false

same picture

reoccurs

deeper

colours.

etroits 21: 3. I bid., 71. " ... on voit quels liens et profonds 11annonce par Jesus de la raine du temple et 1'annonce de la unissent la seconde fait de 1'homme sur les nuees: venue du Fils comme contrepoids etait la premiere; le grand signe visible de le temple de Jerusalem du peuple de Dieu (cf. lsq. la loi de l'unite dens le Deuteronome XII, du sanctuaire); le Christ 1'unite qui disparait, vient se au sanctuaire de rassemblement dune nouvelle invisible comme centre communaute, substituer la communaute de tous ceux qui croirent en lui. " See also Beasley-Murray, 90. Mark Thirteen, 1. Rev.

2. B. Rigaux, L'Antechrist et 1'0pposition au Royaume Messiani uce da (Hereinafter le Nouveau Testament (Paris, 1932), 243-44. 1'Ancien et ) to as L'Antechrist. referred 3. See Dan. 8: 13,14; 9: 26,27; 11: 31; 12: 11.

9.

seen preceding withChrist Xib IV itute

the

OXi is itself.as coming 9-27,

occur again,

but in more scarlet

hue as

the persecutionis described .

They now work miraculousJKEivocic acv from yet another TocI angle,

signs and wonders.qpEPai(:: are P61IX 'rOV

Thus verses

seen to

coast-

a whole. The fact that the fundamental Old Testament at the allusions beginning, in this middle,

chapter

come from

Daniel

and are to be found

and close,Indeed,

also indicate

that

we have here a unifiedas a Mahnrede references

presentation.temple-prophecies EAuyva 't

Mark 13 has been recognized None dispute that the

on the

of Daniell

to the

euc i& ancient apocalypse,

and to the but it

AX4pic

etc.,

are taken from the csuvT E'CSBai

seems almost sure that

4 is from the same source. 2 of v. Mark 13: 14 not only matches the earlier chapteralso is

and later

portions

of the

by itsstrongly is

referenceparenetic

to the temple and itsin nature, a-

use of Daniel,other

but it

as are these i &)-re....

sections. is called

Watchfulness

O-rav demanded.

Insight

for.

_

oaiTc. and careful

And lastly, attention

action

appropriate

to the attitudes 0.00 in

of watchfulness

is urged. grounds for unity,

OeuyeTwvav regarding the chapter

These seem to be sufficient its present of form as an ideological " -tb P&Auypoc rc

and therefore wr-

we approach the by attempting

exegesis first

Eprjpo'l

to reach some conclusions

on issues

relating

to the nature,

origin

and significance

of Mark 13 as a whole.

Dodd, More New Testament Studies, 1. (Lund, 1966), 210,235. Interpreted

69. See also Lars Hartman, Prophecy (Hereinafter to as Prophecy. ) referred

2.

Ibid.,

221.

10.

Issues

Concerning

Mark Thirteen

1.

Definitions

of apocalyptic

and eschatology.

Is Mark 13 an

apocalypse? 2. The origin a. b.c.

of the Olivet

discourse. in the teachings of Christ.

Place of apocalyptic The "LittleThe framework

Apocalypse".of the discourse, Mark 13: 1-4.

d.e.

Parenthesis

of Mark 13: 14b.

between Mark 13 and 1 and 2 Thessalonians. The relationship The primary of the logic now collection and circulation found in Mark 13: 5-37.

P.

between Mark 13 and other Synoptic parallels The relationship Luke 21; Matthew 10: Lukio 17: 24-37; as Luke 12: 35-46; such 17-22; Matthew 24. Relationship to the apocalypses of Judaism. by Mark 13. of vv. 30

g. 3. 4.

The apparent

contradiction

of Q materials

The problem posed by the congruence (or incongruence) and 32 of Nk. 13. Other "inconsistencies".The composition dates of the Synoptic Gospels. Gospel,

5. 6.

The specific purpose, 13 in particular.

or purposes,

of Mark's

and of chapter

To8.

The setting

of the Olivetof

discourse

within

Mark's

Gospel as a whole.

The presuppositions

exegetes.

11.

It

is recognized

that

each of these issues significant

could demand a thesis regardingmatters. evidence

in entirety.cannot we will

Nevertheless,

conclusionsthese

Mark 13: 14Of necessity in each case.

be made without but offer

some enquiry

regarding

a summary of what seems to be the of Exegetes

The Presuppositions

Certain and therefore Itbut

it

is,

that

the last with

item on the list

is the most important, the last shall be first. discussed,

in dealing lastrarely,

the issues suggested,

has been placedthis one only

because the other mattersthough it usually this the

are frequentlythe

determines case that

exegete's

conclusions

throughout.

So much is

one can almost

predict exegete's

an exegete's

positions

on most of this

problem's

facets,

if

the or

school is known.

Whether he be of Bultmannian

persuasion, of his

a fundamentalist, , investigation

may have much more to do with the results factor. at length' and if are

than any other has writtenof

F. W. Farrarexegesis different is a history

to prove thatblack in and white favour

the historyreally

of

error,

mean Dean

things,

then

the

statistics

of the

one-time

of Canterbury.. Gospel it

H. Riesenfeldis inevitable are

asserts:the innumerable contributions degree stamped to a greater or lesser that devoted by

to

research

the attitude in question toward the person and of the writer The fatal thing is that there is no such character of Jesus. thing as research without presupposition. The more emancipated thinks he is, the less he is in actual fact. 2 a scholar

Its Meaning and Supremacy (London, N. Y., Bombay, The Bible, 1. (London, 1886), passim See also his History Interpretation of .

1897),

145.

(Oxford, The Gospel Tradition 2. 1970), 51. See also Robert H. Stein, "The Proper Methodology for Ascertaining a Markan Redaktiongeschichte" (unpublished Ph. Do; dissertation, Princeton, 1968), 22-98, and article (3,1971), the same title in NovT XIII 181-198. Note169f. of this under thesis for extracts from Stein. present

12.

