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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 AVAILABLE


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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

of Eschatology of the "Olivet Contradiction

19 25 50 55 60
Gospel,

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`lc


The Apocalypse and the Pau*a -rrs

5&AAu1Na
Pc, wa iC

217
277

Conclusion Select Bibliography

343 353

iv.

ABSTRACT

The present of the mysterious


in 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. shown
Paul'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 International
Commentary 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 puzzling


As such, for in its of setting

chapter

in the primary
it

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

reflects
of

not only two of the master teachings


Son of Man, but associated

of
themes

Kingdom

God and the

such as the Remnant, Antichrist, The


but

the Tribulation,

and the Parousia. allusion,


In

13&Auypa
repeatedly

-rsc

. HL'%3ocuws is not an isolated


in 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 Synoptic


and 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 freely


are

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

devastation
the

under the Babylonian


of the Maccabean crisis finally

woe, provided
era, that

the imagery for picturing


and 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 attack


plus the

upon the kingdom of God by its


vindication 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, exegetical
its

the significance issues associated

of the temple imagery with the destiny


symptoms 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.

with

critical

and exegetical

difficulties",

and because

its

unique

nature
redaction

has specially
critics, 2

challenged
another

source,

form,
is

(more recently) and


not without justification. 3

investigation

The approach here made is that


to understand the New Testament

of Biblical

Realism,
the

"the

effort

writings

from within

mind of their

authors,
the biblical

to stand where the biblical


message into

writers

stood,

rather

than to force

modern thought

forms''4

We are not now concerned with the relevance


biblical world-view system or views. wherein Thus the

or irrelevance
of the

of the
universe

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 rest


for an early glance

of the chapter,
relating

in order to show the necessity


to 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. as
out

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 Verstndnis
Bedeutung. "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, involve


the

middle,

and we believe The chapter

the end,

of Mark 13 a reference
closes with

allusions
building

to the temple.
and its for the

opens with
and it

to

sacred

threatened coming

destruction, of the

warnings

to be ready

Son of Plan.

The scene

depicting

the latter

intimates
2

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 sufficed
its vision

remnant of Israel

was promised vindication. as Ezekiel


of soul

in the days of Antiochus


heavenly glory,

Epiphanes,
anguish

19 with
captives

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. presence
le 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".

1
pe-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 present


cKOOol)T ...

half

of the chapter section.


. pi

is

also shown by the literary


v. 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 with


Christ Xib IV itute

the

OXi is itself.
as coming 9-27,

occur again,

but in more scarlet

hue as

the persecution
is described .

They now work miraculous


JKEivocic 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 unified


as 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 chapter
also is

and later

portions

of the

by its
strongly is

reference
parenetic

to the temple and its


in 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 "Little


The 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

To
8.

The setting

of the Olivet
of

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 regarding


matters. evidence

in entirety.
cannot we will

Nevertheless,

conclusions
these

Mark 13: 14
Of 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 It


but

it

is,

that

the last with

item on the list

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

in dealing last
rarely,

the issues suggested,

has been placed


this one only

because the other matters


though it usually this the

are frequently
the

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 written


of

F. W. Farrar
exegesis different is a history

to prove that
black in and white favour

the history
really

of

error,

mean Dean

things,

then

the

statistics

of the

one-time

of Canterbury.
. Gospel it

H. Riesenfeld
is 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 theology


that 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 protestations


of Hegel's Stephen dialectical suggests

it

does seem
amidst

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's


Baur-like "brilliant scholar example can readily of a false forget method". the 2

delineation
beacon light

of Warburton as a
offered 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 history


and came to the On the

to Moore's statement, thought


' for

James Martin

set out to

of Protestant
same 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 become


Bibelerklrungen. to think is to done in ourselves

to such we are.
the Queen of the

It would seem that


sciences,

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 issue


opposed positions

is best illustrated
that some scholars "the almost the Olivet

by displaying
have held

the diametrically
the 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 referred
6. 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 penetrating


the writing

"No matter and critical

how original

a scholar's society
author

imagination,

no matter

his judgment,
lives than the

does far more of


himself. "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 that
works

writersl

claim so much for apocalyptic but reading


of the present in half Gerhard no satisfactory

and eschatology in modern


terms.

definitions

are essential,
because

on these topics
diverse

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 Christ


Existential of the is gospel,

at His first
eschatologr, is not under

is recogn.isedp advent
decision-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

reference
special

to two different
kind of eschatology

phenomena:
therein

a type of literature,
2 As a literary

and the
genre

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 normally
visions 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 interpreted


Similarly, 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. characteristic


and animals,

The use of symbolism is a further


reference to visions.

implied

by the
by

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 literature


following the to present come.

our attention

from the characteristics eschatology

of apocalyptic 1 the

to those of the apocalyptic


must 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 related
sleep

to the present
will "awake"

only by way of contrast.


with dramatic the suddenness

The God who


to 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

affinity
between

to Wisdom literature,
apocalyptic and prophetic

and thus indicates


literature is

that
not

a sharp division
possible.

always

(3)

Pessimism and determinism. course to a predetermined


(4) restricted

This age Frith its end. Ethical

cast of evil often


usually

must grows
cosmic 2

run its
from in

passivity
is

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

characteristics
through type his

of apocalyptic,
own recognition and a kind

except that
distinction

Rowley does not always carry


between 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 application
vv. 5-27) by a large

of the term "apocalypse"


number of commentators

to Mark 13 (particularly
either that

may suggest

exegesis
fuzziness thought, latitude,

of this
and the or that

chapter
tendency the term

has long been characterized


to parrot "apocalypse" preceding is being writers

by a considerable
without 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 this
apocalyptic

outlook,
elements

unless we assume with Vincent


have been inserted church. ' Nevertheless, history, into Christ's Christ

Taylor

et al.

that
by 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 Apocalyptic
of a century To start of

in the teachings
exegesis with, the

of Christ
pendulum and

A review tendency

on Mark 13 shows the prim Victorian

operating.

era in Eagland,

the Continent
view apocalyptic

with

its

optimistic
with

sister
anything

Weltanschauung,
other than

could not
eyebrows.

eschatology affirmed:

raised

An age which

boldly

God's in His heaven, And all's right with the world


could 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 apocalyptic
world. later it

deluded figure,
did not

obsessed with

the imminent end of the


point. 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 viewpoint


and moderns the theological to the

come in Christ,

and that

' was that. like


the

changed as personalities
each 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, particular


for

and if

spirits

could as
and

the dress of this


More ways than persuasive for the is

one would best be described


eviscerating 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 reminding
The cake refused to

still

that
present

we cannot have the same thing


with 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 authentic


emporaries. 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

dissimilar
with the that

to those of his
facts 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 influence


us 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

3
be 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.

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 into
left are the or the with result influence

the insights Nevertheless,

that in

and redaction-criticism remarks remain relevant.


we are Gospel still

account form-criticism
the 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,

29"

Christ former.

upon the early

church.

The latter

seems at least

as likely

as the

Otto Piper has suggested it


community. is inevitably is rarely

is high time that


concepts and rarely

we did away with


usually 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 scholars
have 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 foretold


is

(1) His resurrection


in 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 ascending
sayings. 2

scale

in their

tendency to intensify
inject his own second

Christ's
advent 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 clear


the

or Mark 13: 32. that


is

Secondly,
Christians that fact

evidence of history
of Christ. it, than to It

the early
to 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 eschatological


Gospels may suggest criticism" the chief

and apocalyptic
reason 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 result


When Timothy et les croyances Colani

of prejudice
his

wrote

most influential

Jesus so with

messianigues

de son Temps (1864),

obvious apologetic
articles published

intent.
over

Previously
a two year

he had written
criticizing

a series
the work

of
of 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, it
real

were the real

culprits,

Colani pointed

out.

As for Mark 13,

was obvious that


answer to the

verses5-31
question

were an interpolation
disciples regarding

inasmuch as the
the temple was

of the

found in v. 32.

Of course,

"If

any and every passage which can be excised an obvious


there is

from a document without


be 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

emotional
theless,

reaction
because

to a theological
Colani's theory

problem posed by agnostics.


offered a welcome option it for

i2
those

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

warnings
3. optic

which otherwise

could be easily
theory

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 apocalyptic
the 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

theology
began its north

is that
haunting

no ghost is ever laid. "2


in 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

theory
recent

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 cautious
closely, writing

to Beasley Afurray

jdische
indicate still after

Apocalypse"
that

and his use of H8lscher


has 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's
the

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 main thesis


position. passage

is as proven as it
Loisy long

is possible
impossibility

to prove any contentious


of believing that this

ago saw the

from Hark

13, which

was reflected entity. 1

elsewhere

by Q had once existed has gathered and

as a self-contained explained the doubts

and complete

Beasley-Hurray

of many on this of Jesus, and the inadequate for

subject. Future for have been questioned the suggestion success-

Minor fully.

features is only

There for

support example. the

of textual

emendation

Mark 13: 14, Ellis, would Dr.

Some writing interpretation thesis

more recently, given to Mark 13: 34. to be

such as Earle But on the

dispute

whole,

Beasley riurray's

has recommended itself 2 However, it should

a significant

range

of New Testairient

scholars.

stressed disprove

that

the abolition

of the "Little

Apocalypse"

theory

does not that

the composite nature

of the discourse,

or the possibility

teaching at all. " J. W. Bowman, of the Church and not Jesus' of the thinking "Jesus did 650a). "The Life and Teaching of Jesus", Ibid., 744, (section in the consummation of the Kingdom at the end of the age, but he believe taught quite that there would be no precursory clearly signs of the end. .. ." (section 650b). It. the modern tendency in regard to Mark 13 Ibid., .. Gospel it as a whole and as an integral is to treat part of the entire ). " C. S. C. Williams, (cf. "The Synoptic G. R. Beasley-Murray. . . 658a). Problem, 'Ibid., 754, (section

1. Both Loisy and Holtzmann affirmed to a Jewish apocalypse. 2.

that

Mark 13: 15-16 cannot belong

For example, E. Haenchen, "Wir werden bald sehen, wie unsicher die ist. " Der weg Jesu, 438. "Der nun folgende ganze Flug-blatt-Hypothese V. 14-20, is asserst merkwrdig. Er vor allem hat, die Vermutung Abschnitt,
1It habe hier oder christliche-Apokalypse eine-jdische angeret, Wenn man in diesem Zusammenhang von dem 'Flugblatt eingearbeitet. eines das einmal eine Forschungsweise, Propheten' die gesprochen hat, so verrt nur nach Quellen sucht und, wenn sie welche gefunden zu haben meint, alle bernahme Rtsel gelst die naive und zweitens glaubt, moderner literarischer ('Flugblatt! '). " Ibid., 443. Mittel

35.

it

contains

some elements

foreign

to

the

teachings

of Christ.

Flckiger,

in a recent interweaving
one source. redaction early

study,

suggests that

the "discourse" including

has been moulded by the Jewish apocalyptic


and other emendationsto Scholars, discourse

of three

groups of sayings
the work to the

as

Furthermore, critics has led traditions

of Marxsen, that

Conzelmann, considerable

viewpoint

Christian

have been made by Mark himself. the essential integrity Hort, etc. of the

however, include J. c.

who have maintained Johannes Weiss, Sir,

E. Hoskyns, C. Cranield,

N. Davey,

A. B. Bruce,

Schniewind,

A. M. Farrer, of the

The Framework Since the

Discourse: Ludwig

Mark 13: 1-4 Schmidt, form-critics, and more

days of Karl

recently
statements framework

redaction-critics,
of place devised and time by the

have regarded the majority


in the Gospels as either

of introductory
largely or solely in

Evangelists.

The fundamental

difference

viewpoint
latter

between the form-critics


the theological

and the redaction-critics


significance which they

is that
believe

the
these

have stressed possess.

connections

In consequence, is the product of

most modern commentators activity of the the seal rather

suggest

that

Mark 13: 1-4 narration. implications big 2

editorial

than

a historical the in esoteric the

The symbolic of private

significance instruction,

Mount of Olives, of trustworthiness

names of the

1. F. Flockiger, (1970), 395-409.

"Der Redaktion

der Zukunftsrede

in Mark 13",

ThZ, XXVI,

"We have surmised that Mark probably took over the Gaston speculates: 2. bulk of the discourse vv. 5-37 as sayings of the risen Christ on the Mount " No Stone on Another, accordingly. of Olives and composed his introduction 54. Gaston confesses elsewhere that his "reconstruction of the history

of Mark 13" is

"largely

hypothetical".

Ibid.,

61.

36.

four,

the catechetical of scholars


destruction grounds redactional. Probably this is still

question

and answer form, If

all

seem to argue for

the

position
coming stronger purely

such as Marxsen etc.


viewed for as a vaticinium contending that

the reference
ex eventu then

to Jerusalem's
we have are

these

opening

verses

question

can never

be settled criticism, recently 1

one way or the though undeniably us.

other. useful, Several instance, the

The techniques have their unproven perhaps speech very which "clay

of form feet"

and redaction

as C. F. D. Houle underlie

reminded

assumptions all being that that given

such techniques. is that is the that it

In the present reason just factual pericopae. so. for 2

can be said this setting

most likely happened possessed various

It

may be

well

someone in Mark's him to rightly link

position together

information Furthermore,

enabled

if

there

for viewing are grounds historical,

the preceding

the Tuesday of Passion events of reason

week as essentially
for d. denying the

there. does not seem to be any basic


of Mark 13s1-4.3

historicity

Parenthesis One of the

of Mark 13: 14b reasons given by Colani and his successors for believing

A See C. F. D. Moule, "The Techniques 1. of New Testament Research: Jesus and Man's Hope, 2 vols. Survey", Critical and ed. DonaldG. Miller (Pittsburgh, "Reflections P. Benoit, Y. Hadidian 1970), 29-45; sur (1946), Joachim Rohde, 451-512; RB, LIII Methode", is. 'Formgeschichtliche (London, 1968), passim; the Teaching of the Evangelists Rediscovering The Gospel Tradition, St Mark, 73; H. Riesenfeld, Taylor, Vincent passim. ". Taylor: the cry of the unnamed disciple rings true to the .. the city. " St Mark, 500. And on disciple of a Galilean visiting situation "All the indications to the primitive point character of v. 2, he says: Taylor looks upon vv. 3-4 as "not a self-contained the Markan form. " 501. to 14-20, but an introduction of 5-37, possibly originally narrative, " Ibid. by Mark himself ". it is on the basis of tradition. composed .. for 5-37. " Ibid., 502. literary setting not a mere 2. Vincent

3.

This matter

is further

discussed

under section

seven.

; 7.

that

a small

Jewish

apocalypse

had been incorporated

into

Mark 13

was the existence VOC T)


been such -middle

of the parenthesis-. asserted that

vayivwo'KLOV the discourse could not have


say in the

Colani
the

obviously

original address even if the

must have been a document. "whoso readeth. Colani's contention . It

One cannot

of a public Of course,

be granted,

this

would Jewish circulation such

not

demonstrate '

existence

of part that

of Hark 13 as an independent it might indicate at the early of crisis

apocalypse.

Some would

suggest

of a compilation

of Christ's

genuine

sayings,

some time

as A. D. 40.
On the independent was the other hand, prior to the "Little Apocalypse" the theory, two

explanations

were available. himself favoured

One was that

parenthesis compiler of

insertion

of the Evangelist This remains the

or the previous interpretation,

the'Uiscourse". the that the vast majority

as shown by showing

of commentaries. draws attention personal phrase. participle )2 prior to

(Daube has made a good case for grammatical anomaly in in his

Mark thus use of the neuter

to the

verse, with the

Qtr)Ko-ra 4. -

connection

preceding

The other an admonition from in which

explanation by Jesus

Colani

was that

the

parenthesis the

is

concerning namely

the

need for the

understanding This view

source

He quotes, times

! Daniel

profhet". Zigabenus, Ewald,

was held

former

by Chrysostom,

Euthymius

Paulus, etc. It

Fritzsche, harmonized

Kaeuffer,

Hengstenberg,

Baumgarten-Crusius,

1.

A. E. J.

Rawlinson,

Westminster

Commentary

on Mark

(London,

1925), 1956),

188. 419ff.

D. Daube, The New Testament and Rabbinic 2. to as New Testament. ) Hereinafter referred

Judaism

(London,

38.

with
24-27 J.

the fact
had not

that
yet

the Jews contemporary


reached this its complete

with

Christ

believed

Dan. 93
times,

fulfilment.

In more recent Swete,

Morison

upheld

view, believe

and some such as Lambrecht, it to be a possible

Vincent

Taylor

and Cranfield in question. objection

explanation

of the

admonition

A major actually intelligent

to

such a view In reply,

is

that it

Mark's

version

does not that every

mention

Daniel.

however, the

must be said of the

Jew would

have recognised

source

allusion.

Es ist nicht das Stzchen als Einlage von der Rede ntig, Jesu zu trennen, da mit Zitat Text in aus Daniel ein heiliger 1 Sicht ist, den jeder Jnger liest. Jesus, three times according before. to Mark, See 12: 10; has already 12: 26; 2: 25. used Christ &VO yIVWCFKE1V was in the habit of

admonishing in the habit only that

His hearers.

(4: 23 etc. ) his

But we can hardly (Marxsen the book. )

say Mark was of Mark 13: 14b, it the why not

of admonishing case of personal the Evangelist words retain

readers. in

speaks

as the unlikely flow

address would

Some consider as to interrupt explain is

be so impertinent own. 2

of Christ's chose to

by inserting"_his, the interpolation

We must also though

Matthew

of Mark,

this

1.
2.

A. Schlatter,

Matthew (Stuttgart,

1963),

704.

Conunentary on Mark (London, 1873), 382f.: "Such a J. Morison, note bene on the part of the evangelist would be an unprecedented ... intrusion of the narrator's own personality; and it would carry with it of immodesty, something as a kind of presumptuous selection of one from among the other utterances of our Lord, as worthy on the part of a

biographer, of very peculiar emphasis, and, on the part of his readers, Our Lord's counsel is reported by Mt of very special consideration. 'he that also; and it is analogous, as Wolf remarks, to the oft-repeated bath ears to hear, let him hear'. Only as there is a reference to
the counsel points to the a written prophecy, It is not unlikely that it is of the reader. 'therefore the angel Gabriel to Daniel himself, "' the vision. and consider duty, not of the hearer, the echo of the counsel the matter understand but of

39.

insuperable.
"note well"

Furthermore
so often given

it
to

is doubtful
it. Its

that

*. voEiv

has the meaning of


reference is to

more probable

intelligent
A point

comprehension of something not readily


that needs to be stressed recurs Jesus to his frequently quotes. mention in is Daniel that

understandable.
1": Iin the to

'
- is very 1'3 Dan.

the word found

a key word which passage (Dan.

and is

from which

The angel of the

admonishes (v.

Daniel 27).

9: 23) prior

Ylpjjj

See also,

9: 2; 10: 1; 12: 9-12,


more than twenty

and 8: 27.
in the the

The expression,
book. term is prominent

or its

equivalents,

occurs

times that

Daube remarks particularly expressions from the

in

the

Old Testament, usage

and

so in Daniel. to Mark's Old Testament likely

While usage,

he argues the

from

Rabbinic could

of such run

argument

be made to

and Rabbinic

usage to

Christ's.

The question
parenthesis compiler). for Colani's 2

must be left
by Jesus is

open as to whether we should regard the


or inserted certain by Mark the (or the original gives light no support

as given

But one thing hypothesis, unless

parenthesis

and indeed we see in

sheds no definite it another indication

on the of Christ's

origin masterly e.

of Mark 13,

use of key Old Testament between claimed

allusions.

The Relationship Beasley-Murray

Mark 13 and 1 and 2 Thessalonians that when the relationship between Mark 13

1.

Daube,

New Testament,

426-431.

from Mark, and 2. Mk. 7: 19 is frequently adduced as a parenthesis to Mark's responsibility for the passage therefore credibility giving in Mark 13: 14. However, the usual wording for Mk under discussion "a paraphrase 7: 19 found in recent versions than a constitutes rather "It is just possible that a change has crept in at some translation". Aramaic the meaning was something like: point and that in the original 'all the food being cast out and purged away' (cf. Black, An Aramaic Approach 159. " Nineham, Saint Mark, 196. to the Gospels and Acts,

40.

and the Epistles "Little Apocalypse"

to the

Thessalonians would

was more clearly heavy seas. '

seen,

the scholars of 2

theory

encounter

Several accounts

have drawn up a table the Olivet discourse no one today had access tables

of comparisons and the accepts to the letters

between of Paul dating

the Synoptic to the for

Thessalonians, Mrk, his belief

and while that Paul

Torrey's

contents

of Mark 13,3 discussions that

is

agreed

upon by

many,, as these

and accompanying parallels

show. are as follows:

Some of the Thessalonians

obvious

have been noted Synoptic

Accounts

1 Thess. 4: 15-17

Mk. 13: 26-27

Mt. 24: 31

"
If
if

5: 1-5
5: 6-8
5: 4-10

" 13: 32,33


" 13: 35,36
" 13: 22

2 Thess. 1: 3-5 it
It

" 13: 9-13 13: 26-27


Lu. "21: 36 Mk. 13: 26-27 If 13: 5 Mt. 24: 12

1: 6-10
1: 11-12 2: 1-2 2: 3

"

2: 4-6
2: 7

It 13: 14
Mt. 24: 12

2: 8-12

Nk. 13: 22

2: 13
If 2: 15

It 13: 27
" 13: 23

1.

Jesus,

59.
Alt c3tamentl (Paris,

B. ftigaux, Les mitres chcn Zitate, , "Thess1956), 102-106 ; J. B. Orchard, aux Thessaloniciens Gospels, the Synoptic Bib, XIX(1938), 19ff., J. P. Brown, alonians and NTS, X (1963Form-History", the Epistles in "Synoptic Parallels and

41.

We do not Torrey assumes,

believe but the

that

Paul

had access is conclusive

to Mark's that

Gospel as have the

evidence

he did

same oral
Gospel.

or written
Some form

traditions

which Mark later

incorporated

in his

of Mark 13 circulated before

as an authoritative, Paul the early knew it believers church before his 1

nxPcooLC mission in There not only the

some years Thessalonica, can be no real record of the

50 A. D.

and had instructed doubt Passion that the

therefrom. specially but these also would to

cherished its

and the

Resurrection, beginning in written to behold signs

traditions

regarding

the Parousia. orally,

From the

have been circulated inspire absent to and maintain Lord. with

and probably

also

form, their times

hope among those in than crises,

who longed when the would

Particularly greater

of the

seemed have done

shout

usual

urgency,

such traditions

more than double work. Caligula's

A typical

occasion would have been the time when his statue in the temple provoked

proud design to enshrine

64),

45;

Beasley-Murray,

Jesus,

232-233.

"More than one exegete has taken notice 3. of the verbal coincidences Epistles to the Thessalonians between Paul's and the thirteenth chapter It might be expected that in these very definite of Mark. ... predictif anywhere, the apostle ions of the future, himself would seek to support indeed he claims to have done. on the words of Jesus himself, and this ... in 'v. 15 that he declares 'by the word of the this He says expressly Ev A6yuo is found, in the words Lord', Kupiou__; and the assurance of the current of Jesus, in Ilk. 13: 27,30, from which, with the support doctrines, eschatological every feature of Paul's and well-attested there is no need to look further. derived; declaration can be suredly .. Documents, 36-37. Torrey, "Those parts Hartman summarizes the verbal 1. evidence as follows: of date by 1 and 2 Ths. or which the discourse at this which are instanced therein by the following key-words: have parallels may be indicated (13,5), 'I am' (v. 6), 'be not alarmed' 'let lead you astray' no one (v. 14), troubles (Mt. 24,9; (v. 7), the abomination M. 13,19), (v. 22), the Parousia to Dn. 7 (v. 26), the false prophets according (tit. (v. 27), the carelessthe Parousia 24,31), the gathering angels at (Mt. 24,37ff., 'the world' Lk. 21,34), the thief in the night ness of (25,6), (24,43), ci-, Y-mats (Lk 21,34), the sudden arrival and in (Lk. 21,35). " Prophecy, the travail-snare 205. '

."

42.

apocalyptic cited
would

fever

among both Jews and Christians. as a logion


of thousands. of the its

If

the reference that logion


have of to

in

Ili. 13: 14 was considered


the time, ' to thinking

of Christ,

have dominated at this future. visit

Mk. 13 may well genuine sayings

originated Christ Paul

as a compilation This would explain

on the before

ready

availability

his

Thessalonica.

hypothesis Our rejection has been with reference to of the "fly-leaf" namely that Mk. 13: 5-27, as a whole or in part, usual definition, was factually to dominical unrelated presentation, a fictitious originally but likely, It is not only possible logia. on the other hand, that collections in fly-leaf form, as suggested above. The circulated sayings of authentic would have been an abridgement of all such collections most likely of the The History Contra Burkitt, discourse. in the Olivet of Christianity Light Modern Knowledge (London, 1929), 245. of 1. its

43.

f.

The Relationship Luke 12: 35-46;

between Mark 13 and other Synoptic such as parallels Luke 17: 24-37; Luke 21, Matthew 10: 17-22, Matthew 24

The criterion
testing ological Olivet supposed chapter discourse Obviously is clouded

of multiple
words of Christ,

attestation
has bearing we ask:

suggested by N. Perrin,
on the "Is study of the

l for
eschat-

in Mark. attested Matthew

Therefore,

the

substance

of the

by independent

accounts? " Mark 13, but the issue third.

24 and Luke 21 parallel dependance of the first

because evidence from

of the that

two Gospels

on the

Is there separate Let

Luke and/or Gospel?

Matthew

drew on transmitted

traditions

Mark's

us first

consider is i2

Luke's not that

account.

F. C. Burkitt

wrote

long that

ago he

"What concerns has invented whole, erences but

us here so little.

Luke has changed of Luke's

so much, but

Thus he speaks

use of Mark as a Are the diff-

the

comment has bearing for is in terns

on Luke's

use of Mk. 13.

to be accounted Usually today it

of redaction? that Luke, advent. picture. In Luke 21, the event. fate of while Mark'makes contrary, the fall of

affirmed event, distant

Jerusalem it,

an eschatological it from the

on the

historicizes

separating This,

however, is still

is. an exaggerated considered associated and then the

the

Holy

City the

an eschatological with the

As Mark as so does Luke. Parousia by his

described followed

tribulation signs

PaAUyr
of the before -thAoc. Lord, the

by cosmic indeed, ch. 2139:

coming

Luke, phrase is little in

does point oiK between

to an interval 8Sa)S this statement -rb

But there Onw-

difference

and Mark's:

1.

Rediscovering

the

Teaching

of Jesus

(London

1967),

45f. (5 vols.,

K. Lake, F. J. Fockes-Jackson, 2. II, 115. London, 1920-33),

The Beginnings

of Christianity

44.

If, a term indicate evidence

as Ellis several the the

argues, lifetimes, live

yede then in

means the both

last

generation

as

covering that for

Mark 13: 30 and Luke 21: 32 time, 1 but the

readers position

eschatological is not

of Ellis

impressive. in which the perils associated

Luke sets with the End are

forth

a number of sayings for Christ's

relevant

contemporaries.

Luke 6: 20-26;

Luke 9: 26; 12: 8f.,


18: 24; say that different editorialized Ko<IpOl is is cf. 19: 11-27; Luke, in

40;

18: 8; 11: 29-32; 13: 25-30;


18: 8. Thus it-does anticipates grounds for

14: 14,15-24;
not the saying appear future that

16: 9;
correct in a way to

22: 28-30;

ch.

21 or elsewhere, Therefore, the

from Nark.

Luke has indeed. His and

Mark 13 to make his iCvL-ZV are identical This

special with the

point

are

slight

eA 1IC according is not

of Mark 13,

an allusion part

to Dan. 8: 13. key redaction, hand, Mark for there this

expression this

to many commentators conclusion.

of Luke's On the other than

though is

a necessary that 2

considerable

evidence chapter.

Luke used a ele-

source ments

other

eschatological explained

A number of than

in Luke 21 are more easily 1. The introduction rather not Luke's than

on this

basis

on any other. of the auch as

in Luke assumes ignorance a change. It is obvious that

of the

setting

discourse, this would 2.

a discourse

have been publicly omission of the

delivered. mention of the Holy Spirit in the passage

1.

The Gospel

of Luke

(London,

1966),

244f.,

esp.

246.

2.

J. A. T. Robinson, Jesus and His Coming (London, 1957),

122-123;

(Chicago, The Sources of St Luke's Passion Narrative 1920), 35-38; A. M. Perry, 1926), 109-125; V. Taylor, Behind the Third Gospel (Oxford, T. W. Manson, The Savings of Jesus (London, 1949), 323-37; Dodd, More New Testament More recent works which contest Studies, 74,82-83. that Luke was working Lloyd Gaston's No Stone on with his own source as well as Mark include Verleugnung, Verspottung Gerhard Schneider's Another, and undVerhdr Jesu (Nlinchen, 1969). Lukas 22,54-71 nach

45.

vv.

13-15

is

uncharacteristic. allusions.

The Gospel

as a whole

makes much of

pneumatological

3._P
hardly it seems inevitable even if 4. scriptures. 5. placed V. Vv. It first 20-24 is

uNwv o Nr n6Xr-cap would -rid KcPocs


by an editor his readers after would the Neronic persecutions, promise 1 as for that have seen the in Jerusalem.

have been devised

general

related are poetic not likely

to Christians in that with form,

and depend on Old Testament the source of this format. saying

Luke is this

28 is

original

account

and seems an authentic

appropriately. 6. If, it is as Perry possible suggests believes, that that Luke's passion narrative narrative had an independent had likewise. can the differences 2 in

source,

the eschatological only with

Hartman

some difficulty

21: 12-14,18,20,22,24-26a,
icizes Conzelmann's an extended also suggests

28 be explained
explanations Luke's

as editorial
as "not relationship of the

changes.
entirely with

He crit-.

attempted

successful", the Old discourse,

and gives Testament

discussion. a different

version

eschatological

"when we read the prediction comments on this passage as follows: that we are dealing with a church in which martyrdoms are we realize ... " Christ in the Gospels (New York, 1930), 11-12. unknown. practically 1. Easton "The amount of alteration to Marshall: in the text According of Mark is so great in comparison transformation to produce the so-called required to have taken place. Luke's normal treatment of Yark that it is unlikely with in his treatment Why, we may ask, was Luke so surprisingly conservative of in these few cases? " "Tradition of Mark and so radical and Theology in most 62. XX (1969), And Caird asserts Windale Bulletin, that Luke (Luke 8: 5-15)", there has been a growing support "in recent years. for the theory that, .. from Mark, Luke is drawing on his diverges the discourse strikingly where 1965), 228-29. See Beasley-Murray, L. " Saint Luke (Harmondsworth, source 9-13. See C. P. D. Moule, JThSt, RXII Christ, Easton, Jesus, 226-27; (It 1971), 195. "A good case emerges for believing that Luke was working in addition to Mark's. " continuous narrative self-contained, with a written, ) (Review of Schneider's work mentioned above. 2.

46,

in addition

to Alk. 13.1 consider Matthew's account. This Evangelist


of the Ilk. advent

Let us briefly
habitually parables than the in groups ch.

sayings not

topically, unexpected.

and the

conjunction

25 is

Ch. 24 follows issue 9-12, regarding and his

13 more closely version of the is is former actually

does Luke 21. displacement in the

The most well-known by vv.

his usage

of Mk. 13: 11-13 mission whether discourse. both

passage

See 10: 17-22. originally 2

Whether contained

this both

displacement, and other

discourses

sections,

possibilities,

are beyond proving.

Bacon believes
not the "slightest doubt

that

for

the most part

the Matthaean variants


but Beasley-Murray 3

have

claim whether

to be considered the problem is

original" quite

and others

so simple.

Other parallel Mt. 24: 42-51; and


the three major

passages in Luke and Matthew such as Lu. 12: 35-47 Lu. 17: 23-37,
accounts

and Mt. 24: 37-41 confirm


that more than a single 4

the evidence of
tradition of the have

Synoptic lies which the for

Olivet at least

discourse three support factors

behind are in

the Synoptic substantial of the are

accounts. agreement tradition.

We probably

and which Time,

therefore place, and cord.

strongly content

authenticity the most part

reinforced

by a three-fold

1. 2. 3.

Prophecy,

227n, 233. discussion in Christ in-. the Gospels, 18-20.

But see Easton's Jesus, 227-230.

"It is evident from a comparative Ladd summarizes thus: 4. study has assumed in the three gospels is due to that the form the discourse tradition to the authors. " $e'cites by way of illustration the and discourse Mt. 24: 26-28 outside in Luke 17: of the Olivet of appearance See Jesus, 306. 23-24.

47.

g.

Relationship

to the Apocalypses

of Judaism

It
Jewish

has been too readily

assumed that
this

Mark 13 parallels
however,

typical
shows

apocalypses.

He who takes

position,

thereby

he has read to matters writings, by its

' few such documents. which are part the of the

Mark 13 does indeed "stock-in-trade" the Gospel

contain

references apocalyptic

of Jewish presentation is

but,

for

most part,

distinguished

dissimilarity. We footnote similarities, Pseudepigrapha, indicating similar from the references Old Testament, to the Synoptic the

Apocrypha account.
1,

and the 2
TioM

jour

Kai

(KO

CG

Compare Isa.

19: 2; Zech.

14: 13.

See also

1 Enoch 100: 1-2;

Testament

of Judah 22: 1-2;


Apocalypse

4 Ezra 5: 9; 6124; 4 Ezra 9: 3.


70: 3-7 which reads:

Note particularly

the

of Baruch

And they shall hate one another, and provoke one another to fight, those of and the mean shall rule over the honourable, -and low degree shall be extolled Then shall above the famous. ... fall in battle, fall confusion upon all men, and some of them shall in anguish, be and some of them shall perish and some of them shall destroyed by their own.

2.
-rb

..
pA-yyoc

JloC ai o-no6rjoE'roc1, jai


o(-rr)C, KoA of d o-rap c

r)

ollrjvr
Eaov-roaL.

awa

Compare Amos 5: 18-20; 3: 15-16.

Zeph. 1: 15; Joel Sibylline

2: 2; Isa.

13: 10; Joel

2: 30-31;

See also 1 Enoch 80: 4-8;

Oracles 3: 83-89,796-806; 4 Ezra 5: 4. The last

Testament of Levi 4: 1; Assumption is representative shine forth of the rest

of Moses 10: 4-6; says:

when it

"Then shall of

the sun suddenly

by night

and the moon by day. ..

Jesus, 212. The undeniable Beasley-Murray, between some similarities the language of this chapter Nk. 13, and that of well-known of apocalypses of the Old Testament upon both. are due to the influence 1. See Rowley, 2. "Great Barclay, 54-137; Relevance, Russell, Themes of the New Testament", Apocalyptic, 271-280; William ET, LXX (1959), 326-330.

48.

3.

etc

-rdTa Compare Isa.

T 2: 2-4;

'Bvrq 45: 20-22; Testament 3: 710-723.

Tyarro 25: 6-8; of Levi

ML 49: 6; 18: 5-9;

KqJu/`8rvaL 51: 4; Psalms

_f

Eocyy

a OV.

55: 5; 56: 6-8. of Solomon

See also 17: 34;


4.

1 Enoch 48: 4-5; Oracles


> Tz:

Sibylline

&ttIuvocteL

8KXK1QUC

Compare Isa.

11: 11; 27: 12,13;

1 Baruch 4: 36-37; Pss. of Solomon 11: 3.

5.

LlC

vOPwnou. -rr->O
8; Dan. 7: 13. containing here cited. Because the Christian 4 Ezra a matter Similitudes its originated reinterprets of

Compare Gen. 1: 26; Ps. Enoch is parallels about Daniel the probably syncretistic,

elements, 13, which of decades, deliverer.

to Mark 13: 26 are not time of Mark's the Gospel

or within

7 and presents

"Son of Sian" as the

messianic

6. +'v PMAuyx

-rrc

Eprywasw

arrK-r nou

bpi
The parallels chapters with the its holy of this apparent place to this passage are enlarged we would power (& upon in point the out subsequent that Ilk. 13: 14 in apply

thesis. reference

For the to

present

a personal

)rOTa

) standing to the

has been understood While this latter being

by a large term first not

number of appears only in

commentators 1 Jn. 7-12, 2: 18, but Jewish

to Antichrist. concept also to is

much earlier, 38-39

traceable

to ]ii.

Eze.

and other

O. T. passages.

In non-canonical

writings

the idea is probably 8: lff4 Test.

present

in such passages as The Assumption 4 Ez. 5: 6; Test. Or. 3: 63f.


Mark 13 and the

of Moses 6: 1;

Pss. of Solomon 2: 29; 2 Bar. 40: lff.; of In


Despite

of Iss.

5: 10; Test.
the parallels

of Judah 25: 3; Sib.


existing between

Pseudepigrapha,

the contrasts with

are boundless.

Mark 13 is chaste and restrained material.


The Synoptic

when compared

much of Jewish apocalyptic


draws no punches.

The latter,
presentation

in terms of the
of eschatological

imagination,

49.

events is tantalizing told what will


righteous The chief

in what it

leaves unsaid. and his hosts,


than general between

In Mark 13 we are not neither is the reward

happen to Antichrist
pictured distinction, in other

of the

terms. Mark 13 and typical apoc-

however,

alyptic
story,

literature
that it is

is the presence of parenesis.


rare for parenesis

This is now an old

to be embedded in apocalyptic

material

outside

of Scripture.

Even the use of the second person plural

as the constant
The first the last,

form of address is unusual. 1


word of Christ's like a refrain discourse throughout is Xrzn rs-re the chapter. . It is also

and rings

See vv.

7,9,11,

23,33,35,37.

Thus the motivation variety,

of this

apocalypse, It It

when compared with

the non-canonical cupidity, alertness.


presentation would

is distinctive. for vengeance. time-table


to the be said

does not appeal to hope's calls instead In fact,


that

nor to the desire

for

ethical

Here is no precise
seems exactly

of events.
main tenor for Jewish

the

contrary cannot

human nature in

have prescribed.

This

apocalyptic

general.

1.

J. Wellhausen,

Cow. Mk. (1909),

100;
of the

Lohmeyer, Markus,
Little Apocalypse

285;
Theory",

"Rise and Fall G. R. Beasley-Murray, 237. Schmid, Markus 348f.;

50.

3.

The Apparent

Contradiction

of Q materials

by Mark 13.

Apart from the influence


factor of the 20-37; discrediting approaching 12: 35-48, Vincent the end, and Mt. Taylor

of presuppositions,
of Mark 13 is contradiction

the most important


its to presentation such passages of "signs" 17:

authenticity in apparent

as Lu.

12: 39. that Mark views Christ's teachings

declares

"through

the veil

of apocalyptic.

"1

Thus, Mark presents

the advent as persecution,

being preceded by visible celestial portents, etc.

signs of war, earthquake, But, that says Taylor, "all this

famine,

is so different

from Luke xvii. of the original

22ff., tradition

we are entitled into

to suspect the transposition

another key. "2 the eschatological


be made the

When T. W. Manson sets out to discuss


of Jesus, point by the in the the we are first reminded that

teaching
startingobsessed strange

Mark 13 cannot "early

of investigation. idea idea of the that should

Because the imminent return

Church was certainly Lord" give there Christ's is nothing words

of the to

a document

purporting

regarding in Mark's that

advent

have circulated, what Manson calls

and later the vital

been incorporated point is the fact

Gospel.

However,

the description by our other

in Mark 13 "does not square with given sources, notably Q, or with the other 4

the account given of Paul. "3

statements

The two pictures

are declared

"irreconcilable".

To the objections Glasson, C. K. Barrett,

by Taylor

and Manson can be added those of T. P. Such writers understand

and J. A. T. Robinson.

1.
3. 4.

