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The Second Apocalypse of John [1] is a pseudepigraphal Greek Christian text sometimes classified as among the New Testament apocrypha. It is falsely attributed to John of Patmos. Its date is uncertain and has been placed as early as the late fourth century and as late as the mid-ninth.
In form, the Second Apocalypse appears to have been influenced by the Questions and Answers of Ephraim the Syrian (died 373). An early date for its composition puts it in the late fourth or early fifth century. [2] François Nau dated it no later than the early eighth century on the grounds that it appeared unaffected either by the rise of Islam in the seventh century or by Byzantine iconoclasm in the next. He thought it was written in Cyprus. Alice Whealey, however, argues that there are signs the author was writing with Muslims and iconoclasts in mind, which would place its composition during the iconoclast period (726–843). [3] She argues that it was written in a place that experienced Islamic rule or at least attack (such as Cyprus). [4] Tony Burke places its composition in 4th-century Roman Syria. [5]
The earliest reference to the Second Apocalypse is found in a mid-ninth century scholion on Dionysius Thrax. It must have been written before this date. [3] The scholiast, while clarifying that the Apocalypse of Paul was named for Paul of Samosata, notes that the apocalyptic text "called the Apocalypse of the Theologian" (i.e., the Second Apocalypse) was not in fact "of the one in the island of Patmos, God forbid, for that one [the Book of Revelation ] is supremely true; but of a pseudonymous and spurious one". [6]
The Second Apocalypse is pseudonymous, being falsely attributed to John of Patmos. For convenience, its anonymous author is sometimes called Pseudo-John of Patmos. [7] On the basis of style, Nau identified the author of the Second Apocalypse as the same person who wrote what he called the Second Apocryphal Greek Apocalypse of Saint John, which is not an apocalypse but a collection of canons. [3] It too is falsely attributed to John of Patmos. It consists of a series of answers given by Jesus to questions posed by John on matters of Christian ethics and rites. [7]
The Second Apocalypse is a series of questions by John about the end times with answers by Jesus. [7] It may have been written as a supplement to John of Patmos' Book of Revelation. It contains details about the physical appearance of the Beast and life on the New Earth. [8] [5] Its language and choice of imagery is distinctly rural. [9] A date of composition after the early Muslim conquests of the seventh century has been invoked to explain the text's concern with the preservation of icons, crosses and bibles—all of which Jesus says he will bring up to Heaven before destroying the Earth. A reference to Christian emperors being driven like slaves and wailing like infants may reflect the author's disgust with their support of iconoclasm. [10]
There will be "no risk of racial discrimination in Heaven", according to John Court, but no bodily resurrection either, according to the following passage: [11]
Just as the bees do not differ one from another, but are all of the same appearance and size, so every human being will be at the resurrection. Not fair-skinned, nor red-skin, nor black, not Ethiopian nor different facial features, but all will rise with the same appearance and size. The whole human species will rise bodiless. [9]
John Court, accepting an early date for the Second Apocalypse, identifies it as part of a "Johannine apocalyptic tradition", which also includes the Apocalypse of John Chrysostom , the Third Apocalypse of John and the Coptic Apocalypse of John . [12] On the basis of her later dating, Whealey questions the validity of this classification. Nevertheless, the work is often classified as among the New Testament apocrypha. [4]
The first edition of the text by Andreas Birch was printed in 1804 and based on two Greek copies. Constantin von Tischendorf published a new edition in 1866 using five more Greek manuscripts. Most manuscripts are late and show progressive elaboration. The most reliable text, therefore, is probably the least elaborate. [6]
The Second Apocalypse was early translated into Arabic. At least three Garshuni copies were known to Giuseppe Simone Assemani, indicating that the text was popular in Syriac circles. [13] [6] There is an English translation by Court. [14]
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Apocrypha are biblical or related writings not forming part of the accepted canon of Scripture. While some might be of doubtful authorship or authenticity, in Christianity, the word apocryphal (ἀπόκρυφος) was first applied to writings which were to be read privately rather than in the public context of church services. Apocrypha were edifying Christian works that were not considered canonical scripture. It was not until well after the Protestant Reformation that the word apocrypha was used by some ecclesiastics to mean "false," "spurious," "bad," or "heretical."