One of the best illustrations theologythat all the his

of these words is found in the history to the contrary,triad that: worked

of the

of Baur.influence research. it is

Despite his protestationsof Hegel's Stephen dialectical suggests

it

does seemamidst

as a leaven

Neill

in the field of its presuppositions, which in themselves ... have nothing to do with critical or historical method, that the Again, of the work of Baur comes to grief. whole great structure their are exercising and again, when the presuppositions unfortunate influence, is for the time being abandoned. 1 critical method

No one who has read Mark Pattison'sBaur-like "brilliant scholar example can readily of a false forget method". the 2

delineationbeacon light

of Warburton as aoffered by the

And who, reading also of Veiffenbach's significant Bultmann, questions Dibelius,

the following main thesis regarding

from Albert

Schweitzer, can fail

being aware to ask himself such as

on eschatology, the brilliant

work of scholars

Martin

Werner, Hans Conzelmann, T. F. Glasson, and

J. A. T. Robinson?day, down to the present The whole history of Christianity, is based on the that is to say, the real inner history of it, delay of the Parousia, the non-occurrence of the Parousia. ..

.3

A. L. Moore blames presuppositions stance of many scholars of his work on a topic regarding similar

for what he believes the topic of his one.

to be the wrong at the opening

choice,

to the present

He says:

Behind these views istic materialism and Even more apparent is the re-interpretation

one can discern the pressure of evolutionof the whole secular climate of thought. the pressure of a secular philosophy behind 4 of eschatology in terms of existentialism.

The Interpretation of the New Testament ) to as Interpretation. referred after 1.

don,

1966),

27.

(Herein-

2. 3.

Ibid.,

22. Jesus (London, 1910), 358.XIII

The Quest of the Historical

The Parousia 4. (Leiden, 1966),

in the New Testament, Supplements to N. T. vol. (Hereinafter 2. to as Parousia. ) referred

13.

Just a few years previous study the historyand came to the On the

to Moore's statement, thought' for

James Martin

set out to

of Protestantsame conclusions. hand, there

with

reference

to eschatology

other

are

grounds

believing

that

both

Moore

and Maxon began their to those they criticise. the freer

research with presuppositions Riesenfeld does rightly

basically in reminding

contrary us that

of assumptions

we each hold ourselves Philosophy

to be, the more in slavery and not Theology has becomeBibelerklrungen. to think is to done in ourselves

to such we are.the Queen of the

It would seem thatsciences,

Weltanschauungen assures and that us that to

determining

Inasmuch without a circle, of our distortion Riesenfeld's

as Epistemology presuppositions it

no man can even begin all thinking

some extent outset to

becomes important prejudices as far

at the

of any study seek to

remind

own personal of these caveat,

and then

counterbalance writer,

the

as possible. that his

The present own prejudicial

remembering

confesses

entanglements

"In the age of crisis and at the end of the seventeenth century forces were set in motion which beginning of the eighteenth century, This in the triumph in theology. to result destined of subjectivism were in the name of reason, was an age which laid claim to the whole of reality did not include the Last Judgment. The methods but historical reality led to the rejection Since the modern world is of eschatology. employed the problem of whether the Last this patterned much after outlook, still in the Judgment is essential for New Testament theology as proclaimed is whether The basic question Protestant in acute form. churches is raised be allowed to control shall and secularistic rationalistic principles the Church so that the New Testament eschatology biblical exegesis within The entire is rejected upon on the basis of these principles. outlook 1. the

to both, which forms such an man and the world, and God's relation part of the idea of the bast Judgment and indeed of the essential Christian substance itself, were in the late seventeenth century and throughout the eighteenth century formulated with such boldness and completeness that without a frontal attack upon the Last Judgment, it rendered inoperative and quite superflous. " was, nevertheless,James P. Martin, The Last Judgment (Grand rapids, 1963), 87.

14.

are legion. This issueopposed positions

is best illustratedthat some scholars "the almost the Olivet

by displayinghave held

the diametricallythe value of The following facts.

regarding or sections in

what has been called extreme, estimates one could suggest

discourse",

thereof. some of the

say emotional, of a factor

statements or factors

presence

other

than

the

If

several

people survey the same scene or object characteristics, the fault probably

and report

it

as posswith

essing opposite that

does not lie

which is beheld.D. Strauss: Such a thing as He has here prophesied of Himself If He prophesied the like of Himself cannot happen to a man. and if He uttered it of expected its then to us He is a fanatic; then He was a braggart Himself any real conviction, and without l a deceiver. C. H. Weisse (re: Mark 13: 24-27): of the most narrow and superstitious book (Daniel) fantastic of a which to a renowned old prophet, and out 2 insane imagination. Timothy Colani: It contains the Jesus could not have shared their out an utterance constructed in the symbolic belief sayings. ignorance or deceit attributed halfof the most extravagant,

eschatology ' opinions. that

of Jewish

Christians.

Wellhausefis It can safely be asserted to His disciples speak beforehand of His 4 He certainly did not of His parousia.

if

Jesus

suffering

not once and resurrection,

did

Jew

D. Strauss, Das Leben ffr das deutsche Volk bearbeitet "A Century of Eschatological cited by G. R. Beasley-Murray, ET, LXIV (1953), 313. 1. 2. Die evangelische Geschichte kritisch und

(1864),

236, Discussion",

(1838), 594-5; cited Discussion", 312.

by G. R. Beasley-Murray,

"A Century of Eschatological

Jesus-Christ 3. et les biy G. B. Beasley-Murray, LXIV (1953), 346.

de son Temps (1864), crovances messianigues cited "The Rise and Fall Apocalypse", ET, of the Little

4. Einleitung, 96, cited Discussion", 315.

by G. R. Beasley-Murray,

"A Century of Eschatological

15.

C. G. Montefiore: It has very slight 1 little value. or no religious

interest

for us today,

and

Francis A. Henry: So then: Jesus, whose Good Tidings told of the heavenly Father and forgiveness of sin, who called men to the higher in union with the of love and a new life righteousness Divine, whose religion was so inward and spiritual, so pure from alloy all earthly crowns all with an eschatology so gross and so Jesus can only repeat when he touches on grotesque! ... destiny mankind's rabbi had long been preaching what the vulgarest in the synagogue. ' Jesus, on the world was ever whose outlook ... dreams of his to these fantastic sane, calm, clear-eyed yields and solemnly predicts as close at hand a misguided people, series of preternatural events which have never come to startling 2 One who can believe that will believe anything. pass! T. Francis bringing the ... message that Glasson: fanatic of a mistaken picture 3 never die. millions now living will this

himself F. C. Grant: For any human being to identify with the Son and without of Enoch, taken literally of Man of the visions could suggest little else than an unsound mind -reinterpretation, not the supreme and unquestioned of the Man of sanity certainly 4 Galilee.