St Mark, 135.2.
The Teaching-, Ibid. of Jesus (Cambridge,

Ibid.
1945), 261-62.

51.

Mk 13: 27 as initially ascension.


presence particular

signifying

Christ's

vindication

by His resurrection into


in this offered by

and

Dan. 7: 13 seems to speak more of an ushering


of God than section of a descent concerned to earth. with ' However, major

the

we are

the

objection

Taylor 20ff.

and Manson, and this

primarily

calls

for

an examination

of Lu. 17:

Two things

should

first

be said.

One, Jewish

apocalyptic

already

believed Montefiore
forgotten

in an end that witnesses


the fact. 3

would come suddenly and yet be preceded by signs. at another time he seems to have
are not.. irreconcilable. We

2 to this, although
Obviously, the

two ideas

must not confuse immediacy and imminence. time, without revealing the specific that

Signs can indicate Secondly, of Revelation

a relative critics have

day or hour.

not baulked at the fact same conjunction the abruptness


granted KoaI ?v.. that

Paul and the writer

have the of for


... The

of ideas.

1 Thess. 5: 1,2 reminds the Thessalonians shall come, but it also takes it

with which Christ


the believers 2 Thess.

have some knowledge 2 has the

of - Xpovuw present.

same relationship

Thessalonians the Lord's


of signs

are reminded of the sign of the apostasy which must precede In Revelation, we have a catena

sudden appearance in glory.


and yet the warning tSeo

Loisy

declared, le jour

"Cependant, o elle

savoir

que la parousie

est proche, 4

et ne pas savoir

se produira, 'r_...

soot chosen conciliables". the end comes

Ktlmmel also affirms

the same.

both conceptions

But see discussions 1. of the parallel 90-91, and J. E. Fison, Mark Thirteen, 192-94. 2. The Synoptic Gospels (2 vols. London,

in Nit. 14: 62 by Beasley-Murray, The Christian Hope (London, 1954),

1909), =;I,

306.: r3.

Ibid.,

301.

4.

Loisy,

Synoptigues,

II,

438.

52.

suddenly,

and it

is historically

prepared

for

--

go together

and are Christianity. "1

viewed together

in the apocalypticism

of Judaism and primitive discussions

One of the most interesting Rudolph Otto.


TWNT regarding and then says Otto it

of Luke 17 is given by article in Kittel's


saying the of Jesus", He

He quotes from K. L. Schmidt's


"this much discussed Schmidt, in

and much tortured "He then continues

adds concerning has its point

torture.

solely that

the the

rejection passage

of calculation in Luke 17 is

of omens. 112 another example

proceeds3

by arguing

of paradox in the teachings


or promise signs was no real

of Christ,
contradiction

and that

the refusal
words

to offer
elsewhere. 4

of Christ's

1. 2.

W. G. Kimmel,

Introduction

to the

New Testament

(E. T.,

London, 131.

1966),

188.

The Kingdom of God and the

Son of Man (L. T.,

London,

1938),

3. "If Jesus intended nothing further than to reject such advance calculation, 'Qby does he add a positive why did he not rest content with denying it? of very weighty content, which he clearly enough introduces as statement
by using the word 'lo'? This statement is by no means point It is meant to be confirmation; it is meant to with rejection. fact whose consequence is (a) that the apocalyptic give a methods of (observation) in place and (b) that there can be no ergsis are not parat; (a) and (b) both actually Here and a There. Evidently talk of a result if he is speaking of the kingdom which - paradoxically and wonderfully in its first dawning. If that were true, present enough -- is already then indeed all parateresis And then also all talk would be foolish. for the matter in question of Here or There would be foolish, was not to place or space, but something dynamic, in view of relating something Only as thus understood whose nature a Here or There is not applicable. is there any meaning in rejecting the Here or There. For in regard to determinations, kingdom, Here and There, i. e. local the future did have The future kingdom had a thoroughly their place even for Jesus. external lightning, it was to come with flaming with the appearance aspect; of the From heaven yonder tribunal. Son of Man, his angels, and the heavenly From Jerusalem it was to go forth, it was to descend here to the earth. all over the world from Zion, in the realm of the and to extend itself And even the parateresis, to the signs twelve tribes. as attention his coming and from which his temporal indicated nearness was to which but he expressly be read, Jesus not only did not reject summoned men to to the blossoming it by referring from of the branches of the fig-tree (Mk. xiii. the nearness of summer should be noted: 28f. ). which .... i. e. to pay attention to signs of every kind That is paratereisthai, 132f. kingdom. " Ibid., the future regarding the real identical

4.

"What is the import

of the passage under consideration?

In any case,

53.

With

great

directness

Otto

adds:

be a dogma, and which compels the observer to see awry, and to fail to appreciate the unique element of an original conception which is plainly to be seen in this utterance of Jesus besides others I examined. already In Luke 17, to the in their midst, 2 but Pharisees, Christ speaks He speaks that this of a kingdom of the kingdom future will come already

It would probably be impossible to find a better example'than this exegete of one influenced by a prejudice which has grown to

to His

own disciples made is will day, not

kingdom without which,

of glory. signs, like that but

The point that it

be sudden and unexpected is given up to things

for

a world flesh.

of Noah's

of the

to startle. It was meant to shatter something paradoxical and intended the dogmatism of a finished its too narrow limits. eschatology and burst Jesus, like his opponents, knew of the future kingdom, that it would that one had to hold oneself come, that God kept the moment in reserve, for it in constant that one should be specially watchfulness, ready as soon as the indications attentive of its coming appeared, and that one to the The whole of this should then know that it was near. referred That was the first kingdom. future of the kingdom. pole of his conception The second was that the kingdom was already present, moving and so already in advance. in as far as it worked secretly Jesus did not reconcile He no more adjusted the two poles. the antithesis inner here than the strong He said that those who exercise bi polarities of his teaching elsewhere. force seize the kingdom of heaven the childlike and yet he praised mind but simply accepts and receives. He promised which never acts violently reward for good work and insisted upon the treasure of good a heavenly in the vineyard and yet in the parable of the workers works in heaven he rejected He related the parable all greed for reward. of the growing seed which excluded all human work and yet he demanded resolute personal He appealed to the court of the will freedom action. and of personal in the passage under discuSimilarly, and yet he was a predestinarian. he acts as if there were no future kingdom; that every question ssion, to that kingdom he confronts 'is in the with the kingdom that relates midst of you. ' Perhaps he was at that moment engaged in controversy and he brought so, deliberately and with emphatic onesidedness, out the What he says now only repeats what he had said in his pole. opposite " Ibid., 136f. of the kingdom of heaven in the Beelzebub incident. parables

1.

Ibid.,

134.

EVTC iwv It is not likely 2. Such is probably the meaning of that . the carping Pharisees that they had the kingdom within Christ was telling them. See the discussion in Marshall and Caird, ad loc.

54.

As destruction
despite will with it warnings

came suddenly to the inhabitants


from Lot, who understood age. This the the

of Sodom. and Gomorrah


signs of the of Lu. times, so

be at the

end of the

explanation

17 harmonizes of

Mark 13: 34 which the exact

admonishes

disciples Parousia,

of the and yet

impossibility urges them

pin pointing

moment of the

t. yP(1yOPPP
There of the is no real contradiction passages between of the Mark 13 and the teachings Q materials or other New Testament.

55.

4.

The Problem with v. 32,

posed by the Congruence other "Inconsistencies" and

(or

Incongruence)

of vv.

28-30

Those who see in Mark 13 a tissue


the Gospel compiler Marxsen nodded at his challenges the work

of inconsistenciesl
and failed to note the

assume that
melange

resulting.

assumption:

Aber dass Markus hier ein solches Durcheinander verschiedener Meinungen komponiert haben sollte, oder reproduziert nur um auch eine Apokalypse glaube, wer mag. zu bieten, -das Die vielverbreitete Richtig Busch. . . ". ... . . Ganzes'. bilde stark widersprechendes ein 'sich Korrektur bedarf. "2 Vorurteil, das deutlicher These comments come from believes in the original e, redaction nature critic of the who, materials Meinung, Mk 13 ist ein

..

of course, incorporated

piecemeal

by Mark. The main incongruency 28-30 and 32. vv


6ITav % T r),cq AAo. c$ 6 KNo Oc; 0(6-ns &rt c 1Ta%c

seems to consist

in the near relationship

of

yvrr-r I

Kai

6 KCPcl

yivwQK&-rE

zyyoc

OIpoC 1c-nv. -r2 Tc v.


opposed to

T%6Pi

-rc rjN4--, pac

ivr
regarding

9j -rfc
the

wpocc o&ic
of Mark 13 being

What has been said

signs

statements
period

of Luke 17 applies
negate ignorance

here also.
of the

Signs which point


day of Christ's

to a relative
appearance.

do not

specific

"The emphasis is not on the immediacy of the Ead but on its

suddenness as

"It is surprising Rowley commenting on Mk. 13 says: with what regularity of authors, and always are divided out among a variety writings apocalyptic It seems wiser to the same ground of some inconcinnity of ideas. on integration that the strictly logical of the elements into a recognize 1.
whole is not characteristic 162. Although Relevance, and is not to be sought there. of apocalyptic, itself this shows some inccncinnity statement

"

its use of the term "apocalyptic" as regards clear and truly relevant. 2. Willi Niarxsen, Markus, 111.

Rowley's main point

is

56.

in 1 Thess. 5: 12. "1 Even the parable


In Palestine, to where the

of vv.
spring

28-30 includes
is short, the

the thought
transition This

of suddenness.
from winter rains

summer happens

abruptly, Christ's

almost

overnight. is

concept

parallels flash,

Luke 17: 24-30 where

appearance

compared

to a lightning

the flood
point to

in Noah's day, and the destruction


a period of time during which

of Sodom.

Thus "the signs"


Christ

believers

may be aware that

could come "at any moment". Another to be unrelated major portion "inconsistency" to the question of the chapter of Mark 13 is that Christ's reply 3 seems The the

put to Him by the disciples.

relates

to the end of the World, while temple.

opening verses speak of the fate


comparison, T. W. Manson affirmed

of Jerusalem's
that

In a famous
by a

"The ruthless

suppression

great military territory

empire of an insane rebellion to do with


of the from Indian the the

in an outlying

part

of its

has as much or as little


suppression

the coming of the Kingdom of


Mutiny. "4 Thus in the universal, Olivet from

God in power as the discourse, the temporal

we have a sudden shift to the eternal,

local historical

to the

and from

to the

supernatural.

Such is the problem. Firstly, the temple. it

What is offered has already

byway

of reply? Christ's reply does concern

been shown that

There is no way of dissociating

v. 14 from the sanctuary.

1. 2.

W. R. F. Browning,

The Gospel According

to Saint

Luke (London, 1960),

152.

Grundmann, Das Evangelium nach Markus, 270.

He says: 3. Lloyd Gaston is one of the most recent to make this charge. "Mark's most important contribution to the eschatological discourse, however, down to the present, is provided by the one which has misled interpreters of this whole discourse as an answer to a question concerning the setting destiny of the temple. " No Stone on Another, 63. 4. The Teaching of Jesus, 281.

57.

In Daniel

the

Yl'l*)w

is

always

linked

with

the

temple.

Matthew

clearly
for the

saw this,
sanctuary.

and chose a synonym, which throughout


l in Jewish about old thought the the coming of the

the Bible

is used

Secondly, which would bring

Messiah

was an event and the It. .. already

establishment the 482) minor the

of the new temple, event

destruction in Tg.

of the

was not I,

Manson suggests. builds I, 94). of v. the ..

on Isa. cf.

53: 5 (Str-B also Tg. the return

Messiah (Str-B picture

house of the there is no an saints

sanctuary, Jerusalem allusion at the

on Zech. "2

6: 12f.

without to the

temple. of the

Thus the

26 is

actually

Shekinah

glory, temple. the 3

and the

vindication

of the

setting Thirdly,

up of a New Jerusalem this criticism ignore

regarding the

mingling

of the

local by the

and the Old Testament

universal,

etc.

seems to

same familiar

practice

prophets.
broadens Zephaniah's

For example, Joel's


out into a description

description
of the "day too,

of a locust

plague upon Judah


world, into from the the and scene

judgment of the

of the whole Lord" swells pass

foretelling punishment. of the nation

of a local Isaiah, to the

of a universal devastation earth. 4

can swiftly

temporal of the

catastrophic

destruction

of the

face

1. Titq 2.
3.

. S irenk,
See

plyiuL kpov "

Mt. 24: 15.

Cf. Lev. 16: 2,3. 230.

", in TI 1T, III,


thesis.

121f"

of this

4. Isa. 24-27. Beasley-Murray's historical Apocalypse" study of the "Little theory is highly "The view that the second He says: significant at this point. led How does this discourse him [Wendt] to face the question, was authentic discourse the query of the disciples in Nk. 134? Wendt gave two answers: relate (1) The trials described the disciples provided with a relative, not specific, to preparedness sign of the parousia, and so gave a basis for the exhortations (2) Jesus had earlier in vv. 33-37; taught that there was a connexion between the destruction These two answers of the Temple and the judgments of the End. but Wendt overlooked that in giving them he had answered the two are plausible, to the authenticity Mk. 13. " "Rise and Fall of the 'Little major objections of Apocalypse' Theory", 347.

58.

A third rather
the than

"inconsistency",

and this

time an inconsistency is that the discourse

with

fact

than one in mere verbal


imminent; it

appearance,
will engulf

makes
more

Ind appear forty

that

generation,

whereas

generations

have come and gone since.

But this
presentation.

problem too is of a piece with


Nowhere in the

the entire
is the

biblical
coming of

Old or New Testaments

the Lord characterized type of expression

as subject

to apparently

unending delay.

That

is explicitly

condemned in Mt. 24: 48.

FtLfthermorep there
As far as the New Testament

is more than one way of measuring proximity.


is concerned, the events at the close of the

Old Testament era, the death of Christ the beginning end time, of the Find.

and the fall

of Jerusalem,

were

They were the first

act in the drama of the The period "the of the

and the last

act would be the Parousia. "the last as time",

church age is characterized "the last


pass till reckoned

end of the world", which will


which the is

hour".
all

The church itself


It

is that
lives in

generation
"lover's time"

not
not

be fulfilled. clock. Parousia

by the

In Cullmann's will be V-Day.

famous analogy, Certainly

Cross was is

D. -Day, and the

the New Testament

agreed in this
emphasis

emphasis.

Even in John's
the

Gospel with
expectation

its

strong
end

on "realized

eschatology",

of an ultimate

and the ushering despite

in of a new age remains accepted doctrine. we believe the real solution

'

However,

these suggestions, its it

to be otherwise, 2

and we reserve Lastly

elaboration

for part tie

two of this Bible-writers

study.

should be said that

never distinguish

1. 2.

See C. Cranfield, See 91ff. of this

"St Mark 13", thesis.

SJT1 VII

(1954),

288.

59.

as we do between

Historie

and Geschichte.

For them,

the

supernatural

was ever at work in the natural,


biblical event. the writer's In reviewing of the description the whole,

and thus there


of history it which

is no real
terminates that

hiatus

in a

in a supernatural with

must be said

we may disagree accuse them of

philosophy

Bible

writers,

but we can hardly

inconsistency

at this

point.

60.

5.

The Composition

Dates

of the

Synoptic

Gospels

The positions one's interpretation


prophecy of v.

taken on this of Mark 13.

issue influence Conzelmann, for


A. D. 70, but the

to a large

degree the

example, believes
chapter itself

2 was made before

redacted

after

A. D. 70.
fall.

N. Walter
This

also places
leads

the composition
to subtle

of the Gospel after


theorizing if the regarding Gospel

Jerusalem's Mark's

view

sometimes could not

purpose

or meaning,

which

be entertained

were dated earlier.


the end of the temple,

Marxsen places
a position

the time of writing


for his

just
thesis.

prior

to

indispensable assign the period

The majority

of scholars

of 65-75

A. D. for

Mark,

while
By far is that

Luke and Matthew are placed usually


the most striking certainty is fact about the

in the ninth
dating of the

decade of the era.


last two $ynoptics evidence.

near

made attainable

from very

slender

C. F. D. Moule has pointed the New Testament later


beyond which doubt is that

out that It
later.

"there

is extremely

little

in

than A. D. 70.
Gospel is

has yet to be demonstrated


nl He points to out the that Mt. 22: 7, of in

Matthew's considered

usually

a post-eventum the

reference

destruction 'topos'

Jerusalem Rabbinic

need not literature.

be more than 2

use of a well-established

The chief is his replacing

reason of "the

for

the

affirming

by many of the

late

date

of Luke compassed

abomination

of desolation"

by "Jerusalem

with

armies"

in Lu. 21: 20.

It

is assumed that

this

also is a post-eventum contemporaneous

reference,

but it

is not explained

why Matthew, an apparently

1.

The Birth

of the New Testament (London, 1962),

121. question in

However, Matthew's rewording of the disciples' 2. Ibid. ISM. 13: 4 points to a composition beyond this date.

61.

production,

does not use the same clarity


by arnack and others,

of language.
exist to

Other possibilities,
Luke's different

such as envisioned

explain

wording.

Christ
for

may have used both expressions,


his the Gentile possibility readers, exists

and Luke selected

that

which
On

was simplest the other

or he may merely that it

have paraphrased. who

hand,

was Mark and Matthew

paraphrased,
Christ could

giving
borrow

an apocalyptic
such expressions

note,

though this; is less likely.


kingdom of heaven"

If

as "the

and "the

Son of Man" from Daniel,


ation of desolation" Another reason for

there

is no reason to deny His use of "the abomin-

the

late

date

ascribed

to Luke by some is

the

assumption that of the Parousia,


historical

there was a crisis and that

in the early

over the long delay church crisis by providing


era.

Luke wrote to meet this


including

programme

of salvation,

the. church

Such a crisis,

it

is assumed, took place after of Jerusalem,


However,

A. D. 700 for Luke looks back at the it as historical


the supposed

destruction
eschatological.

and regards
evidence at least for part

rather
crisis is

than
lacking. Eschatolsuch. '

Those who have accepted or such as Martin

of Schweitzer's and Conzelmaun,

Consistent have not

Werner,

Grsser,

provided

"Dass die heilwork remains pertinent: criticism of Grgsser's Sicht primr berhaupt nicht als 'Lesung eines Problems' geschichtliche das wird in der ist, sondern auf Grund von Geschehnissen, entstanden in Rechnung gestellt. Aus diesem Grunde Forschung nicht heutigen gentigend werden. Hinter zur "Verlegensheitsl8sung" muss dann die Heilsgeschichte der Gegenwart im Urchristentum Einbeziehung der heilsgeschichtlichen die grosse Enttatischung, sondern zunchst einmal nicht steht jedenfalls das Geschehen, welcher Art es auch sei, in dem die Urgemeinde den Beweis Jesu gesehen hat, d. h. den Sieg fiber den Tod und damit die der Auferstehung Ions, in der des neuen ferner Einleitung auch die Erfahrungen stehen Geistes angesehen wurden. So wie Gemeinde, die als Wirkungen des heiligen Jesu nicht hinter der Naherwartung Schwrmerei, sondern der Jubel steht: der heilsgeschichtlichen Einbeziehung die Blinden so hinter sehen. .., Suche1der Gemeinde nach der Lesung eines der Gegenwart nicht verkrampftes "Problems", Christus ist auferstanden! sondern die Osterfreude: .... Wir verdanken Conzelmann_ wertvolle Erkenntnisse, und Grllssers Arbeit 1. Cullmann's

62.

Other

arguments

for

the

late

dating

of Luke include

the

assumption

that

because Luke wrote after

many others, could well


it is not

his

own literary

production

must have been later.


activity between belongs in long before

But there
A. D. 70.

have been a spate of literary


often great, This, argued that the period as Matthew is arguing

Also,

Luke and Matthew to the ninth

was probably

and inasmuch of course,

decade, based problem,

so must Luke.

a circle,

and is

on unproven as implied,

assumptions. has bearing nature the on the dating evidence, Mark's for all

The Synoptic three find Gospels. the data

When we enquire very slight indeed.

as to the While

of other for

we

evidence

priority

to most investigators

seems overwhelming, has been said,


composition date

and likewise

Matthew's

and Luke's has

use of Mark -- when this


definite bearing on the

not much more can be added that


for Matthew and Luke.

For the dating of the investigator


suitable impossible, Sitz

of Mark, much depends upon the philosophical as well


If is it

assumptions a
is of others

as upon the objective


is taken that for granted

problem of finding
that the prediction insight

im Leben. or that it

unlikely

Jesus

shared

Punkten tatschlich Aber sie wrden an erganzen knnen. mag sie in einigen ber Voraussetzungen Bedeutung gewinnen, wenn sie von jenen fragwrdigen Jesu und auch des Paulus gelst wrden, und wenn anderseits die Eschatologie Eschatologie" das Prinzip der "konsequenten von Grund auf, und nicht nur ihrer hinsichtlich Hypothesen revidiert einiger wurde. " "Parusieverz8gerung (1958), Also C. F. D. Moule: "Neither 12. Urchristentum", TL, LaMII und tomorrow ror its postponement the day after the expectation sine of a parousia far more on the die is characteristic which concentrates of N. T. thought, has been established, the Kingship datum - on the fact that already of Christ the Kingdom of God has been inaugurated, and that the responsibility already of the Kingdom is to act here and now as those who are of the children " The Birth to its reality. to bear witness of the New Testament charged (London, 1962), 102. "It is possible Also E. Schweizer: that for a while the expectation suppressed parousia of the approaching any other questions. has not exercised But we must say that this expectation any substantial Lordship influence faith", summaries of the Church's on the earliest and (London, 1960), 22. Discipleship

63.

who rightly the fall

interpreted

signs

on the horizon

then a date this

side of once

of Jerusalem will

consequently

be allotted. at earliest

This position for


other

assumed then leads to a date in the eighties


Gospels, refuse because to negate then of their dependence

the other
hand, the if we crisis

upon Mark.

On the

thepossibility an earlier grounds date

of Christ's for

prescience

regarding This

of A. D. 70, harmonize

Mark may be ascribed. by a large number of

would for a

with

other

suggested

exegetes

date in the sixties.


In summary, we would say that if truth is discovered by counting

hands, it the first


upon the

is certain century,
date

that

Matthew and Luke belong to the ninth But if


yesterday's

decade of fixing

or later.

the same criterion


"truth" will

is used for

of Mark then

be no longer

such

tomorrow, Mark after


previously later -recent usually than

inasmuch as there A. D. 70.


quoted that It which but

is an increasing

trend

towards the dating

of

Scholars
"there will

may need to ponder the words of Houle


is extremely time little in the New Testament of J. O'Callaghan's than

A. D. 70. "

take

to test

the validity considerably

contentionsl suggested,

would

date his

Mark's

Gospel from

earlier to be

whether

"evidence"

Qumran proves

rightly
the date

interpreted
for the

by him or not,
Gospel at least

we believe
leans in the

his conclusions
right direction.

regarding

1. " Papiros

(I, 1972), 91-104 Lloyd Gaston agrees with Moule that little Bib LIII of 1) the New Testament can be dated after A. D. 70. He suggests that Mark "was in Rome after Peter's death and before the fall written of Jerusalem, probably towards the end of the period 64-70 A. D. No Stone on Another, 465. This is nearer the traditional dating, aad not as radical as O'Callaghan's more recent suggestion.

neotestamentarios

en is

LIII:

I Cueva de Qumran. ".

64.

6. - The Specific Purpose, 13 in particular

or Purposes,

of Mark's

Gospel,

and of Chapter

One's decision
Gospel. the Marxsen's

on this

issue affects
13 best

all

subsequent exegesis
this to fact.

of the

comments on ch. Jewish

illustrate to flee

He views

Evangelist

as urging

Christians

Galilee

from Judea

to await the Parousia.


the whole we consider chapter the turns, criticisms

Thus for him, Ilk. 13: 14 is the Angelpunkt


and possibly by Rohde, the whole book also. ' Iii

on which

however to

Knigge,

Schweizer,

and others

be legitimate,
Olivet discourse Martin with

we are led to question


and the entire Gospel. that is

many of Marxsen's

comments on the

K hler's

remark

"the often

Gospels quoted.

may be called Certain it

Passion is that

stories for of

an extended

introductioni2 the

each Evangelist

Gospel was in

essence

a relation

of the

progress

Jesus to the Cross.

Some refinements

in terms of purpose are,

as indicated

above, given significance


endeavour this to answer the

in the modern discussion.


questions: to What specific satisfy? should the form What is explain,

Recent investigations
needs the of the Sitz least, community im Leben why each was

particular

work written

third at

of these Evangelist his

materials?

The answers from

in part at hand, to us.

chose as he did in the

traditions available

and why he arranged

selections

finished

Is Mark's accurate in its

Gospel intended chronology

to be:

(1) a reliable (2)

account of the ministry, a patch work only; (3) presentation primarily

and order artificial

of events;

embodying oral

materials

with

connections

1. Schweizer denies Marxsen's view that Mark's purpose is to point specifically to the Parousia, for the traditional and opts rather view of the Passion in "Eschatology in Mark's Gospel", Neotestamentica. as central ed. et Semitica, E. Earle Ellis Max Wilcox (Edinburgh, 1969), 114-117. and 2. The So-called Historical (E. T., Philadelphia, 1964), Jesus and the 80n, 11. Historical, Biblical Christ

65.

a theological a. b.
c.

work intended the Messianic Pauline


a cyclic the later a liturgical in public a revelation the

to develops (non-Wrede variety),

Secret

theology,
arrangement whereby the earlier narratives events of the Passion and resurrection, scheme, outlining worship on certain of Galilee individual pericopes Sundays of the year, favoured land prefigure

d.

to be read

e. f.

as the

of Jesus, the decisive

presentation struggle against

of Christ as God's evil powers?

agent

winning

The criticism
ation of the Messianic

of recent
Secret,

years has not only rejected


but it has also refused

Wrede's presentacceptance

entire

for

the above except (a) in a form which contrasts any of


Christ's true nature neither was hidden as "sloppy" till the Cross,

with Wrede,
gradually make him.

namely

and only

perceived.

Mark is

or as subtle

as some would

He certainly geography,
a sketch

does not aim at precision yet the outline


ministry.

in all

matters

of chronology

or

is adequate in both senses for


1 As a writer Mark does not

reconstructing
reflect the

of Christ's

technical

literary

refinements

of modern times.

Neither

is he without

care

and purpose in selection V. Taylor


chesis

and arrangement. right


it

is probably
for

in saying that
was written.

Mark reflects
it is

the catemost

of the church

which

Certainly

significant material tract's Gentile

that

the richest

concentration

of christological

and soteriological

is found in the second half thematic heart. Addressing

of the Gospel.

Mark 8: 34-38 is the with continuing every

a church threatened there

persecution,

2 the Gospel shows that

is a cross for

1. C. H. Dodd, "The Framework of the Gospel Narrative", 396-400. 2. ". .. persecuted

ET, XLIII

(1932),

his (Mark's) gospel was written for the purpose of consoling Gaston, No Stone on Another, 468. church. .. ."

66.

believer the

as well

as for

the Hastert Probably,

and it

has therefore to

been described our question

as

"Martyr's the

Gospel". third

we can get no closer than world, thus to refer

regarding community

Sitz-im-Leben and hostile

to a believing instruction

in an alien

needing

catechetical

and strengthening So much for Evangelist include

exhortation. the purpose his thirteenth of the Gospel It as a whole. is the only But why did place the

chapter?

in Mark

where we find
only lengthy three

Christ
discourse use it

delivering
that as the is

a long speech on a single


recorded by all three

theme.

It

is the

of the Synoptics, of the Gospel they were

and all

climax

to that

section

responsible which already tolerably there

for writing, circulated

that

is,

it

comes just unity. discourse.

before

the Passion narrative would have seemed

as a. separate the Olivet

Mark's tract But,

complete without

on the other hand, when such

was no more appropriate could be given. '

time in the ministry

of Christ

instruction

Nineham agrees with


Murray life in recognising the

Loisy,
strategic by this

Ebert,
relief interposed

Dodd, Lightfoot
in which address that this the events

and Beasleyof Christ's of Him

and death

are placed another

on the discourse

return

who seemed but

Rabbi.

He suggests

"brings

out the infinite


ministry. i2 It is

significance
only because

the Evangelist
the ministry

saw in the events of the


of Christ is God's ultimate

"The material sums the matter up well when he says: which conThe first stitutes ch 13, also, could suffer no curtailment. response of What have we any hearer of the great announcement would be the question, How now to expect? What program did the Messiah leave to his disciples? to have of the God of Israel, are the promises given through his prophets, their The answer must have been provided immediately, fulfilment? it could This was a matter have been delayed. not possibly of the very first been recognized importance, by those who sent and as such it had, of course, 1. Torrey

out the written


2. Nineham,

propaganda into
Mark, 341.

the cities

and towns of Palestine.

" Documents, 13.

Saint

67.

saving intervention

in time that

it

will

be followed

by the End and the

coming of God's kingdom. Just as the Gospel as a whole seems to have catechetical
and, in particular, aims at strengthening those who must suffer

purposes,
for

Christ's regarding
ular, it

sake, so with the anticipated


displays

this

chapter.

It

gives Christ's

own instructions but in partic1A orie4l

end of Jerusalem and`"the world,


crucis rather than a theologia

a theologia

This would act as an appropriate their good sense as they fervently


daily duty.

rebuke to those whose zeal outstripped expected Christ's


the admonitions

imminent appearing
would

but

shunned

And simultaneously

have encouraged

the more balanced believers.


R. P. Martin of Jesus' earthly has suggested life in which that suffering this Gospel sets forth form "the paradox

and vindication

a two-beat

rhythm" and S. SchulzThis pattern is obvious of

speaks of the "pattern


in the times, Olivet discourse.

of humiliation
While betrayal, the

and exaltation.
first two-thirds the

"2

of Mark 13 speaks

evil

of seducers,

and suffering,

account is balanced by the picture


clouds of heaven to gather his

of the vindicating
elect.

Lord coming in the


convey to

oppressed

Mark 13: 26 would

the early
remnant

Christians

the same consolation

as did Dan. 7: 13 to the persecuted

in Maccabean times.

Various

key-words

of the chapter

reappear in the following the disciples'

description

of the Passion in such a way as to teach that similar to their Lord's, and that there

course must be except via the Cross.

is no path to glory

"Eschatology Chas. B. Cousar: and Mark's Theologia ]C IV (1970), 335. James L. Price, Interpreting ation, (New York, 1971), 196-99. I.

Crucis", Interpretthe New Testament

2. "A Gospel in Search of a Life-Setting", ET, LXXX (1969), (R. P. Martin cites S. Schulz, Studie Evangelica, II, 144. )

361-64.

68.

7.

The Contextual

Setting

of Mark 13 --

Literary

and Chronological..

We are here concerned with j chapters which precede and follow Of great Judgment -significance with
only

the relationship ' it. that

between M.

13 and the

is the fact the pattern


in Mark, but

the theme of the chapter

coincides
not

of the preceding
also the other

events in Passion
Synoptics. Christ's

2 Week, as traced

pronouncement of divine entry, the cleansing


parables

visitation

upon Jerusalem at the time of His triumphal the cursing of the fig-tree,
stone, the marriage

of the temple,
vineyard

the utterances
of the King's

of judgment son, the

and rejected all take place

Foes on the

Pharisees;

as a series

of thunder

claps

of Judgment. 19,41-44; It is perfectly


words topic. is

Note particularly 23: 32-39;

the following

verses:

Lu. 19: 41-44; Mt. 21: 12,

22: 7,11-14;

see Mark chapters regarding pericopes.

11 and 12. the destruction of the temple by


same

is obvious that coherent


is

the prediction the preceding


into

with

Judgment as foretold
discourse on the

and actions

now crystallized cpiE-foct

an extended 0

The pronouncement:

piV and itself

OIKOC finds

}iWV. explanation in W. 13:

a further

comment on Luke 19: 41-44,

1,2,14.
Let Austin the chapter to the close of the Gospel. us now relate 3 Farrer, Grundmann, R. -V. Bartsch, and others have pointed R. H. Lightfoot, out the

"Mark 13 is 1. Another, 478. 2. the

very

relevant

indeed

to

its

context.

"

Gaston,

No Stone

on

In his discussion between of Mark 13, Gaston shows that Mark saw a parallel last days of Jesus and the final in Him. He points of believers experience that nark saw Jesus' last out, for example, that "there are many indications days in Jerusalem the background against of Zech. 9-1411, and that these chapters "about the destiny constitute an apocalypse of Jerusalem at the end of the world. 472. This view is analogous to those referred Ibid., to in the next footnote. R. H. Lightfoot, The Gospel Message of St Mark (London, 3. 1950), 51f.; A Study in St Mark (Westminster, A. Farrer, 1951), 284-286 (hereinafter to as St Mark); W. Grundmann, Markus (ThZNT) (Berlin, 51971), 259; referred "Early Christian H, -W. Bartsch, Eschatology", NTS, XI (1964-65), Gaston, 396;

"

69.

correspondence

in motifs

and terminology

between

ch.

13 and the

succeeding

passion

chapters.

The most prominent

include

the following:

TtapaaiboFai

three times 13: 9,11,12 ten times chs. 14,15 11k. 13 Passim. compare 14: 34,37 13: 32 compare 14: 35,41

YPgyopew
u

wPd .
Thus 13: 32-37 acts as a transition

to the

narrative

of the

Passion,

particularly
four disciples

the section
mentioned

of 14: 33-42.
in 13: 3, are occurring

In Gethsemane, three
given the command to passages 13, via

of the same
yprgyopw .1 that the

The word the Passion

ypgyop& began the troubles

in both in

indicates thus

predicted

chapter to glory

placing and

apostles
crucifixion.

in Christ's

succession

on the path

sorrow

Not only is Mark 13 linked


by the themes of judgment

to the preceding
but its

and following
temple allusions

chapters
also

and suffering,

Hope Well-Founded Hendrikus Berkhof, No Stone on Another, 469,477f.; (Richmond, ". Gospels statements in all synoptic 1968), 23-24: about .. The themes the future before the Passion story. are summarized right flight, decrease of love, dealt with are watchfulness, and oppression, finally and the coming of the Son of Man in spectacular natural phenomena It is conspicuous that all these themes recur in the following glory. death, and resurrection. chapters, suffering, which deal with Christ's the meaning is obviously that the future and a larger, show-on will of what has happened in . the eventually worldwide scale--a repetition the Jesus. " Cf. Farrer's comment: ". .. and resurrection of crucifixion of the Passion are one and of the Last Things and the substance substance the same. " St Mark, 285.

1.

"When he comes to tell

the passion

story

it

will

be understood
"

background, for a full a certain understanding. against which is essential Gaston, No Stone on Another, 479. "By making use of the light the discourse Mark story throw on each other, eschatological and the passion is able to suggest without mention the judgment in ch. 13 explicit (= Jesus' death) and the resurrection in ch. 16 (= parousia). " Ibid.

70.

place

it

in

literary five

and logical chapters

connection

with Passion

these

same chapters. to the

Each of the temple. Mark, with

of Mark covering 12: 10,33,41-44; decade before church as the as the temple

Week, refer 14: 58; fall, ' Even in Paul

See 11: 11,15-17; writing in the last

13: 1-4,14; Jerusalem's new temple. was known. which

15: 38. is familiar

the

concept of the

of the community

Qumran the

concept to the

gave expression widely

idea

repeatedly

in his

epistles

had circulated

before
house so the

Mark's
is said

Gospel.

And as in Acts 15: 14-19 the fallen


up by the Israel influx its of Gentiles fulfilment

booth of David's
into the church, as the

to be raised temple of

forsaken

found

in the

church

new temple. Viewed from this


made shortly tribulation who is as the following punishment Thus the the on the for the

standpoint,

Mark 13 warned that


would be followed not

the attack

to be

temple

at Jerusalem

by a continuing He came of Christ and

church-temple, Himself. links the

one that 2

would

cease till advent

True Tabernacle Shekinah thirteenth. impenitent, setting

The promise themes is of the

of the chapters

returning the

preceding not only

Judgment but

two-sided,

and brings suffering value

to the contextual

vindication

to the for its

remnant.

of Mark 13 argues

and authenticity.

1. See A. Cole, The New Temple; McKelvey, The New Temple; Cougar, ; ste ". Grrlssner, the image of the temple as Temple, passim for this position. .. the community goes back not only to the Jerusalem church but to Jesus himself. Gaston, No Stone on Another, 243. _ 2.

. ."

this thesis. See 109((of Caird, "The L material, writing on Lu. 21, says: forms a continuous read by itself, and homogenous prophecy of a succession of the persecution historic the punishevents, of the Church by the Jewish people, by God for her refusal is the true Israel ment of Jerusalem of the gospel. ... instead the Church, and Jerusalem, to ultimate of being able to look forward finds herself vindication, classified with the enemies of God. " Saint Luke, 228. that the non-Marcan material We do not think here is disparate from the Yarcan. in L is implicit in Mark. What is explicit See further discussion in 1l1. C. F. D. Moule, 3. Deliverer". SNTSB, III (1952), 40-53, "From Defendant to Judge-and

CHAPTER Two

EXEGETICAL SURVEY OF MARK THIRTEEN

72.

This to exegetes.

"rdtselvollej

Kapite1"1 it

has always seems replete

constituted with

an unusual

challenge

To modern minds, While not all

difficulties are directly

and apparent exegetical explan-

inconsistencies. in nature, ation they

these

difficulties

have nevertheless

influenced

commentators

in their

of the

chapter. questions which automatically discourse, arise the are the destruction following: of Jerusalem

Some of the 1. What is

the primary historical

theme of this event,

as an imminent 2. 3. What is the

or the

end of the world? two themes, result blend if, indeed, there are two? of of

relationship

between the existing did Christ

Are these

themes in their discourses, -or

form the Himself

of the mingling His presentation

two separate these 4. is If also matters? the

fall

of Jerusalem -are the regarded of vv.

is here events

discussed, pictured

and if

the

end of the world by a large tract

considered

as separated linked?

of time, 5.

or are they discourse

as intimately 5-37 related to

Is the

its

immediate

setting,

vv.

2 1-4?

1.

Haenchen,

Der Weg Jesu,

434n.

"Isolated 2. it makes complete sense - better from its setting, sense, in fact than in its present position. For the introductory words refer to the itself destruction of the temple, whereas the discourse says nothing about this but deals with the End of the Age and the coming of the Son of Man. " B. H. Branscomb, The Gospel of Mark, (MVTC)(London, 1937), 231. "Seit alter Zeit sind die Meinungen geteilt, dann die Rede berhaupt eine ob ... Eine Antwort auf die Frage nach Antwort auf die gestellte Frage enthglt. der Zerstrung dem Zeitpunkt des Tempels wird aber in der ganzen Rede berhaupt nicht In finden kann. gegeben, da man sie auch in V. 28-30 nicht V. 14 wird man sie deshalb nicht sehen d{trfen, weil hier nicht von der des Tempels, sondern nur von seiner Entweihung gesprochen wird. Zerstlrung dass die Rede auf die Frage der Junger gar nicht Diese Beobachtung, eingeht, im ganzen wichtig. ist fr ihre Beurteilung Aber auf die erste, allein dem Zusammenhang mit V. if entsprechende Frage folgt die noch eine zweite, beziehen kann, sondern nur auf sich nicht mehr auf die Tempelzersttlrung

73.

6.