The Book of Daniel is a biblical apocalypse authored during the 2nd century BC, and set during the 6th century BC. The work describes "the activities and visions of Daniel, a noble Jew exiled at Babylon"; in doing so, it interpolates a portrayal of a historical prophecy being fulfilled with a prediction of future cosmic and political upheaval. This eschatology ultimately affirms that the God of Israel's previous deliverance of Daniel from his enemies prefigures his future deliverance of the people of Israel from their present oppression.
The Book of Revelation or Book of the Apocalypse is the final book of the New Testament. Written in Koine Greek, its title is derived from the first word of the text: apokalypsis, meaning 'unveiling' or 'revelation'. The Book of Revelation is the only apocalyptic book in the New Testament canon. It occupies a central place in Christian eschatology.
John the Evangelist is the name traditionally given to the author of the Gospel of John. Christians have traditionally identified him with John the Apostle, John of Patmos, and John the Presbyter, although this has been disputed by most modern scholars.
John the Apostle, also known as Saint John the Beloved and, in Eastern Orthodox Christianity, Saint John the Theologian, was one of the Twelve Apostles of Jesus according to the New Testament. Generally listed as the youngest apostle, he was the son of Zebedee and Salome. His brother James was another of the Twelve Apostles. The Church Fathers identify him as John the Evangelist, John of Patmos, John the Elder, and the Beloved Disciple, and testify that he outlived the remaining apostles and was the only one to die of natural causes, although modern scholars are divided on the veracity of these claims.
Apocalypse is a literary genre in which a supernatural being reveals cosmic mysteries or the future to a human intermediary. The means of mediation include dreams, visions and heavenly journeys, and they typically feature symbolic imagery drawn from the Hebrew Bible, cosmological and (pessimistic) historical surveys, the division of time into periods, esoteric numerology, and claims of ecstasy and inspiration. Almost all are written under pseudonyms, claiming as author a venerated hero from previous centuries, as with the Book of Daniel, composed during the 2nd century BC but bearing the name of the legendary Daniel.
The oldest surviving Hebrew Bible manuscripts, the Dead Sea Scrolls, date to c. the 2nd century BCE. Some of these scrolls are presently stored at the Shrine of the Book in Jerusalem. The oldest text of the entire Bible, including the New Testament, is the Codex Sinaiticus dating from the 4th century CE, with its Old Testament a copy of a Greek translation known as the Septuagint. The oldest extant manuscripts of the vocalized Masoretic Text date to the 9th century CE. With the exception of a few biblical sections in the Nevi'im, virtually no biblical text is contemporaneous with the events it describes.
Pseudepigrapha are falsely attributed works, texts whose claimed author is not the true author, or a work whose real author attributed it to a figure of the past. The name of the author to whom the work is falsely attributed is often prefixed with the particle "pseudo-", such as for example "pseudo-Aristotle" or "pseudo-Dionysius": these terms refer to the anonymous authors of works falsely attributed to Aristotle and Dionysius the Areopagite, respectively.
The New Testament apocrypha are a number of writings by early Christians that give accounts of Jesus and his teachings, the nature of God, or the teachings of his apostles and of their lives. Some of these writings were cited as scripture by early Christians, but since the fifth century a widespread consensus has emerged limiting the New Testament to the 27 books of the modern canon. Roman Catholic, Eastern Orthodox, and Protestant churches generally do not view the New Testament apocrypha as part of the Bible.
The Apocalypse of Thomas is a work from the New Testament apocrypha, apparently composed originally in Greek. It concerns the end of the world, and appears to be influenced by the Apocalypse of John, although it is written in a less mystical and cosmic manner. The Apocalypse of Thomas is the inspiration for the popular medieval millennial list Fifteen Signs before Doomsday.
The Epistle of the Apostles is a work of New Testament apocrypha. Despite its name, it is more a gospel or an apocalypse than an epistle. The work takes the form of an open letter purportedly from the remaining eleven apostles describing key events of the life of Jesus, followed by a dialogue between the resurrected Jesus and the apostles where Jesus reveals apocalyptic secrets of reality and the future. It is 51 chapters long. The epistle was likely written in the 2nd century CE in Koine Greek, but was lost for many centuries. A partial Coptic language manuscript was discovered in 1895, a more complete Ethiopic language manuscript was published in 1913, and a full Coptic-Ethiopic-German edition was published in 1919.