H8lscher: discourse.J.

Any specifically The whole derives

Christian element is lacking 5 from Daniel.a secondary ... 6 Church.

in the

A. T. Robinson (re: Mark 13: 24-27): the expectation of the early reflecting C. C. Torrey:

compilation

The great eschatological discourse of Jesus, which by the three Synoptics, is a marvellously perfect see reported we in its detail and its conciseness, solidly and composition by a writer The constructed who was worthy of His task. skilfully Second Gospel, with all its planned brevity, could not more condense

1. 2.

The Synoptic

Gospels

(London,

1927), 78,

I,

296. cited by B. W. Bacon, The Gospel

Jesus and the Christian Mark (New Haven, 1925), of His Appearing 3. (London, History The Gospel 4. Gospel.

Religion, 63n.

and His Kingdom, 1953), 3. Kingdom

The Christian

Hope in the

Light

of

its

of the

(Nev York,

1940),

63.

(Hereinafter

referred

to as

5. "Der Ursprung der Apokalypse Markus 13", ThBl, XII, 193-202, cited by (HereinJesus and the Future (London, 1954), 74. G. R. Beasley-Murray, to as Jesus. ) after referred6. Jesus and His Coming (London, 1957), 118-119.

16.

here than in the subsequent chapters. There was nothing in the 1 discourse that could be omitted, and it was adopted entire.D. Schenkel: Jesus made J. wie Schniewind: sie The most impressive and powerful utterance that

jedes einzelne Wort hat eine solche Prgung, ... "Jesus" her mdglich ist. nur von der Wirklichkeit .. .3 That Jesus

B. Vawter: his consistent

in view of actually made such a prophecy, teaching eschatological on the soonness of a divine of the decisiveon Jerusalem and Judea, his conviction visitation history, of salvation and his ness of his own role in the workings there is absolutely no reason of the temper of the times, reading His words are in the tradition to question. of Israel's prophecy (cf. Jer. 7: 1-15; Ezek. 24: 15-23) and have not been simply made up 4 in the light by Christian of later events. writers D. E. Nineham: Gospel he [Mark] out the infinite the ministry. climax to that whole part of the ... As such it brings for composing. was responsible the Evangelist saw in the events of significance the

Das 13 Kapitel hat im Mk-Evangelium Lambrecht: einen ganz Lebens Jesu and vor besonderen Platz; am Ende des b'ffentlichen Dieses Kapitel dem Beginn der Passion. mag eine geschlossene doch kann man nur schwer a priori bilden; Einheit unterstellen, Rede rein zufllig dass diese apokalyptische und ohne besondere Grnde und Absichten auf diesem an diese Stelle wurde. .. gesetzt 6 Hhepunkt des Evangeliums? It has long been recognized that the discourse Beasley-Murray: holds a significant place in the Gospel of Mark in that it forms to the teaching both a conclusion of Jesus and an ministry immediately to the passion narrative introduction afterwards. but the is not minimized, The horror of the betrayal and execution is changed. The cross for Jesus is the of the tragedy proportion he knows whither to glory; he goes, and the shadow--of pathway King. impending judgment falls their upon the people that reject This has been admitted by writers as different as Loisy and Dodd, Guignebert and Lightfoot.?

Documents of the 1. (Hereinafter referred 2. Das Charakterbild 13.

Primitive Church (New York to as Documents. ) Jesu (Wiesbaden, 1864),

and London,

1941),

13.

183P.,

cited

by Beasley-Murray,

Jesus, 3.

Das Evangelium nach Markus to as Markus. ) referred The Four Redaktion, Gospels 15.7. (Dublin,

(DNTD)(Gttingen,

1947),

168.

(Hereinafter

4. 6.

1967),

322.5.

Saint Jesus,

Mark, 216.

341.

17.

E. F. K. Millers Dann aber stehen wir wieder dieses christliche System, das eschatologische Einzelparallelen zur judischen Apokalyptik als Grundlage ausweist schliesslich originaler auf

vor der Frage, ob r ch+ sich trotz zahlreicher ein Neubau mit Jesus selbst...?

John Peter Lange: The eschatological speech of the Lord, the the New Testament exposition germ of John's Apocalypse; and form of the Old Testament ideas and symbols; the opposite and 2 Apocalypsism. corrective of all apocryphal We should have good right to wonder at the in Paul's eschatological conceptions which are found, for instance, Epistles to the Corinthians if they had not the and Thessalonians, Christian least historical foundation in just such sayings of our 3 Lord as we meet with in this discourse. These quotations contention the tions exegesis of the underlying are this significant discussion for their illustration of the namely, prior that J. J. Van Oosterzee:

of presuppositions, more by the passage study to

of Mark 13 has been determined exegetes this than perhaps any other the close lead in

assump4 in question suspicion

of Scripture. chapter and the

To pursue by a review that further

without

awareness

of the

of commentators effort

can only

frustration

must be fruitless diametrically-opposed is is abundant absent that

an area where conclusions.

so many great

minds have come to The evidence upon authorities poses as exegesis

the

Rabbinical

method

of

reliance

not

from modern research,

and much that used to be

must only at the

be eis-egesis. of his

McCown's statement volume, needs ever

by Beasley-Murray

beginning

Real-Encyclopdie 1. XXI, 264.

Fiir

Protestantische

Theologie

und Kirche,

3rd

ed.,

2. "The Gospel According to Mark", in Commentary on the Holy Scriptures 3. "The Gospel According to Luke", Charles C. Starbuck, ibid., 321.

trans. and ed. by Philip Schaff, (Grand Rapids, 41960), VIII, 138. trans. and ed. by Philip Schaff and

"Have scholars who deny all authenticity 4. Nineham, Saint Mark, 356n.: to the passage (13: 24-27) been influenced at all by the desire to dissociate Jesus from ideas and language strange to modern minds? "

18.

kept in mind. how penetratingthe writing

"No matter and critical

how original

a scholar's societyauthor

imagination,

no matter

his judgment,lives than the

does far more ofhimself. "1

of any book that

C. C. McCown, The Search for the Real Jesus, 18, cited by Beasley1. "Is Exegesis without Jesus, 1. See Bultmann's Presuppositions Murray, illustration XXI (1960), 194-200. And for a further Possible? ", Encounter Ssemann's exegesis the theme consider of Hebrews with the emphasis of influence so characteristic of Usemann's own great teacher. on gnostic

19.