Do the versions as Mark,

of Matthew

and Luke reflect activity

essentially adapted the

the

same to

viewpoint the 7.

or has redactional generation? (vv. consist petitionary if the

discourse

needs of a later If the times

of distress could for

8,14,19) in flight, prayer?

apply

to the

end of the world, the season of

what possible the year 8.

value

and why would

be a matter other fall,

On the

hand,

tribulation hint

referred

to is If

that only

connected a siege is

with

Jerusalem's

why does it

at universality?

das 'Weltende'. Sowohl die Worte 'dies alles` als auch das feierliche 'vollendet Die richtige dieses SachErkllrung werden' beweisen dies. die sein, dass die Junger als fromme Juden sich den verhalts wird nicht Untergang des Tempels nur mit dem Ende 'dieses Xons'-' zusammen denken konnten, V. 5-27, also den eschatologischen sondern die, dass hier der Evangelist Hauptteil der Rede vorbereitet. Daraus folgt aber, dass dieser von Haus aus nicht mit der J{ingerfrage verbunden war. " J. Schmid, Markus, 238. "The connexion is itself awkwardly made, for the discourse contains ... to the Temple, though it is probable that a mysterious no explicit reference future profanation of the Holy Place may be part of the meaning of the veiled in verse 14. The scope of the discourse is in any case much allusion in verse 4 would to the four disciples wider than the question ascribed by reference to verse 2, and it is probable suggest if interpreted strictly that the repeated phrase these thinjqs in verse 4 should in fact be interin the light than of what has preceded ... preted rather of what follows ." A. E. J. Rawlinson, The Gospel According to St Mark (Westminster Commentaries) (London, 1949), 179. II, See also A. Loisy, Les vangiles 395; synoptigues, E. Schweizer, The Good News According to Mark (E. T., London, 1971), 262; Nineham, Saint Mark, 343. it is all in line Contra Carrington et al. ". .. Apocalypse is an to which the Little with the question of the disciples ". A. Feuillet, answer. " Nark, 279. or il est incontestable que, .. Lagrange, le verset 14 de Marc. .. comme 1'a souligne se donne comme la la question "Le discours reponse posse par les disciples au verset 4. .. ." de Jesus sur la raine du temple d'apres Marc XIII et Luc R7, 5-36", RB, LV (1948), 495. See also Plummer, Gould, Swete, Cranfield, Beasley-Murray (Mark Thirteen) The position with that of Lagrange is not identical ad loc. be carefully the group last mentioned, noted. "Le debut du of and should (Victor). la question: De directement discours ne repond pas .... double emploi avec le v. 21 (Wellh., les vv. 5b et 6 semblent faire plus, inutile Mais il n'y aurait Loisy). Klost., repetition que Bans la hypothese traits fausse de Loisy etc. u un soul sujet serait qui ne serait pas la La repetition, du Temple. qui est incontestable, marque le parallelisme ruine du discours, ayant chacune un objet different; entre les deux parties Le Christ ne repond pas directement periode a ses faux Messies. cheque double theme propos dune question. " Evangile traite un selon parce qu'il W. G. Kfimnel differs 1929), 335. Saint Marc (Paris, from all the preceding

74.

under parallel Kom 9. If

consideration, before uNPE the

why is 1

it

described

as being that

a time OUK

of trouble ON EQWB

without

or after? refer is only

Does the peril flesh?

to Jewish

elect which are

a Christian are able

elect,

2 how can they by heeding quarters

be said

to be imperilled warning? And

in a siege if the elect

they

to avoid tour

Christ's of the

gathered

from the

earth,

does this

indicate 10.

that

the tribulation chapter

was similarly both contain

widespread? of the end, and yet also

Why does this that the

signs

a warning 11.

end cannot

be calculated? Tarro( of w. 4,29,30? Does the

How much is

included

in the

word mean the 12. ation? in 13. other

same in each instance? that the knd of the world wrong in this would come upon His gener-

Did Jesus teach If

He has been proved worthy

instance,

are His teachings

areas

of consideration? of the warning on the that while time all of v. of the things 32? Is it saying that even

What is

the purpose

Christ's will, that 14.

own pronouncement or is it affirming the

end is

subject

to the Father's in

must be accomplished

generation, If the

exact

time

cannot

be pin pointed? to all nations, is there an

gospel

must first

be preached

but is, perhaps, "Mark unquestionably to Beasley-Murray. closest understood this destruction happenings, of the temple as a part of the final since E 31 O(L the inquiry their date (13.4) TT&rc about -roeCrroc _ back to the destruction undoubtedly refers of the temple. " Promise and (E. T., London, 1957), 99,100. Pulfilment, If the first cited commentators (Branscomb et al. ) are correct, we cannot but wonder at Mark's dullness that he should not have seen the incongruity and clumsiness, of his Would he have re-read his work? redactions. "This assertion is much too 1. thought of 19 is eschatological. St Mark, 514. Taylor, 2. "By 'the Elect'. .. emphatic for a siege; This is undoubtedly it is clear that the true of 20.11 Vincent

the members of the Christian

community

" Ibid. are meant.

75.

element

of conditionality

present

in the

apparently

absolute

statement

about

o
15.
vv. really 16.

PC) napE)8r

rj

yEVE

a-rr)

...?
as we find in

Did Jesus actually


24-27? Does this

use such a pastiche


bizarre concatenation about the

of O. T. quotations
of events, future? the portrayal filling I nielic it described

in Mark 13,

reproduce Has Jesus

the mind of Jesus taken over "lock,

stock,

and barrel" only its form,

of the O. T. out with passages them to

apocalypse Christian regarding the future?

Daniel? substance? the events Wherein

Or has He adopted And how is of almost did His it

that

He could

take

two centuries expectation differ

previously, from His

and apply

contemporariesl of the Why does He

who were forever seventy cite 17.

reshuffling

possible

fu]. filments king

of the prophecy in 11: 36-45?

weeks of Daniel these

9, and of the wilful and with

both

passages2 indications

what implications? throughout this chapter to be regarded?

How are the

of time

Do they indicate
18.

a traceable

sequence of events?
issues dead,

3
destruction of

Why are so many eschatological the resurrection of the

such as the the bliss

Antichrist, left 19.

of the

redeemed etc.

untreated? Is there an ideological relationship between the two signs most emphasized -

the sign of the v6Pwrrou


20. these will After issues consider all,

3suy1o. ?
how important

and the sign of the ,

uic

To

to the New Testament with in preceding

is

the Parousia? The rest

Some of chapter

have been dealt the remainder.

pages.

of this

1.

The Qumran community,

for

example.

2.

See 113,117-123.

"Now Busch is undoubtedly 3. had no wrong when he says that the Evangelist intention in time of eschatological of describing a succession happenings. " Ktlmmel, Promise, 97. But Busch has many supporters. See Beasley-Murray, Jesus, 214-15.

76.

As has been indicated

in

earlier

pages,

the

difficulties

of Mark 13

account for have in this with


then

some of the theories chapter

regarding

its

literary

origin.

If logia

what we mingled prophet,

is a patchwork

including

genuine dominical

sayings

from a Jewish apocalypse


are automatically results in some loss

or the writing
resolved,

of a Christian
inasmuch

many difficulties usually is

as literary as already are

patchwork shown, valid. ' it

of homogeneity. such "escapes"

However, from

exceedingly

doubtful

whether

exegesis

"The largest block of eschatological See 11-59, and compare the following: 1. to be found in the Gospels is that which we find in Mark 13 and its teaching It was at one time fashionable in Luke and Matthew. among scholars parallels form, and even to postulate in its present to regard it as highly unauthentic Jewish 'little had been worked over by later apocalypse' which an original The resultant the Christian might be compilation community. editors within but it could logic, in it a certain held to contain of authentic number embedded the those who set out to reconstruct the respect of not as a whole command Jesus. The steps by which such a conclusion beliefs was of the historical is interesting hypothesis the 'fly-sheet' fragile enough, and reached were Jesus the historical how preconceptions illustration about of chiefly as an Advent The " G. Neville, inconvenient lead to the rejection evidence. of could A. L. Moore gives a useful Hope (London, 1961), 45. summary which we append "The main arguments against footnotes: his detailed are authenticity without as follows:

i.

That the discourse

Arther, in fact be paralleled But the contents the chapter considerably. of can, the discourse form is not necessarily are unauthentic. a sign that the contents 32 and the emphasis on a sudden End inconsistent, ii. That it is internally v. But signs 'signs'. is said) keeping with the idea of preceding being (it out of of being held in tension are capable watchfulness and expectancy encouraging with the idea of suddenness. is a mark of secondariness. iii. That the apparent privacy of the teaching is in the instruction how suitable however, we must notice this, Against private (if not an 'apocalypse'): other of an apocalyptic character case of material to have been spoken in private, case one and in this particular appear sayings 'Apart from other considerations, expect some caution and privacy might well to discuss in the open for Jesus and his followers it would have been indiscreet involving the anticipated as it did that of the city ruin of the temple, and also'. nation 24,15) reveals But this verse, if not That NIt. 13,14 (ritt. iv. secondariness. as a Markan editorial to Jesus is intelligible device, or dark hint, authentic to a written that Mark is referring supposing source. without

is out of character

with

Jesus'

teaching

elsewhere.

That the discourse fits better the early church situation; but only on v. views of cleavage between Jesus and the early church's understanding a priori There therefore could this be an argument against authenticity. seems good reason for the judgment, 'that 13: 5-37 does give us substantially our Lord's teaching',
to which a number of scholars incline. " Parousia, 178-79.

77.

Some would

cut

the

Gordian

knot

by rejecting

the

Parousia

doctrine,

but,

this

is,

from an academic viewpoint,

high-handed

and unwarrantable.

With H. H. Rowley, we "find


of this chapter consists of genuine

no reason to deny that


utterances of Jesus.

most of the material


... Even the

linking

together

of the fall "2 .

of Jerusalem and the end of the age may be suggests, "jedes einzelne
'Jesus'

due to Him. ..
eine solche

As Schniewind
wie sie

Wort hat
her mglich

Prgung,

nur von der Wirklichkeit

ist".

3
This matter of literary of the difficulties regarding of the its Olivet origin discourse is related occasioning to the

a variety

theories

phenomenon of a variety created. The difficulties,

of schools

of interpretation philosophical

being

similarly

and prior

or theological

preSudices, 4 account for

as many of the varieties

of interpretation

attending

Discussing 1. the question and the Coming of the whether the Resurrection "Attractive Son of Man should be identified, A. M. Hunter says: prima facie as this view may seem, it has two serious weaknesses: (1) It fails to do justice to all the Gospel evidence; (2) It fails hope of the to account for the early Christians' Parousia. is the traditional therefore, The only satisfactory one, solution, that our Lord predicted which the Resurrnot only a coming in history-of were the reality-but a coming in ection and the advent of the Spirit glory at the consummation of the Kingdom. " The Work and Words of Jesus (London, 1950), 110. ". its Advent Hope is faith without a Christian .. Gospel as one in which the bowdlerized the Apostolic as much a of edition "The Son of Man in Son of Man is not risen from the dead. " Matthew Black, ". Jesus", 36. the rejection the Teachings ET, LX (1948), of this of .. hope is a mutilation of the message of the New Testament. " H. H. Rowley, (London, 1956), 200n. Israel The Faith of 2. Rowley, 1956), 160. Relevance, 147. See also Cullmann, The Early Church (E. T. A London,

3.
4. to

Dias Evangelium nach Markus (UJTD)(Ottingen,

61952),

I,

168.

Bo Reicke in his review of Beasley-Murray's Jesus and the Future alludes "Solange man in einer Welt lebte, these: die immer besser zu werden Perspektive hat die eschatologische schien, nicht sehr verlockend gewirkt. Jesus von jeder Man versuchte deshalb, Belastung dadurch eschatologischen

zu befreien,

dass man nach Mglichkeit

die apokalyptischen

und eschatologischen

78.

Mark 13,

as do the To everyone

principles it (Ilk.

of 13)

grammatico-historical interprets itself

exegesis. according to his

I state my assumptions, and my exegesis assumptions. own existing If I am wrong, it is because my assumptions are is ready-made. false. 1
Perhaps Neville should not so readily ascribe his own inadequacy

for

objectivity

to others,

but the cold fact

remains that

the total

lack

of unanimity factor

among interpreters

of Mark 13 implies

some such influencing

as he suggests.

Among the assumptions which so vitally that


is it

affect Is it
example,

one's exegesis, apocalyptic,


most of the

is or

of the literary
akin to

nature

of the discourse.
tradition? For

the prophetic

exegetes

in school two, mentioned below,

to the Little are committed topic

Apocalypse theory. exegetes fall


on Mark 13

A review of the commentaries upon this


mainly into four different schools. 2

shows that
positions

The respective

are as followss
1. 2. 3. distant the in Application Application Application fulfilment blended to the to the to both fall of Jerusalem only.

end of the events,

Age only. understood basis that in the either Gospel Christ as or

(though on the

from the

each other) themes.

Evangelist

Aussagen

Kirche Denkens betrachtete Reste jdischen oder der spteren als Dabei wurde Mark 13 ein besonders dankbares Gebiet literarkritischer zuschrieb. die scheinbar Operationen, richtig nicht weil hier zwei Motive vorliegen, Erstens spricht nmlich Jesus von der Zerstrung passen vollen. zueinander Und diese des Menschensohnes. des Tempels, zweitens von der Parusie folgen. Nun ist aber Ereignisse warden nach ihm gleich aufeinander Jahrzehnte Jerusalem einige nach Jesu Tod zerstrt worden, whrend der Tag Jahren noch ausbleibt. Um den des Menschensohnes nach fast zweitausend hat man also verschiedentlich Meister zu retten, von einem schweren Irrtum Jesus jene Aussage abzusprechen. " ThZ, XI (1955), 128. erstrebt,

1. 2.

G. Neville,

The Advent Hope, Introduction. of other positions, see Beasley Murray, Jesus, 141-166.

For a discussion

79.

4. to the

Application

to both contemporary

events, with

regarding Him. This

such as promised view makes the fall

by Christ of

generation

Jerusalem

a part

of the predicted
titles

end of the Age.


to these schools may be helpful, though

To give

descriptive

not precisely itself. Catholic Protestant is often for


to

accurate,

which is true

also of our use of the word "school" the typical Roman

The first position position,

school could be said to represent until recently.

The second represents that

the modern The third it speaks

particularly

of most German exegetes. view, intimating It


are

spoken of as the "traditional"

that

the majority
denominate the

of commentators over the centuries.


fourth group. Here odd bed-fellows

is more difficult
to be found. liberals such

Rationalists

such as Strauss

and Renan,

some conservative

as Rowley, and some pure conservatives the discourse features links the fall

such as Beasley-Murrayl

agree that

of Jerusalem and the end of the Age as 2

of the final

act in the drama of human existence.

1. Beasley-Murray this appellation when writing gave himself Baptist Quarterly thinks many years ago. See "A Conservative Daniel", XII (1948), 341.

for again

the about

2. Others who held this position ago include more than a century Fritzsche, Fleck, Schulz, Lagrange categorized de Wette, and Olshausen. ete "Depuis l'antiquite, three of these schools as follows: le sujet en a D'apres Victor, Apollinaire compris de manieres tres differentes. et Theodore de Mopsueste font de Bosra entendu de la fin du monde, Titus Parmi les modernes, Maldonat et Chrysostome de la ruine de Jerusalem. a la fois sur la ruine du interroge pense que, les disciples ayant Temple et sur la fin du monde, le Christ a repondu lui aussi confuse:. ... Le Christ donc conau sa reponse de fagon laisser les apotres Bans aurait leur erreur sur le lien entre la fin du Temple et la fin du monde, erreur devait leur etre salutaire S'il qui en augmentant leur energie. y a, le Bissentiment des Peres sur le sujet du discours comme le prouvent et la confusion constatee par Maldonat, un certain embarras Bans le discours nest-il d'en chercher la cause Bans la composition des pas plus prudent evangelistes synoptiques de Jesus? " que Bans une intention positive Lagrange paves the way for his own exposition by alluding to exegetes who the authenticity His outline thus gives a useful of Mark 13. reject fifty of the question summary of the state "Les nearly years ago. liberaux, joint M. Loisy, critiques auxquels s'est le discours mettent en

80.

Let

us consider

these

respective

modes of interpreting

the

thirteenth

chapter
as they

of Mark.
do the

The first

two schools can be considered


of the exegetical section refuses

together,

representing

opposite

extremes

spectrum. of the so to chapter, construe.

Each depends heavily and taking

upon reading literally that

metaphorically which the

an important opposing school

The first
Jerusalem

school,
is

which applies
represented

the chapter
by scholars

to the downfall

of

in A. D. 70,

such as Gould and Swete,

and more recently

Feuillet

and Carrington. of other positions


the it. motivation behind

Gould, in giving
his to own, simultaneously our mind, thereby

a critique
reveals invalidates

and an apologetic
the first school,

for
and

the traditional interpretation, the latter part postpones ... indefinitely, looking for the world-catastrophe which and is still its advocates in the here. The difficulties suppose to be predicted It ignores interpretation way of this are grave and insurmountable. the coupling together in the discourse, as belonging of the two parts to one great event. Mt. v. 29 says that they will follow each other

Its ne lui du Temple. opposition avec la prophetie sur la destruction peu pres aucune authenticite. de Voici par exemple l'analyse attribuent Wellh.: le reste Une apocalypse juive, 7.8-12; 14-22; 24-27; comant Klosterm. est d'origine chretienne, admet en outre des notamment 28-37. Loisy dit de Jesus notamment 30.31.32, paroles srement authentiques. (6 (ou 7)-8; l'apocalypse juive 14-20; 24-31) completee par des discours dej ecrits. D'une fapon generale tout le discours serait en opposition la fin com-ne imminente avec la pensee de Jesus, lequel a toujours represents done sans aucun autre signe preliminaire et subite, que sa propre predication. Environ quarante ou cinquante voyant que la fin n'etait ans apses la Passion, voir imagine que c'etait pas venue, on se serait parce qu'il restait compose ce discours passer certains prodromes, en combinant et Von aurait juive Dans le donnees acquises a la tradition. une apocalypse avec certaines de son exegese, Loisy est tres preoccupe de tout expliquer courant sans la raine de Jerusalem a quelques Van 70, ce qui l'entraine allusion en L'explication contradictions. que noes donnerons montrera que, s'il ... des disciples, Bans l'esprit 1'intention de une confusion y avait en effet Jesus fut precisement de distinguisher la ruine du Temple de la different consommation finale en leur dictant une attitude en vue des deux evenements. " Marc, 334-335. In more recent times, Josef Schmid has given brought See Markus, 235. classification up to date. us a similar

81.

belong to the same general period. It to explain or attempts passes over also, away, the obvious notes of All of the accounts wait until they have come to the end of time. including both parts, before they introduce the prophecy, the statement itself is, that and the statement of the time of all these events, that generation was not to pass away till all these things came to immediately. pass. """

Mit.,

that

they

The other interpretation, places the time of its fulfilment ... Jesus himself That is, they involve in the in that generation. and of the Church in the of the other N. T. writings error evident subsequent period. ... one adopted here, holds that the second part did take place in that generation, event The event in connection the destruction of Jerusalem. and with to the analogy itself, it interprets the signs of it, according and The prophecy becomes thus a figuratively. of prophecy, ... of of the setting prediction up of the kingdom, and especially A third interpretation, in the predicted the

definite of the chief

its

kingdom, with the removal inauguration universal as a to that in the destruction of Jerusalem) obstacle "We see the discourse
gap between the did at

Such commentators are saying in effect,


unity. the in first the first There half, are no grounds and those century for assuming second.

as a
in come glance else of -

a great

events not

of the

The end of the world the description which apply " to

A. D. and therefore second advent in

first

seems to pertain something which

to the

must actually generation.

something

can be located

Christ's

The exegesis

vv.

24-272 thus arrived

at may be correct,

but the method of arriving

there

1.

E. P. Gould, The Gospel according

to St Mark (ICC)(Edinburgh,

1896),. 240-241.

in answer to Glasson, 2. For a defence of the authenticity of these verses, Jesus, 246-250; J. A. T. Robinson, see Beasley-Murray, and N. Perrin et al., Partic186,187. Neville, The Advent Hope, 48,49; and A. L. Moore, Parousia, ". is the following from Moore: there is much section ularly pertinent .. to be said in favour of sayings which are a pastiche of the authenticity

(cf. e. g. '. c. 4,32 - Dan. 4,12; 21, Ezek. 17,23; or allusions of quotations 31,6), and this applies to Son of Man sayings too, for the grounds on which Mk. 8,38 par. (cf. I Enoch 61,8; 10.62,2) the authenticity of and Ilk. 13,26 (cf. Is. 13,10; Zech. 12,10f., Dan. 7,13f. ) is challenged are inadequate.
to notice that of all the Son of Ilan sayings in the Gospels those which speak of his future Old Testprecisely glory which contain (or Pseudepigrapha) But it is precisely in this references. ament sphere that we would expect such references Where the present or allusions. situation to call in traditional of the Son of Man is spoken of, there is no necessity but how else ought one to speak of heaven, of glory, imagery; the End, but of imagery? " in traditional It it is is important

82.

certainly literary,

is

not.

The exegete's

primary

task tools,

is

not

apologetic.

Using mind what

philological,

and historical

he must make up his

the words before

him actually

mean.

It

is not his primary

task to enquire with

whether the meaning is acceptable,


other facts.

or even whether it

is consistent

A number of other
because L. it does not fit

commentators have difficulty


in with their views

with

vv.

24-27

on eschatology. E. J. Goodspeed,

H. B. Sharman, W. Manson,

Waterman,

A. T. Olmstead,

C. J.

Cadoux,

F. C. Grant., and C. H. Dodd are in this


Again it must be said that the

category.
interpretation

'
offered by any one

of these scholars hardly the right


The second

may be correct, path for


school

but the path to such conclusions

was

an exegete to travel.
of interpreters, which applies the discourse to the

end of the world, with reference

faces a problem similar Again,


J.

to that

of the first

group, but meaning


Grdsser, in short see Again, the

to verses 14-19.

we have the face-value


Weiss, Suhl, Rawlinson, Haenchen,

denied. Bultmann, the great

Commentators Conzelmann, majority

such as Loisy, Branscomb,

Werner, Schmid,

Lohmeyer,

of modern commentators, of the Antichrist the denial conclusion of the

particularly at the

German scholars, 2 end of the ge. sprung solely from

in vv. in

14-20

a description at least,

some instances In numerous belief in

has not

text. With

cases,

phenomena of prediction, has had more to do with

coupled the exegesis

Consistent

Eschatology,

offered

than the Scripture

passage itself.

Disbelief

in prediction

may be,

1. These scholars follow E. Meyer in attributing the verses to the early church, them as a symbolic expression of spiritual In more or interpret realities. recent years, C. H. Dodd, however, has allowed for a cataclysmic ending
of the Age. See his Coming of Christ (Cambridge, 1952), 26f.

2.

It

needs to be repeated

that

if

the chapter

is considered

(as some of

83.

of course, with

a perfectly

valid

philosophical that

position, do with

but

what has that

to do

exegesis, Thus, in

i. e. what considering that almost

should the

have to

exegesis? first two schools, given entirety

exegetical

stance

of the

it

is

apparent 24-27

everything If the former of the

depends upon the passage first

interpretation in

to vv.

and 14-19. the the

can be regarded remains

as metaphorical, Similarly, if

viewpoint

school

unembarrassed. description school is -

second passage than a local But if to than

can be construed situation, neither then

as apocalyptic the "ifs" realm second

of a universal exegetically and it regard the proves 14-19

rather unhindered. impossible as other

of these to the

can be substantiated of imagery, or to Then of

relegate a local

24-2? historical

situation three and four

what then? on the weight

exegete

must choose between

positions

evidence.

Let us look more closely vv. 24-27 is today overwhelmingly


Parousia. Gould's

at these key passages. taken as applying


has fallen strong contrast

The description

of

to the end of the Age


out of favour, merely and

and the with

interpretation' stand in

good reason.

The verses

to the

terrestrial appears

phenomena of verse to be a fitting world which

7 forward.

The convulsion manifestation Taylor

of the heavens of the writes, Son of "In the Son of

accompaniment has rejected

of the Him.

Man to the light of

Vincent

5f.

(wars,

earthquakes,

famines)

26 (the and

coming

of the

Apocalypse, such an interpretthe preceding do consider) to contain a Little If however the chapter is viewed as authentic, results. automatically ation a very different exposition akin to the prophets in style, may and more See 23-42. result.
24-27 began with Gould. One of the mode of exegeting expressions of it came twenty years previously most powerful with J. S. A Critical Enquiry The Parousia, into the New Testament Doctrine Russell's Second Coming (London, 1878); Our Lord's Alexander Brown, The Great of D. Lamont, Christ Day of the Lord (London, 1890); and the World of Thought (Edinburgh, 21915) 1934); The Epistle (Edinburgh, Priesthood and A. Nairne, of this See, for example, Nairne 207. same approach. expound 1. Not that this

84.

Man with

clouds),

it

seems probable

that

objective

phenomena are meant. "1

The "gathering

of Israel"

is frequently See Isa.

pictured

in the Old Testament as There does

an event of the end-time.


not

60: 4., Micah 4: 1-T etc.


language Christ could

seem to have been any plainer

have used to

convey the message of the Son of Man's literal must ask those who apply this
just how could Christ

coming than v. 26. context metaphorically


if words

We as clear

verse and its

have made the. point

of His

return,

as these are capable of another the New Testament teaching evaporated by such exegesis.

meaning?

We would also enquire

whether

on the resurrection While it is true

and the Age to come is not that the fall of Jerusalem

St Mark, 518. Cf. J. Schmid, Markus, 245: "Unmglich ist es, zusammen mit V. 14-23 auch V. 24-27 zeitgeschichtlich verstehen und hier mit zu Berufung auf die atl Propheten, die mit hnlichen Bildern (vgl. zu V. 24 ) das Gericht ber Jerusalem und auch rein lokale Strafgerichte schildern,
das Judentum beschrieben die Sammlung der Auserwhlten finden auf die und zu Grndung der Kirche Die hier geschilderte kosmische Katastrophe zu deuten. des Menschensohns mssen ebenso realistisch verstanden und das Erscheinen in V. 7f. Versteht Katastrophen Drangsale werden wie die irdischen man und dagegen V. 14-23 eschatologisch, daran fflgen sich V. 24-27 ausgezeichnet so an. " Over a hundred years ago, Olshausen commented, "It is beyond all doubt, that the following to an invisible description advent neither relates For in any metaphorical of Christ, nor can be understood sense whatever. Ep (come), alone might be so ce cxi gKEN although and (comp. the observations 1), no passage can be understood on Natth. xxiv. 0'(V pU1[ov ep)(e in which the complete phrase, 'v uiC adduced (I Ev duvNEwc the Son of Man cometh in the clouds v qpEAaiC NE-rk be thus understood. of heaven with power and glory, can with any probability (Comp. Matth. 64; Mark xiv. 62; 1 Thess. iv. 16,17; 2 Peter iii. 10; xxvi. Rev. xix. 11; Dan. vii. 13,14) Let anyone, with an unprejudiced mind, the sphere of ideas familiar to the hearers place himself within of Jesus, in which he promises to and he will entertain no doubt that the clouds, According to constant appear are literally clouds of light. custom, ... deeply founded in the nature of man, all appearances of God are surrounded

1.

in the Old Testament as well as in the New; there is no imagination with light, that can conceive of the Deity under whatever, individual or national,
" And on Matthew 24,29, he remarks, any other image than that of light. "According to the scope of the whole -- and the succeeding (30-31) verses do not leave a doubt on-this ') the signs ( csrjp in the sun, subject -cannot be interpreted moon, and stars, allegorically, as representing or ecclesiastical dissolution; relations political and their for political have already disturbances been spoken of, ver. 7. " Matthew (Commentary on T., New York, 1857), 250,247. the New Testament)(E. (Emphasis his. )

85.

helped

the young

church

to

attain

independence,

it

remains

to be doubted

whether those Christians be in the Age of glory.


Each and all of the

persecuted

after

A. D. 70 considered

themselves

to

of the

statements

preceding bears

and succeeding witness to the

the picture significance

Son of Man coming

in the

clouds,

of this
just

central
the

description.
convulsion

The great

tribulation,
is linked

described
with Verse the l event while "the

as occurring
time of the

before its to

of the heavens, source. KEIvr to

end" in reference

Old Testament r) 9pe pE

See Dan. 12: 1-4. pin points in the prophets,

32, by its of the the great of

day of Yahweh so often

referred

parables

the fig-tree 6 q}Cp

and the master of the house, which bracket EKeivq echo the need for alertness

the reference

to proximity. 2

in view of its

that A. L. Moore has the edge on Beasley-Murray when he says: 'that day or that hour' is no compelling to understand reason the Old to take them, following temporal it is natural terms, as precise to the Last Judgement and the Parousia. Testament background as references Beasley-Ifurray's were adjective case would be helped if the demonstrative indeed, it to lapse when he says, 'If his argument allows at the missing: break out time one were asked, "Have you any idea when war will present "I do not know the day or hour". in Europe? " and the reply were given, .. Old Testament overtones is that 'that day' carries whereas the point -99,100. which 'the day' in modern usage does not. " Parousia, We think 1. "Since there in Matthew is significant Hendriksen's the parallel comment upon passage He enquires: Mark. least for indicating how a later Gospel writer understood at be destroyed? "Does He merely mean to say that no one knows when Jerusalem will Does that sound like of the of v. 36 in the light a convincing explanation Is the destruction just quoted? In v. 37. .. of the face sublime paragraph fall, the earth by means of the Flood a type merely of Jerusalem's or is of is to which reference it a type of 'the passing away of heaven and earth' but also 2 Peter 3: 54 made in v. 35? Not only the immediate context, His discourse the answer. Our Lord continues in ch. 25. furnishes ... " to nothing language of 24: 29-31 refers If the lofty more momentous and final destruction in the year A. D. 70 then by the same process than Jerusalem's the very similar words of 25: 31-46 must be given this of reasoning restricted Observe the parallel: in both cases the Son of man appears interpretation. the people ("his 'all in great glory, and elect' nations') are gathered But 25: 46 proves without before Him. possibility of successful contradiction 'And these shall that the end of the age has been reached. go away into .. . but the righteous into life "' Lectures punishment: everlasting on eternal. Michigan, 1951), 24. the Last Things (Grand rapids, 2.

86.

The case is

similarly

overwhelming

for

the

interpretation

of vv.

14-19

as local

and historical.

V. G. Simkhovitch it refers
that

long ago lunged at the heart what


or in description

of

the matter
difference the

he asked "If when


does it

to the end of the world,


end is vein to come in affirmed the winter that the

make whether

"1 summer?

And C. H. Dodd in

similar

in these verses fits


Unless the temple, these Christ

precisely
verses has not

a condition

2 of besiegement.
to the to the destruction enquiry from of Jerusalem His disciples and

have reference truly replied

which provoked the discourse. Mark's Gospel is particularly


the church of 3 God. leaders

Furthermore, important
of His

the setting

of this

passage in Christ
to witness 4 It is then of this the than and 6

has been shown earlier. as


they were shortly abandoned. the

had warned the that the

day that

Judgments

The temple

had been declared disciples

we have the sacred it

announcement 5

to the

regarding Christ's the

dissolution within

building. is

Because Mark has given presumption and in the Chapters ll of its fate that

prophecy

context, very that issue

an immediate raised it,

discourse

discusses rather temple,

which

manner of the to

prophets to the

of the

apocalyptists. description

15 each refer as 13: 14-19

such an extended

might

have been expected.

1. 2.

Cited

by Beasley-Murray, of the

Jesus,

199. 21961), 51.

The Parables

Kingdom

(London,

3.
5.

Mk. 12 and Mt. 23.4.


This obviously St Mark,

Mt. 23: 38.


genuine according 500-501. to Vincent Taylor and

is pronouncement See Taylor's many others.

in Mk 13 mit der Strukturparallele "Wie bereits 6. gesagt, weist der Kontext Aussagen auf Kriegsereignisse. Vv. 7-8 und dem unmittelbar auf V. 14 folgenden das Thema Krieg besonders Die Auslegung von Vv. 7-8 ergab, dass der Evangelist im Zusammenhang mit der in der Einleitung den Krieg zugleich hervorkehrt, (Vv. 2.4) sieht. i Tempelzerstdrung Mit 1To u Co vorhergesagten Der Kontext ist nun auch in V. 14 vom Tempel die Rede. legt also nahe, dass Chiffre hier mit der danielischen des Tempels abgezielt auf die Zerstrung "Die befohlene 142. ist. " Pesch, Naherwartungen, Flucht V. 14c-16 und die

87.

Neither revolt

was the

event

of A. D. 70 "similar "to the

to the

suppression of the Indian

of the Mutiny". 2

of an Arab

sheik"'

or akin

suppression

J. C. igle

saw the event in better

perspective

when he wrote:

Jerusalem and the temple were the heart of the old Jewish dispensaWhen they were destroyed tion. the old Mosaic system came to an end. The daily the religious feasts, the altar, the holy of sacrifice, the priesthood, holies, were all essential parts of revealed religion Christ till When He died upon the cross their came, but no longer. They were dead, and it only remained that they should work was done. be buried. But it was not fitting that this thing should be done The ending of a dispensation quietly. given with so much solemnity at Mt, Sinai might well be expected to be marked with peculiar The destruction solemnity. so many old saints of the holy templewhere had seen 'shadows of good things to come' might well be expected to form a subject of prophecy. And so it dispensation Not all saw it, today but would the end of the describes the Great High Priest was ... bring men to Himself. 3 to which had been a schoolmaster see the significance convey the of Jerusalem sentiments and the of the Temple as Iyyle church,

his

words

may well

early

V. 17-20 lassen unvermeidlich an einen unbarmherzigen, -Schilderung OTaV Oben wurde gezeigt, Krieg denken. Mehr noch! wie der schonungslosen dass Vordersatz bezogen ist auf das Zeichen von V. 4; nun ist unleugbar, dass V. 4 selbst Daraus folgt, auf die Tempelverwtistung von V. 2 anspielt. Die V. 14 sich mit V. 2 berhrt; den Tempel im Auge. beide haben brigens dass Verwstung V. 2 macht es usserst angek{indigte wahrscheinlich, Sinn bei Da 1k 13,14, abgesehen von dem, was der richtige EPr1M Waic trostlose bedeutet: die Vera{lstung oder 1 Nakk ist, oder der leere, Zustand, 151. "Les versets Redaktion, der die Folge davon ist. " Lambrecht, 15 18, qui insistent dune fuite imm6diate et rapide, sur la necessite 'Car ces jours-l le verset 19: preparent seront des jours de tribulation. . .' Bref la fuite s'impose, est imminente. parce qu'une catastrophe sans precedent Cf. K. Weiss, Exegetisches 79. Plus haut dej, on zur Irrtumlosigkeit. . ., interne l'unite des versets 14 a 23. de toute la pericope a souligne qui va On ne doit done pas separer le le verset 19 de ce qui precede et en faire debut d'une nouvelle Pour justifier prophetie sur la fin du monde. cette le P. Lagrange et beaucoup d'autres derniere position, alleguent que dans Mc. XIII, 14-18 on a un peril localise, d une armee et auquel il sera possible tandis d'echapper XIII, 19-20 decrit par la fuite, tine catastrophe que lt. de l'omnipotence divine qui vient mondiale, et frappe tous les hommes: alors evidemment la fuite On pent n'gtre serait un non sens. pas convaincu par " A. Feuillet, "Le discours de Jesus sur la ruine du temple cet argument. Luc 10(1,5-36", Marc XIII RB, LV (1948), d'apres 481. et 1. Schweizer, The Good News, 274.2. T. W. Hanson, Teaching, 231.

OAt/ii

3.

S. Matthew (London, 1856),

317.

88.

and of the

author

of Mark's

Gospel.

And this

being

the

case,

it

is

not

strange

that allude

the last

discourse

of Christ's

recorded by the Synoptic

writers

should

to the passing

of what had been the centre

and mainspring

of the

'once holy faith'.


Some object specifically contexts with yiC that in M. But the contexts 13: 14 neither vital point is Mt. Jerusalem that nor the temple in is always its are O. T. associated T611c for

named. (those very

the Yj'IDO

to which

24: 15 alludes) temple. 1

a desecrating is

attack the

on Jerusalem expression

and its

Matthew's

very

used over

and over

in Scripture

2 the Temple.
desecration

And Mark's
place

O'nou
could

au
refer

661
to one site

with
only,

its

hint
so far

of the
as Christ's

of a holy

hearers

were concerned.

3
exist for this apparent neglect to specify the

Old Testament

parallels

fate

of the temple in detail. linked


Jer. pollute

In the prophets, of Jerusalem.


it is

the fate See, for

of the temple is example, Jer. 26: 6,9,


in the in the

inevitably
and 7: 14,34. temple following temple nation is is

with

the fate

7: 30 shows that it,

the presence for the

of abominations judgment the described

which

and therefore v.

call

verses. never referred is

But after expressed. to,

14 of this

chapter,

destruction the razed

of the city the and the holy to place.

The general

catastrophe the

involving

and by inference in Mark 13,

same destruction lack of specific

The situation

identical

and the

reference

the temple is no evidence that

it

is not in view.

1.

Dan. 9: 26,27;

11: 31; 12: 11.

2.

Lev. 16: 2; Acts 6: 13 etc.

"undoubtedly the phrase 'where he should not be' refers Schweizer 3. affirms, to the temple, " The since the entire passage presupposes a Jewish situation. bei Da sich zweifellos Good News, 272. "Da das_ dgAuyNa im Tempel befindet, Formel Mk 13,14 eine Anspielung ist es ratsam, auch in der unbestimmten auf den dadurch wird das dXuypoc Tempel zu sehen: eigentlich erst ein profanier. Greuel. " Lambrecht, Redaktion, 152. ender 4. M. Hooker, The Son of Man in Mark (London, 1967), 153.

89.

The ordinary

tools

of exegesis

applied

to vv.

24-27

and 14-19

of Mark

13 negate the viewpoints

categorized

earlier view -

as belonging namely that


crisis

to schools

two. one and

What should be said of the third


includes the world,, both yet the crisis

the discourse
at the end of

of A. D. 70 and the them one from the along the

greater other? l

separates

Not all same chapter, for example,

who see both interpret differ it

end of Jerusalem identical lines.

and the

end of the Age in this and Rigaux, arrangement of of

Lagrange the

considerably. work of the the ruin

The former Evangelist of the that

considers

Mark 13 to be the Christ, advent. united to

as he blended temple, the and the

two discourses other the

one concerning Not so Rigaux, by Christ in the

second

who holds single "Neither is

two perspectives Cranfield's historical ...

were indissolubly position nor is similar

presentation. an exclusively satisfactory,

Rigaux's.

He says:

an exclusively for a

eschatological

interpretation

we must allow

double reference,
From a faith ically point
ETaI,

for

a mingling

of historical

and eschatological:
but

'
exeget-

standpoint tolerable. question


-ro

such viewpoints

may seem acceptable, commentators, r`l'i7V,


TTocpovai

they to the

are hardly twofold


% Tt

Most of these of Matt. 24: 3:


-rnc

for 11&1o

example, TaGToC
KxI

ETV OrIc

Kai kE O(c I

ag1.. lsiov cuvoC od

OUK1

To

;...

But when one takes

into

consideration

the

accounts

of the

same enquiry

found

in Mark and Luke, it only,

is evident

that

the disciples

had in view a single 3 Note the part.

event

of which the fall

of Jerusalem was a significant

have taken this view include Scholars 1. who C. Cranfield, A. B. Bruce, B. Rigaux, Mller,

W. Beyschlag, G. E. Ladd.

F.

Godet,

E. F. K.

2.
3. the

Saint

Mark, 402.
distinguished transpired. the two events because, at the time he wrote,

Matthew probably first had already

90.

parallelism

in Mark 13: 4.

TTo,re
TOCTa

TL

-ro

jNEiov
T1OCVTOC

TO(G ro(

QrL
In effect, the

EAq
of the

csuvTei9a
is, "When will this take place,

question

disciples

and what will

be the sign of it? "


difficulty for commentators of this school, particularly

The most obvious

those who view the discourse


precise point of division

as separating
the two.

the two crises,


Some select v.

is finding
24p but it

the
is

between

obviously

tied

to the preceding with v. 19. Still

verse. others

Others prefer fix

v. 20, despite

its

obvious link T Tc
following c 9PEP It is riveted Na

upon v. 21, but only by ignoring the statement


for the v. 19 despite

in this
passages. t

same verse,
The majority

which links
settle connects

to the preceding
the fact that

and

EKwvocl be kept

verse

to they previous introduces by the the

description. Parousia of the

must ever just

in mind that to the

v.