Daniel 2 tells how Daniel related and interpreted a dream of Nebuchadnezzar II, king of Babylon. In his night dream, the king saw a gigantic statue made of four metals, from its head of gold to its feet of mingled iron and clay; as he watched, a stone "not cut by human hands" destroyed the statue and became a mountain filling the whole world. Daniel explained to the king that the statue represented four successive kingdoms beginning with Babylon, while the stone and mountain signified a kingdom established by God which would never be destroyed nor given to another people. Nebuchadnezzar then acknowledges the supremacy of Daniel's God and raises him to high office in Babylon.
Daniel 7 tells of Daniel's vision of four world-kingdoms replaced by the kingdom of the saints or "holy ones" of the Most High, which will endure for ever. Four beasts come out of the sea, the Ancient of Days sits in judgment over them, and "one like a son of man" is given eternal kingship. An angelic guide interprets the beasts as kingdoms and kings, the last of whom will make war on the "holy ones" of God, but they will be destroyed and the "holy ones" will be given eternal dominion and power.
The Monastery of Saint John the Theologian is a Greek Orthodox monastery founded in 1088 in Chora on the island of Patmos. It is named after St. John of Patmos, the author of the Christian Book of Revelation who, according to the text, lived on the island when visions of the apocalypse came to him. Since its founding, the monastery has been a pilgrimage site and a place of Greek Orthodox learning and worship. The monastery is unique in that it integrated from its founding the surrounding community of Chora, which was built around its fortifications. Religious ceremonies that date back to the early Christian period are still practiced within the monastery today. Because of its sacred significance, uninterrupted architectural evolution, and the exceptional preservation of early Christian customs, the monastery was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1999, along with the town of Chora and the nearby Cave of the Apocalypse.
The name John is prominent in the New Testament and occurs numerous times. Among Jews of this period, the name was one of the most popular, borne by about five percent of men. Thus, it has long been debated which Johns are to be identified with which.
Infancy gospels are a genre of religious texts that arose in the 2nd century. They are part of New Testament apocrypha, and provide accounts of the birth and early life of Jesus. The texts are of various and uncertain origin, and are generally non-canonical in major modern branches of Christianity. They include the Gospel of James, which introduces the concept of the Perpetual Virginity of Mary, and the Infancy Gospel of Thomas, both of which cover many miraculous incidents from the life of Mary and the childhood of Jesus that are not included in the canonical gospels. Although the Life of John the Baptist focuses on John the Baptist rather than Jesus or his immediate family, it is also included in the genre as its events would be contemporary with Jesus's early life.
Daniel 1 tells how Daniel and his three companions were among captives taken by Nebuchadnezzar II from Jerusalem to Babylon to be trained in Babylonian wisdom. There they refused to take food and wine from the king and were given knowledge and insight into dreams and visions by God, and at the end of their training they proved ten times better than all the magicians and enchanters in the kingdom.
The Acts of John in Rome is a 4th-century Christian apocryphal text that presents stories about the Apostle John. The text, written in Greek, is believed to be based on orally handed down stories about the works of John in Rome.
The Apocalypse of John Chrysostom, also called the Second Apocryphal Apocalypse of John, is a Christian text composed in Greek between the 6th and 8th centuries AD. Although the text is often called an apocalypse by analogy with the similarly structured First Apocryphal Apocalypse of John, the text is not a true apocalypse. In the manuscripts, it is called "a word of teaching" or "a treatise". It is usually classified as part of the New Testament apocrypha because it describes an apocryphal encounter between John of Patmos and Jesus. In a number of manuscripts, it is presented as a sermon of John Chrysostom, who, rather than the apostle, is Jesus's interlocutor.
The Investiture of Abbaton, the Enthronement of Abbaton, or the Encomium on Abbaton, is an apocalyptic, pseudepigraphical, and apocryphal text. It describes the creation of Adam by God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit; the fall of Satan; and the transformation of Muriel into Abbaton, the angel of death. The sole extant copy is dated to 981, and while its present version probably dates to the 700s, it may have an original from the 600s. It is purportedly written by Timothy of Alexandria.