1.

Definitions

of Eschatology

and Apocalyptic

Various thatworks

writersl

claim so much for apocalyptic but readingof the present in half Gerhard no satisfactory

and eschatology in modernterms.

definitions

are essential,because

on these topicsdiverse

can be confusing is

use of the

"'Eschatological' without "it yet is definition. necessary

used by scholars . . "2 Similarly,

a dozen senses,

often

von Rad says of apocalyptic: definition of it has

to 0

remember that

been achieved. In this study

"eschatology" things", "last

holds and the

its

traditional given is

meaning, that than

the

doctrine the term

of the applies

! last

emphasis

by which those purposes and germinant

to the

things"

of the world

rather

pertaining for this

to the earth are

individual. contemplated.

The consummation That this

of the

divine

had a "sprijing

accomplishment"but not here to

in the work of ChristExistential of the is gospel,

at His firsteschatologr, is not under

is recogn.isedp adventdecision-in-depth discussion. the sudden catastrophic all wrongs and to in

stressed. the call

response

"Apocalyptic" intervention of

commonly used to affairs of

signify to

God in the

earth

right

to the apocalyptic setting of the gospel is indispensable Jesus - God and Man, W. Pannenberg, of its essential understanding content. (E. T., London, 1968), 13,32,217. "I call the mother of apocalyptic " E. SLsemann, "On the Topic of Primitive Christian Christian theology. JThCh, VI, 133. "The pervasive influence Apocalyptic", of apocalyptic is a matter during this period variety on Judaism in all the multifaceted recent acknowledgment. " D. F. Freedman, "The Flowering of comparatively ibid., J. W. Bowman, The Religion 166-67. of Apocalyptic", of Maturity (Nashville, "To determine 1948), 235. towards the our Lord's attitude is one of the really of apocalyptic subject urgent tasks at the present " Bible scholars. time confronting 1. That the 2. 3. Neill, Interpretation, 195-96. Prophets (London, 1968), 271.

The Message of the

20.

terminate unfortunately of his less

history.

When Albert the term

Schweitzer "eschatology"

wrote for

his the

Quest he description and led to

selected 1

main thesis.

"Apocalyptic" for and not

may have been better, eschatological with events reference

confusion

thereafter,

whereas always to

has been to the cata-

diversely strophic,

interpreted, apocalyptic

when applied

ever has the

sense of

dramatic

intrusion

by suprahistorical

forces.discussions is used with

"Apocalyptic"

in most modern technical

referencespecial

to two differentkind of eschatology

phenomena:therein

a type of literature,2 As a literary

and thegenre

embodied.

"The Apocalyptic element in the teaching of Jesus is a very large the eschatological, At least element, of all that very small. one half is recorded is professedly along the lines of Apocalyptic, as the two on of Man', and 'the Kingdom of God' abundantly phrases, show; and the strictly teaching, ethical of which is at once a correction debased ideals and the formulating of the moral law of the Kingdom, is permeated with the thoughts and phrases with which current Apocalyptic had made the minds of the people so familiar", F. W. Worsley, The Apocalypse of Jesus (London, 1912), 24-25. 1. Thus Dodd can refer to "the Apocalyptic Discourse"-of Mark 13, and yet literary forin is not that of an apocalypse. point out that "its ." .. More New Testament Studies, 70,69. "The apocalyptic Cf. Ladd: type found expression in literary forms which were not apocof eschatology " Jesus in character. 79. See also H. H. Rowley, The Relevance alyptic (London, 31963), (Hereinafter Apocalyptic 23. to as of referred Relevance. ) See also W. Bousset, The New Schaff-Herzog Encyclopaedia, I, 209-210; E. Lohmeyer, EGG (2d ed. ), I, col. 402-404; Ladd, "ApocBaker's Dictionary Theology (London, 1960), 52. In his alyptic", of Jesus and the Kingdom, Ladd says: "Most discussions of 'apocalyptic' to point fail two different out that the word is used to describe historical kind phenomena: a genre of literature, and the particular " 73. literature. Hans Dieter Betz of eschatology embodied in this "a religio-historical urges that clarification of the concept and nature has recently been demanded on several G. Ebeling of apocalypticism sides. it in his discussion has requested G. von Rad of KUsemann's thesis. 'This, however, seems to be clear: concludes, our concept of ... apocalypticism urgently needs a critical revision since its sweeping of a literary use as a definition as well as a theological phenomenon has become a problem. '" "On the Problem of the Religio-Historical UnderJThCh, VI (1969), 135. of Apocalypticism", See also ibid., standing 52. 2.

21.

apocalyptic nevertheless, Joel 2-3,

separates

from prophetic

literature

in several Isa.

respects, 24-27, but not

but

no sharp break exists

between the two-' aspects

Zech. 9-14 embody certain

of apocalyptic,

others. Apocalyptic is revelatory literature has the sense. following characteristics. dreams, visions, of the 2 or future, (1) It

in a special the

By means of is given

heavenly

journeys,

apocalyptist

knowledge

and other matters(2) Usually, the form, a typical

not normallyvisions that

accessible

to human knowledge.in apocalyptic not but real. not are (3) a Pseudo-

or dreams described is, they are fictitious,

mere literary nymity is

characteristic

of apocalyptic,

necessarily

of biblical

apocalyptic. out, Daniel is not akin to most apocalypses at

As Ladd points

this

point.

Apart from the stories

of the book itself,

he is not known as

in the Old Testament,applying of the hardly prophecy but to last the Jewish

unless Eze. 14: 14,20;hero of the exile. still

28: 3 are interpretedSimilarly, the

authorship and can Pseudopast,

New Testament support stamps facts poses

book is

a matter

of dispute, (4) the

be used to usually

or deny this apocalyptic.

characteristic. Not only

names from guise

historical

are borrowed in the to the

to be used in the distant past, present,

of prophecy. is time it re-

The writer written

as living period

and history at which

from

that

actual

becomes vague, except for (5)

its

portrayal

of the imminent kingdom of God. characteristicand animals,

The use of symbolism is a furtherreference to visions.

implied

by theby

previous

The metals

employed

1.