24 which

as closely against

tribulation and without

heralded any hint

coming

6AUy

Jerusalem,

of a separating

chasm of centuries.

the shift Compare the comments of Schmid and Lagrange, 1. adopted particularly by the latter the yT of v. 21 of Mt. 24 to be only a when he declares . __ is unfaithful We think that Lagrange at this point form. with regard to the "Diejenige Deutung, His position facts. has no foundation. concerning P, _y findet, die in V. 14 bis 23 das Ende Jerusalems vorausgesagt muss hier einen bergang Ignorierung jeglicher ungemein schroffen annehmen , da unter vlliger Ereignisse Perspecktive oder weniger fernen einer nahen und solche einermehr Denn wenn auch wenigstens Zukunft fol gen. bei Markus unmittelbar aufeinander (siehe dagegen Mt 24,29 'alsbald jener Tage. ') der nach der Drangsal . . Zwischenraum zwischen V. 14-23 und V. 24-27 unbestimmt zeitliche gelassen wird, dass der Evangelist ihn nur nicht verwischen, sich doch der Eindruck so lsst "Chrysostome als gering angesehen hat. " Markas, 245" et J4r8me que noun la raine de Jerusalem des discours is fin dans leur application suivons et deliberement le commencement du second theme qu'au v. 23. du monde, ne placent le y Ce qui est tree fort pour ce seas, c'est au debut de cette, pericope,

_p` etroitement dans Mt. comme dans Mc., qui semble relier de tout le discours. C'est precisement la difficulte

debut ce qui precede. ce Mais noun pensons qu'il

91.

The great

stumbling-block,

however,

is

v.

30.1

Apgv

A yw

OpTv &
DO

h19 T,0( F- f
ye-ML.
to the first

r yEve

pic a-1T) p
Lagrange, this Busch,

1CKUTD( -rrv-roc
apply the w. 28-31

and others

crisis, Carroll's

but

surely

must be on a par with

behaviour

of one of Lewis

characters

who practised

believing

sundry impossible

things

every morning before


as the most arbitrary

breakfast.
of

Such an application exegesis,

has been rightly feat are of

described strength. stratagems, explain to find

and a veritable and ingenious

Various phical, The first But, which tack

the to is

both

exegetical

and philossaying".

have been devised usually we read adopted in the

away Christ's"hard a broader of meaning it for

YEVEoc the

wherever

New Testament signified. 'E.

3, yE VEC See Mt.

is

contemporaries 23-26,

of Christ

who are

11: 16;

12: 39,41,42,45, is in that

Mk. 8: 38,

Luke 11: 50f., has a similar

17: 25.

Ellis's

suggestion2 found

_yEVE texts, of namely,

here that

connotation period to the

to that sometimes

some Qumran a number usage of such 4 2: 18.

of an indefinite somewhat akin as

involving

literal

generations, expressions

New Testament's Ea-ri v

eschatological

(JXm-ro

wpoc

in

1 Jn.

a n'admettre ya une soudure pliitot organique qui conduirait qu'un 11,45; Deux raisons: de Dan. 111, sitivant l'analogie seul thIme. qu'un a) il ya de nouveau une tribulation; ce apres la consummation du persecuteur, b) le distincts, d'interPalle; sont deux horizons sans aucune indication des deuce discours ou du moires des deux themes, qui doivent parallelisme toes deux par la deetresse (cf. RB. 1906, p. 395). Le parallelisme commencer des deux discours ou du moires des deux themes, qui doivent commencer toes deux (cf. RB. 1906, p. 395). Le ykp la detresse doit donc etre une liaison par de pure forme, sans portee pour les idees. " Saint Matthieu, 462-63. ici lien The Good News, 281, is representative of those who accept the "Certainly 'all these things' meaning of the text when he says: plain must the parousia include "In dem Zeitraum dieser of the Son of Man. " Cf. Lohmeyer. dieses geschehen; lebenden Generation jetzt fiber Geschlechter wird alles dieses Geschledrt vergeht Geschlechter sind vorbergegangen, nicht mehr, sondern dieses alles 99f. Mark Thirteen, geschehen. " Markus, 281. Beasley-Murray, sieht 1. Schweizer, 2. 4. Luke, 246.3. Heb. 9: 26. And particularly rt . yvec i-r1. c

See also

92.

This

has much to

recommend its

but

hardly

meets the

need when the

repeated

linking

of the two crises

into

one throughout

the chapter

is considered,

and

the usual meaning of


A. L. Moore is with could reference apply to this to the

y6ve-

throughout
most recent verse. of vv.

the Gospels is remembered.


to repeat that that T( on the to the an old -ro expedient

one of the

scholars He contends 5-27, but

troublesome discourse

-Inx6o 'of, .. hand in

entire

other

Toc3-roc v. 29, where ". .. it

in v. is if

30 must have an identical that only of the events

reference prior

same word in view.

clear the

to the in v.

End are 29 is

He says the

reference the

TaToc that Trv-fa

taken

as being

events

preceding

End only,

of v.

30 can be under-

stood as emphasizing that upon the contemporary But this really

all

the

'signs' 111 It

the End (w. of

5-23) are to come

generation. will

not do.

is understandable

that

Tam Tm detaches
.. 30 is

in

v. 29 can mean the signs listed


the Parousia from kt the Tai-t'o< Eyy/ cb-

in vv.

5-23 because v. 29 itself


-rocv But the -rau-roc statement

by saying nV.

Mq-tE. in v.

yivwt3KE-r

followed
and by v. the the

by

opavC

Koci rl
cannot

-rrapEXEVaovtaI
the fall event, term of the of Jerusalem. and secondly, for the End.

..

.2
One,

32, which is f far

on two counts too fHgpc solemn

mean just

expression expression-

to be limited is all

to that a technical

EKei Vtl that

Besides,

how incongruous

to teach

the

signs

imminent

event

would take place,

but the event itself

tarry

for

centuries!

The signs surely

1.

Parousiag

132. this expression Mt. 5: 18, but too felicitous 18 only a

We are aware that many commentators the meaning of 2. restrict to merely a guarantee of the permanence of Christ's words as in in its present that its appropriateness is we consider context Furthermore, it is a question for that view. whether in Mt. 5: is intended. than a forecast, rather guarantee,

3.

Lohmeyer, Markus, 283.

93.

cease to be signs

if

this

be the

case.

The position

taken

by Moore destroys

the very purpose of the fig-tree Moore replies


rrcv-M( vv. case. 24-27, in v. but

parable. objection that the addition


reference whole to

to Beasley-Murray's
30 rules out

of
exclude

any limitation

of the the

he has not points

presented out that to the

or countered Luke omits

of Beasley-Murray's altogether (21: 32),

The latter

-rbcrrroc discourse.

and thus Christ the the

makes TTOV-roc regarded the 1 Cullmann, to

embrace the whole of Jerusalem final

Furthermore, judgments also of

evidently

fall

as part

of the would

End, final

and therefore deliverance.

time

of the

tribulation

witness

C. H. Dodd, 0. philosophical imminence positions of the

C. Cranfield, the

and others,

have set

forth

appealing the

explain

New Testament that

language

regarding realities

advent.

Dodd declares

"When the profound

underlying
prediction, are

a situation
the in certainty terms

are depicted

in the dramatic
of the imminence

form of historical
spiritual of the processes event. n2 involved

and inevitability of the immediate his

expressed

0. Cullmann "L'el'ement

includes essentiel la

the view

of Dodd within

own more comprehensive done pas la sur la date

suggestion: finale, constitue

de la proximite quel'oeuvre

du Royaume nest expiatrice

mais bien l'etape

certitude

de Christ

croix

decisive

dans l'approche

du Royaume de Dieu. "3

1. Jesus, 261. Others who understand v. 30 as including the Parousia include Allen, Mark, ; Ktlmiel, Promise, 61; Klostermann, Markus Evangelium, 154; Gould, Mark, 253; Taylor, St Mark, 521. 2. Parables, 71.

(Paris, 1945), 27. Cranfield's Le Retour du Christ 3. to the is similar position "The clue to the meaning of the nearness of the End is the realization foregoing. of God's Saving Acts in Christ-the unity that the of the essential realization Crucifixion, Resurrection, Events of the Incarnation, Ascension, and Parousia

in a real sense one Event. are sees as one divine intervention

The foreshortening, in the future that

by which the Old Testament which from the viewpoint of

94.

We cannot than to

but

view

these

statements

as more appropriate but we think they

to

abstract

theology whole

exegesis.

They speak truth,

do not

speak the

truth,
It this

if

applied
is

to Mk. 13.
that its the first post-apostolic readers. age has rarely in the been able to approach aware

apparent as did

chapter

Particularly

modern age,

of the passage of the centuries,


for some resolution v. 30) of the creates. augur problem

present-day
that the

readers
plain

instinctively
of these in

reach out
verses some cases, One

meaning

(particularly as intellectual, who illustrates consistent with

This well

reaction, for the

as much emotional, exegesis in is thus the

does not the itself

stimulated. effort

exegetical and the

wrestling facts

involved

to make Mk. 13 whose own inter-

of history

Feuillet,

pretation
comments,

has been labelled


for all in all,

"monstrous"
we consider

by Kimmel.
that this

We will

notice
without

a few of his
intending

commentator,

to do so, actually

strengthens

the position

of school four.

cette alternative. Ou bien Alors en effet trouve on se reduit il faut soutenir dans sa trompe en faisant coincider que Jesus s'est de la subversive reponse les deux evenements, hypothese non seulement foi chretienne, inconciliable avec les passages mais encore critiquement de fonder une religion et une qui attribuent Jesus l'idee nouvelle 11 dune hierarchie destine precisement societe visible stable, pourvue faire egalement avec les paraboles inconciliable oeuvre de propagande; ou le royaume est compare un grain de seneve, au levain, au froment % une eigne confiee l'ivraie, d'abord puis, qui croft avec aux Juifs, Ou bien il faut chercher apres leur condamnation, aux Gentils;. .. Bans le present de distinguer discours traits certains qui permettent les deux evenements et de montrer que le Christ ne les a pas confondus.

Mais cette

entreprise

des commentateurs parait

etre

une veritable

gageure.

...

si Von veut soutenir ensemble que Jesus, ayant traits de la ruine du temple et de la fin du monde, les a (1), distingues cependant parfaitement on ne peut le faire qu' priori de se tromper, sur 1'impossibilite en s'appuyant pour le Christ car les documents qui nous rapportent de faire son discours ne permettent aucune

Franchement, les deux themes

is both past and future, the New Testament writers is not only a visual for the distance actually brings out an essential illusion; unity, which
is not so apparent "St Mark Thirteen", 1. Promise, 97n. in between from a position (1954), SJThVII 288. the Ascension and the Parousia.

"

95.

Lagrange le reconnait nette entre ces deux 4v4nements. il suppose que les evangelistes, etant encore de temps et volontiers, de l'esperance incoercible de la rochaine autre sous l'impression venue de lour Maitre, favorise la penombre" (L'Evangile de auraient plutot a Paris, Jesus-Christ, 478). On hesite s'arreter p. une teile 1 le faire hypothese; desespoir de cause. on ne pourrait qu'en discrimination Let as the attribute whose task also would urges do its us briefly position. the consider Feuillet's it objections to what we have categorized with passages visible the world. the church must which society, Ile

fourth

He declares founding the

to be irreconcilable

to Jesus is that

of a new religion, Christian

and a stable, rest of that

to propagate the growth

message to the

parables, period.

in particular,

indicate

work

over

a long

These are popular

objections

which

be considered. As regards teach for Christ's the first argument, of the death. it must be conceded and His that the of its to Gospels pioneers him'

establishment to His

church,

training

a task

subsequent

The Twelve

were called

'be with

to be 'sent and
only fulfilment

forth'.
of the

It

is important
of the

to note that
Twelve that was the phase

prior
short

to the Cross, the


preaching tour

vocation But this

recorded which

in Mk. 6: 6.

antedates training

of Christ's

ministry As A. L. Moore

was specially "If

devoted Jesus disciples,

to the

of His

disciples.

has commented, preaching tour,

had not it is

had in mind further, difficult

much more extensive why after this short

by the

to understand on training

he should Having

have laid that

such emphasis

them. "2 criticize him for

conceded

much to Feuillet,

we must next

taking

for

granted

that

Christ

intended affirms

the work of the church to involve that there are no grounds for believing to

centuries. that

Lagrange similarly

the times of the Gentiles

would be shorter

than the ages allotted

"Le discours de Jesus sur la raine du temple d'apres Marc XIII 1. Feuillet, Luc Ma, 5-36", RB, LV (1948), 436-489.
2. Parousia, 97-98.

et

96.

Judaism. l

On the

contrary,

there

is

every

reason

for

so believing.

Exegetically,

we know of no evidence that task allotted


completed

so far

as Christ's

thinking

was concerned,

the

to the disciples
that generation. to the

and the early


2 position

church could not have been

within

Another the of concept great

objection that

of the Mark,

fourth

exegetical

school for view

is

Luke has historicized between A. D. 70 and the

and made provision This

a time-lag is almost

length

end of the Age.

universal
ation

among recent
true

German scholars.

It

represents,

however, an exaggerfall is OAjiic and then still viewed oVC the advent, the not same

of the

situation. While -roioc-T-rj though

In Luke 21, Jerusalem's in Mark we have mention followed more detailed by cosmic in

eschatologically. Ob Luke's pattern. historicizing yEyoveV presentation, Both I.

of the signs

some respects, agree that

retains Luke is

Howard Marshall

and E. E. Ellis

Mark. 3

1. 2.

Evangile

selon

Saint

Luc (Paris,

21921),

529.

Easton has commented: ""We should naturally As regards the growth parables, the duty to time elements in a parable, but we have at least overstress not that there is no parable that compares the development of the of Jesus' note kingdom to the growth of an oak tree from an acorn; grain and present " Christ, 163. mustard seed grow up in a few weeks, while leaven works overnight. to a similar And Bultmann refers parable, accompanied by its interpretation, "0 you fools, found in the Epistle of Clement: a grapevine consider a plant, First it sheds the old leaves, then the young shoots sprout, for example. then flowers, the ripe grapes then the green grapes, finally then leaves, You see how quickly is ripe. Even so quickly the fruit appear.. and suddenly judgment come, as the Scripture God's final testifies: He will come will the suddenly the Lord will and will not tarry, come to His temple, quickly Jesus and the Holy One for whom you wait. " I Clem. 23.4-5 cited by Bultmann, Beasley-Murray Word, 34. from Haupt approvingly: quotes also the following "Everything said about the parousia andthe events that precede it continually hence the presupposition is-that those moves in the second person plural, to see it; further, not in one single place is the addressed would live " Jesus, 184. reckoned with that they all would die beforehand. possibility Historian (London, Luke: Marshall, 3. and Theologian The Gospel of Luke (Century Bible n. s. )(London, 1966), 1970), 244ff. 135; Ellis,

97.

Lagrauge's view (mentioned above) of-7BI


is with typical of many commentators. who sixty by the years

pd i<cx

, -Ov v
or at least agreed, should be

Few of them have read, ago contended that other Luke's

Harnack,

expression His

interpreted expressed Evangelist as the

parallel

passages Acts

in the

Synoptics. Gospels,

own conclusion, the

in The Date of the could not

and of the

Synoptic

was that '

have contemplated points for the that

a period

exceeding with of the its

months.

Inasmuch of 2

Lucan

reference

back to Dan. 8: 13,14 trampling Christ this the point, underfoot

assignment

2300 evening-mornings it cannot

sanctuary in mind.

at Jerusalem, Schmid,

be demonstrated

or Luke had centuries as is shown by their 3

and many others, contrasting Having first three

have missed

frequent

of Luke 21: 24 with considered schools the real

Markan account. of the

weaknesses

exegetical

positions

of the fourth,

of interpretation, the last as the

and the only

supposed

weaknesses

of the

we are now shut withstand one hand, that world, is not the detailed

up to

approach that

which Strauss carry

can successfully and Renan on the day in the asserting

investigation. et al. links to the the

We consider on the fate

and Beasley-Murray Olivet discourse both

other,

the with

of Jerusalem listening stands on its

end of the This and is victory shown

and promises be construed

generation It

to

Christ.

as via

default.

own feet, Most of this of the

to be correct

by the weight

of exegetical

evidence. positions

evidence interpreters.

has been offered

by way of refutation

of the

other

1.121.
the "treading Compare wording of Lu. 21: 24 and Dan. 8: 13 regarding underfoot" Jesus, 203-204. It should See also comments of Beasley-Murray, Jerusalem. of be kept in mind that Dan. 8: 13 is saying the same thing as Dan. 7: 25, but using imagery of Dan. 8 which Luke adopts. it is this Easton imagery, different and "the times of the Gentiles" "The saying is based on of Lu. 21: 24: comments on 12: 7,1l. The Gospel According Dan. 8: 13f., to St Luke as such passages .. ." (Edinburgh, Beasley-Hurray Jesus, Marshall, 1926), 312. 247. Likewise agrees. 2. Luke, 135n.

3.

'Schmid, Markus, 245. e. g .

98.

Vv. 14-20 do refer metaphorically,


by the by the the coming

to a local,

historical

event,

and vv.

24-27 cannot be taken inaugurated

and both are connected with


of the

the great tribulation

PaAuy[jx
to Christ, of as it evidence stands piece

Purthermore,
v. for 30. this

both are to be witnessed


it is can be said that it and turnings that

generation

listening

In summary, fourth the skilful l view

most significant

understands which

Mark 13 just

without than to

twistings

are more becoming

to blacksmiths

exegetes.

At this diverge

point,

in support

of the position

just

espoused, we wish to We believe topic, that there

from the beaten track

of critical

orthodoigr.

is additional rarely

evidence to be gleaned from Mark 13 on this from the viewpoint of its bearing

which is

considered

on the issue under

discussion. Nany exegetes have pointed out that Christ's discourse is a midrash

for the fourth suggests a valid school which frequently argument He says: "'-. passes unnoticed. seeing the Son of Man' is a conception .. to the death of martyrs. In context, however, Nk 9: 1 very closely allied themselves but of those facing speaks to the situation not of the martyrs and it holds out for them the promise of consolation. martyrdom, If I'Mk 13: 30 is similar. 'this is going to undergo all the generation' tribulation that this which Mark 13 entails, and it is to be recalled for people who had already tribulation, chapter was formulated experienced demands that this then fairness the promised generation also experience If the promise of the parousia is to have any relevance vindication. at all then it must be promised for their lifetime. That the for those addressed, just before the end is not just of Israel should be greatest suffering some theologoumenon Messianic the point is that the called woes; apocalyptic there and it was the suffering forth was already suffering which called the expectation of the speedy coming of the end, and not the other way around. is a disease characterized Experience by apocalyptic fever, of persecution to the proportional and the nearness of the expected end is directly This acceleration of the persecution. severity of the end because of is very well expressed in ISS 13: 20, tIf the Lord had not suffering the days no one would be saved (= escape a martyr's death); shortened 1. but for the on Another, sake of the 453-54. elect whom he chose he shortened the days. '"No Stone

Lloyd

Gaston

99.

1 upon Daniel.
Son of Man, for re-interpreting the book.

It

has often
most part

been shown that,


the 2 Olivet and its regarded judging

apart

from the reference


by its in allusions is

to the

the

discourse expansion these

Daniel Jewry

9: 24-2T,

11: 31 to the

end of

in Christ's fulfilment3

time and,

passages

as prophecies was a

awaiting typical

complete

from Mark 13, Christ

Son of His Age in this Let it be noted that

respect. is the only with passage the in Daniel in which of the in the Olivet clearly

9: 24-27 city

links

the

ravaging

of the

and temple

ushering is in implied the

eschatological sermon. 4 It is

kingdom, significant

and just that between which

such a connection there the is no hint

Danielic city

passage subsequent

of any great judgment kingdom.

gap in time

devastation the

of the setting

and the

the \IPW on

accompanies

up of the Messianic

Seventy weeks of years are decreed concerning your people and to put an end to sin, to finish the transgression, holy city, your to in everlasting to bring to atone for iniquity, righteousness, and to anoint both vision a most holy place. and and prophet, seal ... be cut off, the sixty-two And after and one shall weeks, an anointed have nothing; the people of the prince who is to come shall and shall Its end shall the sanctuary. the city destroy come with a flood, and And he desolations be war: to the end there shall are decreed. and of and for half covenant with many for one week; make a strong shall to cease; the week he shall and upon and offering sacrifice cause the desolate, the wing of abominations until come one who makes shall decreed end is poured out on the desolator. Dan. 9: 24-27 Christ and Lagrange assayed no'mathematical calculations, to but according to Lohmeyer

have in Mark 13: 20 an allusion we

Dan. 9: 24.

Far more certain

1.

P. P. Bruce, Biblical

Exegesis

in the Qumran Texts (London, 1960),


69; Farrer, St Matthew

88;
16;

C. H. Dodd, More New Testament 145,235. L. Hartman, Prophecy,

Studies,

and St Mark,

2.

As Daniel

reinterpreted

the seventy years

of Jeremiah

29.

in Judaism that 3. Lloyd Gaston declares that the widespread interpretation "the 490 years of Daniel 9 were just coming to an end" casts light on the Parousia emphasis in Mark 13. See No Stone on Another, 468.
4. Cf. Mark 13: 2; and Luke 19: 41-44.

100.

is

the

fact

that

the

great

themes

of this

passage

as a whole

are

re-applied

in the eschatological

discourse,

and with

a similarity that
plus

of pattern. end of sin and the


of the the Messianic attack chapter

The book of Daniel


ushering temple, of the 9: 24-27 being in of everlasting succeed the

thus anticipated
righteousness, greatest crisis its

the final
the

anointing

would ij17V

of the temple,

ages and its

namely people.

upon Jerusalem,

Both

and. the presentation

of 11: 31-12: 13 picture onslaught of events

the Messianic on "the as the holy

era as

precipitated

by the Antichrist's the same sequence no great the

mountain".

Thus Mark 13 presents As surely city as Daniel end,

O. T. Apocalypse. attack ' on the,

suggests so it

time

pap between

the

and the

is with

eschatological thoughtful

discourse. attention:

The words

of Johannes

Weiss merit

Jesus selber die Zukunft nach der Form der jdischen schon sich ... Wie er sich mit seiner NessiasEndzeit-Erwartungen habe. gedacht hat, so werden Vorstellung angeschlossen an die Weissagung Daniels fr ihn die Lehren der Apokalyptik in anderen Zukunftsdingen auch 2 massgebend gewesen sein. Loisy approach, Weiss, speaks similarly. exegetical the author While we usually disagree with his fundamental As with has fact that

some of his holds to the that

insights of the

are undeniably eschatological

valuable. discourse the

Loisy it

conformed as surely before the

frame-work taught only

traced a short of the

by Daniel. time Messiah,

He stresses for

as Daniel glorious

of desolation so with the

Jerusalem of

appearance

presentation

Mark 13.3
I

1. 3.

See also

thesis

chapter

3.2.

Markus,

193.

The following on the relationship trace par Daniel, qu'il y aurait

from commentators are representative references quotations between hark 13 and 9: 24-27 of Daniel. "Suivant le cadre des semaines, dans la prophttie il faisait entendre plutot Jerusalem un temps relativement pour court de desolation,

et calamites de toutes sortes, qui se terminerait religieuse profanation Ces jours seraient abreges, parce du Messie. l'apparition glorieuse par ',tout chair', c'est-. -dire tous les hommes, et non seulement que, sans cela,
C S

101.

a la mort tous les periraient, et que Dieu ne veut pas livrer ou a paru 'l'abomination'"; d fuir ont au moment mais is. Jude souffrir, et le monde entier ne sera pas seule sera en proie aux douleurs (Ceffonds, du grand avenement. " Les 1908), II1 424. rangiles synoptigues "We have no doubt. in general are right that. in assuming, expositors .. .. direct is to the treat fontal reference on the one hand, that our Lord's in chapter ix. 24-27, and in assuming, that in the prediction on the other, which he quotes, as well as in his own mind, there was a reference expression to something that was to happen in connection with the destruction of Jerusalem (Emphasis ours. ) Matthew's by the Romans. " Morison, Memoirs of Christ, 507-508. "The Greek phrase. comes from the Septuagint, or Greek, version of Dan 9: 27. ... .. By the time of our Gospel, the original reference of the passage had been lost " of, and it was merely a mysterious sight prophecy which yet was to be fulfilled. Branscomb, Mark, 237. ". .. the meaning of the prophecy was not regarded as having been exhausted by its contemporary fulfilment, and the mysterious phrase of desolation. about the abomination was regarded as a prophetic word still .. to find fulfilment in the future. " Rawlinson, ". destined in Mark, 187.; .. Apocalypse takes up those tragic-events Mark the Little through which Israel the destruction it uses a Danielic must pass, and especially of the temple. .. the Danielic The words 'come to an end' or vocabulary, and follows pattern. 'end') " Carrington, 'fulfilment' have a Danielic Mark 272. "The word (for sound. chapter of Mark is telos, which has the meaning of aim, which is used in this We find it in Daniel objective and fulfilment, as well as finality. purpose, ... historical ix, where it seems to imply the finale or outcome of the present in Israel, including, for instance, the capture and of the city afflictions In this the cessation of the daily sacrifice, which is itself an 'end'. ... it assumes the meaning of the final fulfilment under of the prophecies context is now this may be. " Ibid., 275. "A direct reference whatever consideration, 'When ye the lector is bidden to use his intelligence: to Daniel, and made let him that of desolation standing where it ought not see the abomination ' The reference it is to the phrase in Daniel ix: 27. understand. readeth ... Apocalypse; it is is clear to us at once what is being announced in the Little " Ibid., and desolation of a comparable second agent of desecration character. a "Daniel does contemplate the destruction 278. of the city and temple, as the lector intelligent 279. would find if he turned to Daniel ix: 26. " Ibid., (who may in a mysterious Daniel, ". Prince-Messiah passage, speaks of a .. 'the Messiah will be the high priest be of his day), and a verse later says that This chapter of Daniel contributed one or two important or concepts cut off'. to the tradition in Mark: expressions the Messiah cut off (Mark viii-31i Dan ix. 26,27: ix. 31, x. 33)? (Mark xiii. 2, xiv. the sanctuary destroyed 58, xv. 29). (Mark xiii. 7). war, or wars tous les Juifs, elus. Ceux-ci

the end (Mark xiii. 7,13) . the abomination of desolation

(Mark xiii.

14).

Now Jesus certainly of Messiah in xiv. 62, and combined it accepted the title the symbolism of the Son of Man of Daniel vii. 23, who comes with the clouds with the Kingdom from God; but it looks as if he also took heaven and receives of in Daniel ix. 26,27, since he made into account the death of the Prince-Messiah it would seem that he saw in them an those verses in his apocalyptic; use of times through which Israel image of the tragic was to pass during that evil the Messiah cut off, wars and rumours of wars, the temple destroyed, generation; the abomination 183. standing of desolation where it ought not. " Ibid., and

f"Setzen wir voraus,

dass die geprgte Wendung To' Abuyr., aIrl CNWQewC der sie mit dem Vorlagetext Dan 12,11 entnommen sei, so konnte der Evangelist, tibernahm, durchaus an die Zerstorung des Tempels denken. In Dan 12,11 ist zwar nur von der Entweihung-des Tempels die Rede, der Ausdruck in Dan 12,11 unmittelbar

102.

The full

force

of the

present

argument

only

becomes apparent

as we remember

Christ's thought
B. C.

attitude

to the Old Testament.

Neither

He, nor His contemporaries, of the 2nd century


book regarding fulfilled. then thus the

of the book of Daniel


He nor they

as a pseudonymous production
the forecasts in that

Neither

considered kingdom

Antichrist Therefore, "it

and the so far

Messianic as Christ

to have been completely if thus "it

vas concerned,

was written",

must be". On this additional to of retains that basis, of the therefore, that Christ's concept in Daniel, facts than but of the we find any other. future the

was faithful fourth This school school

Old Testament

presentation with the

interpreters the

more consonant of schools so often the

strengths as is false

one and two, case, deny". the

sheds their prove "true

weaknesses. in what they

Here again, affirm, but

heresies

in what they

bezieht wo von dem die Rede zurck, sich aber wie auch Dan 11,31 auf Dan 9,26f. Vielleicht der Leser gerade auf diesen der die Stadt verwstet. ist, soll In Dan 9,26f. der sich von Mk 13,2 her bereits Zusammenhang achten, nahelegt. ist die Vernichtung und Dan 11,31; 12,11 sind von Stadt und Tempel angesagt, sogar sekundre - Bezugnahmen auf diesen vielleicht nur - literakritisch EPrjpc,: MAuypoc Der Ausdruck Spruch. -rb nur Tic crF_ws kann also nicht des Tempels, sondern ebensogut an Krieg und Zerstrung an eine Entweihung in Mk 13,2 so deutlich Da die Tempelzerstrung von Stadt und Tempel erinnern. ist, da diese Vorhersage den Anlass zur Jfngerfrage und damit zur geweissagt aprgpwC&YC XuyNoc Rede bietet, 1T muss T ganzen nachfolgenden im Licht Der Evangelist in spricht von 13,2 verstanden werden. zwangslflufig 142-43. des Tempels. " Pesch, Naherwartungen, Mk 13,14 von der Zerstrung (Pesch cites See K. Staab, J. Huby, C. Perrot effect. and others to similar Jesus Himself foresaw the coming ruin loc. ) "The more vividly his footnotes ad the acquaintance the fuller, must have which the disciples moreover, ... is this had with the prophecy in Dan ix. so much the more intelligible .. The Gospel of Meyer, Commentary on New Testament, introductory passage. . ." (E. T., N. Y., 61884), "The main passage here referred to by the 406. Matthew Dan 9.26,27, definitely Lord is the remarkable prophecy, which we fiidmore Matthew, Dan xi. 31; xii. ll. " Olshausen, 236. expressed,

103.

Excursus

on Mark 13: 30

The conclusion the first


remaining digest.

just

mentioned not only embarrasses those who hold to Some like


confess that

three positions.
interpretation, This is not

Beasley-Murray,
they find their writing

who are committed to the


own conclusion to Ronald hard to

strange.

William

Temple,

Knox in

1913

said:

"Anyhow I think
And if

our Lord definitely


I thought He expected I think held about

rejected

the apocalyptic
catastrophe renounce

idea of
other than "1

Diessiahship. His own Death

an immediate have to

and Resurrection, Congress Henry

I should the

Christianity. Bishop

A Cambridge of Birmingham

Church that

same time,

was told because

by the Christ

Sidgwick

became an agnostic

foretold

things

which had not happened.

And E. C. Selwyn has asserted for such a collapse

that

Mark 13: 30 2
in

must take a major share of responsibility


Strauss and Renan found their exegesis

of faith.
tool

of Mark 13: 30 an effective

undeceiving

biblicists.
to which to the we refer, however, is surely True, not but a matter for exe-

The quandary gesis. of it It belongs four

realm

of apologetics. It --

has the the truth,

exegesis but does

even school have all It is the

been exhaustive? on this matter

has come up with i. e. all the the It the

truth

exegetical

truth?

our intention exegeted. v. 30 fully It

to ask whether is into agreed that

key verse interpretation is

of Mk. 13: 30 has yet given the by school meaning four of

been fully alone takes

account.

shows what

evident

the language employed.

But is no more to be said?

Does not exegesis take attitudes and.

account not only of the plain


habits which which the occasionally words give

meaning of words, but of cultural


Semitic to expressions readers of nuances other

additional

to that

translated

convey

cultures?

1.

Iremonger,

William

Temple,

cited

by A. L.

Moore,

Parousia,

93.

2.

See Beasley-Hurray,

Jesus,

ix.

104.

It fatalistic

is

our suggestion or predestinarian

that

modern Western often take

readers

with

their

sometimes pronounce-

outlook

as absolute,

Semitic

ments which in their


In harmony with

own day would have been considered


but significant as belonging group

as less than absolute.


we believe as Jonah's fiat that

a small

of commentators, genre

NIt. 13: 30 may be understood forty days, and Nineveh shall Hardly

to a similar "1

"Yet

be overthrown. could a prediction revolves

Here was the

of the as to what forty proud days towers He God,

Almighty and when. passed, to the

to Nineveh. The whole

be more definite it. Yet the pointed its

book of Jonah to the

around still

and according heavens.

narrator,

Ninevah angry, "I but

Jonah was certainly it.

he was not thou art

surprised. a gracious

seems rather and merciful, of evil. n2

to have anticipated slow to anger,

knew that in

and abounding

steadfast

love,

and repentest

" We At this point, apologetic! reader may be tempted to cry "Another a of Mark, the extent of the submit that for our purposes in the exegesis We merely beg leave to enquire whether the Jews Kenosis is not an issue. in the same absolute fashion viewed predictive statements as members of the It is absolutely that Christ certain modern Occident. viewed the time of His See Mk. 13: 10 and Matt. 24: 14. as somewhat contingent. return 1. Jonah was familiar days by Jeremiah with the principles expressed in later "If at any time I declare Ezekiel: concerning or a kingdom, that a nation and I will it, pluck up and break down and destroy and if that nation, concerning I will which I have spoken, turns from its evil, repent of the evil that I to do to it. intended And if at any time I declare concerning or a a nation build in my sight, it, kingdom that I will and plant and if it does evil not to my voice, then I will listening repent of the good which I had intended "Yet you say, 'The way of the Lord is not just. ' to do to it. " Jer. 18: 7-10. Is my way not just? Is it not your ways that Hear now, 0 house of Israel: When a righteous man turns away from his righteousness and are not just? he shall die for it; for the iniquity commits iniquity, which he has committed Again, when a wicked man turns away from the wickedness die. he shall he " has committed and does what is lawful he shall his life. and right, save Another O. T. example is that of Isaiah's Eze. 18: 25-27. words to Hezekiah, "Thus says the Lord: Set your house in order; for you shall die, you shall Hezekiah did not die. He did recover, recover. " Isa. 38: 1. not and lived The New Testament also yields fifteen years. another us several examples of Consider the following this principle. "As they had been long without case: food, Paul then came forward 'Men, you should have among them and said, to me, and should not have set sail listened this from Crete and incurred 2.

105.

I now bid you take heart; injury for there will be no loss of and loss. life For this very night there stood by me among you, but only of the ship. 'Do not an angel of the God"to whom I belong and whom I worship, and he said, Paul; be afraid, you must stand before Caesar; and lo, God has granted you in God all those who sail with you. '' So take heart, men, for I have faith be exactly that it will But we shall have to run on some as I have been told. When the fourteenth island. ' night had come, as we were drifting across the the sailors sea of Adria, about midnight suspected that they were nearing So they sounded and found twenty fathoms; land. farther a little on they fathoms. And fearing that we might run on sounded again and found fifteen they let out four anchors from the stern, the rocks, and prayed for day to come. And as the sailors were seeking to escape from the ship, and had lowered the boat into the sea, under pretense of laying out anchors from the 'Unless these men stay in the ship, you cannot be saved. '" bow, Paul said, f-The in this Acts 27: 21-31. is that Paul did not act point story, of course, He seemed prediction pronouncement. as though the divine was an absolute to believe that the reckless wickedness of a dozen men could change rather We have another the divine three score. example purpose toward the remaining "While we were staying in Acts 21: 10-14: for some days, a prophet named Agabus came down from Judea. And coming to us he took Paul's girdle and "So '-Thus says the Holy Spirit, bound his own feet and hands, and said, the Jews at Jerusalem him bind the man who owns this and deliver shall girdle "' When we heard this, into the hands of the Gentiles. we and the people there 't'hat are you doing, Then Paul answered, begged him not to go up to Jerusalem. but my heart? For I am ready not only to be imprisoned weeping and breaking for the name of the Lord Jesus. ' And when he would even to die at Jerusalem 'The will of the Lord be done. "' In we ceased and said, not be persuaded, Paul's Christian instance, friends did not regard the prophecy as of this Instead fulfilment. they treated it as a kindly inevitable warning whereby This is the Christian the disaster might be averted. and Jewish view of prophecy, fe to that of the oriental in contrast fatalists. of the unmerciful parable in Matthew 18 has often occasioned difficulty. How could the master servant the house (representing God, see v. 35), forgive his slave the debt of of ten thousand talents But no problem and yet later change his mind toward him? The biblical as we take the preceding examples into account. exists, view of prophecy is that a forecast is not necessarily to be, fulfilled a prediction Rather a prediction is a hint in order that of disaster all hazards. at Similarly steps might be taken to avert the evil. a prediction of proper is an encouragement, that there might be perseverance in a right blessing This view of the conditional nature of prophecy was not devised to course. It has long been held and applied to many meet the problem of Mk. 13: 30. Some modern exegetes have seen its relevance of the Scripture. sections Possibly issue. C. F. D. Moule had this in mind when he commented for the present ". he might have been absolutely if Mk. 13: 30 as follows: right on .. for there is a sense in which great he had said what verses 30-31 say; see so clearly and expect so eagerly. what might happen if only prophets ... The Gospel According to Mark (Cambridge, 1965), 103. See men responded. . ." the discussion in Gaston's No Stone on Another, 426f.; and particularly der Geschichte J. Hempel's Die Mehrdeutigkeit als Problem der prophetischen (Gottingen, 1936), 41. k. A. Knox speaks similarly: Theologie "By a rather free interpretation that our Lord of the language used you can just maintain information of Jerusalem, and tacitly spoke only about the destruction refused By supposing that the Evangelists the Second Coming. here, as elsewhere, about belonged to a different include one or two sayings which really you context, but at the same time you rob it of all of the prediction, can save the accuracy

106.

An unusually

frank

commentator

was Hermann Olshausen.

It

seemed his

habit

to acknowledge difficulties, ations.


the that simple Jesus

and to confess the inadequacy of current 13: 30 he wrote:


and the his only

explan..

k. Concerning Y
interpretation did intend to

".

..

we do no hesitate
with the

to adopt.
text with the

one consistent

represent

coming as contemporaneous

destruction
editor But the Matt. His did

of Jerusalem,
not agree with

and the overthrow


him, and saw fit to

of the Jewish polity.


to indicate his this

"l

His

by a footnote. comments on of prophecy. own approach 2 --

same Olshausen

took

pains

introduce the

exegetical nature for itself. his

24 by a preparatory measured statements which

note afford

regarding a reasoned

contingent

philosophy

a philosophy

he felt

was drawn from Scripture

Is it possible to preserve the unity of the passage, and at the certainty. Only on the suppits phrases in their sense? natural same time to interpret (cf. Jonah 3: 4 and 10) and that that this was a conditional prophecy osition the condition of the Jews remained and still of it, namely the conversion (cf. In this way Rom. 11: 22 and notes on 2 Thess 2: 6). remains unfulfilled as a continuous whole, and at the same time understand we can see the picture " A New Testament Commentary, of it has only been partial. why the fulfilment ( vols., London, 1952), I, 56. G. B. Caird has something to say along the "Jesus clearly indicated lines: that in its final the manifestation same Day was known only to God, not because God had fixed a date which he guarded but because the coming of the Day was contingent upon the as a close secret, The Apostolic the purposes of God. . ." Ape (London, 1958), full of realization "The Jew was able to take in his stride 189. Where we should Gentiles which have perplexed ancient and modern. paradoxes two the Semitic to throw together mind prefers make a guarded statement, The prophets the other. and allow the one to qualify extreme statements declare God's irrevocable judgment on human sin, and almost in the repeatedly Caird it is too late. " Ibid., 192. call on men to repent before same breath "Many things that they were foretold precisely quotes from J. Paterson: also the words of A. L. Moore In this come to pass. " Ibid. connexion, might not "Only the motif He says: of grace withholds are also worth consideration. belongs to the complex of eschatological that which properly events which " Parousia, 206. and Exaltation. ended with the Ascension 1. Matthew, 222.

