Ezra apocalypse

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The Greek Esra Apocalypse is an ancient script of Jewish or Christian origin. Today it is only contained in the Ethiopian Bible as canonical script.

Manuscripts

The Greek Esra apocalypse is known in two manuscripts: Manuscript Paris gr. 929 from the 15th century formed the basis for the edition by Konstantin von Tischendorf. However, the text of this manuscript is corrupted in many places, so that numerous conjectures are necessary. The new edition of the text by Otto Wahl also takes into account the manuscript Paris gr. 390 .

content

The Ezra Apocalypse is about a journey Ezra, who is called the prophet and lover of God, through heaven and underworld. Seized by the suffering of sinners and their punishments, Ezra starts a legal battle with God for his mercy. The question of God's righteousness develops into the basic theme of Scripture.

In addition, however, the Ezra Apocalypse contains sections that leave the main topic and are merely descriptions of the eschatological labor pains (III, 11–15) and the underworld and the punishment of sinners in it (IV, 5 – V, 5). The theodicy question plays no part in them. However, these sections are recognizable as additions to an original font, both on the basis of content-related and linguistic-formal criteria. In these additions the Christian character of the scripture emerges clearly; B. in reference to Herod's child murder in Bethlehem in IV, 12. Further Christian glosses concern the mention of Paul and John (I, 19) as well as of Peter, Paul, Luke and Matthew (V, 22).

Towards the end of the work, the angels reclaim Ezra's soul. However, the latter refuses to die. After all, God himself tells Ezra to die. After a brief dispute and God's promise to remember Ezra's intercession for the readers of the book, Ezra gives up his ghost.

Relations with Other Scriptures

The Ezra apocalypse is closest to the 4th book of Ezra . In both scriptures, Ezra argues with God about the meaning of creation: If sinners are already handed over to judgment, in which they cannot exist, what are they created for? Esra's function in both cases is to intercede for sinners. However, a direct literary dependency can hardly be proven, even if the Esra Apocalypse was probably based on 4th Esra. The subject of the legal dispute with God about his justice already has its biblical parallel in the Book of Job .

There are still great similarities to the Apocalypse of Sedrach. Here, too, it is unclear whether and to what extent both writings are literarily dependent on each other or go back to a common source.

The Christian addition IV, 5 – V, 5 described above is similar in the description of the Antichrist to another Christian script from the 5th century, which bears the title Apocalypse of John .

Origin and age

Even if some passages can be clearly identified as later additions of Christian origin, the reconstruction of a Jewish basic text remains fraught with difficulties. For an originally Jewish origin of the script u. a. Ulrich B. Müller, while numerous other authors already consider the basic script to be Christian. Such a basic Jewish script could not be assumed until the 2nd century at the earliest, the larger Christian revisions hardly before the 5th century.

literature

  • Albert-Marie Denis: Introduction aux pseudépigraphes grecs d'Ancien Testament. Studia in Veteris Testamenti Pseudepigrapha 1. Leiden 1970, pp. 91-96.
  • Ulrich B. Müller: The Greek Esra Apocalypse. In: Werner Georg Kümmel u. a. (Ed.): Jewish writings from the Hellenistic-Roman period. Volume V: Apocalypses. Gütersloh 1976, pp. 85-104.
  • Paul Rießler: Old Jewish literature outside the Bible. Heidelberg 1928, pp. 126-137.
  • Otto Wahl (ed.): Apocalypsis Esdrae. Pseudepigrapha Veteris Testamenti Graece 4. Leiden 1977.

Web links

Wikisource: The translation of Paul Rießler  - sources and full texts

Remarks

  1. ↑ Konstantin von Tischendorf: Apocalypses apocryphae. Leipzig 1866, pp. 24-33. [Reprint Hildesheim 1966]
  2. ↑ Otto Wahl (ed.): Apocalypsis Esdrae. Pseudepigrapha Veteris Testamenti Graece 4. Leiden 1977.
  3. ↑ See Ulrich B. Müller: Esra-Apokalypse , p. 87.
  4. ↑ Cf. Otto Wahl: Apocalypsis Sedrach. In: Apocalypsis Esdrae. Pseudepigrapha Veteris Testamenti Graece 4. Leiden 1977.
  5. ↑ Konstantin von Tischendorf: Apocalypses apocryphae. Leipzig 1866, pp. 70-94.
  6. ↑ Further information from Ulrich B. Müller: Esra-Apokalypse , p. 88, especially note 12.