Ladd,

Jesus,

75.

D. S. Russell, The Method and Message of Jewish See Ladd, Jesus 75f; 2. (London, 1964), 104-140. (Hereinafter Apocalyptic to as Apocalyptic. referred

)

22.

the

writer

of Daniel

to

represent

empires,

is

the

classic

example.

When we turn literaturefollowing the to present come.

our attention

from the characteristics eschatology

of apocalyptic 1 the

to those of the apocalypticmust be included. age of suffering The future glory is (1)

found therein,which the for

That kind

of dualism with

contrasts age

and incompleteness promised

perfect all

as vindication

who now

are unjustly future

ravaged.

(2)

A nonprophetic

concept of history.

The

is relatedsleep

to the presentwill "awake"

only by way of contrast.with dramatic the suddenness

The God whoto turn is the

now seems to tide of

earthly point.

existence. It stands

Once more, nearer to

book of Daniel with

atypical

at this

the prophets,

considerable

affinitybetween

to Wisdom literature,apocalyptic and prophetic

and thus indicatesliterature is

thatnot

a sharp divisionpossible.

always

(3)

Pessimism and determinism. course to a predetermined(4) restricted

This age Frith its end. Ethical

cast of evil oftenusually

must growscosmic 2

run itsfrom in

passivityis

such a viewpoint. rather than

Apocalyptic to Israel

eschatology

scope,

or neighbouring

powers.

should be stressed literary where the special 1. 2.

It

that apocalyptic form is absent.

eschatology

may exist

even

"The apocalyptic Ladd summarizes: eschatology can be understood as development is a historical of the prophetic eschatology as the latter the background interpreted against of the historical evils of the postBoth prophetic Maccabean times. eschatology can conceive and apocalyptic of the Kingdom only by an inbreaking of God; both of the establishment

In both, the Kingdom will be a new and transcatastrophic. are essentially The apocalyptic formed order, redeemed from all corruption and evil. dualism results from a sharpening of concepts found in the prophets.has lost the dynamic concept of God apocalyptic eschatology in history. The apocalyptists, to active who is redemptively contrary despaired feeling that it was completely the prophets, dominof history, Hope was reposed only in the future. The harsh experiences ated by evil. B. C. left the apocalyptists of the last two centuries pessimistic of any in history. God would visit his people to deliver divine them visitation " Jesus, 97. from evil only at the end of history. "However,

23.

G. E. Ladd,

D. S. Russell,

and H. H. Rowley are

agreed

on the main

characteristicsthrough type his

of apocalyptic,own recognition and a kind

except thatdistinction

Rowley does not always carrybetween apocalyptic as a

of the of

of literature

eschatology.

Is Mark 13 an Apocalypse? Unfortunately C. C. Torrey did, few commentators and with some acidity query the term "apocalypse".

wrote

as follows:

N. P. Williams, in Oxford Studies in the Synoptic Problem, "I cannot feel that the theory which sees in p. 416, concludes: Mk. xiii Apocalypse. a Jewish or Jewish Christian rests upon .. " He adds, however: "It cannot of course any sure foundations. be denied that Mark xiii is thoroughly in tone and apocalyptic the conventional colour, reproducing signs of the end which were " literature. commonplaces of the current eschatological last quotation of termingives the key to current error in its assumption that "eschatological" ology, and "apocalyptic" The distinct. synonymous terms, whereas in fact they are quite confusion of the two in the present misleading case is especially and mischievous. The term "apocalypse" has long been employed to designate a The definite type of literature, late Jewish or early Christian. class possess certain of this writings which are characteristics distinct to justify the classification. The Greek sufficiently " disclosure, word meaning "revelation, unveiling, , _crroic&Aubic in itself is and the like, vague and capable of a great variety of the literary term, on the contrary, has its own restricted use; from the outstanding in features sense, derived uniformly present the typical literature. The "apocalypse" examples of this peculiar is a direct truth hitherto revelation of divine unknown, or of future events or conditions not capable of merely human prediction, disclosed by God to some one of his favored This servants. is given in the form of a vision unveiling of secrets or a dream; it could not be given in any other way. The recipient, in his condition, ecstatic may hear the voice of the Most High himself, the disclosure but far oftener is made as in 2 Esdras, chap. 14; through the instrumentality By the scene itself, of angels. or by some strange there is created accessories, an atmosphere of No apocalypse, Jewish or Christian, mystery and of the unseen world. 1 is without these features. This

are

Torrey further

affirms

that

when a-writer

proceeds to foretell

the

1.

Torrey,

Documents,

14-15.

24.

future,

particularly

naming the

signs

which

are to mark the specially

end of this not, if the

age he does not "signs" for the given study are

become an apocalyptiat "an old story". 24-2? ' , This

thereby; remark

has particular of all the

relevance chapter,

of verses

of Mark 13 which,

seems closest

to apocalyptic.

The applicationvv. 5-27) by a large

of the term "apocalypse"number of commentators

to Mark 13 (particularlyeither that

may suggest

exegesisfuzziness thought, latitude,

of thisand the or that

chaptertendency the term

has long been characterizedto parrot "apocalypse" preceding is being writers

by a considerablewithout independent

used with

considerable eschatology. and apocprophecy of apocalyptic

and in the Closely

sense of literature with the matter relationship

containing of defining existing

apocalyptic eschatology between

connected question

alyptic

is

the

of the

and apocalyptic.