We append a specimen of his remarks: "Another 2. by which the circumstance, declarations distinct the near approach of his advent, of the Lord, respecting between is the conflict removed from the province completely of error, are freedom and necessity, in this passage. which appears peculiarly prominent

On the one hand, the time of fulfilment is represented as fixed in the counsels God (Dan xi. 36; Acts 1.7); on the other, the time seems uncertain, of and

icq.

or hastened by the faithfulness or unfaithfulness of men open to be deferred (lIabak. Accordingly, ii. 3; 2 Pet. iii). when the Redeemer promises the ... of his coming, this announcement is to be taken with the near approach (to be understood in connexion with all predictions restriction and judgments), 'All this will come to pass, unless men avert the wrath of God by sincere I None of the predictions of Divine judgments are bare historical repentance. take place; they are alarms calling of that which will proclamations men to in order which it may be said that they announce something, repentanceof that that which they announce may not come to pass. " Ibid., 225-26. by Gunther Hrder in "Das eschatologische Compare the more recent discussion Markus 13", TV, IV (Berlin, der sogenannten kleinen Apokalypse Geschichtsbild "Man sollte Jesu in ihrer Echtheit die Naherwartung 1952), 71-107. stehen lassen. ihrer Verktindigung Verkndigung Im Augenblick war sie wahr, d. h. gltige Die Entwicklung in der Drohung und Verheissung. Gottes, des Willens seiner im NT zeigt, dass Gottes Wort sich nicht Urchristenheit und ihr Niederschlag des Menschen machen lsst, Besitz endseiner als kdnne er es zum Mittel zum Es ist dem Menschen nich gegeben, um sich zu Berechnung machen. zeitlichen Wer es dennoch versucht, und sich es auf diese Art zu verstehen sichern. ist, dass Gott frei seinen Willen und sein muss erfahren, anzueignen, ndern, wie es nicht Wort jederzeit als in Jeremia 18 grossartiger zu Mit dem Kommen Gott kann sein Vorsatz kann. gereuen. werden ausgedruckt Wer die Geschichte Jesu war das Ende in der Tat ganz nahe herbeigekommen. betrachtet, bis zum heutigen Tage mit Aufmerksamkeit der Christenheit wird flshausen Gott gereute, dieses Ende kommen zu lassen. y':. weshalb es verstehen, He then identical words to Paterson as quoted by Caird. uses practically the Olivet to stricture those who, to his mind, misinterpret proceeds gently to recognize the contingent through failing discourse nature of prophecy. that many expositors, "The overlooking these points accounts for the fact, of but contrary to the simple meaning of words, would make with a good intention, between events yet future, forced separation as and that which is described a the destruction Such a separation can never be of Jerusalem. near--viz., from the mere language, of Scripture and since the whole teaching substantiated this form of is in harmony with our passage, nothing remains but to justify in the manner which we have Scriptural upon higher grounds, representation f " Matthew, day has written 226. of an earlier other writer attempted. to agree throughout thoughtfully upon this topic, and it is not necessary in order to see a viewpoint akin to that which was possibly with his theology Fairbairn the Himself. sets forth and Christ of New Testament believers to Olshausen and then adds: basic principles of his case somewhat similarly to the predictions. the second advent of the "Thus, to refer respecting .. in the counsels fixed be no doubt, that (however definitely Lord-there can things on the one side as tending, among men are represented of Heaven) certain its approach. Our Lord, in one of his to hinder, on the other to forward (Luke xviii. faith l-8), and speaks as if it hung on the steadfast parables language; St Peter uses still of his elect people. prayer stronger persevering to a hopeful, believers life, that they might he exhorts godly and consistent (for such is the plain import of his hasten on the day of the Lord's coming, 12). And St Paul not only speaks of a grand develop2 Pet. iii. words, ... [sic] the arrival preceding necessarily of apostacy of that day, but of ment things, hindering this characterize, which he does not further certain

the personal appearance of development, and by implication retarding which in the chain of providences was to be subsequent to the other. Prophecy (Edinburgh, 1956), 64-65. Fairbairn Interpretation then of for the reason of the delay of the Parousia. It. for his belief ..

the Lord, " The spells out the church

108.

It contingent promised distance

is

certain promises

that

Christ

and His

contemporaries

were well

aware of

recorded captive than

by Moses and the Prophets. Israelites a fortnight's Canaan for direct from Egypt

Had not Yahweh to Canaan -a that of

to take requiring

the

less wandered

journeying? forty years

And had not and then

same generation entrance? l

outside

failed

We submit

that

the

exegesis

of Nk.

13: 30 is

only

complete

if

we allow

for

the possibility
statement

that
with

Christ,
less

as a Hebrew of the Hebrews, may have used


than an absolute It is meaning, possible in harmony with that He believed

an absolute those

Scriptures

He so implicitly

trusted.

that
the

if

the early

church proved faithful


nation repented, of the gospel the

to its

missionary
transpire

commission,
in that with

and if
same the

chastened It is

Jewish this

end would

Age. 2

linking

proclamation

to the world

of the Age that end


proclamation An uncertain would

provides

the hint

of the contingent

element.
dedication

Such
of the church.

be dependent is

upon the whole-hearted involved.

human element

then in the full burning spring-tide of its, life and blessing, with holy it might well seem, as if that of its mission, zeal for the proper fulfilment to its accomplishment, mission were hastening were becoming and all things Yet, it must have been impossible harvest ready for the final of the world. for any one to read with care some of the parables of our Lord, or even what [sic] by St Paul of the great apostacy written was without coming to the ... that there was still conviction, an implied alternative; namely, that if the church of Christ in her course, if she should begin should degenerate to slumber in the work given her to do, still more, if she should become by the carnal then adulterated spirit, of the world, and the corrupt practices the shadows of the evening should need to be lengthened the Lord out, and. .. the day of His appearing. " Ibid., 65. Fairbairn should have to protract gives in support He reminds us, examples from Scripture several of his thesis. for example, that Christ the Twelve (including Judas! ) that they would promised judging the twelve tribes day sit upon twelve thrones, of Israel one -a as absolute as Nk. 13: 30. apparently statement being 1. 2. See Numbers 14: 34 margin. There strange nothing part unfulfilled. 19: 28, for another is in part This is example and of Christ's prophecy being fulfilled, true in other cases of Hebrew prediction. from Christ Himself.

the other See Matt.

109.

Excursus

on Mark 13: 14-24

To our additional be added.


the is

comment on ! 4i. 13: 30, another the local


But again possible

on Ilk. 13: 14-24 should historical


we enquire that Christ.

We have expressed agreement with


begins with Is as the by the to the it, 14th for verse. example,

nature
whether foresaw against that the

of
there the

scene that

any more to be said. upon Jerusalem "elect"

attack the

beginning idolatrous all the

of a world-wide Romans? would

aggression

Christian

Did He anticipate inevitably arouse

the

gospel

of His kingdom of the Empire,

spreading precipitating is not

world

antagonism

a tribulation a denial of the

on a scale fact that M.

hitherto 13: 14P.

unknown? is local and

Such a view

historical.
and viewed such a view quarters sees only universal fate but

If,

as we have seen, Christ


fall as part spread

expected the End in His generation,


eschatological Palestinian woes, implicit in

Jerusalem's

of the

must have been the world.

of the

tribulation the

to all that

of the the

One must not

be so busy rebutting

application that the

end of the world is indeed

in Mark 13 as to miss portrayed, And, sets


rl

the point exclusion precisely

destruction as its says.

not

to the this is

of Jerusalem's what Luke's capital.

continuation. Verse 24 plainly


Qr6Fio

in

effect, the

version
too

forth

destiny
KO()

of Israel's

Troov-rocs

pocxor(pnc

aiXocwr68rj6ovTai f ro i- Q-rou*Svq urso

SIC

-r&

u E9vrl rav-ra,
Xp o6

Kai

IpouaarN Kaupi

E9vwv,
But there
which

ngp(AG)Uly

kevwv.
and

is no way of separating
refer to universal

these words from those which follow


signs including:

distinctly

kV 6VIW Kai Ogpa7ja

GF rgVrq kai

as-rpotC

KaI

sni

ic

&Ovwv r--v rropa j JoO. BcxAcpq K1 ct Xoo, yrIc aUVOXn tro)uxvTwv avepwnuv rr cpmov k( '"PO OKtaC -rwv EnepxoEvwv
opvzv

-11

31 oiKOUHSvr) ai
Ki

yop
-r-r

3Vop 10, i ov
ybovTai -rvv uiv It'V

GrjaovTai. acKh

110.

}vOp WTCou epAO%JEvoV EV


68E9C , ToX) rjc. In this 6 uvc%r) passage to we are

Afl V& p

H,- -rd

auv'Ha

wc;

KO(I

distinctly whole

told world,

of distress for the

of nations. canvas of Luke's

The

appears takes

embrace the in all with

word painting is undeniably

creation. Jerusalem's to all nations

The scope of this siege, could is universal.

tribulation,

which that

linked

The thought

Israel's affirmed If but

trouble than it

spreads is

not

be more clearly

and strongly

in this

passage. a period of tribulation some contextual beginning difficulties a major the fate at Jerusalem, are problem of

Mk. 13: 14ff. extending resolved. precisely and that yap al

describes to the

quickly

known world, 19-26 of its

automatically of exegesis

Verses because

have always two-fold

constituted with

connection

Jerusalem Eov-rocs yEyovev O oc

of the

entire

world. i eivocl BATbic, KTIGEWS, Hr) yEvr)-ral. o< cv otoc qv ou KTIV % Kot Et Oq ER 0

rIHEPocI 100-T, vuv 1(

-cOttKT 1wc To-uKpIOC

O(P)(fc Kai o

f. ? fa0(

EKCINOPWC V

t1FISPaC,

oPL

c)

dt

-rb

FKXvK-roC o)C KaI Ii,


KOCI

0 F_)\ o-ro -Tic EZnrq

etcoXOWa6v -ras 1& IL


6d

qPa'PC. T&

-TOTE Eav

6 Apia rc

Hr) 7110-rEF-TS FLYEPOq:Uaoitpoq TOol Kon

COVTCKI

EUaoXPloFTOl
is

nolt)QOUCIV an _
61-i-04

Kr 'Pa-r-a Apo

To

rronXavv,

auvocTov, -rvuC 61
TrpoE. pgKo(

ONF-TS &'_ keneTs aKA6KTOUC


A\ v EKEIVocIc Tali

itvTOC.

r)NEPaIC PF-'To( -ri9v csKOTioOrjE-ra(, Kai


aO'r , Kl of

8IC61 vr1v Wvr) Q&


O(CTEPgC

c &&

rjNoc, 4EL -rte 6c_yyos


-ro pocvo O

ob

&OQvTat

EK

i-ov-r nh

% Kai ai

buvC pK JEic

oci

'Ev

Totc

in.

opavoT

aa1uOrjaov-rai

Kl

T&rE

cPOVTaI

Tv

uiV

-ro

v 8pwrrov
T1OXA C
Taylor's

v px6NFVOv
Ki &S qc.

VEAWic perk

duv JFwC
Vincent that the

comment echoes the 19 "is much too

opinion emphatic

of manyl when he declares for a siege. " He continues:

assertion it is

in v.

This is clear that the thought of 19 is eschatological. ... is undoubtedly true of 20. Here the idea found in many apocalyptic that in His mercy and for the sake of the elect God has writings, the period for mankind. is strongly shortened of tribulation expressed. .. Cf. Dan. xii. 7,1 Enoch lxxx. Ezra iv. 26. 2,4 . .2 Rigaux's evenements existences suggestion3 de la fin. that ... ". . les Jerusalem trances et la Judee finales mettront contextual sont le centre les regarding des

toutes

en danger, " would

solve

some serious

problems

the
stresses

&A;

SK1oZ
local

The weakest part


of w. siege 14-23

of the exposition
is the exposition

of that
of the

group which
E4EKToi

the

nature

Some see them as Jews in the Others involved because consider in the of their that siege, prayers the L

who may ultimately are the those

become Christians. Christians and that who, though therefore, Such 20 clearly in this not

L KAE KTO for

are praying the

who are,

days of siege harmonize with

will the

be shortened. text. in Verse

expositions intimates

as these that the

do not

Er. A. K-ToL E

are also

involved

suffering

E. g. Nineham, Saint Mark, 355; Dodd, More N. T. Studies, 80. Mk. 13: 19-27 echoes Isa. chs. 24-27 at several points, sources for the "time and Daniel's this passage (as well as Jer. 30: 7), one which obviously of trouble" may include is wider in application than the destruction For Daniel's of Jerusalem. use Der Gott 376-382, see Gaston, No Stone on Another, of Isaiah, and E. Bickermann, der Makkabger (Berlin, 172. 1937), 1. 2. 3. Mark, 514. 243.

L'Antechrist,

112.

tribulation, four winds --

and it

is the same company who will the tribulation


vengeance saints. that 1 if the elect

shortly

be gathered from the quarters.

therefore

must also be in the same four


Tr NO(CA) Tov"tw

Thus we have here Here is trouble

more than

-Jews.

involving it

the

In essence, tribulation the Koci early which verses c

can be said

are world-wide, It is

then obvious

the that

threatens of the

them must likewise deal with

be general. world-wide

discourse

events. 2

r)Y E pv8s his have led .. . 3 ",

Pa61Xs

and their section the early

territories text, would and v.

are Schweizer continue

involved. says:

Following

comments on this us to expect that

of the

"V 13 might the

discussion verses the

to be about 24 affirms

end.

and Meyer on the before this

15 in Mt.

that

"The predictions till just at

us respecting point they reach

Messianic i4

woes become more threatening Rigaux says again

a climax. la Judee

"La catastrophe sur tout

mondiale

commence par

atteindre

et se d6clanche

ensuite

le monae. iS

"True, the siege might have On these difficulties 1. Olshausen remarks: longer, lasted and the ruin might have been such that not a single person but how can it be said that this was prevented for the should have escaped; For the Christians does not appear. fled to Pella. sake of the elect, ... (p. 57) that we are not to understand Schott, indeed, thinks by the elect the Christians, but such Jews as were about to go over to the Church of Christ. But the reference of the elect, ver. 24 and 31, to the members of the church, This passage also evidently has its renders this hypothesis quite untenable. to the advent of the Lord, preceded by the birth-pangs final reference of the these will fall the Messiah; and unbelievers-upon at once upon believers but for the sake of believers to punish them; former to perfect, upon the latter One will 243. Discussing Mt. 24: the merciful them. . ... "'-T;atthew, shorten "The reference in this passage to any others 23-26 he adds: of the 'elect' is utterly than the apostles untenable, and believing members of the church, to the apostles themselves. Hence the for the whole is addressed directly if possible, can only be taken as meaning "so as to lead astray, words you it is only thus that the force of the admonition can and all the elect". .. " Ibid. be felt.

2.
4. II, 5.

Nk. 13: 9.3.


Meyer's 136. Commentary on the

Mark, 272.
New Testament, JOHN RYLANDS UNIVERSITY, LIBRARY OF MANCHESTER St Matthew (E. T., Edinburgh, 51879)

L'Antechrist,

243n.

113.

This

declaration

is

consistent

with

the

conjunction

we find

in Luse 21: 24,25

--

Israel's It
last part

sorrows,

then the sorrows of all that Christ


of Daniel

nations. of the
refers to the facet of

is almost certain
of Daniel chapters,

had in mind the whole picture


12.1 The Olivet discourse the to reference a single the also verses should The final in

11 and all and it is

to both p the

fundamentally Christ's

wrong to treat was only also

1uy Na Danielic picture.

as though

reference quotes

Inasmuch

as Christ following,

from

preceding take that

Daniel whole

12: 1, as well section of the

as the verses Old Testament an anti-God period people". who is

the into

exegete account. over

apocalypse power

verses time has

of Daniel of the been"

11 picture which "holy

spreading

the world "such only

"the

end", for the

culminates This the

in a time distress protector is

of trouble relieved these in

as never

by the

standing Daniel

up of the

great

Prince

over clear,

same holy to

ones. the

12: 7, which of the in this earlier final

refers

back to that

12: 1, makes it it is the

addition

evidence Antichrist

context, trial. that

believers

who are menaced by the

We believe he writes:

Lambrecht

rightly

represents

the

passage

in Nark when

Judea muss flchten; Der Greuel steht im Tempel zu Jerusalem; die Katastrophe auch hier sollte noch weiter sehen: man den Horizont hat Weltausmass. Dies stimmt mit der ausserordentlichen Grsse $berein. 2 Einmaligkeit in der Zeit! und -

1. 2.

See thesis

chapter 8*

3:.

_'

interesting Haenft comments on Mk. 13: 14. We have not found like their in commentaries 102ile he follows elsewhere old or new. quite most in passing by the local his suggestions his countrymen application, of as to what may have been in the mind of Mark as he wrote this passage are worthy of We quote from him without his view in entirety. consideration. endorsing "Mk hat ja sein Evangelium nicht fr j$daische Leser geschrieben. Warum gibt Jdlich: in Juda Anweisungen?. hier den Christen er dann wozu bringt .. . die fr seine Leser doch keine Bedeutung haben konnte? Mk diese Nachricht,

Soll lich

einschliessman annehmen, er schreibe mechanisch etwas ab, das er vorfindet, der Bemerkung: 'Der Leser merke auf! '? Wir mssen doch voraussetzen,

114.

dass Mk in alledem einen fr seine Leser hchst wichtigen Sinn gefunden hat, Besonders ungereimt und dieser Sinn muss etwas Aktuelles sein. wre die Vermutung, dass 1Ik die Aufforderung, der Leser solle bernommen verstehen, ici htte, An diesem Umstand scheitert musste, worum es geht. ohne dass er selbst die Vermutung, Sicherheit MIlshabe eben ein Geheimnis weiter mit tdlicher tradiert. ... '1Wir behaupten: Mk verwendet hier Mittel, die uns schon aus anderen Stellen im N. T. bekannt sind. "Beginnen wir mit dem Einfachsten. Jedem Leser des N. T. ist es bekannt, dass Verfasser 'Rom' den Namen 'Babylon' Das ist fr haben. eingesetzt manche ntl. Wahrscheinlich der Fall in 0b 14,8; 16,19; 17,5; 18,2.10.21. ganz sicher Bei den Stellen der Offb ist der verhlt es sich ebenso auch 1. Petr 5,13. leicht Grund fr diese Umschreibung es wre lebensgefhrlich zu erraten: Damit hier offen von Roms Untergang geschrieben. htten die Christen gewesen, verhtillende, geheimnisvoll erffnet sich uns eine Mglichkeit: eine umschriebende, kann dadurch veranlasst dem Uneingeweihten Ausdruckweise sein, unverstndliche ist und Verfasser Mitteilung dass die ('unverschliisselte') hchst gefhrlich durch verbreitet wird, und Leser bzw. die Gemeinde, in der eine solche Schrift die 'Verschlsselung` Gefahr bewahrt werden sollen. vor dieser "Ein anderes Beispiel Sache ist die Art, wie Apk 13,17 f. fr die gleiche der Name des 'Tiers' angegeben wird etwa 'Kaiser nur als ein Zahlenwert Hero(n)' riskant gewesen. ... zu sagen wre allzu "Wenn wir nach der Analogie Beispiele dieser drfen, aus der Offb urteilen knnte auch in Mk 13 diese Redeform gewhlt sein, weil die Aussage im Klartext ist, d. h. sich gegen Rom richtet. gefhrlich "Der Text verwendet Dort war Wendungen aus dem Buch Daniel. offensichtlich (den Altar) der Greuel der Verwstungen 9,27 davon die Rede, dass auf das Heilige 1290 bzw. nach der LXX 1335 Tage kommen werde, dass der Greuel der Verwstung dass die Rede versiegelt bestehen werde, und es war zugleich sein solle gesagt, 'und die Zeit wird Ferner hiess es: bis zum Zeitpunkt des Endes (12,11.4). dagewesen ist, Trbsal Trbsal, ein Volk sie nicht seit eine sein, eine wie (12,1). existiert' "Wir wissen heute: Das Buch Daniel ist in Wirklichkeit zur Zeit des syrischen in der Knigs Antiochus Epiphanes verfasst worden, um die Juden zum Ausharren Verfolgung Wir knnen ziemlich genau den Zeitpunkt angeben, wo zu ermuntern. ist. Denn von diesem Punkt an (Dan 11,40) verstosst die es geschrieben Weissagung gegen die historische Wirklichkeit, whrend sie fr angebliche dort war sie ja nur scheinbar Zeit zutrifft Weissagung, die vorhergehende in Wahrheit Das Buch muss noch aber Rickshau auf vergangene Ereignisse. Epiphanes im Jahr 164 v. Chr. geschrieben vor dem Tod des Antiochus sein, Leser des Buches All das wussten die christlichen aber nach 167 v. Chr. Daniel aber nicht. Fair sie war diese geheimnisvolle Weissagung in den Vorgingen Epiphanes noch nicht Sie ahnten auch nicht, unter Antiochus erfllt. fiber die Verfolgung des 1. Makkaberbuches dass die Schilderungen durch denselben Vorgang in Wirklichkeit Antiochus Aufstand und den jdischen Dagegen konnte die Schilderung beschreiben, wie das Ende des Buches Daniel. im 1 Makk wohl dazu dienen zu zeigen, wie eine solche Verfolgung und ins Werk gesetzt Verfhrung werden konnte. "Wenn wir nun an unserer Mk-Stelle Wendungen aus Daniel erscheinen sehen, drfen dass sie fr den Verfasser Sinn einen konkreten, aktuellen wir vermuten, das war jetzt besassen: oder bald was der Prophet Daniel geschaut hatte, Aber in welcher Weise? im Begriff, sich zu erfllen. "Einen gewissen Anhalt kann uns die Offb geben. 13,12 davon, Sie spricht Tier Tier" die Bewohner der Erde dazu bringt, dem (ersten) dass das 'zweite

115.

ein Bild zu machen, '-und es wurde ihm gegeben dem Bild des Tieres Lebensgeist zu* des Tieres sogar redete und-bewirkte, verleihen dass alle so dass das'Bild Hier wird gettet. wurden, die das Bild des Tieres nicht anbeteten'. dass der Kaiserkult im Rtmerreich offensichtlich erwartet, mit Gewalt durchgesetzt der ihn verweigert. In werden wird und jeder gettet wird, 13,17 f. bringt die Offb eine hnliche Erwartung Wer nicht zum Ausdruck: das Zeichen des Tieres auf Stirn darf weder kaufen noch oder Hand trgt, hier wird der Kaiserkult des wirtschaftlichen verkaufen also mit den Mitteln Boykotts erzwungen. "Nun kommt es nicht darauf an, ob der rmische Staat damals tatschlich derartige Plne erwogen hat. Entscheidend ist, dass jene Christen, fr welche die Offb geschrieben wurde, ihm tatschlich etwas derartiges zugetraut Damit haben wir das Recht, nun auch -haben, wie es die Offb beschreibt. Rom wird in Mk 13 eine !hnliche Erwartung versuchsweise vorauszusetzen: mit Gewalt die Anbetung des Kaisers zu erzwingen versuchen - was sollen die Christen dann tun? Sobald der 'Tag x' anbricht, wo man alle Christen zur Anbetung des .... Kaisers jeder Christ so schnell zwingen will, soll wie mglich fliehen, fort Denn ist erst einmal die Bevlkerung vor aus dem Ort, wo er wohnt. dem Altar des versanunelt, so bleibt nur noch die Wahl zwischen Verleugnung Christus ist auch diese rasche Flucht Freilich sie muss so und dem Tod. Augenblick damit man die Christen rasch erfolgen, nicht noch im letzten ergreift nicht und nicht ohne Gefahr: sie wird fr die schwangeren einfach Jahreszeit, in der schlechten und sugenden Frauen furchtbar sein, zumal wenn sie bei Sturm und Regen, angetreten Wir wissen heute nach den werden msste. Erfahrungen der Flchtlingstrecks nur zu gut, wie eine solche Flucht aussehen kann. "V. 19 berhrt sich so eng mit Dan 12,1, dass deutlich mit diesem wird: Weissagung erfllen. V. 20 Geschehen wird sich fr Nk die danielische das Furchtbare indirekt dieser Verfolgungszeit: beschreibt wenn Gott nicht Erwhlten die (Zahl der) Tage verkrzt htte, zuliebe wrde seinen der Erwhlten: werden auch keiner niemand gerettet .... "Wenn man sich vor Augen stellt, dass die Christen in solchem Falle von flchten ohne alle Vorbereitung einer Minute zur andern, mssen, im Gebirge der Witterung oder in der Einde den Unbilden ausgesetzt, womglich von berzeugung des Nk, Staates dann ist die Hschern des heidnischen gejagt, lange aushalten knnten; keineswegs dass sie alas nicht phantastisch, sondern Und Vorbereitungen kann man nicht durchaus realistisch. treffen, weil der 'Tag x' der Verfolgung bekannt ist, eben nicht sondern vllig unbestimmt! "Auch wer in dein Abschnitt V. 14-20 einen lteren Text zu finden muss meint, Deutung nicht darum die soeben vorgetragene Selbst wenn ein dem ablehnen. Evangelisten Text wirklich vorliegender nur von dem gesprochen htte, was sich haben, und nur so wre er fr die Leser haben, wie wir dargelegt so ausgelegt 444-148. des Ilk bedeutungsvoll gewesen. " Der Weg Jesu-

116.

Such an interpretation, 13: 14ff. and the end of all

at things)

least,

recognizes also

the

close

liaison that the

between description

Lambrecht

affirms

in v. 27 assumes the catastrophe

of vv.

14-20.2

Lloyd Gaston writes on Mark's understanding of 13: 14. as follows at the fall of the great tribulation not just which he has interpreted but of a manifestation When we consider Jerusalem of the Antichrist. which lies near use made of Daniel in Vs. 14, it is an interpretation 63. No Stone on Another, 1.

". of the

. .

Vs.

14

hand. " at

". 2. Der ganze Satz setzt es ist eine Wiederaufnahme von 13,20.22. .. (=Flucht, Katastrophe berdies Vertreibung) die 13,14-20 beschriebene voraus. hiess, dass der Herr (=Gott, Whrend es 13,20 ausdrcklich Vater) die kAE K-1O$ ) die Auserwhlten des Menschensohns ( ouko werden sie nun wird, retten '" Redaktion, 185. A. Menzies, The Earliest Gospel (London, 1901), cf. genannt. 240. "At the time of his coming there are Christians in every part of the world. 11-12. They constitute Diaspora. " And Suhl, Alttestamentlichen Zitate, a new ...

117.

The Relationship

between

-6

auxk1ec

and

ulo

-ro

cvBp, tto

It

has long been recognized

that

Mark 13 revolves

around two chief

signs -

the sign requested by the disciples


and the the is sign accompanying is the the

whereby they might know that


But it first -6 has not uibc always 'r i

the end was near,


been seen that v Op i'rou

end itself. to the

second heaven's

sign reply

response

to the

NUyHoc close

.l between of the the announcement of the

Feuillet of the

comments on the of the temple

and deep connexion announcement

destruction

and the

coming

Son of Man.
first. people of the the Again

He also declares
temple

that

the second makes a counterbalance


was the so Christ 2 great visible sign it also of the

of the
unity of the

As the of

of Jerusalem Cross,

God prior

to the of the is of the ruin

Himself

replaces

as the points

centre out that Sanhedrin. in the

reassembling

new community. in

The same writer

same relationship the promise of the

to be found coming of the

the proclamation Son of Man in the The High Priest it true, as they

made before clouds is

the given

of the temple.

perspective Christ? claim " -a to

had asked

"Are you the you

question

which

means "Is

have accused, that

give

us a new temple? "3 makes the same connection between the two signs. He asserts

Loisy4

the the ensign of the hostile 1. "Jesus gives two signs: signalize army will the redemption the ensign of the Son of Nan will herald destruction of the city, The QrgpEioV of the Son of Man most probably signifies of his people.

to the impious the Shekinah glory with which he comes, a fitting counterpart Mark Thirteen, 93. (See also Farrer, the Romans." Beasley-Murray, of
S

took its rise from a prediction Mark, 361. ) "The discourse of the destruction forms the crowning point That event of necessity of the judgment of the temple. The explication of the prophecy, reaches its of the old Israel. accordingly, the members of his new climax in a description of the Son of Man gathering into the consummated Kingdom. " Mark Thirteen, 90. community

2. "Le Discours de Jesus sur la ruine du temple d'apres Marc XIII et Luc )(XI, See also "Le Fils de 1'Homme de Daniel et la 5-36", I? LVI(1949), 71-73. B, tradition RB, LX (1953), 198. biblique",

3.
4.

Ibid.

(1949), 73.
synoptigues, II, 435.

Evangiles Les

118.

that

the

two facts and the

are correlative,

the

first the

introducing scandal

and provoking first.

the

second,

second making

amends for

of the

The YIP Ut
and trampling activities cry them, aloud

in its

Old Testament contexts


place of worship and for

is forever
Its

menaciiigt, the saints


shameful helpless, suffering

and their for

underfoot.

redress,

vindication

of the

remnant.
the

Similarly,

the Son of Man, in its


and exaltation of the

Old Testament context,


ones,

represents
for the

justification

oppressed

and destruction

oppressor.
the

These same meanings are retained

in the eschatological

discourse

of

New Testament. To sense the full the appropriateness context of the is expression necessary 6 U16 rTO review

v OpZn the

ou

in

of Mark 13p it elsewhere.

to briefly

significance

of the

expression

The greater
(a) those

number of the Son of Man passages fall


of humiliation and suffering; (b)

into

two categories:
descriptive

descriptive

those

of vindication

and exaltation.
cSKoi< iv .

For example,

r1k. 8: 31 exemplifies

(a).

Koci

, Ip

rro

ocvTovc na0g-iv,

TL

&

-rv

v uIO%

i'o Ki

ccvOpwrnov

TT-X

Koci

rrodoKINacO?Vou.

crroIrrau e rev O< .


For discussion 1. of the authenticity and grouping of these sayings see The Work and Words of Jesus (London, 1950), 84-87; N. Perrin, A. M. Hunter, 0. Cul]mann, The Kingdom of God in the Teachings of Jesus (London, 1963), 102-107; the New Testament (E. T.,, London, 1959), 137-92; H. E. TBdt, ChristologY of (G{itlersloh, Uberlieferung 1959); The Son Der Menschensohn in der synoptischen (E. T., London, 2-1965); Tradition A. J. B. Higgins, Man in the Synoptic of "Son of Man-Forschung Jesus and the Son of Man (London, 1964); since LThe (Manchester, Teaching of Jesus "19 New Testament Essays, ed. A. J. B. Higgins E. Sjberg, Der verborgene Menschensohn in den Evangelien 1959), 119-35; (Lund, "Der Menschensohn", 1955); E. Schweizer, 185-209; ZNW, L (1959), He that Cometh (Oxford, 1956); P. Vielhauer "Gottesreich S. G. Mowinckel, und Jesu", Festschrift fair Gunther Dehn ed. W. Menschensohn in der Verkndigung 1957), 51-79; Schniemelcher M. Hooker, Jesus and the Servant. (London, 1959); M. Hooker, The Son of Man in Mark (London, 1967); C. Colpe, 116 uis -rc vepLirc,,; ' TWNT, VIII, 403-81; F. Borsch, "Son of Man", Anp1ThR,

XLV (1963),

174-190.

119.

And Mark 14: 62 exemplifies

(b).

...

baoOE

-rov

uiv

-roc)

t VOpTTou Ki
There are

.K

68E$wv

KO(GqEVOV 1c , )V VEcpEA
of either

duvpEwc -rz OPxvo.


two groups,

SPXMEvov METM -rwv


scholars who deny the

authenticity as the

one of the does not

or of Christ's anong scholars, procrustean

use of both. such wholesale bed of prior

Inasmuch

evidence text

compel unanimity to the

emasculation

of the the

may be traceable of

suppositions,

even if

conclusions

each group

are correct

in certain is still
Christ

instances. not yet beyond dispute


was the first, to link He linked Textual not only at least

While it
believing represented of 1 Man. that

there
in those

seems good reason for


Jewish circles and the that Son of

by His

disciples, more. 2

the both

two concepts concepts with

of Messiah a third

But He did

"the

suffering to

Servant". some extent,

study

shows that

Daniel's

writings but also

were on

dependent

on Jeremiah

and Ezekiel,

Deutero-Isaiah.
Isa. 52: 13),

Both bodies
who make the to

of literature

make reference
(Dan. 12: 3; Isa. Isa. of

to the wise (Dan. 12: 3;


53: 11), and who suffer Daniel's endures The Qumran

many righteous of

because

of loyalty

the will

God (Dan. the faithful

11: 33,35;

53: 3f. ). Israel,

Son of Man (7: 13,26), suffering covenanters who disagrees V. Taylor in a similar

representing way to first the

remnant in

Servant

described

Isaiah.

were among the with the

to make this mentioned

connexion.

Even Norna. Hooker, T. W. Manson, Scriptures

earlier

position 7 is

of Jeremias, part

et al.,

considers

that

Daniel

a vital

of those

wherein

it

was written

that I= It

the Son of Man must suffer in Daniel

3 many things. of suffering and book.

Thus the termV)9 subsequent vindication.

7 embodies concepts

is thus emblematic of the theme of the entire

1. 2. 3.

Cu1lmann,

Christolog! Jesus

y of the the Messiah 30.

New Testament. (London, 1943),

Wm. Manson,

-r Li. M'L.. rorl / Teachinr, 173 f.; ,

227f.

The Son of Alan in Mark,

120.

In the

Gospels

the

same two-fold

meaning

is

associated

with

the

bulk

of the

Son

of Man sayings, While it


connected, vindication, and 2 Esdras. The emphasis is

and this

is particularly the arrival

true

of its

usage in Mark 13: 26.1

is the case that


Daniel, is not with

of the Son of Ilan in Mark 13 is


suffering and future in 1 Enoch

as in this

the

theme of present the use of the vindictiveness of the wicked,

so with

Son of Man figure rather than

These sources upon the

stress

vindication. lightly touched

judgment

a theme only

upon in the Olivet

2 discourse. Uic -tbC

Thus the presence oP_ 0 with its, Mark 13 context,


and lends It not picture is so, support highly could

oavOp rcis
It
it

not only consonant helps to unify


context partly the are authentic entire

but remarkably
to the doubtful present thesis that

appropriate.
that both

the

chapter, authentic. and partly Biblical

and its

a melange

of material, with

a picture

so consistent

of the

Son of Aran.

More still
persecuting

needs to be said about the relationship


PSZAuy joc and the vindicating ul

between the sign of the


-ro v0pwnou.

13 begins with the theme of judgment upon Israel, it is chapter is very its theme in fact, equally concerned with the fate of the disciples; largely the trouble which is in store for those who are not ashamed of Jesus and Before the time of judgment and condemnation for the enemies who do not deny him. be in a position to judge and condemn of Jesus, there is a period when they will his followers; the disciples before the final for persecution must be prepared The whole of chapter 13 is thus an elaboration vindication. of the theme found in 8: 34-38: those who wish to follow Christ the same must expect to follow for they will be hated by all because of his name; but path of suffering, those who are ashamed of Jesus and who do not endure to the end, will not be It is against this background we must understand the climax of the chapter saved. in vv. 24-27. its relevance to the general is clear: theme of the chapter .. the revelation for all who have of the Son of man is synonymous with judgment: Jesus this means disaster: for those who have been faithful it means rejected " The Son of Man in Mark, 156. vindication. 2. Ibid., 158.

1.

"Although

121.

The first the

sign

augurs

the

destruction everlasting

of the temple -

temple, the

while community

the

second heralds saints

establishment

of the

of the

established

when the covenant promise of Lev. 26: 12 is at last


dwell with His people out forever. that Dan. 9: 24, 40-48 led especially the

fulfilled

and

Yahweh comes to Many writers Ol u `1 Messianic

have pointed

jj

? 17 anticipate would a

12f- T-113 temple

and Eze. , with

chs. the

Jews to

contemporaneous righteousness

age when transgression in. Joachim Jeremias

be finished, of

and everlasting "the age-old

be ushered a new reign

has spoken

conception

that

commences with

a newly-consecrated

temple:

Nk. 13: 2 must be placed alongside

lam. 14: 58, Acts 6: 14.111

The Temple will be destroyed, the destruction but after of the Temple Jesus will the parousia take place and the building of the heavenly of ' the glorified temple, community. The New Testament the glorified church incorporates by the the sanctuary symbolism in connection and it is with to this

gathered

Son of Man (Rev.

21: 3,22),

that
the. city

Mark 13: 26 points.


11 Ktl V (l of which is

He who comes in the clouds with


to be with t) TT( men, and dwell C o XPE10(v with

great
them.

glory

is Himself
the ..

Concerning Tb

God, John wrote:

'CXEI

()lMOU.

Xxvoc
All this

ocvlf c
corresponds

?
to the

&Pviov.
hope expressed length on this in Daniel. point. 3 Feuillet, Congar,

Gartner

and others

have written

at

1.

Beasley-Murray,

Jesus,

202.

Cf. R. Hummel, Cited by Beasley-Murray, Ibid. 39-40. Jesus als Weltvollender, 2. Die Auseinandersetzung zwischen Kirche und Judentum im Matth?, usevanaelium

(Ndtinchen, 1963),
3. The following

93;

Schniewind,

Markus, 175;

R. J. McKelvey,

The Nev Temple, passim.

is sanctuaire of their are representative work. ". .. quotations daps la pensee de Daniel. toutes les autres occupe une place preponderante ... font une place au temple dans leurs perspectives eschatologiques. visions ... de 1'homme. ce qui corresponde apres quoi il sera "justifie". au regne du Fils .. celle L'onction de Dan. IX, 24, qui peut Ure une allusion pour le prescrite figurativement, tabernacle. doit s'entendre de i'etablissement croyons nous, ..

...

122.

In summary,

Mk. 13: 26-2T points

to the

fulfilment

of Dan. 9: 24 when sin

is

to

be ended, and everlasting latter


thought their of the

righteousness

established.

Part

of the imagery of this which in New Testament


by Him who is 14th verse old

verse has to do with the anointing


is applied 1 to the rik. community thus of

of a new temple,
saints

glorified

gathered

Shekinah.

13: 26 is

an admirable the desecration

counterpart

to the

same chapter

which

describes

and destruction

of the

temple by the Antichrist.

dire, 13-14; VIII, 14 et de VII, les trois "Qu'est-ce oracles sinon que exprimer la meme realite? IX, 24 se completent et contribuent mutuellement La sanctuaire tout spirituel Dieu oint (IX, 24) est assure de la presence que a la venue aver les nuees du Fils de 1'homme (VII, 13-14), et divine grace le temple materiel de cette'. Dieu venge (VIII114) profane maniere que c'est " Feuillet, "Le Fils de 1'homme de Daniel et la tradition Antiochus. par "Daniel RB, LX (1953), 196-198. with the biblique", contrasting was already formed by the destroyed. Temple, profaned sanctuary a spiritual and even .. " Cougar, Tem le, 159. (See also list believers over whom the Son of man reigns. (is) Son of Man in Mark, 165. )"lQS viii of sources given by M. Hooker, The Here, too, we find clear text for the study of temple symbolism. important an the concept of 'the new temple' with and the new fellowship with associations God. "As in Targum Jonathan liii, of the Ebed theme is combined where an exposition find in Daniel God's Shekinah to the temple, the idea of the return so we of with 'the saints the most High'and: the idea of the new temple' of of a combination the evil to come On the subject in the last days. is to be established of which the defile it is said that one of the 'horns' of the 'he-goat' ahall. ... to the temple; But the good to come also stands related temple. atonement .. be the people and eternal be made for the evils shall righteousness of shall to anoint 'to seal both vision a most holy place'. and prophet, and established, in spiritual has sometimes been interpreted the future This vision of ... 'the saints' the implication being that a make up a new temple, categories, temple. It is the kingdom of 'the saints' an anointed which is called spiritual it is important the presence of God (7: 13,14). upon which rests sanctuary ... is connected with the ideas to note that the concept of the 'anointed sanctuary' The Servant Brownlee, the Son of Man and the 'saints of of the most High'. of this to be an interpretation the Lord, pp. 13f. considers of the Ebed as the the Servant of the interpretation 'the collective 'saints', that of and writes its temple as well as the 'prince' Lord would seem to embrace Jerusalem and and his people. " Temple, 129,130. (London, 1962), 1174-5, "Shekinah", The New Bible Dictionary R. A. Stewart, "The glory of God - kabod in the Hebrew Bible, doxa in LX and New says, is another name for the Shekinah. it may be specially Testament ... It is present or with the Temple. .. with the tent of meeting. associated .. temple (Rev xv. 8) and in the heavenly in the heavenly in a special way city 1.

du regne messianique.