What has been said

of the

characteristics

is here pertinent.the is two types

We ought not to set forth-prophetic

a complete contrast

between

of eschatology frequently presentation a minus the quality

and apocalyptic. of elements

Apocalyptic already present differprophecy

a development,

an exaggeration, of the rather future. than

in the prophetic ence is teaches rather often that than

The characteristic a plus. Old Testament in by divine 2 and it

Kingdom the

of God will natural

be ushered

intervention is this

through

processes

of history,

Torrey sees verse 14a as apocalyptic, 1. Ladd affirms: "The Olivet On this topic

but also Discourse

insertion. as a later is not apocalyptic

it lays no claim to heavenly makes no use of pseudonymity; in the guise of prophor visions; revelations nor does it rewrite history It pictures Jesus taking his stand among his contemporaries and ecy. It is distinctly speaking to them about the future as the prophets did. in form. " Jesus, 312. rather than apocalyptic prophetic 2. Isa. 24-27; Amos 5: 18-20; 8: 7-9; 7: 4.

in form.

It

25.

viewpoint

which

is

indispensable

to apocalyptic

eschatology.

Jesus

shared thisapocalyptic

outlook,elements

unless we assume with Vincenthave been inserted church. ' Nevertheless, history, into Christ's Christ

Taylor

et al.

thatby an of apocto the

teachings not partake closer

apocalyptic-minded alyptic prophets. 2. The Origin pessimism

did

regarding

and herein

He stood

of the

"Olivet

Discourse".

a.

Place of Apocalypticof a century To start of

in the teachingsexegesis with, the

of Christpendulum and

A review tendency

on Mark 13 shows the prim Victorian

operating.

era in Eagland,

the Continentview apocalyptic

with

its

optimisticwith

sisteranything

Weltanschauung,other than

could noteyebrows.

eschatology affirmed:

raised

An age which

boldly

God's in His heaven, And all's right with the worldcould see little meaning in apocalyptic Jesus nightmares. his Then came Albert understanding The result of the was Christ

Schweitzer Sitz

interpreting of Palestine

in harmony with first century.

imLeben

in the

as an apocalypticworld. later it

deluded figure,did not

obsessed with

the imminent end of thepoint. Thirty years

The pendulum was being

cease to move at this contended that the idea

strongly

of a parousia

preceded by signs had been wrongly an apocalyptically-minded church,

distilled contrary

from Christ's to Christ's

teachings

by

personal

beliefs.

1.the

Vincent

Taylor

suggests that

the "apocalyptic

(644) speaks of the "glittering Jesus Mark 516). The same writer mind of C, J, Christ. robe" needing to be detached from the shoulders apocalyptic of Cadoux, F. C. Grant, A. T. Olmstead, Leroy Waterman, J. W. Bowman and others contend that the apocalyptic elements of the gospels are either See section of apostolic misunderstanding. mere imagery or the result 2a. following.

outlook"

is foreign

to

26.

The Eschaton had already Thus the viewpointand moderns the theological to the

come in Christ,

and that

' was that. likethe

changed as personalitieseach to

Harnack, Schweitzer,other and dominated Thus the

such as C. H. Dodd gave place scene, at least "did in certain hold

geographical apocalyptic

areas. views? " "No",

in answer answer "Yes",

question: (Harneck); 2 ...

Jesus "Yes",

comes "No", (Bultmann);

(Schweitzer); according

(Dodd); answers

and so on,

to which

scholar

the question. be clothed,chameleon. not the least

The Spirit

of the Age is at fault, particularfor

and if

spirits

could asand

the dress of thisMore ways than persuasive for the is

one would best be describedeviscerating that Christ's and it apocalyptic, mythological is His 3

one exist the

suggestion

expectations existential

future

are merely

incidental,

timeless

demand that

should

be recognized

and proclaimed.

We need remindingThe cake refused to

still

thatpresent

we cannot have the same thingwith us, though eaten.

both ways.

remain

Thus while

H. B. Sharman, Son of Man and 1. For example, F. C. Grant, Gospel; Kingdom of God (London, 1943); A. T. Olmstead, Jesus in the Light of (New York, 1942); History T. W. Manson, The and to a lesser extent, 1945), 260-263. Teaching of Jesus (Cambridge, "We need only remember that eschatological Bultmann says: 2. expectation is not necessarily in itself to repentance associated with the call and of the will with the preaching of God. It can be combined just as well fantasies of future with economic ideals with wishful glory, and hopes, Jewish apocalyptic of revenge and pictures of hell. with thoughts as of eschatology elsewhere offers well as the history abundant proof of It still this. needs to be explained why such ideas are not found with Jesus and why, on the contrary, with him the demand for obedience goes hand in hand wiyh the proclaiming of the future age. " Jesus and the Word, (E. T., London, 1958), 93-94. But this comment is not to be understood that Jesus was an apocalyptic opinion as denying Bultmann's prophet. Elsewhere he acknowledges Christ's terminology, but insists use of apocalyptic that for us its meaning is existential. See his Theology of the New (2 vole;, E. T., London, 1951), I, 23. Testament as Streeter reminds us, "Jewish Apocalyptic, Synoptic thing", Problem, modern eyes, was no ignoble 3. Yet, albeit 434. bizarre to

27.

some would insist us that authenticemporaries. Gospels if

that

Christ

cherished

apocalyptic

concepts by reminding assure us that His contthe

He must have been a child logia are recognizable

of His time, only if

others

dissimilarwith the that

to those of hisfacts will presented be accurate We are of the reminded in

We shall we wish to

have to be content arrive

at a conclusion

still of soon be

When cosmologies Dean Inge's saying

and Weltanschauungen that "he who marries

change again. the Spirit

Age will

a widower. 111 Attitudes but this

to eschatology us either.the words

have had some revision

since 19452

should not influenceus that

Plummer reminds as good a claim to

ascribed elsewhere

to Jesus in the

in Mark 13 have Gospels which

authenticity

as those

are accepted by most.Secondly, Testament concepts foreign it

3be recognised acceptance There is that Christ's attitude to the Old

should His

presupposes reflected to

of the prophetic nothing

and apocalyptic would seem

there.

in Mark 13 that well. scattered of the

one who knew the the Gospels ideas

Old Testament

Thirdly, the Synoptic

present

in Mask 13 are also other than the records

throughout Olivet discourse.

in places

Any criticism

which seeks to eradicate

all

these is questionable.

4

See

1. 2.

See also J.

C. S. Lewis,

;

Transposition End

and Other

Addresses 19-21.

(London,

1949),

51.

A. T. Robinson,

In the

God (London,

21968),

3.4.

A. Plummer, St Matthew (London, 1909),A. B. Bruce in his discussion

328.

"At this point the of Mark 13 says: to the evangelist, was one of the subjects which, according Qia 1Tocpou becomes the theme of discourse. information, desired the disciples on which to wish is so perplexing What is said thereon as to tempt a modern expositor to critical to elimit had not been there, or to have recourse expedients But nothing it from the text. inate would be gained by that unless we got to the same time, of other sayings of kindred character ascribed at rid, And there seems to be no reason to doubt that some Jesus in the Gospels.

28.

Luke 11: 49-51; Mt. 7: 22;

13: 23,27,35;

17: 23-37;

18: 8;

19: 15,43;

20: 16;

10: 23; 19: 28; 21: 44;

22: 7; 25: 31; 26: 64; 1k. 14: 25,62;

9: 1; 8: 38; 12: 24f.Possibly Sanday, five the main scandal years after the of apocalyptic is that referred book. to by

appearance

of Schweitzer's

The great point about Apocalyptic, and the great value of its to us at the present day, is that it postulates recognition throughout a real manifestation of God upon earth, and not merely a teacher more eminent than the rest .1 Sanday also apocalyptic Gospels commented: is, that that it "another is is true, really great point about. the it insistence finds read into upon in the them

by which there,

I mean that merely

something

and not

from the outside. "2 Sanday, of course, form-criticism essence his made such comments without now offer. Taking intoleft are the or the with result influence

the insights Nevertheless,

that in

and redaction-criticism remarks remain relevant.we are Gospel still

account form-criticismthe choice between influence teachings of of

and redaction-criticism, believing the church that the

accounts teachings

of the

upon Christ's

of the

discourse, such utterance would form a part of the eschatological even if the disciples did not ask instruction The revelation on the subject. led up to it, as to the last days of Israel naturally and the best clue to the meaning of the Parusia-lotion to may be to regard it as a-pendant " "The Synoptic that revelation. Gospels", in The Expositor's Greek Test(4 vols., London, 1897), I, 294. We ment, ed. W. Robertson Nicoll should also keep in mind that the essential content of Nk. 13 is present ". the material in Jn. 14-17. even in the fourth gospel. provides . . .. ", Lloyd Gaston, No Stone on to every verse in Mark 13. parallels . . Another - Studies in the Significance in the of the Fall of Jerusalem (Leiden, Gospels, Supplement to Novum Testamentum XXIII Synoptic 19'0), (Hereinafter 60. to as No Stone on Another. ) referred

1. "The Apocalyptic (1911-1912), 84.2. Ibid.

Element in the Gospels",

The Hibbert

Journal,

X

29"

Christ former.

upon the early

church.

The latter

seems at least

as likely

as the

Otto Piper has suggested itcommunity. is inevitably is rarely

is high time thatconcepts and rarely

we did away withusually arise

the myth of a creative in ". the this .. way. creative Genius

Epochal lonely

do not

corporate. "l Nevertheless, themes which is not

thinking

done by committees.

New Testament

presentation like.

of the Parousia There are

and kindred

as clear-cut

as some would

difficulties

need to

be acknowledged.and T. F. used the Glasson

Some scholarshave suggested

such as C. K. Barrett,that the it is unlikely

J. A. T. Robinson,that Jesus ever as

word Parousia,

or uttered

equivalent

of such expressions

"coming again".(2) and speaks were, His

Furthermore,as the

though Jesus foretoldis

(1) His resurrectionin which the He

advent

Son of Man, there

no saying

of both for Him,

together. the one.

Thus some have asked whether Streeter pointed out that

two events and Matthew

Q, Mark,

provide

an ascendingsayings. 2

scale

in their

tendency to intensifyinject his own second

Christ'sadvent belief

apocalyptic i+bere it

Did Matthew present?

was not While

originally

a good case can be made for wide to spectrum of evidence view.

the from

foregoing, the Gospels

the

evidence

earlier

given

of the

cannot to His confidently

be denied resurrect-

or accommodated ion or return

some other

Christ's

references his

represent

alternate

ways of denoting

expected vindication.

Very few scholars

indeed would question

such clear

1. 2.

C. H. Dodd, According Synoptic Problem,

to the Scriptures

(London, 1952),

109.

425-436.

30.

statements

as Luke 17: 26-30; Matthew 25: 31-45, it is the clearthe

or Mark 13: 32. thatis

Secondly,Christians that fact

evidence of historyof Christ. it, than to It

the earlyto fact explain away. 1

anticipated on the basis that

Parousia for

easier the

claimed if It

explain coming if

We must acknowledge aid not leave it for His Parousia.

Christ would

spoke

of His

death,

He probably death

there. the

be incredible said

Christ about and His

knew His His

was necessary Parousia. and implies of the His

kingdom, implied

and yet His

nothing

resurrection

death

resurrection, of thought all

resurrection one

This

sequence

makes comprehensible four Gospels stand in

key claims

by Christ made

on which

complete agreement:b. The "Little

that

2 He was the Son of Man, the Judge and Saviour.

Apocalypse" consideration of the diverse attitudes taken by

The preceding

exegetes to the eschatologicalGospels may suggest criticism" the chief

and apocalypticreason that for that

concepts found in the"sententia its recepta heart a of

of synoptic

(Aioffatt)3

Mark 13 has at

The Christian See J. E. Fison, Hope (London, 1954), 145-195. Even 1. "The Streeter, the "extreme eschatological arguing against says: school" however, must not be pushed to the length eliminating of entirely argument, it the apocalyptic teaching element from the authentic of our Lord. ... is too great a paradox- , to maintain in the belief that what was so central in germ, in what the Master of the primitive church was not present, at least Problem, taught. " Synoptic 433.

Bruce Vawter rightly in the sense that yptist 2.

"Jesus could not be called an apocalreminds us: just as apocalyptic dominated all his thinking,

he could not be called But a legalist merely because he upheld the Law. had a part in his teaching apocalyptic even as did historical and realized It is part of the religion Remove it, eschatology. of Christianity. New Testament concepts of prophetic and the vital witness and sacrifice Apocalyptic that this world is under are removed along with it. affirms judgment. Remove it, and the city of man becomes the city of God by its wishing is reduced to a so, while the transforming word of Christ asocial The Four Gospels (Dublin, 1967), 325. While other forms gospel's". literature that the world is under judgment, it is the affirm of biblical divine intervention of catastrophic which gives pungency to prospect

31.

borrowed Jewish apocalypse is a matter of historical

rather fact that

than authentic the hypothesis rather

logia

of Christ.