...

123.

There can be only one all'greater than the Temple'? is more manifest in Him than It is because God's presence embracing answer. The Lord On Him, not on the Temple, now rests the Shekinah. the Temple. ... the is the true Temple. " Alan Cole, The New Temple, 12. "So neither Himself the abolition the New Temple 'not made with hands', teaching and destrucnor about to Christianity. Temple. .. tion of the old material are accidents or aftEr-thoughts 55" " Ibid., They are of its esse, inevitable corollaries of its central message. "Why is Christ

(Rev xxi. 23). "

124.

Tature

of the

Discourse: so far Olivet that

Prediction

or Paraclesis? to reach

Or Both? a conclusion of the regarding four major as part well with of the

The discussion perspective interpretations, the eschatological as to the precise of the

has endeavoured discourse. which views tests

We have seen that the of destruction exegesis.

only

of Jerusalem Next we might

drama meets the nature of Christ's about

enquire conveying

revelation. the future,

Is He chiefly or with offering

concerned pstoral

information

admonition? To ask the frequent remark question is practically Mark 13 is both to answer to typical it. It Jewish has been a matter apocalyptic matter. is no of 1

how different the sermon is no lurid But what

In many respects horoscope terrors for of the

surprising

and disappointing. of the bliss of the to

There saved, the

mankind, lost.

description is present

or the note of

from

beginning

end is

warning, right.
throughout moral

the admonition The first

to be right

rather

than merely to-1 iov or profess are PIP 1TEr6


that

the

and last

words of Christ
It is

and His imperatives ,


has primarily a

amount to nineteen. as was the that

evident

His prophecy

purpose, Having

case also

with

most Old Testament purpose there was pastoral is no true point.

predictions. and admonitory, succession of events terms

said

Christ's

primary that

should

Busch be followed We feel

in holding

delineated? of chronological

Kfmmel is

more accurate throughout

at this

The various

significance

Mark 13 cannot

be ignored.

Some of

them definitely most part,

imply a sequence of events. in the three-fold religious

Furthermore, record.

this

sequence, for looks

the

is preserved

Synoptic agitation planes,

The pattern

somewhat like confusion

the following:

and persecution;

increasing signs
religious

on national

and international
world-wide

accompanied by terrestrial
gospel; increasing

such as earthquakes;

proclamation

of the

1.

e. g.,

Lohmeyer,

Torrey,

Beasley-Murray.

125.

intolerance;

apostasy;

onslaught

on Jerusalem;

the

great

tribulation

with

its

intensified accompanying to gather His elect.


the notes of timet feel

deceptions;

cosmic signs climaxed by the revelation

of Christ
While be ignored,

which there

are is

scattered

through

the

discourse by Christ

cannot on chronolo-

we do not

that

any marked

emphasis

gical
time

precision.
division: of the

For the most part,


preliminaries elect by Christ the to the from

this

address falls
the

neatly
tribulation

into

a threefold
itself, deliv-

tribulation, tribulation. of the

erance

the

The advent 0341c ' Any closer but

of the but prior to

xUyHx PaC-, that fearful

betokens coming, than is this likewise lesser is

beginning will

signs

be observed. distortion, the evidence.

chronological or hazier

delineation presentation In this any minute indicates trees. various

liable unfaithful

to affect to

any laxer

exegetical portions

summary we have made no attempt eschatological many exegetes will discourse. have failed close the

to

study

microscopically of commentaries the its

of the too

A survey to

that Later

already chapters,

see the wood for to Mk. 13: 14, as a whole.

however,

give for

attention discourse

components,

and its

significance

1.

E. g.

TT60

&TxV,

E09Wc,

EV

EKa, IVOCIC

1b IS

flpF-Po(IS.

RELATIONSHIP OF DANIEL TO THE OLIVET DISCOURSE

127.

Almost Testament question Y17i calling is shifted

every

discussion

of the first

. T S-

pays

some attention

to that

Old The

bookl usually j2 forth

where the phrase asked is:

occurs, the writer

and occurs of Daniel

repeatedly. mean by the

"What did that

Having the

settled

question

by a review glance at

of the

circumstances attention

book and a confirmatory the Synoptic Gospels.

1 Macc.

1: 54 etc.,

back to

To do this,
the . T" Olivet to it

however, is to move much too quickly.


only The one part . `" oC -T. E of a Denielic does not stand

It

is to forget
"peshered"

that

in Mark 13 is discourse. are a -6ui the _.

complex alone,

by the Linked

even in Nark 8kq , C and

13.

11-00 of the

BPwn OU, ocv ancient

oCCIXEI

3 key-notes

apocalypse.

The relation-

ship with
ogical

Daniel

is more intimate
also found

yet.

Other expressions
to Daniel.

from the eschatolThe references to

address

are

to be allusions ouvTTAe1a-Gxt
aki

-ro(O-ca 6p(1 ;o _yF-v


CSWerO iQu are some items Thus the on this close

-rrvroc;
Aoc ,c

1Epc V&
)TOS

dE

no`. Ivmc

(vaytVwXKwV list. between

voa

relationship

Mark 13 and Daniel

cannot

be too

"The influence 1. of the prophecy of Daniel has always been unique, even to modern times; " Torrey, Documents, 33. "No one can understand the attitude Christians, in the West, unless they realize how of medieval especially important this book was to the ordinary Christian. " K. & S. Lake, (London, 1938), 182. Introduction to the New Testament For specific examples to the of Daniel in the N. T., see C. H. Dodd, According of the influence Scriptures, 67-70. 2. The complete phrase is QtW . 1D Y)71Jj jj

is present 3. 11 POV31 P-10( _. Pit. 24: 14 and Lu. 21: 31.

by implication

in M.

13, and in fact

in

128.

much stressed. that not always

It

has all

too

often 2

been given

only

passing

notice, crisp

and summary its

sympathetically. "It is

The truthfulness of Daniel", on the

of Farrer's he says,

cannot decisive

be denied. shape to

the prophecy prediction the

"which "3

gives

Christ's

Mount of Olives. the

According CjWP2 We have not improbable. the rI 7 Vj the is

to P. Schegg, 4 same way that to find

Jews called called this,

book of Daniel fl1 the 1-2 suggestion for showing and trials

r1P1

in the

they for

Genesis though chiefly

been able Schegg's is book. more than did not

proof is

is that

not

contention the appropriate

significant

emblem of the

tragedy

which

produced It of Daniel.. phrase,

interesting His to finger

that

Christ,

in His

reference and easily

to the

book

place rather

upon some isolated passages from the

detached of the

but

chose

emphasize

very

heart

Old Testament apocalypse.


ment of His ministry,

This is true
is

of both His declaration


and the Christ's kingdom

at the commenceof God is from at Daniel

"The time in the

fulfilled, discourse.

5 hand", and His words of the and the from which concepts tribulation Rather, of the

Olivet the

selection

Kingdom,

Son of Man, the being all the

abomination underfoot,

of desolation, was far book times.

involving He thereby

Jerusalem's encompassed

trodden the

idle.

main motifs milieu

of that of the

more than

any other

was influencing

religious

1. 2. 3. 4.

See Hartman,

Prophecy,

145-77.

E. g. C. H. Weisse, A Study

G. H8lscher. 1951), 136. by van Dodewaard, "De gruvel

in St Mark (London,

Evangelium

der vervoesting",

III, 248, cited nach MatthYs, St Cath., XX (1944), 128.

5. In view of the plethora of material written on the Kingdom of God in the have not bestowed proportionate it is a marvel that scholars New Testament, in Daniel the Old Testament source as set forth on the same topic attention -One classic treatment, teaching Christ's is found in however, on the matter. of (Et. bibl. )(Paris, Le Juda! sme"avant Jesus-Christ Lagrange's 1931), 62-69.

129.

Because all picture without Christ is only it is

these

expressions

are

related the

as different

aspects

of the

same

impossible

to understand of the over-all Let Christ plan purpose point

significance

of any one of them Danielic because should the chain pattern the be which F-AuY m

consideration reproduces one part on its

significance us say it is

of the again it -

and amplifies. of the pattern

retracing,

never

studied link

own.

The entire is the

must be surveyed, of the present out the basic

must be felt Such a the and the

by link.

And this

chapter.

survey, place riet

among other of the

things, ,

should the

theme of Daniel, theVIK "12]

_I)%

relationship

between .

and the , _VIP should aid exegesis

the 13)1V and of the New Testament

Reminders

on these

matters

midrash,

and Mark 13: 14

in particular.
But first, in the seventeenth some comment upon the century, suggested unity that of Daniel the last is five in order. Spinoza, of the

chapters

book had a separate


opinion the work that the

author.

Sir

Isaac Newton, a century


the visions of the

later,
prophet

expressed his
were indeed hand.

chapters but century the book.

containing that the

of Daniel,

narratives

were the that after,

product nine Bleek

of another

In the

nineteenth for

Bertholdt However,

maintained not long

writers

had been

responsible to his Daniel

made what appeared unity of

contemporaries that contrary

such a satisfactory opinions fell out

demonstration of favour. For

of the the rest

of the

nineteenth author.
again

century Just prior-

most critical

scholars

held to the belief century


to

of a single turned
authorship

to the dawn of the twentieth


subsequent attempts

the tide

and many have been the

show the

divided

of the book.
of the

As H. H. Rowley has pointed


can be found in the

out "the effective


others of these

answers to many
divisive

arguments

case for

130.

views.; "'
The observation of Moses Stuart well expresses the conviction of most

defenders
It

of the unity

of the book of Daniel.

for any one at all skilled in discerning seems to me impossible the characteristics to read the book through attentively in of writing, the original, that the whole proceeded without an overwhelming conviction from one pen and one mind. 2 We believe of the regarding Daniel. It that this writer unity will be demonstrated sought to convey. to by the following said unity the of review

message the the is

of Daniel

What Farrer to the from

authenticity established

of Mark 13 applies if it

some extent it "results

can be shown that

1. The Servant of the Lord The same writer 260. gives a fine summary of his own viewpoint ". the links of style when he says: .. that the theories of glossing and outlook, which are so clearly acknowledged have been so extensively to, are added to the community of error, resorted The stock argument the case for the unity is a strong one. of authorship it is just that touch of looseness against which is really and inconcinnity the strongest be accounted for by Community of error for it. argument can borrowed. borrowing; but a quality is not so easily of mind, or mental habit, Hence the fact that this is found in the oft-severed of the book is of parts the first Not less so is the difficulty significance. any clear of finding division, test of language, form, and presumptive since the threefold to embarrass different yields authorship results, while chapter 7 will continue the dissectors by its refusal to be assigned to either half alone. "The onus of proof lies There, however, upon those who would dissect work. a that can be seriously has been produced. nothing called proof of compositeness On the other hand, evidence for the unity of the work that in its totality " Ibid., is available. R. H. Pfeiffer 280. says, amounts to a demonstration ". there is no compelling the two parts of the book reason to ascribe .. to different to the Old Testament (London, 1952), 764. authors. " Introduction See also Lagrange, Jddaisme, 63. This author stresses the unity of theme in all parts manifest of the book of Daniel. Cited by 2. Rowley, The Servant Montgomery, Ginsberg, Eissfeldt, of the Lord, 273. Baumgarimr, the various and others have set forth conflicting views regarding the origin of Daniel based on the fact of the change in both the language from a Daniel calculations and prophetic as well as the theory of selections but Rowley's words still cycle, apply -- "the effective answer to many of the arguments can be found in the case for others of these devisive views. " The disqualify the majority The of logic requirements of theories automatically. Occam's not hold too many hypothetical niche will statues at the same time. (even the view contending for a single razor may be needed and possibly author if using traditional is the most profitable See material) application of it. J. A. Montgomery, the following: The Book of Daniel (ICC)(Edinburgh, 1927);

(Oxford,

21965),

131.

imaginative chapters

process "builds

which

produced

the whole and is built

book", into

and that what

each of the as "the

on what precedes

follows"

very stuff
Certain their

of the author's
key words

mind. "1
in the book stand out, either because of

or phrases

repetition,

or because

of their

uniqueness

of terminology `l words. is the

or situation. O and which the is

Among those ] J. particularly word to in all

significant

because appear

of repetition over

are the It

These words pertinent, the prophets 2

190 times. times

latter than

appearing put

several

more often theme, climaxes then, in

equivalent has

together. Each of the

Daniel's visions

certainly

do withtcingdom

of God.

such a portrayal,

and Nebuchadnezzar's

dream as well.

Note the

following:

And in the days of those kings the God of heaven will set up a be its sovereignty be destroyed, kingdom which shall nor shall never It shall break in pieces all these kingdoms to another people. left for ever. 3 stand and bring them to an end, and it shall And the kingdom and the dominion and the greatness of the kingdoms be given to the people of the saints the whole heaven shall under kingdom, and be an everlasting kingdom shall their the Most High; of 4 dominions shall serve and obey them. all

Einleitung (New York, 1948); 0. Eissfeldt, in Daniel Studies H. L. Ginsberg, 31963); (Tbingen, W. Baumgartner, in das Alte Testament particularly, 59-83, ThRs (NF), XI (1939), Danielforschung", "Ein Viertejahrhundert 125-144,201-228. 1. St Mark, 261. be understood None of these references as denying that the author should "These legends, legends. manifest Daniel used already-existing with their of to the Jews of the Persian didactic addressed purpose, were originally (London, 1968), 276. " Gerhard von Rad, The Message of the Prophets diaspora. 17 to Daniel the religious t'l1a; Concerning von Rad says, "Prior it. " But in Daniel there is "a much more precise little use of world made See also John Bright's the kingdom of God". TDNT, It 570. delineation of The Kingdom of God (New York, the kingdom theme in Daniel. discussion of teaching His immediate conjunction 1953), 182-186. of Christ's on the subject 2.

with 3.

Daniel's

is not only a matter

of chronology. Dan. 7: 27.

Dan. 2: 44.4.

132. And many of those who sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to life, And those who and some to shame and everlasting everlasting contempt. the brightness shine like are wise shall of the firmament; and those who turn many to righteousness, like the stars for ever and ever-1 All also the other elements primary of Daniel, (1j312/ such as the kingdom of God. and the YIX 1: 0

appertain its In the

to this immediate second climactic in the Judaism.

theme of the or attendant

In most cases they

betoken

antecedents group

circumstances. those which and are unique in terminology . The of the for

of key expressions, are MN 1XJ

or by way of former centuries appears for

placing, climax

TY 111) of the as the

-T-M

of a graphic "underdog"

representation experience

sad record

Israel's

object

of spite

all

the nations
-the

who crossed and recrossed


most important is pictured the chapter

her borders

is set forth

in the seventh

chapter The worst this

of the

book according

to many commentators. little horn. . ." 11 .

aggressor

as a proud

and malevolent over ones,

horn

made war with

saints,

and prevailed the former

them.

be different he shall from ... and shall put down three kings.

He shall

speak words against

the Most High,

of the Most High, and shall wear out the saints think to change the times and the law; and shall be given into his hand. . .2 and they shall But now occurs a dramatic reversal:

I looked then because of the sound of the great words which the its horn was speaking. And as I looked, the beast was slain, and body destroyed and given over to be burned with fire. I saw in the night visions, ... and behold, with the clouds of heaven there came one like a son of man, and he came to the Ancient of Days before him. and was presented And to him was given dominion and glory and kingdom, that all people, nations, and languages should serve him; dominion, his dominion is an everlasting not pass away, which shall and his kingdom one

that

shall

3 not be destroyed.

1.

"The visions interpretations in the final and their all culminate Dictionary of the Kingdom of God", H. H. Rowley, "Daniel", establishment of the Bible 21963), F. C. Grant and H. H. Rowley (Cambridge, 200. Cf. Lagrange, Juda! sme, 68. ed. Dan. 12: 2,3.

2.

Dan. 7: 24-25.3.

Dan. 7: 9-14.

133.

Thus are presented

two opposing

figures,

central

to the

teaching

of the

book.

The u3

`1: 1]

is heaven's

counter

to the little or o01if


of the

horn which elsewhere is yjj%lIl.


succeeding Jl7 f)1) . of the n sanctuary joins chapter, l but

r]3U1? ri7vi, called


The little this time horn the appears is again in the redress horns coming imaged by the parallel

imagery

expression

As the parallels the

two little the

each other, Thus

so the vindication \jj `t7 -Ip?

of the

Son of Man.

other

expressions

as expressive

of the main motif

of Daniel.

2 but these We have by no means exhausted the key terms of Daniel, are
sufficient Let to indicate out the the theme of the book and the objective of the writer. 3

us now spell The writer

latter

more closely. as though patriot he lived in the sixth the century collapse of the B. C. 4 of

of Daniel is that

speaks

His the

viewpoint Theocracy

of a Jewish victory

who has witnessed Gentiles.

and the

of the

idolatrous

The ark

covenant,

the centre

of the nation's
besides temple the

polity,
rule

had gone, and the Shekinah,


of the descendents catastrophe and the of David. for Israel. of also

and Urim and Thummiu The burning "Its the destruction relationship

kingly

of the

was an overwhelming symbol of judgment

was an inevitable between

severance of prophecy

Yahweh and His people: -5

The Spirit

1.
2.

Dan. 8: 9-13.
"Time of the end", and its equivalent "latter days", are also prominent.

According to Lagrange, the sanctuary 3. of Dan. 9: 24 is a "symbole du regne de Dieu". Juda! sme, 69. He, as Dodd and others, finds in the visions of Daniel the origin by Christ Dodd stresses of the kingdom teachings and Paul. but Lagrange gives as much emphasis to Dan. 9: 24-27. source, ch. 7 as the primary See Gaston's No Stone of the temple and the kingdom. remarks on the equivalence 230,243. on Another, 4. The New Testament takes for granted that setting for the book, Heb. 11: 33-34 which hints except, perhaps, at Naccabean times. (lit. 24: 15),

5"

M. Hooker, The Son of Man in Mark, 151.

134.

was silent,

no longer

was there

any vision.

As Calvin

has said

concerning

the

last there
asleep then, It

centuries

of Israel's

history

before

the coming of Christ:

".

..

if

ever

were times of distress,


in heaven, when the

such as might tempt men to imagine that


of the human race, it

God was

and had become forgetful that out for took place

was certainly nl

revolutions cried

were so frequent and this the

and so various. writer of Daniel

was an age that

a Theodicy,

offers. Wrong was on the doing? sword? the cry: long pious "For would Was He sleeping Why were the worshippers how long. wickedness throne, and right upon the while scaffold. What was Yahweh from fire and

or ajourneying 2 true

His people

suffered

Gentiles, of the .. the

who were God?

idolaters, In the that would heart

suffered of the

to triumph book occurs . .? her "3

over the How

transgression How long

makes desolate. Israel be without

triumph?

daily

sacrifice

and priesthood?

How long before

the longed-for

messianic

kingdom

would be inaugurated,
This repeatedly dispersion, of Jeremiah's cry,

and Israel
is later not

take her place at the head of the nations?


unique to the book of Daniel. It belongs It to the is the It occurs Israel's wail

of course, the

throughout

Scriptures. psalms

days of implied

and echoes through Lamentations. 4

and prophets.

(reprinted 1. Calvin, Daniel 1852-3, London, 1966), 80. 2.

from

Calvin

Translation

Society

edition

of

"We cannot regard Nebuchadnezzar less Darius the Mede, still and Belshazzar, The author is contending, Epiphanes. of Antiochus not simply as portraits but against Antiochus the heathenism personally, of which Antiochus was against (Cambridge, the champion. " A. A. Bevan, A Short Commentary on the Book of Daniel 1892), 24. 3. Dan. 8: 13. See Gaston, No Stone on Another, 378.

Ps. 74 (particularly 4. Typical occurrences are v. 10); 79 (particularly v. 5); Apart from these communal laments 89: 3-4,38-46; 94: 1-3; Zech. 1: 12. are found in similar vein, supplications such as in Ps. 6: 2-3; 13: 1-2; 35: 17, personal and Hab. 1: 2-4.

135.

The intervention

sought

in

each instance

is

divine

vindication

and

restoration.

For example, after

the utterance

of the cry in Ps. 35 we reads

Bestir thyself, and awake for my right, for my cause, my God and my Lord!
Vindicate Let those shout And in Lord the Zechariah me, 0 Lord. ... who desire my vindication for joy and be glad. . .l 1, the reply to the angel's words "How long. to the angel" . .? " is that "the told

answered content

gracious

and comforting words:

and we are

of these

Cry out, Thus says the Lord of hosts: jealous for I am exceedingly Jerusalem that are And I am very angry with the nations and for Zion. the for while I was angry but a little they furthered at ease; disaster. Therefore, to Jerusalem thus says the Lord, I have returned in it, be built with compassion; says the Lord of hosts, my house shall Cry again, line shall be stretched and the measuring out over Jerusalem. Thus says the Lord of hosts: My cities with shall again overflow Zion and again choose prosperity and the Lord will again comfort Jerusalem. The question instances. he said then the and answer is in Daniel are similar in nature to the foregoing "And

The reply to him, sanctuary hold of the is yet

a promise

of vindication and three to gives its the hundred rightful best

and restoration. evenings state. indication "3 to

For two thousand shall that book. future.

and mornings; Most the time of

be restored this reply The daily But the

commentators composition restoration It With shows the ]

sacrifice verse book. occur is

has been taken significant for

away,

and its that.

more than

central Only

message of the once does it it

The word of promise in this form in the is

in 8: 14 is Old Testament.

right

do some translate

as "vindicated".

Daniel

the

book of

judgment,

of vindication.

The very title

means "God is my Judge", promises


the

and

passage after
judge

passage climaxing
and their

the visions,
vindicating

that

Yahweh will
and destroying

His people

enemies,

former

1.

Ps. 35: 23-24,27.2.

Zech. 1: 14-17.3.

Dan. 8: 14.

136.

the the

latter. keynote

Commentator of all this

after

commentator is in to

employs

this

word

"vindication"

1 book.

apocalyptic vindication

commenting come cvtvO

upon the message of the V. do was but It is

Furthermore, human help.

no merely shadow

The best

the Maccabean heroes His saints. 2 of the

could

a faint

of what Yahweh offered The promise messianic were the

of the

restoration

sanctuary of the

was a promise kingdom the

of the There has

3 kingdom.

The temple

was a microcosm and covenant.

of God. writer

emblems of His

government

Skilfully

interwoven

repeated

references

to the sanctuary

as background to the promises These references


of the to book. with

of the establishment
in both with its the narrative

of Yahweh's kingdom of glory.


and the prophetic sections will

occur

The sanctuary His people. to the

abiding

Shekinah

indicated that is

Yahweh's the

dwell

The writer substance.

of Daniel

pledges

shadow is

soon to

give

place is

A new sanctuary

to be anointed

as transgression

finished,

sin atoned for,


writers people interpret in the

and everlasting
the promise _TTo(1IyyavEaia

righteousness
as applying to .4

brought
God's

in.

New Testament
with His

own tabernacling

(London, 1967), 35,195,197, E. Heaton, Daniel, 1. *E. g. Torch Bible Commentaries " Cf. R. H. Pfeiffer, Introduction to the O. T. (London, 1952), 781. 212. As Welch has written: ". 2. the prophet nowhere shows any sympathy with .. the party which led the Maccabean rising. to hold Indeed, it is more natural that, to come solely by the intervention while he expects the deliverance of " God, he is distinctly the revolt. opposed to the ideals which animated ... Visions the End (London, 1922), 132. It is however possible that the of help" is the writer's phrase "a little of the work of the Naccabean estimate See 11: 34. "His hope for the end has a scope and a character patriots. which however motivated by religion, 50. no rebellion, could ever claim. " Ibid., 3. III, Buhl, 349. "Daniel"p The New Schaff-Herzog Encyclopaedia of Religious Knowledge,

"Daniel", 4. IB9 VI, 497. A. Jeffery, Lloyd Gaston says, "It is significant that there is in Daniel no mention of a hoped-for rebuilding or rededication of In Daniel 2a great stone -snot made with hands-' shatters the temple. the fourth kingdom and becomes a "kingdom which shall (2: 44). In n? ver be destroyed' 7: 14,27 it is again a kingdom which is given to the people of the saints of the Most kinfdom is destroyed. High, when the fourth Accordingly it may very well be that 9: 24 to anoint interpret in accordance a holy of holies' we should with the usage to a community. " No Stone on Another, to refer 118. of the Dead Sea Scrolls,

137.

To see the parallelism vindicating of the sanctuary,

between and the

the

coming

of the

Son of Man, the of God, one

arrival

of the kingdom

needs only to compare Daniel

chapters

seven and eight.


DANIEL 8
i

DANIEL7
Persecuting Climactic Judgment (Judgment they powers aggression and coming is given the symbolized by little of the for the by beasts. horn. (Persecuting Climactic

powers aggression

symbolized by little

by beasts. horn.

Son of Man. saints and

The vindication (The little human hand. the time horn

of the is

sanctuary. without to

broken

receive takes

kingdom.

The same dominion of

The vision ) end.

reaches

judgment

away the

of the

the little

horn and it

is destroyed. )
whether the little horn is identical in the two chapters.

Some have debated

As Rowley has pointed rest on the similarity

out,

the real

case for

the identification

"does not of the character comparisons.

of the terms,

but on the indications

and deeds of the person each stands for. "1


DANIEL 7 Seemed greater Speaks words Thinks the law, to than against its Yellows, v. 20.

Note the following


DANI Grew exceedingly himself,

great, v.

v. 9. 25.

the Most High, times and

v. 25. Magnifies

change the v. 25. for

Took away the continual offering, v. 11. for

burnt

Triumphant

"a time,

two times,

Triumphant
hundred

"two thousand three


and mornings". v. 14.

and half He. ..

a time". shall

v. 25 v. 25.

evenings

wear out the saints,

He shall He shall

destroy

many, v. 25.

His dominion shall

be taken away, v. 26. the little its

be broken,, v. 25. the last persecutor its of own

In both instances history.

horn represents overwhelming triumph

In both instances

precipitates

1. Darius the Mede and the Four World Empires in the Book of Daniel 1935), 126.

(Cardiff,

139.

Thus T%7 K response to the

1DJ r)jJ-)W

is .

the

counterpart

of the represents

little the

horn, reversal

the of

divine

The figure

Antichrist's
kings. the

work.

The saints,
given the

who have been made as refuse,


a dominion reminiscent

now become
of Adam's to them. in This of the ushering

To them is

dominion,

beginning. of the

The powers kingdom to

of rebellious saints and the

chaos become subject Judgment is the sins

giving

the

at the making

equivalent and the

vindication in of

of the

sanctuary righteousness

an end of 1

everlasting

(8: 14; 9: 24). between judgment

The demonstrated important. but

relationship mind, 2 this

Judgment

and Vindication

is

To the Jewish the right". also

showed not

so much who was righteous

who was "in

Morna Hooker linking of the ideas

stresses

concept.

After

pointing

out

the

repeated

of Yahweh's

kingship

and his

judgment

she says:

appearance and enthronement of the Son of Man are thus seen to be integral that God will for the author's of the whole book of Daniel, parts conviction intervene and on behalf sufferings of his saints, end their and that he will " The Son them the kingdom, is here given its most dramatic give expression. Cf. Lagrange, Judafsme, 69, ". des le moment u le of Man in Mark, 29. .. Dieu va commencer son oeuvre, son regne grand ennemi de Dieu sera frappe, 449. "; Gaston, No Stone on Another, dans la perspective est prochaine. .. . Feuillet has rightly the parallel stressed nature of these three passages. les trois de vii, 13-14; viii, l4 et ix, 24 se completent mutuellement oracles .. ' Le sanctuaire tout spirituel Is meme realite? que et contribuent exprimer la venue avec les (ix, 24) est assure de la presence divine Dieu oint grace du'Fils de 1'homme (vii, 13-14), de cette maniere que Dieu venge nuees et c'est (viii, 11 I'Le Fils 14) le temple materiel de 1'homme de profane par Antiochus. (Cf. Jeffery's Daniel la tradition ' LX (1953), 197-98. biblique", comment et the sanctuary on Dan. 9: 24, IB, VI, 497; )". of Dn 8: 14 and 9: 24 should be .. interpreted figuratively in terms of the holy community. " Gaston, No Stone on 175. Another, (Edinburgh, The Prophets Israel "The ideas of 1882), 71f. of ideas; that is, the Hebrew right and wrong among the Hebrews are forensic before of the right and the wrong as if they were to be settled always thinks is to the Hebrew not so much a moral quality Righteousness a judge. as a (saddiq) The word 'righteous' legal status. means simply 'in the right', and (rashao) the wrong',. " Cf. David Hill, the word 'wicked' Greek Words means'in 1967), 89n; Hebrew Meanings (Cambridge, Gaston, No Stone on Another, 380. and 2. W. H. Smith, 1. ".

140.

The sequence of thought is logical, since God's decisive action must be at once the re-establishment of his kingship of and the manifestation his righteousness, the wicked and rewards the humble. which punishes Daniel's is a pictorial vision representation of an idea which pervades the psalter, whether it is expressed there in historical cultic or terms. 1 eschatological However, a concept Moule's implicit by the prophets, Daniel's which article vision pervades just is more. It it not only is a pictorial the whole that. of the terms Examples representation of Scripture. The pattern oppressed elsewhere are saints in the 3, of

the psalms,

pervades

quoted

does much to the in

demonstrate vindication similar

in Daniel judgment the

7 and 8 regarding presented

of God is Gospels,

rather

and the

book of Revelation. We would only draw particular

Zechariah to the vindication c v9Pwiav

Luke 18: 1-8, second but is

and Rev. 6: 9-11. passages,

attention of divine -ro

of these also in

as not the

being

an instance 6t be

being found

a case where

expression

appropriate

connexion.

The parable
pleads saying: for

of Luke 18 represents
against

the elect

as an oppressed widow who


finishes the story by

vindication

her adversary.

Christ

his Hear what the unrighteous judge says. And will not God vindicate I tell Will he delay long over them? elect, who cry to him day and night? Nevertheless, them speedily. you he will vindicate when the Son of Man 2 he find faith comes, will on earth? Matthew this context Black is very rightly points out that the reference to the Son of Man in to discount

illuminating.

There

have been many willing

the phrase in this the parable "all

place as a redactional obvious.

supplement for

its

connexion with is "

is not immediately features

But what we have here actually Son of man apocalyptic.

the essential that

of the old Biblical

Black concludes
been foisted the substance

"the old Biblical


teachings teaching

Son of man apocalyptic


by later tradition; "3

has not therefore,


it represents

upon the of His

of Jesus about the

coming Judgment.

1. 3.

The Son of Man in Mark, "The Son of Man in the

23.2. Teaching of Jesus",

Luke 18: 8. 37.

141.

Thus the parallel the It

unity

of thought of the vindicated,

apparent kingdom is

in Daniel given reflected 'plot'",

7 and Daniel to the

8 with'its

presentations being

being

Son of Man, and Testaments. "twofold in

sanctuary reflects

a unity "a single finding

in both even the

what C. H. Dodd calls pattern of history"

rhythm

of the

"characteristic

expression

terms of death and resurrection.


Much has been said Daniel. the This theme unifies Its here

"'
about the theme of vindication sections 1L where fact that but the of the its book, in the the book of and is

the

various U09

visions

narratives. in 8: 14. 2

emblem is the

actual term

statement for

found

Here is

one place the

actual verse is

vindication strikes the

appears. key-note point

We wish of the

to underline

this

which also

book by its

reference book. in this to the that

to vindication Commentators book occurs. first section

the

climactic from unanimous is chapter second?

of the

symbolism a natural

of the division

have been far For of the example,

as to where

seven to be seen as belonging What has not dividing requiring point, been noticed for this is verse 3

book or the

in Daniel

8: 14 we have a distinct the usage of visionary 4

literary symbols

terminates all

interpretation.

Hereafter,

is

explanation.

We repeat,

1.

According

to

the

Scriptures,

102,129.

'the Dan. 8: 14 should probably be interpreted 2. ". .. along these lines: Here the LXX holy place shall be put right, to what it should be'. restored translator according to the general sense appears to have interpreted
from by the context, since that meaning could not be elicited required 61Ko(IwOrjaF-'rCK, the Hebrew. " have been the normal rendering of which would . Dan. 7: 22 David Hill, Greek Words and Hebrew Meanings (Cambridge, 1967), 84n. the same concept of vindication. reflects

3. "It is sometimes argued that vv. 13 and 14 are interpolated, but it should be noticed that they stand or fall with v. 26 which refers back to them. " N. Porteous, Daniel, 127. Cf. 129, ibid. in the third vision the imagery is laid aside. 4. ". .. The fourth vision, .. drops the symbolism entirely. the last and longest of them all, B. Frost, . ."S.

142.

Dan. 8: 14 is verse

the

climax sought

of the to

symbolic

"forecasts" this vision.

of the

book.

The next a voice

says Daniel

"understand"

Then he hears

saying
are

"Gabriel,

make this

man understand
.. ."

the vision.
this

"

The words of the angel


reference symbols Daniel He is four but to the of chapter is not

"Understand,

0 son of man.

After

threefold of the v.

need for 8, told about of that reference should except all the

understanding for that kings the is climax

we have an explanation of that in the presentation, restoration the of the king little

given

namely of the

14.

involved of Media

sanctuary.

told divisions

and Persia,

of Greece and the horn is that is it that given, is true,

empire. to "the

The significance evenings up. and the point

the, only it

mornings" Daniel

and that

be sealed

At this

confesses

he was appalled

by the vision

and that

he did not understand in greater detail

it.

The rest

of the book is 8- (which its climax

devoted to explaining itself

the vision of chapter

of chapter 7),

is an enlargement the restoration

of the vision or vindication

particularly

regarding

of the sanctuary. verse of Daniel


revelation the

Both Jeffery
device Porteous to

and Porteous
to the

see in the last


importance

8a

literary
therein. is

draw attention declares "Daniel's

of the

found

inability

to understand

interpretation

a little prepare

odd.

It

is little

more than a device on the part detailed interpretation correct in this for

of the author 11. n1 The It

to

the way for

the highly

of chapter statement. 11 alone.

We think interpretation presented briefly

Porteous of Daniel

is not entirely

8: 14 is not reserved

chapter

is

in Dan. 9: 24-27. and the vision

Thus chapter

9 expressly chapter

mentions both "the man

the angel interpreter

of the preceding

(London, 1952), 183. On Daniel 8: 14,,in particular, Old Testament Apocalyptic Frost says: ". .. he was not prophesying when the re-dedication as such was the eschaton. Ibid., to take place, but. .. 199. going .. ."
1. Daniel (London, 1965), 130.

143.

Gabriel, first

whom I had seen in the vision to the previous


to. therefore ". ..

at the first. references

..

n1 And Gabriel's . that we

words are related


referred ..

to "understanding"
to give

have already understanding.

I have now come out the

you wisdom and the vision. 112 to ". .. to to

consider follow are

word and understand to time to the

The words which W `i Oil) i)'"T Y3 finish bring the in

immediately

related it sin,

(as 8: 14) and give kingdom. for iniquity, and

an exposition to put

applying an end to to seal

messianic

transgression,

and to atone vision

everlasting

righteousness,

both

and prophet,

to anoint vindication
standing

a most holy place" of the sanctuary.


he sought. after his

that,

says the angel in effect,

is the the under-

In such a way does the seer receive

In summary, is represented

inability

to understand

in

chapter regarding face to

eight,

Daniel

as turning

to the that

prophecies Yahweh will

of Jeremiah cause His

Jerusalem shine upon

and the

sanctuary.

He prays

the sanctuary

which is desolate And now with


with Buhl, the et al.

but which the vision Gabriel's


of the

of chapter that

eight

promised

would be restored.
is to be anointed Feuillet, passages messianic visions of

return

he learns

the sanctuary

advent

long-awaited correct

kingdom. in seeing that the three

are. undoubtedly 9: 24 parallel

of Dan. 7: 13,14; 3 kingdom. eight

8: 14;

each other illustrated

and apply

to the the

The parallel side

can be further by side as follows:

by viewing

and nine

DANIEL, 8 "Gabriel, make this mannunderstand " the vision. v. 16.

DANIEL 9 Gabriel, whom I had seen in and he at the first. ... I have now come out understanding. . ... the vision said. .. to give you I have come

to tell it to you. therefore consider .. the word and understand the vision. "vv. 21-23.

1. 3.

Iii.

9: 21

2.

Dan. 9: 23. 175,243,380-381.

See also Gaston, No Stone on Another,

144.

DANIEL 8

DANIEL 9

the place of his sanctuary .. overthrown. v. 11.


. through transgression. ..

gras

shall .. v. 26.
.. v. 24. ". M. to

".

destroy.

..

the sanctuary. "

v. 12.

finish

the

transgression.

..

". the transgression .. 13. desolate. .. ."v. then the ... to its restored v. 14. sanctuary rightful

that

makes

upon the wing of abominations shall .. v. 27. come one who makes desolate. .. all Its to atone for iniquity, .. in everlasting righteousness. to anoint a most holy place. to bring and .. " v. 24.

shall estate.

be "

. ".

the Prince

of the host.

..

v. 11. ". .. v. 25. . ."". .. v. 26.


". ..

an anointed

one, a prince.

. ."

.. v. 23.
.. the ". V: 19-

a king

of bold countenance.

the prince

who is to come. ..
't v. 26. .

."

the vision end. " v. 17 . the

is

for

the

time

of

to the

end.

..

appointed

time

of the

end. "

".

..

until

the

decreed

end.

..

." v-27-

destroy mighty men and the .. people of the saints. " v. 24.
. . the continual taken away. burnt .. ."v. offering 11. he shall be

".

shall destroy the city 26. the sanctuary. ."v. .. offering v. 27.
.. on the ". the decreed end is " v. 27. desolator.

and

and sacrifice

to cease. "

". by no human hand, .. broken. " v. 25. the

poured

out

over of the giving .. and host to be trampled sanctuary for two thousand under foot. .. and three hundred evenings and vv. 13-14. mornings. . ."

". to the end there .. desolations are decreed.

be wars shall " v. 26.

". .. Prince

shall even rise of princes. .. The significance

up against 25. ."v.

the

is. .. an anointed v. 26. will be rapidly

one shall

be cut off.

...

of these parallels

appreciated

if

summaries are compared:


DANIEL 8 DANIEL 9

He shall even rise up against the Prince of princes. and the .. place of his sanctuary was overthrown over of the sanctuary giving ...

".

an anointed one shall be cut off. .. .. and the people of the prince who is to come shall destroy the city and the sanctuary. and to the end there shall ..

145.

DANIEL 8 under foot and host to be trampled "For two thousand and three ... then hundred evenings and mornings; be restored to the sanctuary shall its rightful state. "

DANIEL 9

beRv. r:

desolations

are decreed.