It

originated than exegesis.Work, he did

and gained 'Christ

ready acceptance as a resultWhen Timothy et les croyances Colani

of prejudicehis

wrote

most influential

Jesus so with

messianigues

de son Temps (1864),

obvious apologeticarticles published

intent.over

Previouslya two year

he had writtencriticizing

a seriesthe work

ofof Colani from with Jewish

period,

Renan who had pictured laboured the to eradicate of Christ.

Christ all

as a puritanical

apocalypticist. and eschatology indoctrinated

evidences

of messianism already

teachings

The disciples,

eschatology, itreal

were the real

culprits,

Colani pointed

out.

As for Mark 13,

was obvious thatanswer to the

verses5-31question

were an interpolationdisciples regarding

inasmuch as thethe temple was

of the

found in v. 32.

Of course,

"If

any and every passage which can be excised an obviousthere is

from a document withoutbe pronounced But, the

leaving

gap is therefore

liable

to. .! is i1 less

an interpolation,

an end of sane criticism. Apocalypse the last stage hypothesis

as Beasley-Murray product

has shown, criticism

"The Little than

of an impartial

of a developing

emotionaltheless,

reactionbecause

to a theologicalColani's theory

problem posed by agnostics.offered a welcome option it for

i2those

Never-

embarrassed

by the

apocalyptic

eschatology

of Mark 13,

found

a ready,

even non-critical,

acceptance.

F. W. Beare spoke for-many

when he said

warnings3. optic

which otherwise

could be easilytheory

shrugged away."one of the curiosa of syn-

But Torrey criticisms

to call the prefers Documents, 13.

1. 2.

Ibid.,

16. of the Little Apocalypse Theory, " 346.

"The Rise and Fall

32.

that

the controversial

chapter literature

"consists

of conventional

commonplaces of to

of Jewish apocalypticthe mind of Jesus* I" Although A. Plummer, J. Schmid,

which can certainly

not be ascribed

such scholars

as F. J. A. Sort,

J.

Weiss,

G. Milligan, E. Lohmeyer, have Stephen in German

S. R. Driver, L. Hartman, the "fly-leaf" enough to

C. H. Dodd, E. Haenchen, Vincent Taylor,

G. W. S{Linel,

and G. R. Beasley-Murray untenable, it curious lingers features on.

pronounced Neill is

hypothesis say that

bold

"one of the

theologybegan its north

is thathaunting

no ghost is ever laid. "2in France, adopted the

While this

particular

"ghost"to the thereby to

more theologically-minded with the

country conferring the latest

soon became its

home, coincident Rudolph of

of an ideological rally this particular

immortality. wraith

Pesch3 is

perhaps

Gospel-criticism.

Lars Hartman, in his study of Mark 13p views the "fly-leaf"as an anachronism, years have either 4 and a large number of major it. treatment theory. 5 commentaries in

theoryrecent

questioned which

or rejected contains the "Little

The only subject, Murray

volume

an exhaustive Apocalypse" of note which

of the Beasley-

pronounces set himself

against to read

everything a century.

had been written every subsequent

on Mark 13 for

approximately

Practically

treatment studies

of Mark 13 alludes such treatments,

to the work of Beasley-hirray, is forced

but as one the

the conclusion

upon one that

1.

The Earliest

Records

of Jesus

(Oxford,

1962),

216.

2.3. 4.

Interpretation,Naherwartungen, Prophecy, 207n.

58.225. 5. Beasley Murray, Jesus.

33.

authors Suhlt

who cite refers

Beasley-Murray

have not always read him closely. but his comments on the "kleine (though a cautiousclosely, writing

to Beasley Afurray

jdischeindicate still after

Apocalypse"that

and his use of H8lscherhas not Dr.

one)he

he either disagrees.

read Beasley-Murray Nikolaus H8lscher suggests Walter, repeatedly one thirty

or that

basically

thirteen to

years the than in retain

Beasley-Murray, about does. ten It Future is

mentions times,

and refers years

"fly-leaf" H81scher Jesus

2 but

later read

difficult the analysis

to understand of H81scher's

how one could article,

and the

and yet

any confidence

in H8lscher'sthe

position.situation found is similar recent to that on the Continent,

Here in England, if the conflicting 3

statements

in the

Peake can be considered

typical.

1.2.

Suhl,

Alttestamentlichen

Zitate,

3n., 19.Apokalypse", ZNW, LVII (1966), 43-45.

"Tempelzerst8rung

und synoptische

Matthew Black, the Olivet discourse The editor, 3. authentic, considers "Since 1864 it has been generally but note: agreed that the discourse, to Jesus in this Gospel, is composite, the longest and the attributed has been widely that it is based on a 'little theory apocalypse' (see Beasley-Murray, (1954); Jesus and the Future also accepted 853ff. ); IB, vii, but Turner justly 498f., Grant, Taylor, remarks 'It is quite impossible that the anticipation to believe of the triumphant Christian could have had such firm hold on, the first of Christ return if it had not had deep roots in our Lord's own teaching'. generation,

More recently Taylor (636f. ) has urged on the basis of a detailed that 'the Evangelist has combined several groups of sayings, analysis elements, and has not simply edited a of which contained apocalyptic (but cf. Beasley-Murray, 106ff. ). " Jewish-Christian apocalypse'

some

(London, 1962), "Mark", Peake's Commentary on the Bible R. McL. Wilson, (section "That Jesus at this point delivered 709a). an apocalyptic is entirely but it should perhaps be noted, discourse credible. . .. that composition of the discourse as a whole by with Beasley-Murray, the authenticity Mark does not preclude of the sayings of which it is "It is impossible, " Ibid., 814, (section 709g). however to composed. take this for our Lord's and its parallels as the criterion chapter To begin with, topic. teaching probably on this most scholars would 'Little it a sententia Apocalypse' is a product accepts that this rate

813,

34.

Regarding Beasley-Nurray's

work one may say, in considering by scholarship, that his

its

reviews and the subsequent use made of it