"To finish the transgression, to put an end to sin, and to atone for iniquity, to bring in everlasting righteousness. and to anoint a most holy place. "

Not only does Ian.


but so also does the final

9: 24-27 purport
outline of

to explain
found

the vision
in chapters

of chapter
10-12.

8,1

events

This

closing
2,7, the

section

is similar
a series 9-12.

in literary
of symbols After nature 8: 14, of

form to chapter
followed symbolism explanation

9.

Whereas chapters
this is no longer ceases,

and 8 case in

present chapters is

by explanation, requiring itself. the

interpretation This stress Having is

and everything with horns, noticed the division is

now of the previously

in harmony

commented upon,

whereby

on beasts, already forth

etc.

succeeded

by straightforward chapters

commentary.

the parallels

between

7 and 8, and 8 and 9, we, nov set

a comparison between 8 and 10-12.


DANIEL 8 ... I was at the river Ulai. v. 2. ... the DANIEL 10-12 I was standing great river. ... on the bank of 4. (ch. 10) v.

... behold. .

I raised ... he did

my eyes and saw, and v. 3 as he pleased. ... v. 4.

I lifted behold. ".

and eyes and looked, up my (ch. 10) 5. v. ...

do mighty king shall. a .. .. " v. 3. (ch. ll) to his will. according

...

magnified

himself.

v. 4

". .. v. 36.

he shall

...

magnify himself.

... great of it horns v. 8.

the but when he was strong, horn was broken, and instead there came up four conspicuous toward the four winds of heaven.

"And when he has arisen, his kingdom shall be broken and divided toward the four winds of heaven. .. 4. ."v.

'week' of the 2300 evening mornings may be implicit 1. Even the shortened in to the war upon the sanctuary the. allusions and the host in the 70th week, just as the vindication of the same verse refers not to "the re-dedication as the eschaton described but the eschaton. in 9: 24-27. " Frost, such. .. -.. 199. Old Testament Apocalyptic,

146.

DANIEL 8

DANIEL 10-12

Out of one of them came forth a little horn, which grew exceedingly great

he shall become strong with .. small people. v. 23-

".

400q
9..

V*9*
toward the glorious land. v. 9. ". the glorious .. See also vv. 41,45. It* .. burnt also land. 16. . ."v.

the ... was taken

continual away. ..

burnt v. 11.

offering

take away the continual shall Cf. 31. offering. .. ."v. 12: 11.

and the place of his sanctuary ... was overthrown. v. 11.


.. v. 13. ". how long is the vision .? "

.. v. 31. ".

".

and profane

the temple.

..

." the

How long shall it be till .. end of these wonders? " 12: 6.


". the abomination .. " 11: 31. desolate. The man clothed the waters. .. in that makes

". the .. desolate.

transgression 13. .. ."v.

that

makes

And I heard a man's 'voice between the banks of the Ulai. v. 16. ..
.. the the vision end. " v. 17. is Cf. the v. 19. for time of

linen, who was above 12: 7. and I heard him. .. end. .. ."

". .. 11: 35.

until Cf.

the time of the 11140 and 12: 4.

As he was speaking to me, I fell into a deep sleep with my face to the ground; but he touched me and set me on n' feet. v. 18.

Then I heard the sound of his words; and when I heard the sound of his words, I fell on my face in a deep sleep with And behold, my face to the ground. a hand touched me and set me trembling on my hands and knees. 10: 9,10. ". .. 36. till the indignation is accomplished. ']

the tion.
". ""

latter ."v.
vision.

..
the

end of the 19.11:


"" is true.

indigna-

""n

v. 26.
for it seal up the vision, to many days hence. " v. 26. pertains

...

the

word was true.

..

10: 1.

". shut up the words, and seal the .. book, until the time of the end. " 12: 4. "For the vision is for days yet to come. " 10: 14. ". .. 11: 45 he shall come to his end. . ." "

".

..

he shall

be broken. " v. 25.

And he said to him, "For two thousand it. .. your people shall be delivered. .. and three hundred evenings and mornings; And those 'who are wise shall shine like then the sanctuary shall be restored the brightness for of the firmament. .. to its rightful state. " v. 14. See also 12-13p ever and ever. " vv. 1-3. which makes reference to "the end of the days".

147.

Thus does the

last

section

of Daniel

enlarge

the

picture

of the

ultimate

divine

vindication.

It

is to include

not only the destruction for the living


in the

of the terrible
and rewards for them and the

but a timely
resurrected

deliverance
dead.

saints,

Glorification

kingdom of God and the possession personified


latter are

of an eternal

inheritance

or "lot", the wise.

as The

by the promise to Daniel,


said to be those

is held out before


and thereby

who understand

make many righteous.

To this

point

we have discussed

the evidence for

the unity

of theme

in the book as found in the visions. evidence on the same matter the narratives vindication for

Something should be said about the from the narratives. In essence,

to be derived

convey the same message as the visions the faithful and destruction of Daniel for

the message of

the wicked. ' than is sometimes

The work of the author recognized. He was a scribe

is much more profound skill. 2

of no mean literary

Once the unity

"In every one of these stories Says Bevan: rewarded we see the righteous On the one hand, Daniel the case may be. the wicked signally punished, or as helpless the servants the True God, though apparently his-three friends, of and in the midst of the heathen, triumph over all opposition, while on the other humbled to the dust. " Gentile hand the mightiest potentates are confounded and Daniel, 22-23. Rowley says that "point be found for every story of the can half first of the book in the setting of the Maccabean age to which the latter 38`YIj 346. is assigned. " The Servant of the Lord, 276. Cf. Jeffery, part be in large "chs. 8-12 seem to that Heaton goes further by asserting still best regarded as a section and are probably measure dependent on the first ". Cf. A. Jeffery: Daniel, 50. a great many little commentary on it. .. . ." This is a bold things link the two parts 346. together as a unity. " Ibid., taken and at first statement glance not very far removed from the position 1.

interpreters Typical of that group by conservative of the last century. "Daniel's Patrick Fairbairn history, too, was in who wrote as follows; was the closest manner connected with his prophecy. The one may fitly be regarded occupies so large a place as a type of the other, and on that account, probably, imparted to him, was to unfold in his book. The grand aim of the revelations the progress of the kingdom of God from deep depression, and through manifold to the supreme place of honour and glory, and the process is already struggles, imaged in the marvellous rise of Daniel himself from the condition of a Hebrew exile to the place of highest power and influence at the court of Babylon. "
The Interpretation of Prophecy, 35.

2.

An illustration

of this

skill

is found in the prayer

of ch. 9 which interweaves

148.

permeating recognizing motifs. positions remarks the his

the visions also Once this or not, it that is

of the book is the same writer whether to

recognized impregnated we share recognize

there his

is

nothing with

strange identical

in

stories

granted, is no effort portion far

Fairbairn's the essential sure

theological truth in his on as has

on the

narrative

of Daniel. in what they decidedly in

We are

some commentators to the writer Bentzen to confront

book have gone much too didactic that the intentions, behind story the of the by, the but

have ascribed err the into if this the lion's the other

others

way.

suggested recognize

story

of Daniel

den we ought Underworld is to

descent lions).

of a hero We doubt other

demons (symbolized but in find

conclusion that (cf. lie they stories Pss. in the dug a pit

necessary, found

more sense in Bentzen's 6 and 3 are

suggestion of sentences" 57: 5 and 7 ('I ...

such as are 57: 4-6; midst

chapters

an "embodying of Ps.

91: 13). of

Porteous lions but story that they of

says that greedily have fallen chapter

"The words devour into it the

sons of men;

in my way, the

themselves')

might

almost 111

have suggested

6 to

an inventive

story-teller. the relevance casts line

Morns Hooker The story ch. 7. of the

has underlined

of the narrative light on the to

of

ch.

4. of those

king

who became as a beast that . it is a profitable

imagery examine to

She suggests in Daniel

of enquiry are attributed ". 2

passages which in

"where

human characteristics

figures

other

respects

are to be classified

as 'beasts

of the key expressions later embodied in the message of Gabriel in w. 24-27. most Jerusalem, sanctuary, desolainiquity, Note references to sin, transgression, Thus even in this chapter, the narrative helps intertion, righteousness, etc. the vision. pret _., 1.
2.

Daniel,

87.

The Son of Man in Mark, 15. (See also Rowley's emphasis that the ignoble kingdoms was expressed by the symbolism of the beasts. nature of the Gentile 194. )"Thus in Dan. 7 itself Israel, The Faith beast of we find that the first

149.

It

is

not

by coincidence

that

the

author

introduces

his

book by a

description

of a northern

invader

marching upon Jerusalem to ravage its literary


and the to reach

temple and worshippers)


of the the but first treading underfoot begins

Here is a skilful
of the here. 2 the sanctuary It is

artistry.
host, its and the

The theme
suspension in Antiochus, foreshadowed vessels taken of

daily in this

sacrifice feature

high-point are sacred

as others

activities drinks

of Antichrist wine from the

by the

narratives.

Belshazzar

from the sanctuary,

and it

is then that

the mysterious

finger

etches a message of reaches the


then judgment will

judgment upon the banquet-room vall.


height of iniquity, invading even the

So later,
holy places

when Antiochus
of Yahweh,

fall.

'was lifted up from the ground and made to stand upon two feet like a man; and (v. 4). Exactly. the same idea is to be found the mind of a man was given to it' In spite dream and its sequel. in the account in Dan. 4 of Nebuchadnezzar's of Nebuchadnezzar's is clear: the tree metaphor the contrast the added confusion of the animals in the he lives is changed from a man's to a beast's; with mind What the his reason is restored. behaves like them, until fields and ... is that the change from a man's mind to a beast's does suggest. context .. Nebuchadnezzar's But it is the interpretation loss of reason. typifies ... the clue to its importance. that supplies the author gives to this change which downfall For it is made quite clear that the reasons for Nebuchadnezzar's (v. 30). in his own achievement and pride were his self-glorification and disgrace that his forgets According to chapter 4, it is when Nebuchadnezzar ... kingdom and glory are God-given that he loses his dominion, not only over men, beasts as well, is reduced to the level but over birds of the beasts. and and of The same emphasis on self-magnification is found in the later of visions horns Thus in chapter 8 we read repeatedly the animals and their Daniel. of As for the beasts themselves. Similarly, 11. .. that they magnified chapter God in rebellion that they. in chapter 7, it is self-evident against are .. This connection between man's rebellious and have seized power for themselves. Ps. 73: 21f. .. is found also in the Psalms. and animal life self-sufficiency ... (Emphasis ours. ) Cf. A. Farrer, St Matthew and 15-16. Ibid., 49: 21. ." .. St Mark (London, 1954), 17. Dan. 1: 1-2. on the relevance 1. Even the 2. been offered abomination See Rowley, of Dan. 1. the "The Bilingual Problem of Daniel", ZAW, L, (1930), 258.

to reference in the sixth of desolation'.

desolate in a prayer purporting sanctuary B. C. "is probably to 'the century an allusion Porteous, Daniel, 138-39. ." ..

to have

150.

... the

the fact that the world-power has deified true religion, setting up its own image in

itself and has attacked is God's sanctuary,

the proof

that

sin has passed its point

permitted

limit.

Thus the narratives


In chs.

the moral ahead of the visionary


the saints and enforce the

representation.
idolatrous true God. worship Thereby

3 and 6 those

who persecute

are themselves

humiliated

and compelled

to acknowledge

the author
broken

foreshadows his later


human hand,

descriptions

of Antichrist's

coming to his

end,

without

consumed and destroyed.

Discussing
In

the chief

characters

of the narrative

Rowley says:

thing for which the kings are held up the particular each case in Antiochus, to obloquy is something which has its counterpart while the particular thing for which the pious Jews are held up to honour is something which pious Jews in the days of Antiochus might with 2 be encouraged to imitate. peculiar appropriateness

All

the key characteristics


are represented humbled to

of Antichrist,
in the stories.

pride,

blasphemy,

idolatry,
of He the Most

and oppression his prowess

Nebuchadnezzar beasts of the

boasts field. from holy

and is

the position and is

of the with

enforces High God.

worship

of an ido13 hbghnesto his idols,

confronted

a messenger the

Belshazzar

God of heaven by profaning but then it is written wanting, that and that

temple

vessels in the

and praising balances

he has been weighed his kingdom is

of judgment

and been found

divided

and given to others.


As for the matter of oppression, we find here an illustration of how

the writer

artfully

repeats

identical

concepts

in both sections

of his work4

1. 3.

Welch, Visions,

103.2. the significance

Servant,

2T9. affirms that his


3.

Cheyne, in explicating

rIll"JI of the

harmonizes of the vision with the didactic of Daniel narrative EB, I, 21f. See also Bentzen's of Desoi tion", comment on the between Dan. 7 and the preceding to the Introduction connection narratives. (E. T., Copenhagen, 1952), 195. Old Testament interpretation "Abomination

The Old Testament (Exford, 31965), 527: "In both halves Eissfeldt, 4.0. his contemporaries of consolation. his book the compiler is assuring. ..

of .. ."

151.

in

order

to point

out

the

desired

moral. that

The Jews who refuse

to bow down to They reply: If it us. be so, .. ."

Nebuchadnezzar's "0 Nebuchadnezzar, our

image are told

no god can "deliver" answer you in this us. .. for ...

them. matter.

we have no need to is able to deliver

God whom we serve is e. if ." a note

and he will

deliver

Then there if not [i.

particularly not

appropriate to deliver] the

the Maccabean martyrs. we will not serve your

"But

Yahweh chooses in chapter

gods.

..

Again

6 we find

same key word

emphasized.

The

threatened continually,

Daniel

is encouraged by Darius you: "


.. it is

"May your God, whom you serve the den, he laments "0 Daniel
the lions? " Then in the and to god who

deliver
God.

But later,
to

approaching
deliver

has your royal

been able declared

you from

proclamation ..

concerning .. affirmed ."

Yahweh that The wording that "there

"He delivers is is similar no other

rescues.

he who has saved Daniel. decree when he too way. " idea

Nebuchadnezzar's is able to deliver

in this the

So much for

use of this Keeping of the

of deliverance the

in the previous holy to

narratives. verses picture an

Let

us now compare Dan. 12: 1. an onslaught onslaught utterly by the king

in mind that upon the

north

glorious desire then

mountain, "exterminate

attended destroy At that

by "great

fury"

and the is

intense climax

and

many", how appropriate time

the

presented!

the great prince shall arise Michael, who has charge And there shall be a time of trouble, of your people. such as never has been since there was a nation till that time; but at that time your be delivered. people shall ..

Those who had read the narratives iniquity


will

could not but say to themselves: are faced with


the

"When

reaches its

limit,

and the saints


the wicked in the "

death,
righteous

then God
-just

intervene,

destroying the three

and delivering

as He delivered Daniel in the

days of Nebuchadnezzar,

and delivered

days of Darius.

While it

could be that

Farrer's

fertile

imagination

sometimes tempts him

152.

to that

excess, Daniel

it in

could the

be that

he is

not

too wide

of the mark when he affirms divine dispensation. "1

den of lions

was "a sign

of the whole

The issue is not whether Daniel


he had been persecuted vindicated. 2

had been "worn out" by the lions,


cast down, and then delivered for

but whether
and his hero

and oppressed, presentation

The author's

of just

such a career

is but one aspect of the literary


to fit his chosen theme. the

skill

which has tailored

all

his materials

We have stressed indicating the visions. of the the the

importance

of the which

expression both

'jll) the

p'1Y] narratives

3 as and While Old

theme of vindication The word P`j jT T4 )

permeates

is worthy occur over five

of a closer hundred

examination. times in the

words

group use in

Testament,

Niph'al

Dan. 8: 14 is

unique.

The verb adjective


"just" 7 11 Isa.

YT

"to be just, , occurring

righteous"

occurs 41 times, translated


, similar

while

the

208 times,

is usually

by either
in meaning as in to

or "righteous". often gives

The feminine more emphasis to

noun11I7T9 active in

deed of righteousness the Old Testament. FT is

64: 6. It is

This

word appears that the

155 times basic

obvious

meaning

underlying

simply

to be "just"

or "right".

A study of the root

in cognate languages supports

St Matthew and St Mark, 17. Eissfeldt the author wished to says: H. .. that everything with him of the certainty which persuade those who were suffering they had to bear was not the result of blind chance, but had been predetermined 528. by God long ago", The Old Testament, 1.

2. 3.

This is made perfectly

clear

by the moral attached

to the legend.

6: 26-28.

J. A. Montgomery, The Book of Daniel, 343 says: "The verb in 'the sanctuary 1... be cleansed' is an interesting but perfectly shall proper use of ." A. Bentzen stresses that Dan. 8 links backwards with ch. 7., and forwards
with 4. chs. 9-12. The Old Testament, 198. 82-98. Greek Words and Hebrew Meanings,

See Hill,

153.

this

conclusion.

However,

there

are

important

nuances

of meaning which

should be taken into with reference Certainly


8: 32; of the 2 Chron. masculine

account.

Some of these may be of particular in our text.

importance

to 7'Y3 p- T-

has a clear
23: 7;

forensic

sense.
Deut.

See 2 Sam. 15s4;

1 Kings

6: 23; Ex. noun with P -IS

Ps. 82: 3;

25: 1. Of the 50 per it is out cent)

117 occurrences are used in

67 of these ,

(over

some connection synonymous with of the feminine Another of salvation. merely times Isa. words

jurisprudence. Similarly, the

Occasionally 45 instances root is

used as directly of the 155 occurrences with jurisprudence. is that

judgment.

noun show that related concept

used in

connection

to those

of righteousness as descriptive

and judgment

The word righteousness but a positive is

of a judge denoted not side with of the right. Eight See do the

impartiality the 56: 1. of this This

energy

on the

noun righteousness Particularly group

used synonymously Deutero-Isaiah, meanings the root

"salvation". the Psalms

in Judges,

and in "save", term

approximate indicates

to the that

"saving",

and "salvation".

brief

review

used in

Dan. 8: 14 is

extraordinarily
logical the process

rich

in meaning. 1 7'TM
acquitting, book, the

implies
and restoring. judgment overall

a judicial
It in

and soterioharmonizes ch. 7, the in with

of judging,

meaning

of the

name of the 1 1J

scene motif

significance

of thel2T]K

and the

of vindication

the narratives Important analysis. vindication

and visions. concepts for the exegesis of Daniel emerge from the preceding the Secondly, represents

Firstly,

the theme of the book is everywhere apparent His temple, clear-cut. the inaugurator and His truth. The Ii7I%

of Yahweh, His worshippers, is similarly remnant,

the place of the VIPI the final threat

to the pious

of the greatest

1.

"In the first

place,

the righteousness

of the judge and of the king has

154.

tribulation and the

of all

time.

It

is

the

final

devastator Israel

of the has ever

divine known.

worship, Its

most dreadful

temptation

to apostasy

importance
in

in the book is shown by the disproportionate


1 Thirdly, the relationship ever

treatment
the is

it
rpw

receives

each of the visions.

between linked.

the- W1I) and for interpreting

must be observed. 1ToU _ in M. 24: 15. d

They are &i it is

This 13: 14 and

vital EV is Tcrtw the

in Ilk. the

o<yiw

Lastly,

r111021

which

precipitating

factor

of the great tribulation,

and therefore

the forerunner

of the kingdom of God.


All discourse, Testament this true these factors present in Daniel presentation it are to be found is true also in the Olivet Old is

and in picture of the

each case the in form,

to the

original Especially

though

adds to the 2

substance. of the

theme of vindication.

The coming

Son of Man is

the answer to the


The morning initiated and iniquity

r1PW

and the great


succeeds . During

oppression
of the

of the saints.
tribulation be offended will work their

of deliverance by the will rIPY abound.

the midnight this midnight and false

many will prophets

False

Christs

deceiving
succumb. light the will the will sign

miracles,
Scarcely shine. of. -ro

and those who have not received


can even the The sign p6z , AOy J, lift of elect survive. uOc 'ro

a love of the truth


of the darkness replace

will

But out

vBp Ou T tribes

will of the

and the persecuting up their

Gentiles

mourn while picture with

the

faithful by Christ that

heads and rejoice. discourse, first

Such is and it sketched is by

painted a shock

in His

eschatological it is the picture

almost

we discover

"Daniel

the prophet".

'assistance' bias towards or 'deliverance'. a it bears the in connection with a plaintiff, Greek Words and Hebrew Meanings, David Hill, 1. As Bevan says: ". .. in these visions

Secondly, meaning 'in 93. little is

the root is used when the right'. .. ." the first

very

said

about

155.

three

Gentile E2npires, while the history of the Fourth is described at length, and with increasing minuteness as we approach the time of great 'the king' whose crimes are so vividly set before us. " Daniel, 23.
2. 3. M. Hooker, Cf. Torrey, The Son of Man in Mark, Documents, 32. 156; Gaston, No Stone on Another, 449.

156.

Excursus

on the

Usage of Daniel

by the

Olivet

Discourse

Markan passages compared with MARK13


". when these things .. be accomplished? " v. 4.

parallels

in Daniel.
DANIEL

are all

to

all these things .. " 12: 7. accomplished.

".

would

be

wars and rumours of wars. " v. 7.

tidings shall alarm him, .. .. and he shall go forth with great fury to destroy. Dan. 11: 44. See .. ." also 9s26. ." ". .. what will be. .. ."2: 28.

".

this 4.7.

must take place.

you will .. my name's sake. to the end will

".

be hated by all for But he who endures be saved. " v. 13.

fall by sword and they shall for by captivity and plunder, to refine and cleanse some days. ... them and to make them white, until

"... flame,

the time of the end. .. your people shall ... 12: 1. ." .. the desolating sacrilege set .. it ought not be. .. up where ." v. 14. ".

11: 33,35. ." be delivered.

that makes ". the transgression 13. ". .. desolate. upon .. ."8: the wing of abominations come shall 27. one who makes desolate. ."9: .. ". that makes the abomination .. the abominadesolate. " 11: 31. ". .. 12: 11. tion that makes desolate. .. ." Daniel uses the thought over a score of times. 8: 15,16,17; 9: 2,22,23; "And there of understanding See particularly 10: 1; 11: 33; 12: 8.

.. stand.

".

let ..

him that 14. ."v.

readeth

under-

". such tribulation as has not .. been from the beginning of the now. which God created until creation V. 19. on ..

be a time of trouble, shall such as never has been since there was 12: 1. a nation. ." ..

if the Lord had not shortened .. 20. the days. .. ."v.


"False Christs and false prophets and show signs and 22. ."v.

"Seventy weeks of years are decreed n1 9: 24. concerning your people. .. .


"He shall give no heed to the " 11: 37.2 his fathers. gods of

arise will wonders. ..

1. 2.

Lohmeyer

and Lagrange

et al.

make this

association

of texts. in its treatment of those is conclusions

This 155. See Hartman;, Prophecy, to Daniel in 11k. 13 and Mt. allusions

book is exhaustive 24. With Hartman.

157.

MARK 13 ". with . great the Son of man coming in clouds " v. 26. power and glory.

DANIEL ". behold, with the clouds of .. heaven there came one like a son of

And to him was given man. ... dominion and glory and kingdom, .. 7: 13.

'f

". in its He declares: at least of Karl Heim should be also considered. .. Jesus accepts the vision features of the future of. the world given by main For He solemnly Daniel. act of the part in the final adopts the principal the 'Kingdom of heaven' also, cosmic drama seen in the book of Daniel. ... Empire is the eternal call to repentance, which He announced in His first to Daniel is to follow For the the terrestrial that according empires.

by Jesus it is immaterial whether the author import of this solemn declaration Daniel lived about 600 B. C. under Jehoiakim in the Babylonian exile, as of
he says himself, or whether the Jesus, B. C. .. 2nd century ." 142. book was written in the first (E. T., the World's Perfector half of the London, 1959),

FOUR CHAPTER

EXEGESIS OF NEC. 13: 14

159.

Having discourse our purpose

surveyed

preliminary to the

issues

which

have bearing -fr

on the it

Olivet is itself, now

and its

allusion

&Nvyprx to the basic

PqNt3&WC reference

to attend

more closely

textual

Ilk. namely

13: 14.

O-rav
o-rgKToc

"'69TF- -r
&ro Ob

d1uyNa -rrG pq c awc


& cvay vci6KwV vag(-n , -rc; Ta

of

Ev

-frj

Ioubgma Cf' oyF--nWcraV F-ic


constitute a renowned crux

-rt

6Pn. ...
and have a

These words been subjected range of opinion

interpretationis, scrutiny

at times

to as much exegetical

and as wide

as Galatians allen tijde

3: 20 and Revelation

13: 18.

"Deze woorden says van address, Judaism, the and the

van Jesus

hebben ten Certainly, 2

de menschen gefascineerd", central to the for it the is, eschatological disciples, signalizes

Dodewaard. 1 even pivotal. World.

they to

are

They point

a crisis3 whatever

The event

in question,

commencement

of the time of trouble


chapter with candour

such as never was, and it


see that it teaches it

is impossible
that in the

to read the

and not

days of the the Son of

Xuypx pa, E':

-rr)S

8'pr)}'WOewc and the

tribulation

precipitates,

Man would be revealed 11 .. fast

in the clouds to gather His threatened "5

4 elect.

jedes Wort macht Schwierigkeiten.

The verse seethes with

1.
2. 4.

"De gruwel der vervoesting",


Marxsen, Markus, 125.3. on 81-102.

St Cath, XX (1944),
Weiss, Die Schriften

125.
des Neuen Testaments, I, 195.

See discussion

Lambrecht, Redaktion, 145. Cf. Nineham's "This passage presents the exegete difficulties as great as any in the Gospel", Saint Mark, 351. Rigaua with "On hesite a reprendre une etude du probleme qui a dej rev tart admits, "Qe-. "PJs-Xuyp, oc (Mc 13,14; divergentes". d'interpretations pry Mt. 24,15. )", 675. 5.

160.

obscurity,

or is

it

that

the

phraseology

is

purposely

chosen

in

order

to

accomplish in

its

purpose of riveting

attention?

The grammatical aEi

anomaly found

iQ-r(jtcToc

the vagueness of Tiou o '


and what Vincent , Taylor refers -

the admonition ,
general not only

voEITW atmosphere mystery,

to as "the all

of reserve but importance.

which

marks the passagenl

betoken,

In this

discussion,

the

ground

traversed

in

chapters

one to three

will

not be retraced.
perversion interpretations propose in this to find, of this

The prejudices
verse

Which have long led to the neglect


reviewed, and also discourse church of the original the variety

or
of We now saw

were there

given not

to the only

eschatological early

as a whole. first century

what the

enigmatic intended.

pronouncement,

but

what the

Speaker

and/or

Writer

Mk. 13: 14 -

Textual

Criticism

The weight
This i-b

of textual
basis t ocvi? in this

evidence attests
for all -roC' verse, recent

the passage as set out above.


translations. Certainly of the has long text, easy to but Textur

has been made the f qBF-V orrb

'npoorjTou and the fact

Receptus It all could

has no right through

been recognized. is now omitted addition from the possible by

originated

assimilation of the

to Matthew's It is

modern editions

Greek text. but not is

see how this its

have been interpolated, if it is in genuine. the

so easy to not to

explain

absence that

B, D. etc., clause that that

This

assert

definitely

had no part Christ they uttered are not

original words

discourse. also, but addition there

The context is

makes it

these

no way of demonstrating later Evangelist. 2

an interpretative

by the

1.
2.

St Mark, 511.
Compare Mt. 2: 5,15,17,23. But see Rigaux, "Pb, Xuy, ", a . . 682.

161.

Beasley-Murray it seems to us the

has set least

forth

a case for of all that

emendation scholar's

of Mk. 13: 14, but suggestions. He has

probable

proposed that

originally

the text

may have run

? av

t69TE

'M

oriov
Beasley-Murray Matthew

it

a& y.
points sin.,

ovro Oe6yE-rr:
&? both oc

a1c

-ro
Y` affirm

pos.
is omitted the sin. in to

out that and that in Mt. . VOI1

e-%/ -rc iw

by Syr.

Merx and Streeter Greek text with

omission did original not

be correct. have.

further,

24: 15 the if

behind those

Syr.

wMWr Eprjp

Then,

we agree

who believe to the

tvo yN(u CFK 3v . logion and that OIL

to be an addition -rCj is jou&4cK 4iys-rwcrDcv further,

Ev text '

has possibly but the

displaced single

the line suggested above.

shorn

still

leaving

There iss of course, weight to offset

weight

in all

of these points,

but not sufficient

the manuscript
judgment to is set n2

testimony

for Ific. 13: 14 in its accepted form.


with when he affirms over 6 against that the "it is

Beasley Hurray's admittedly textual VOELTw have claimed that

to be agreed the Syriac

hazardous evidence. ...

tradition Whether. cannot expression. this text "there

mass of

For

one thing, originally for relieve the

cvayivLvcrKuwv Many scholars it appears

came from Jesus a dominical origin to

be disproved. 3 Furthermore,

Beasley-Murray 11: 31,

labours or 12: 11. with

of any dependence is no necessity to

upon identify we

Dan. 9: 27; the

He says that ripw

P&='Auypoc

10W the

of Dauiel.

n4 But in answer,

1.

Jesus,

255.

The reason for the divergence 71. Hark Thirteen, tradition 2. in the Syriac ". has been suggested by van Dodewaard. de Pesitta als van den Cod. Sinai.. " ticus tendez tot paraphraseeren welke beide immers een uitgesproken vertoonen. "De gruwel der verwoesting", 127. He cites Cornely-Merk, in S. S. Libri Introd. 1934,200; I, 3" Compendium, Parisiis Institutiones Biblicae and A. Vaccari, Romae 1937,249.278.

3. See 37-39.4.

Jesus,

255.

162.

would

suggest

that

in view

of the

manner in which

Mk. 13 elsewhere

reflects

Daniel,
the

and, in particular,
this

those visions
would not

of the book regarding


only not

the fate
but

of
would

sanctuary, in the

dissociation

be an advantage key.

result

throwing the

away of a positive

interpretive

The Old Testament when the of God follows repeated difficult to

apocalypse latter fast

pictures the

Son of Man as supplanting of its impiety. r1piff '

the Antichrist

reaches on the

zenith

Thus the kingdom according

heels

o vW of the is

to Daniel's We find it

testimony. understand the intimate

The situation

identical

in Inc. 13.

why Dr Beasley-Murray, connection where the between rip

so critically the ui into Olivet figures account

acute, discourse

seems to have missed and the temple visions

of Daniel

1313T'

so conspicuously. in the search for the

Luke 21: 20-21 must be taken primitive text. It reads:

-rav
'Iapoucsa
oKU a.

idrlTE cSE

KQ0\OUf.I vqv

i, Tv

a pa-tvn

wv

9H,
Tore

-rcrr5
di.

&Tt rwa-1; 5
.v IM

r1yy KEV 1
'Ipubaiac

rP'lpwcs,C
F-lrT

vy6-rwcrocv

opq,

Kai

01

&V

ftISacu,

aTrC

EKxw,

iTcsocv,

Kocl

of

Ev

-rock
That this

X10 PxIC Pc)


passage its relates

S(aS-P)(EaAwaav SIC a-rrjv. .


to the same subject as M. but also in 13: 14 is from the apparent same discourse, & second, 16fl-t'8 and the linguistic clause,

not

only

from

presence

in the

parallels. the Tca parallel word Ot

We have the p iu acct F-V Ifs

words in IUD

&ToW the 6,0(

first

words which 'Ic 61 Toc It

follow, cipq not )

EUyETC

CNOW

Matthew

and Mark,

and must have the

same meaning.

is

necessary to agree with

the many commentators who assert

that

what we have

"Though the precise structural in Mt-Mk 1. C. H. Giblin says: arrangement is not the same, the figure occurs in these-authors moment. .. at a climactic followed the climactic moment of the apparent triumph of the unholy. ... immediately by the appearance of the Lord who is the Rebel's nemesis. .. ." The Threat to Faith (AB, RXXI)(Rome, 1967), 74.

163.

here

is

a Lucan paraphrase

for

the

benefit

of Gentile

readers.

The original

words of Christ

could have been somewhat as follows: encompassed with armies, then

Whenever you behold Jerusalem

is near; know that its desolation whenever you behold the abomination that spoken of by Daniel the prophet, in the of desolation standing -then holy place, where it ought not, let him that readeth understand, let them which are in Judea flee to the mountains; and let them which it depart out. 2 are in the midst of

Neither
that

is there

any necessity
after the event.

to believe
True,

the frequently
Dodd himself

made assumption
this

Luke was writing

believes

to be "fairly assumption editing a strong

certain",

but on his own arguments against

Lucan

case can be made for


post A. D. 70. If

denying any compulsion to assign this


employed by Luke is drawn

Gospel to a date

the wording

from familiar

Old Testament passages, their renewed fulfilment.

it

could have been used by both Christ Others who made no claim to superwith Christ hailed the coming

and Luke before


natural prescience

and who were contemporary

destruction

of the city

3 and temple.

"The fact is that the whole are apposite. remarks well-known vocabulary of both Lucan passages belongs to the language of the significant books; is for the most part characteristic Septuagint of the prophetical and to the point, is still of these terms tend to recur several more and what in prophecies of accounts of the doom of Jerusalem and in historical alike 75. in 586 B. C. " More New Testament Studies, its capture by Nebuchadnezzar from the language the two Lucan oracles ". composed entirely not only are .. but the conception the Old Testament, which the of the coming disaster of the fall has in mind is a generalized as of Jerusalem of picture author So far as any historical by the prophets. imaginatively event has presented in A. D. 70, but Jerusalem the picture, it is not Titus' of capture coloured trait in 586 B. C. There is no single Nebuchadnezzar's of the forecast capture 79. the Old Testament. " Ibid., be documented directly out of which cannot that Luke to be no sufficient "There appears therefore reason for supposing 14. " Ibid., 74. 20 is a mere 'editing' of Mark xiii. xxi: 1. Dodd's

2.
3.

Cf. F. Blass,

Philology

the Gospels (London, 1898), of

46.

in this Says Raymond E. Brown, "Jesus was not alone among his contemporaries (TalBab, There is a Jewish tradition Gittim 56 a; Midrash Rabbah premonition. the that Rabbi Zadok began fasting A. D. 30 to forestall Lam. 1,5; about on Ca. A. D. 62 Jesus bar Ananias warned of the impending Jerusalem. destruction of War VI. 6,3; 300ff. ). " Jesus, God and Man the Temple (Josephus, destruction of (London, 1968), 69. for Luke-Acts However, we recognize that the modern dating advanced is based particularly upon the catholicity of outlook and the apparently found there. views on church organization

164.

If

the

suggested

reconstruction

offered

above is

a likely

one,

then

the main problem of interpretation


If fact the reconstruction is viewed

for Mk. 13: 14 is automatically


as unlikely we are still the f3aEAuy. confronted oc 'T'ic

resolved.
with the

that

a contemporary

of Mark understood

twoawr. observation

as applying is more pertinent


Nk. ' that 13: 14 as it

to the Romaa armies in A. D. 70. which follows.

However, this

to the section
stands wording

Certainly to is confidence. not likely

in modern Greek texts

has every

claim and it

The original it was less.

when spoken may have been more,

Robert. G. Bratcher 1. (Leiden, Gospel ofMark

Eugene A. Nida, and 1961), 405.

A Translator's

Handbook

on the

165.

Mk 13: 14 --

Exegesis

A brief in the heart


ones in the

review of the context of a chapter


Gospel,

of this

verse is in order. chapter

It

occurs climactic

which itself
refers

is the central
to the temple.

of five

each of which

Chapter

thirteen

succeeds the implied foretold


and give

threat

of the parable

of the vineyard

whereby it

was

that
the

the "owner of the vineyard"


vineyard to others. "1

would "come and destroy


which records

the tenants,
this threat

The same chapter

also paints
particularly the best

in lurid
as it

colours

the hypocrisy
in holy

of the religious
places.

leaders

of Israel,
of seeking

was manifested the synagogues,

They were guilty long prayers

seats

in

and of making

and pretentious

offerings

despite

their

pride,

oppression
the the

of the needy, etc.


to be Lord

Their

conduct
All

evoked warning this in the

and woes from preceding

One claiming Olivet

of the

temple.

chapter

discourse

was itself

a continuation

of what is found in chapter symbol of the judgment-bound


of the fig-tree, "2

11, where the temple is cleansed and the fig-tree nation


of literary

is described
Israel,

graphically.
eat

There we read
fruit from

and of course, So much for the

"May no one ever 3

you again.

context.

1.

Alk. 12: 9.

2.

W.

11: 14.

If we compare the 3. in terms the context Christ was not content and Pharisees, scribes rejection of of their At this time the plot the described Christ but also the "prophets judgment would divine blood shed on earth,

records of all three Synoptics, and John's Gospel, According to Matthew, of events is even more complete. "greater for the condemnation" with merely predicting but addressed to them a chain of eight woes as a result Him who claimed to be "the way, the Truth, and the Life. " to Matthew, to eradicate is consummated. According Christ coming persecution which would not only engulf Himself As a result, He would send. and wise men and scribes" ". fall. that upon you may come all the righteous .. from the blood of innocent Abel, to the blood of

Zechariah. .. whom you murdered between the sanctuary And all this was to come upon that present generation. house is forsaken and desolate. " Mt. 23: 38. It

the altar. " Mt. 23: 35. and "your They are told,

Luke's is at this point that Matthew inserts the eschatological discourse. is similar. He also warns that the rejected stone will crush the presentation leaders. builders who have rejected it, and forecasts for Israel's condemnation Lu. 20: 17-18.

166.

Thus Mk. 13: 14 occurs in a passage which, contexts, is climactic. Even the pictured

in both its geographical hill,

literary setting,

and historical the view of to the


naturally Christ's

the rejected
significance from the

temple and city


of the discourse. preceding that

from the opposite


The latter events. the temple

is pertinent
as flowing

is presented After would the

immediately

disciples

have heard and its

woes and His prediction hypocritical returning And v. is itself worshippers Messiah -it

be left

desolate they temple is

be denied is then that

a view the in

of Him till fate of the

acknowledged is further climactic,

the discussed. it which

14 of Mk. 13 not a crescendo, v. 14 occurs with also

only

occurs

a passage

which

thus

as Lembrecht in vv. 7,11. 9

has shown. l In the BPOEi6e& instruction latter ;

The same v-rocv two cases the `()

begins

word is

associated But here

prohibitions:

"POf. 6P, HvTE, (EUYS'TWaCKV.

in v. 14 we have a positive

Similarly

i&tV

is more than
in v. 14 alone. long specific temple -r awaited. request and the It

ckKOOEIV
is not found

and lastly
in vv. 7, ll. that a sign is clear It

-tl-r
signifies indeed coming

comes climactically the the time for action, to the of the Pc

These facts of the

indicate for It

v. 14 is of the that

answer

disciples age.

destruction mysterious. for it

end of the

the very specific

uj(ac

spr)H6SceL and a signal

must be something of no mean importance.

constitutes

a signal,

Thousands

await

it.

Upon its

recognition

depend the lives

of multitudes.

C. C. Torrey's sound.

arguments for He says:

the necessity

of the sign being obvious are entirely

..

The sign, unlike upon immediately. mountains" in wild because which

all the others On what impulse haste, leaving

of some obscure, mystifying may or may not be portentous.

in the chapter, was one to be acted do companies of men "flee to the Not even their outer garments behind? phrase, nor because of any happening 2

1.

Redaktion,

148.2.

Documents, 30.

167.

In harmony with 36 SAuyNa 7 and 8.

this

reasoning

is the presence state ru c

of the article of the signs is, It its

with in verses significance

in contrast Whatever the

to the anarthrous -M-rits rV

P&Auypx

must be apparent or idealistic the It essence, is

to those

Who anticipate It is is concrete,

coming.

is no mere abstraction, Time is of

portrayal. for nothing, safe

menacing,

and stirring. Lives

to be taken in the city

from the houses. or to seek it

are endangered. of refuge. Loisy with a

no longer the

to stay

as a place

"Seek rather and others mere event atmosphere represents precisely

shelter it

of the hill

country",

is Christ's

admonition. warnings

have found

hard to reconcile 1 "Is Their question

such extravagant should

of profanation. of panic? " but another fits

not have been "Why this act alluded that to? " Dodd

more than a profane

group of commentators of a city

when he affirms

the context He says:

the situation

about to be besieged.

17-18 are naturally understood as and no doubt rightly in a the civilian to the sufferings population of referring Verses 15-16, in this context, by the enemy. ... country overran flight when the quick-marching of instant refer to the necessity Roman armies are advancing. 2 Verses V. have looked t6rq-re by the is c . and It so far at the crescendo . its full nature of v. 14 indicated for this A note that is by intensified

i&uy&rwcioav must be given Christ

The evidence force.

adversative

of contrast false

thereby

sounded.

has admonished the disciples of wars, or even persecutions His &MV

neither

Christa,

nor wars and rumours Having so said

are the main sign dE or its , thing, the

to be awaited. Aramaic

He now utters He says, "but

equivalent.

In effect,

here now is the real

the necessity 422. Loisy says there is nothing to indicate Synoptigues, for one the difficulty note regarding sudden flight, and adds a whimsical See T. W. Manson's resolution to take off into the air. of on the roof-top the problem in The Sayings of Jesus (London, 1949), 329-330, a resolution which See 203-05 do not consider to be necessary or accurate. of this thesis. we 1. for 2. More New Testament Studies, 80.

168.

crucial

event".

This

&Tocv

bs

begins

a section

which

closes

as it

began,

with
with

another
great

sign,

that

of the appearance of the Son of Man coming in clouds


These two signs other. cast upon them by the and also dispute reference constitute the heart of the

power and glory. and one answers

chapter,

to the

The time to_. -cLXoc Mt. 24.

references in the

in v. 14 have light verse of that term is

preceding meaning

chapter, open to

in v. 14 of Dalman

In Mark the

of the

though

has asserted
Dan. 12:

that

it

is the equivalent
regards regards it the

of the Hebrew ._
as an idiom advent is for the crisis need to

rPJ.
last

in
Inasmuch

13, and Schniewind


as a whole in the

day.

as the taking

chapter place

and the little

at Jerusalem distinguish

same generation

there

between the two possible

meanings for _, TAoc _

02

das Ende der Menschen Der Begriff des Endes umfasst hier Beides: und Vlker am Tage des Zornes Gottes wie das Ende des Frommen, der besiegelt. 3 Standhaftigseit bis in den Tod des Ftrtyrers seine
There Mt. with can be no disputing, Here it is to that however, regarding the meaning This of -r) of is final act of in 'i"T&oC

24: 14. the

obviously the

eschatological. Tr -z

conjunction

reference indication

PctAuyHoc

EPqMwcyr=wrpointing to the

another the

Mk. 13: 14 is

climactic,

drama.

3. ib_ u ypa

-icc

bn

iciott) Luther's asserted Similarly, teachings that this on the bondage of the human secondaries, had

When Erasmus attacked will, the German reformer

Erasmus, scorning expression

for his throat. reached is the "throat" come revolves

to which we have at last of the whole chapter an

of the Olivet of this

discourse. phrase.

Exegesis If it

around the exegesis

is found to signify

1.
2.

See Allen,

Gould, et al.,

ad be.
52-53.3. Markus, 274.

Beasley-Murray,

Mark Thirteen,

169.

event

in history,

certain to prior

eschatological the coming

interpretations of the Son of Man is,

lapse, with

though

not

all.

The meaning dependent Definition conditioned, to achieve

attributed

some interpreters, discussion.

upon their of the though the

understanding

of the phrase in the

here context

under is

great with

tribulation great agility

mentioned

likewise best

some commentators techniques positions

have done their solve

impossible.

Redaction

can be used to of interpreters, Too often the

some but

of the their

incongruities legitimacy is

demanded by a priori very

much open to question.

surgeon's

knife

seems to follow

the predilection

of the surgeon rather Nib ncxpE1%8f i

than the location yEVE'c oc3i1

1 of the disease.

The vexed issue of 06

in Robert H. Stein's discussion doctoral dissertation: unpublished Methodology for Ascertaining a Markaa Redaktiongeschichte" "It is now Note the following, 1968), 22-98. particularly: that greater the authenticity recognized or care must be taken in judging because frequently we unauthenticity of a work on the basis of vocabulary, to establish do not possess sufficient biblical a sufficient material foundation. statistical "It is also doubtful that we can assume that the writers of the New Testament the text so that a 'disarrangement'of always wrote logically and in order, in the writing may be due to an interruption of a particular work as well as insertion. Some critics have also erred by assuming that every a foreign historical When a critic allusion must be a priori a vaticinium ex eventu. argues in this manner, he should be aware that his rationalistic presuppositions have ruled out the possibility When a critic, for instance, of true prophecy. the destruction claims that Jesus never prophesied concerning of Jerusalem, it is not his scientific investigations that has determined of the material " 22. this but his presuppositions. "Whereas form criticism the editorial can help reveal redaction of the it can not conclude that this Evangelists, is unhistorical. It redaction information like Mark possessed certain may very well be that an Evangelist the various which enabled him to tie together pericopae " 56. "Recently creative an attempt has been made to attribute power some of this This attempt to of the community to the prophets of the early church. ... to this group the creative attribute power to produce some of the Gospel is no more convincing tradition the than Dibelius's to attribute attempt to the Story Tellers in the church. of the Novellen shaping and formation ... his examples of the eschatological K semann obtains judgment pronouncements from the Apostle Paul. Yet the Apostle clearly of these New Testament prophets between the tradition distinguishes of Jesus' words and his own thoughts and (cf. 1 Cor. 7: 8,10,12, & 25 where this distinction is most clear. )" 34-35. words.

See the 1. "The Proper (Princeton,

"Schmidt's conclusions concerning the historical and geographical value of the Narcan seams err in being too extreme. " 39. "Various theological have also played an important and even presuppositions

170.

is

yet

another

example

of a vital

interpretation

being

dependent

upon the

prior

exegesis
Our first

of the
step

f3UAuyNa
must be to Almost all

T
consider

4qpcc
the original

uc,
setting of this Old

Testament recognize Daniel) the textual Part be a prior unique tu ordinarily

expression. it as being

commentators to the

except

Beasley-Murray expression found reason in to deny

a reference says so, of the

equivalent is

Matthew

indeed

and there

no compelling

authenticity of our task analysis

comment. the original Dnielic 2 expression denying Greek term. j3 kuyN . as must a

to understand components

of the

of the phrase, with the

without

usage a

in Daniel There

and Mark. is

We begin

initial of

no mystery It

in the

meaning 3e o3

used in , applies

Scripture. to stink. to idols

comes from the

to make foul, rlivz idolatrous , it 3

puhuia'aw or. particularly

As with or items

O. T. parallel with

associated

worship.

investigation role upon the form critical of many of the Since, as both Dibelius out, form and Bultmann have pointed important criticism must argue in a circle, one's presuppositions are extremely " 41. in the analysis and often determinative of the Gospel tradition. Stein particularly inevitably the part that presuppositions stresses Among these presuppositions play in the work of form and redaction critics. he mentions the view that there was a simple development in the early church imminent eschatological from "a highly to a placing of the parousia expectation " Stein labels into the more distant future. improbable". this view as "highly Another presupposition that he mentions is "an anti-supernatural premise", beliefs not of exegesis but of certain which is the result preconceived nature of the universe. about the physical determinative form critics. B. H. Branscomb; C. E. B. Cranfield; A. B. Bruce; 1. e. g. W. C. Allen; E. Klostermann; E. P. Gould; H. J. Holtzmann; M. J. Lagrange; E. Lohmeyer; D. E. Nineham; A. E. J. Rawlinson; A. Loisy; H. B. Sxete; J. Weiss; B. Weiss. 11. Y1 IP12) to the in various These all refer of Daniel, appearing _Q? forms in 8: 13; 9: 27; 11: 31; 12: the words include complex concepts which are not .. in their immediate forms or in the larger either context. " Handbook, 406. 2. ". clearly Bratcher defined, & Nida,

41.

3.

See excursus at close

of chapter.

171.

P(awct Dan. 9: 27; meaning.

c 11: 31; Its

while

used by the LXX translators or appall) to desolation. concepts of of does not l

for

the t]i1V"

of

12: 11 (desolate is purely

have its

equivocal

reference of the

In view

coupling

of the is

P3rAvyHa and possibly

and of great (such either

apr)PwaCWC
significance as Jer. the 4,7,44 studied stressed

in M. that

13: 14 it there 5-7) are

interest

to note

several also

Old Testament link these

chapters using

and Eze.

which

concepts, Perrot

words

above, or their this 2 threats point

synonyms.

Charles

and Beda Rigaux on the eschato-

have both logical

in their

respective

articles

discourse. Examples

of divine

of desolation out by Perrot

as a result and Rigaux. 3

of

Israel's

abominations is the important, later

have been pointed providing

The conjunction whereby

an atmosphere

or ideological

environment

phrase

may be better

understood.

The study of such chapters for


are,

indicates

certain

matters

of significance spoken of
of the the the sanctuary holy

our consideration
as might

of Mk. 13s14.
linked with

Firstly,
idolatry herself others to

the abominations
and profanation has thus violated

be expected, Secondly, that

sanctuary. it is

because God will ). etc.

Israel permit Their

declared (Eze.

come and profane will the bring the of

place of the idolatry

7: 20-23,

abominations

abominations

Gentiles.

Because

they

have repelled the

presence will

God by their

and spiritual

harlotry,

once holy

land

become forsaken

1.

See excursus at close

of chapter.
Recherches do , 677; "

"Essai Sur Le Discours Eschatologique", Charles Perrot, 2. XLVII (1959) B. Rigaux, " vyoc 481-514; Science Rel., v See excursus for references.

7: 10,30,34; 44: 6,22; Eze. 5: 9,11,14; 6: 4,9,11,14; 3. Jer. 4: 1,7,20,23,27; Lev. 26 should also be compared with these chapters. 7: 4,8,9,20,22-23.

172.

and desolate

by man as well

as by God.

And lastly,

the

intention

of God's

judgments is reformatory. they will


committed. Mark 13 all causing the

"Then you will own sight

know that

I am the Lord. "

11 ...

be loathsome in their
" The judgments these divine factors

for the evils


Israel the those

which they have


senses. In

are meant to bring apply, except that

to her

abominations of outward 1

of Israel idolatry,

judgments anticipate

are no longer any national

and Mark does not

repentance.

Once more the

sanctuary
people, result

is considered
and they will

as defiled
see the

because of the lack of sanctity


of the invading Gentiles will be

among the
as a desolated

abominations The land

of their

own abominations.

and sanctuary

because they have already


So much for typical instances the

desolated
parts

them of the divine


of the phrase

presence.
13: 14 and It is now

component

used in Nk.

of their

usage in the

Old and New Testaments.

our intention

to study the actual While the terms


before are first Daniel coupled.

phrase itself rjjjjQf

as it

is found in its are found in


it is in this well

Old

Testament source.
close association they

[) 171 and
been shown,

as has just

later

book that

In a sense the for such is

book could

be entitled it. From

"The Abomination

of Desolation"

a major

theme within

the first
apparent

chapter
triumph

to the last this


of proud,

Old Testament apocalypse


desolating powers,

deals with
and the

the

idolatrous,

ultimate

vindication false

by Yahweh of the little

remnant which refuses

to conform to

worship. The following table sets out the instances case in Dan. 8: 13. translations where the phrase occurs, readings in the

and the closely Theodotion

parallel

The variant

and Septuagint

are indicated.

1.

Burkill,

Mysterious

Revelation,

117-142.

173.

Hebrew

Theodotion asXuyN P'1NWasWv


aAuypa

OW' 9:27QtD11IT3 11: bnt) 31 ript111 12: 11001 j'17I. fh 8:13 l1 yvfti 1
It three 8: 13. participle participle. abomination article is readily apparent to the DW

lyf..

1x id. luyNa -r Pr,i,aewv b1uyNa


Tci 4xuypx

svoV
1i c

P1F-'wac FPrMw aawrthat there are grammatical and in the substantive with

P1F''v$we pTlo4 aFI(X

anomalies allied the

in

the of

references

ripw

expression and the

In 8: 13 and 11: 31 we have the without it.

article

In 9: 27 we have a plural read as oddities. we would If expect

noun with

a singular meaning state, of "the and the is

These all

11: 31 has the the construct in

of a devastator" not be present.

would

Only 12: 11 is

present

a form which

grammatically

correct. arise as one studies ? the Hebrew passages. Does it mean "to alarm,
or does it the function

Obvious questions interpretation


as might "to j]

What to agitate"
mean of

is to be given to Un1)
if the context

be expected as the in the

concerns

profanation, What is with

desolate" 1V What- is

Greek translations Is it a genitive

suggest? linked

9: 27? function A similar 'YIP

wing, Is

or a subject? Ott a genitive form

OWYO] of _O question " arises

in 11: 31? with reference

or a participle? Should the plural

to 9: 27 and 12: 11. singular (compare

of 9: 27 be emended to the

11: 31 and 12: 11)? translators

But the Greek translations the expression as plural

indicate

that

the first

construed

in significance.

Suggestions
Dittography could

have not been lacking


be responsible for the

to solve the irregularities.


plural form in 9: 27 and thus it

could be reconciled poel participle. If

to the other usages of the term and to its a preformative

singular

mem has dropped out of 12: 11 and 8: 13 Neither 0Yj)J% nor

the forms concerned could be taken as poel participles.

174.

in these contexts or 'appalled', i]Z%1 but

can really

signify

'desolation'

or 'desolated' or 'appalling'.

could mean 'desolating'

However, any student


if tempted to adjust

who has read Montgomery's


the text, which feel the

commentary on Daniel will,


warning plausible. regarding 1 And if

shadow of his are only

light-hearted one feels

emendations inclined to place

at the best on the LXX at it not is only

weight

Greek translation point, that it

he should is 'an impossible 2 These of rather some

remember Charles' rendering', comments, the than other

comment on the that

this

and Wellhausen's of course, ,

'completely

misleading'.

are based, but on the it

on the possible which speaks

translations

Hebrew U]DW desolation. commentators The string of

context

of profanation

Or thus find

seemed to Charles meanings present.

and Welihausen, 3 in these

though

both

grammatical cause.

abnormalities

occurrences rabbinical original "It

in Dan. habit which is hardly article, or

8-12

point

to a specific great

Daube has pointed to any expression by its irregularity meshomem, with

to the in the

of attaching hints too

significance and importance that

at mystery rash to

of form. its

suggest

hashshiggus

extraordinary to something

must very

early

have been taken i4

as a deliberate

reference

somebody Special.

1. 2.

Daniel, Cited

377.

An endorsement

of Kamphausen's 54.

comment.

by Beasley-Murray,

Mark Thirteen,

Pesch, "Abomination IBD, I, 13-14; that makes Desolate", S. B. Frost, 3. IB, VI, "Daniel", Jeffery, 142-143; Carrington, Mark, 278; Naherwartungen, Charles 118. does, however, acknowledge Gaston, No Stone on Another, 490-491; L3131,ZY in 9: 26, and refers the reader to 1 Ziacc. 1: 39; the literal meaning of 8: 11. Thus while Charles says that the 3: 45; 4: 38, and his own note on In. to see the grim jest in 9: 27, it is possible translators of the Sept. failed is not their that they saw other implications, and that therefore rendering Pesch. See above, particularly from the intention of the Hebrew. alien entirely See also 177,203-05 of this thesis. 4. The New Testament and Rabbinic Judaism, 420.

175.

He adds: What emerges as probable is that behind Mark's Greek stands this in Midrashic faion interpreted passage from Daniel, with the article individual-the Antichrist, out a particular as singling a heathen god, the Emperor or his statue, it might be. l or whoever else Nestle's subsequent His Ex. finding significant article as the of 1883 has influenced phrases in Daniel as it practically all 2

commentators quickly the

unusual

have been considered. was clear from

recommended themselves Hebrews avoided using

inasmuch the titles

23: 13 that

of heathen

deities,

and furthermore
Testament Nestle as well

it

was recognized

that

the prophetical
apocalypses fully specific situation are

writings
full

of the Old
3 When

of the Jewish as many that his view still

of puns. the

declares

does not the

explain

grammatical are

problems, not thereby

we understand explained,

him to mean that although the

irregularities causing Nestle's

general

them could in this matter. 4

now be understood.

Daube's

conclusions

complement

1.

Nev Testament,

420.

in full. This article is small enough and important 2. enough to reproduce &pqp, zc au der dem olympischen dal, uya Zeus geweihte "Dass unter dem Epiphanes im Tempel zu Jerusalem Altar zu verstehen sei, den Antiochus liess, darf als ausgemacht gelten; ob auch eine Statue des Zeus aufstellen Wie erklrt fraglich. dabei war, istnoch sich aber die so seltsame Bezeichnung 1JJ3W Ich ist nichtsanderes Nun ganz einfach: DnW im Buch Daniel? als LJ)J j1 d. h. Zeus. nachdem : Baal-samen, war sehr berrascht, Stelle, die von diese Vermuthung aufgestossen eben an der biblischen war, mir Bibel II. Makk. 6,2, in der syrischen diesem Thun des Antiochus. berichtet, durch 1%22U1523 gleichsam Zsurzu finden, wirklich wiedergegeben Nicht als ob im Daniel nun wirklich dieser Gleichsetzung. Besttigung zur Punktation die massorethische [)' v oderD1311J vokalisieren zu wre; Verketzerung ist vielmehr aber und als solche beizubehalten; absichtliche Schreibung die defecte Stellen Br wird wenigstens von127W an allen gegen Form Damit ist freilich die grammatikalisch auffallende sein. vorzuziehen y1pW fl (11; 31 ohne Wiederholung DOiv t des Artikels) und die noch D! Mlj)1I (9,27 Plural besser mit Singular) nicht auffallenderet)DDWl bisher, unter solchen Umstnden aber am Ende nicht mehr so als erklrt verwun ist. " erlich. 17:1 E. Nestle, Ich (mit bemerke noch, ss neben dem hufigen aramischen (mit (Mein) inscriftlich Nun) auch LiW? 3Z _ ZAW, IV (1884), 248. bezeugt

A Critical 3. R. H. Charles, Commentary on the Book of Daniel, and Exegetical (Oxford, 1929), 308. For illustrations Ex. 23: 13 see Hos. 9: 10; Jer. 3: 24; 11of 1 Chron. 7: 33). Micah 1: 10-16 is an excellent 2 Sam. 2: 8 (cf. example of assonance and word-play. 418-422. New Testament, 4.

176.

Nestle

raises

the

question

as to whether

a statue

of Zeus was set

up

as well

as a pagan altar.
have applied the

Almost certainly
Daniel's references

the answer is
to an altar in the that History in other

'yes'. 1
only, it

While many
should is be

commentators kept for

in mind that an idol.

common use of r1711W most documents his position

Old Testament

C. C. Torrey to Joseph

an image was employed, of the Jews, cities. 2 and

by referring Bevan's Murray went

ben Gorion's

("Josippon") of Antiochus

allusions reminds

to the practice us that it is "Since likely altar the the in that

Beasley-

any case altars Antiochus on the

and idols

in heathenism

together,

had both great

an image of Zeus of the Jewish temple. "3

Olympius

and a heathen

erected association eccentric

altar

H. H. Rowley adds that another indication that

between-07311) Antiochus is

and madness is in the view of the author

4 of Daniel. abomination invading


to -the

All

of which is significant

as indicating object

that

the real but the

was not merely some tangible prince.


votaries of it realiter

in the sanctuary, phrase,


5

heathen and their


heathen God, his representation dann la

In the original
and his all. designee article, worship. "Nestle

Baal is referred
Epiphanes Grimm et

Antiochus

was the visible Geienius

rejoignait i6

ainsi

en voyant

un individu. Rigaux

After

commenting il

on Nestle's

proceeds: dans 9927d et l, "jusqu'au terme

Mais il n'y

ya plus. a pas de doute

Le terme LU Mi designe le qu'il

revient devastateur:

that the Jews for the purposes of this study as indicating -rt5 not upon reading or hearing would think of the c . HwcEux but of the person imaged there who was responsible only of a profaning altar, including for the desecration the sacking of and other horrors martyrdom, the city, and the destruction of the temple walls. 1. Significant 2. 3. Documents, 26-27. 55.4. See also Charles, Daniel, 303, of the citing Lord, Taanith 249. IV. 6.

Mark Thirteen,

The Servant

5.

Torrey,

Documents, 28.6.

Rigawc,

676.

177.

designe pour le sens clair vers conduit

le devastateur". I1 est naturel de reporter sur 9t27c de 9,27d et nous concluons hebrafque que l'expression 1'origine l'idee d'un etre personnel de qui est

l'abomination

1 de Daniel.

Rigaux suggests that


by Jeremiah's land. and the of Mark. many references renderings influenced granting

the translators
to the of the the

of the Hebrew were influenced


God would discussion accomplish in the

desolation under

Thus the

passages translators

by Theodotion author

LXX which While

of 1 Maccabees and the in

a relationship

between'=

IJ? YU1 9: 27 c and

in 9: 27 d, and understanding
he does, of of course, or the not LXX.

the latter

as applying
to the

to a personal
of the

devastator,
translations

commit himself However,

acceptance

Theodoret

Jeffery,

in his of than

commentary, ']DV "appall"

declares 9: 27,

that and

DOW

in 9: 17 is reminds ca.

intended us that 135,

to be reminiscent "desolate" rather

S. B. Frost interpretation

"was the this

current

when 1 Maccabees was written"

and that

"tradition.

..

the side of 'desolation'. on

..

should be respected. "2 passages does


must have had His and 11: 31, but

Let us next enquire


Ilk. 13: 14 refer. There

as to which of the Danielic


some who contend or at for least that on this

are

Christ verse

eye specifically not on Dan. 9: 27.

on Dan. 12: 11, G. Ch. Aalders,

example,

writes

as follows:

der Hebreeuwse en LXX-teksten Resultaat de vergelijking van dat de leert dus, dat er alle waarschijnlijkheid voor pleit, I. nigl niet op 9: 27 doelt, de Heiland verwijzing van naar de beide andere plaatsen op het oog moet hebbent maar alleen 4 het Gr. -w, het Hebr. 1JSIPIlf iEprlpw0ZWv sowel als Nu wil men door wijziging van de daar alle bieden grond voor. t3'. 1j) in het enkelvoud het meervoud tekst, van verandering

Hebraica3) Biblia voor de verwijzing en zodoende eveneens doen komen, maar het is het meest 24: 15 in aanmerking Daar komt to laten. de Hebr. tekst onveranderd verantwoord bovendien nog bij dat het woord'QPMl7W als nomen rectum verbonden in Kittel, in Hatth.

Dan. 9: 27 met de beide andere plaatsen meer in , brengen (men zie Baumgartners tekstkritische overeenstemming r1j7V1

noot

1.

"pZF-Aujpx

...

",

676.2.

"Abomination

of Desolation",

13-14.

178.

in statu aan het voorafgaande constructo, zodat hier sprake Dat heeft van gruwelen". von "een vleugel eveneens weer tekst-emendaties, gegeven tot conjuncturale aanleiding waarvan een is van onze landgenoot J. W. van Lennep en zeer bekende afkomstig Oud-Testamenticus Abr. overgenomen door de vroegere van Leiden, Kuenen (in zijn Historisch-critisch onderzoek naar het ontstaan (Tweede deel, de verzameling de boeken des Ouden Verbonds, van en Leiden 1889, bl. 472) en die door de Engelse commentator van A. A. Bevan, gequalificeerd Daniel, wordt als "an emendation which (A short Commentary on the Book of Daniel, certain" appears wellnigh 9 )) lezen'D ] to 160), nl. om in plaats Cambridge, 1892, blz. van (te weten het in het voorafgaande daarvan" de zin wordt dan: "in plaats Juist "slachtoffer en spijsoffer"). zulk verder gaand genoemde de noodzaak om de tekst echter ten zeerste versterkt aan gepeuter in het Hebreeuvs doze onveranderd to laten; als we aannemen, gelijk dat de copula dient to worden verondersteld, vaak geschiedt, zo Ned. die in de Nieuwe Vertaling krijgen de vertaling, zoals we "en op een vleugel Bijbelgennotschap van gruvelen gegeven wordt: Revised Standard komen" (zo ook de Amerikaanse zal een verwoester "upon the wing of abominations Version: come one who makes shall desolate"), commentaren als die van Behrmann, ook nieuwere vgl. En daarmee wordt het volkomen duidelijk Driver, NBtscher en Bentzen. dat het over iets anders gnat dan "de gruwel der verwoesting" van Matth. 24: 15.1 is is

hJ)

We agree with Aalders unaltered.


position others with

that

it

is best to leave the Hebrew text of scholarship


probably text true in

He is not alone in the world


as his references show. that Aalders' r%uyNa Aalders Maccabean It is the

as regards that
this case as in

of apparent special care. 2

incongruity However, the

may have been transmitted that 9: 27 is e events quite contrary about of

contention iF "Flo

something Mt. .

other

than

24: 15 is

unfounded. of the

seems to apply era, and this

Dan. 9: 27 to position is

entirely

outside

to that

of most exegetes of Daniel. Aalders

It

ignores

the obvious parallels in suggesting that Ilk. 13: 14

between chs. 7,8,9,11-12.

is correct closer

and Mt. 24: 15 are linguistically The emphasis should lie


standpoint, but philology

to 11: 31 and 12: 11, than to 9: 27.

particularly
is not

on 12: 11 from a philological


enough. The parallel concepts of the

1.

"De gruwel.

..

", 2.2. .

Montgomery, Daniel,

377.

179.

various all

chapters,

as well referring '

as the similarity

of language,

demonstrates

that

the instances

to the abomination

or abominations

apply to the

same set of events.


Aalders' contends that:

position

is

the

very

opposite

of Rigaux's.

The latter

Cette est secondaire. est que, Dan En effet, a 9,27. pericope ne se comprend que par reference ecrit: "A compter du moment que sera aboli le sacrifice 12,11-12 deuxde la desolation, 1'abomination mille et posee perpetuel Heureux celui jours. et qui qui tiendra cents quatre-vingt-dix Ces versets trois-cents se trouvent cinq jours". atteindra mille le De plus, terme d'un developpement pas. ne les appelle qui au de 8,14 qui est primitif pas avec celui comput expose ne s'harmonise jours". I1 ya donc trace "mille cent cinquante et qui Porte la evidente texte primitif, d'addition anterieure addition au plus des LXX. Si nous voyons bien, malgre la parents traduction les mots de 12,11, le texte vise le synoptique grande avec la clef des developpements dans 9,2? qui constitue passage rapporte 2 subsequents. il daps Daniel, 12,11 Undoubtedly therefore IZigaux is correct in seeing 9: 27 as underlying et al* join Rigaux 12: 11, in seeing and

evident

Mk. 13: 14. source

Van Dodewaard,

Lagrange

9: 27 as the

of Christ's zeggen, dat

reference. Dan. 9,27 as his hier

Says van Dodewaard bedoeld moet zijn".

"Nu kan men 3 ". But .. want

wel met zekerheid his reason is not

as reliable volgens alle

conclusion. over

He continues, den tijd

Dan. 11,31 Epiphanes Christus While it

handelt (vgl.

exegeten II

van Antiochus tijde van

1 Mace. lang that

1,49-64;

Mace. 6,2-9) hetzelfde view

en was ten geldt voor

reeds is true

vervuld,

terwijl

4 Dan. 12,11: of

most exegetes

11: 31 and 12: 11 as descriptive

Maccabean times,

as has already

been said it

should be recognized

by van

1.

We think

R. H. Charles 209.

is

Daniel, 9: 27 etc., and ad loc. et al.,

wrong Most other

in

denying scholars

the

parallel disagree

between with him.

Dan. 8: 14 See Driver,

2.
3.

"p. VAuypv,
"De gruwel.

...

", 678-79. .
Ibid.

", 128.4. . .

180.

Dodewaard,

Aalders,

E. J.

Young,

and others

that

the

same is

true

of 9: 27.

Van Dodewaard refers with


that appeal

to Schanz who affirmed Christ pointed


is not

that

it

cannot be determined

certainty
the

which text
in the

to,

and also to Schegg who held


citation prophetic but a general

expression

Gospels

an exact Daniel's both

to a well-known

formula

summarizing with

presentation. Despite Nk. being only to our

Van Dodewaard, already-expressed is

of course, agreement for the

disagrees with

viewpoints. 9: 27 underlies reference but

Rigaux

that

13: 14, there a summary say that

much to be said as well. to

likelihood not to

of Christ's contradict

statement the

This

is

oneself, create Christ's

reference

Dan. 9: 27 would and that points out this that

automatically too the was within casual

attention purpose. in

to the

parallel

passages, Lambrecht

correspondence

the

use of the

article tion at his

by Mark and by the in this matter, 1

Septuagint

of 12: 11 can scarcely translation cited

be any indicaMark had from Daniel unlikely elsewhere passages that

inasmuch Besides, it

as no one knows which is clear that

disposal. than

Mark also all

in Daniel refer

chapters

11 and 12.2 act

Furthermore IV,

three is

to the

same profaning 6: 7 trace his

of Antiochus only

and it

1 Mace. Lambrecht

1: 54,59;

back to

one of the

original

references.

concludes diese

case as follows:

Grnde zusammen machen es wahrscheinlich, dass Markus d. h. einen aus Dn bekannten Ausdruck bernahm, ohne nur anspielte, (wohl vielleicht dabei eine bestimmte Stelle Geschichte die konkrete Antiochus) im Auge zu haben. 3 von

All

Hartman has a similar


If could we accept constitute the

position:
thesis that to the interpreter the-Da pericopes in which the units illustrated of texts

a group

1. 2.
3.

Redaktion,

149. Dan. 4: 10-12; 1A&. 13: 26; cf. Dan. 7: 13.

e. g. Mk. 4: 32, cf.


Redaktion, 149.

181.

the difficulty each other, 11: 31, or even 12: 11 which

of deciding whether it is is quoted disappears. l

Da 9: 27 or

As intimated

above, there

is much to be said for the conclusion the truth


out, it

of

Lambrecht and Hartman.


entire truth, for

Nevertheless,
has pointed

they express is not the


is obvious that 11: 31 and

as Rigaux

12: 11 are

secondary

references, however, S Prw only

dependent is the tact

upon the prior that in Christ

usage of 9s27. is with referring the ripw is Dan. 9. facts into to

Even more significant, the PSaXvy o and the linked criticisms We conclude reference, than but

LOCSewr,

connection DtW city

destruction is

of Jerusalem, specifically Lambrecht's account. in his

case in Daniel

where the of the holy take either all the

with

the destruction of Rigaux do not

of these allusions

that that

Christ

encompasses particularly that, is

of Daniel We would go

He thinks by contending This

on 9: 27. in Luke's

even further also

Rigaux

thinking,

Christ

had Dan. 8: 13-14 from that

in view.

indicated

by Luke 21: 24 which Dan. 8 is passages should is from not the never the in Daniel be In

quotes

passage.

Hendriksen all

has shown that later Antichrist which

foundational

reference

on which

and the New Testament forgotten the is that the are

2 are based.

One fact

Mk. 13: 14 allusion other significant

to Daniel quotations side but

isolated. same book.. 9.3

same chapter

including has not

references used a minute

to passages fragment

on either from

of Daniel the

Thus Christ and

a mosaic

mosaid

itself,

added thereto
At this

His own adornments.


point we should pause to recall the reason for the mention of

1.

Prophecy,

162. Bible with Commentary)(Grand the temple. ) Rapids, 1955), 176.

(Baker I& II Thessalonians 2. (Dan. 7 does not link Antichrist

3.

Mark 13: 26,19.

182.

the

Pd-,--%uyHa "what

1?

Spr)

pwc &wc particular

in the phrase

eschatological mean? " can only

discourse. be rightly

The question

does this

answered after
this least discourse as to the

many prior
given at this

questions
time? "

including
The answer

the primary
should of the

enquiry

"Why was
at

suggest address,

some hint

possible

meaning

of any section

and of the

P&f\UyP V,
ground material words before is would

TrC
in

ffy) Vw"aECaC.
some detail, at this l

in particular.
so only a cursory

We have covered this


review with to they some added show that Christ's

necessary not

time.

We wish

particularly Rather,

have been novel familiar of

to his to

hearers. every Jew. not

were reminiscent

of history

and prediction words

His very Daniel

terminology but Jeremiah,

echoed hallowed Ezekiel, Micah, Just before

esteemed prophets, as well

alone,

and Zephaniah, the

as psalmists sermon from

and historians. Olivet, Christ had warned

eschatological

His countrymen that anything

judgment was coming upon them in a measure transcending The guilt


upon the

known before.
fall

of all

the false
present

worshippers
generation.

from the
Their On

days of Cain would "house", the their pride

head of the no longer

and joy, entry

would

be recognized the city

by Yahweh. that

day of His

triumphal come, cast

He had wept

over

declaring

enemies would the city not

up a bank,

hem in the 2

inhabitants,

and then

ravage

leaving Jewish

one stone hearer

upon another. such things particularly sixth

Every previous the

hearing nation,

could

not

but linked

be reminded with

of

judgments

upon the

those

damage to of

temple.

The destruction

of the

century,

and the

profaxmion

the second, Would be pre-eminent


contained many warnings as to the

in their
inevitable

thinking.
fate

Their
of the

scriptures
city and temple

1.

See 66-70 .

2.

Lu. 19: 41-44.

183.

once Yahweh departed of these warnings

from His

people

because

of their but

transgression. had yet

Some be. 1 to

had already

been fulfilled,

others

One threat
of its past

especially

had been often


that it

repeated by loyal
would yet

Jews who knew


again.

fulfilment, if

and feared

be fulfilled

you turn aside from following me. .. and do not keep my ... then commandments and my statutes which I have set before you. .. I will from the land which I have given them; cut off Israel and the house which I have-consecrated for my name I will cast out of my become a proverb and a byword among all sight; and Israel will And this house will become a heap of ruins. peoples. .2 .. Thus Christ's grandeur had never of the-temple been heard of. shocking announcement shocking to those in the because it who showed Him the such a thing the most dire

was not It later

sense that meant that

shocked, prophets pa terms u%fto

prognostications And as for its elements the

of the phrase --

were on the verge 'r-C all loyal S'poycoae-tza

of fulfilment. -Torah. We will

were household

sons of the

consider
by Christ's

briefly

a few Old Testament pronouncements which would be recalled


-pronouncements words in Daniel. chapters discourse. Frequent which It sounds notes is the climax of to the chapter "punish", or cognates combined, that "I will separate from the most Well-known

hearers of Christ's 7 is

embodiment

Ezekiel warning first give similar series great

but

one of several eschatological messages. denunciations. "profane",

to the of Ezekiel's

repetitions include

in the "end",

force

to

its

Key words "desolation". previous follows). sanctuary

"doom", is found

"abominations", four times

"Abomination" two chapters

(as often the

as in the which the

and as frequent because of the

as in

chapter images"

Yahweh complains shall be profaned.

"abominable

turn

my face from them, that

they may profane

my precious

place;

robbers

1.

e. g. Zech. 14: 2.2.1

Kings 9: 6-8.

184.

shall stands In the to the its

enter out tenth

and profane in the chapter,

its

and make it though Shekinah it is

a desolation. not prominent from is the

"1

The word "destruction" in the book.

elsewhere temple

chapter,

the

departs

as the prelude that This to same

profanation it

and destruction. a full to in the the

Judgment end is

to be so severe 2

prophet

seems that refers

to be made of Israel. of war, famine,

section which the

of Ezekiel are also

judgments Olivet

and pestilence linked of the with people. 3

mentioned desolation

discourse. from the

These are abominations

ultimate

which

results

Not only Ezekiel


entire tion

and Jeremiah'
mirror the

but several
dreadful of Israel's

of the Psalms and the


scenes of Yahweh's desolathey

book of Lamentations of the temple and city. they

Because

abominations same. 5

which

have sown to the wind, Coupled with these

reap a whirlwind to the

of the desolation

references

of the

sanctuary

because of abominations tion. The cry "How long,


In Psa. found in other in vv. terms is 80, 3,7 for

is the plaintive

plea for

restoration

and vindica-

0 Lord? " continually


the prayer the

ascends.
us, 0 God. .. ." is

example,

"Restore is

and 19 while

same concept Similarly "Restore

expressed

repeatedly the climax that

in the

same psalm. close.

in Lamentations, us to thyself,

of appeal

found

at the "6

0 Lord,

we may be restored!

Not only would the disciples


as they listened to their Lord's

have recalled
words

such passages as these


they would also be

of doom, but

1.

Eze. 7: 22-23.2.

Eze.

9: 8.

3. Eze. 5: 9-17. See 6: 4,11,14. 4. 5. 6. Jer. 7: 32-34,

The following

chapter

repeats

the threat

of desolation.

etc. 2: 7,20; 5: 18.

Ps. 74: 1-7; 79: 1-7; Lam. 1: 4-5,8-10,16; Lam. 5: 21.

185.

reminded

of the warnings

of a later

devastation

found

in the post-exilic

1 prophets. Antiochus
11 and 12. the

Furthermore,

there were many in Israel fulfilled


advent

who believed the visions

that

Epiphanes had not completely


That book had promised of the sanctuary the the

of Dan. 8,9,
of God after the Therefore, of

of the kingdom king.

profanation had not

by the wilful

But certainly of 165 B. C.

kingdom they

come with

rededicated Antiochus

sanctuary

reasoned,

the woes under

must have been pre-figurative

to come. 2 worse woes


In these words regarding last the pages we have suggested PUlAvyPa Tr\C that those c Jews who heard would Christ's

pgNwc

have thought to Mark's

of more than readers, likely

a mere profanation. of the

The word LXX and leant who later what it said. It

was a common term that Christ's hearers,

is

not

or those

read the Gospel

account,

thought

of the paronomasia being employed by the writer such exegetes as Vincent


et al. bersetzer

of Daniel.

Thus Kevan,

we follow

Taylor,

Jeffery,

Carrington,

Pesch and Lambrecht

Es ist sicher, dass der griechische von Da mit der apnpu3aic Wiedergabe des. ]]T3W -Stamms durch oder . cocvi den Verwiistungsaspekt, der deutlich z. B. Da 9,26 eiv 3 (nj'j/ ) und 11,44 (ir]W ) vorhanden ist, verstilrkt. The purpose discourse, an old and v. of these last pages has been to show that rang Christ's the changes of by

14 in particular, warning

in many respects dirge of the prophets,

refrain,

even the

characterized

the minor key of doom. account must fail The central

Any exegesis which fails purpose.

to take this

fact

into

also in its

issue of our study,

the significance

of the

uJPO,

1. 3.

e. g. Zech. 14: 2.2. Redaktion, 150.

See 191. of this

thesis.

186.

TrC

Pof icQSUC

must now be brought

into

clearer

focus.

What

did Christ

intend

to convey by this

arresting

expression?

Answers have tells


the

been many and varied


the last century __PVAuyp earliest review the m stages

from the very first.


situation has been the

Beasley-Hurray
same. ". time ..

us that

in

interpretations suggested gives

of the in the the

prevailing of the critical

at the present discussion. of this matter

were all

111 He, himself, that

best

of interpretations applications will of Titus view given

have seen. 2 we '(roc

The various apnpWast 1. This c

to the

a&'Auypv,

now be listed erected

and evaluated. side of the desolated it is Temple. very

The statue

on the

was a commonly-held

in Patristic

3 times.

However,

questionable
that

Whether such an event ever occurred.


owes its origin to the

It

seems more likely


standards of the

the tradition

memory of the

Romans being erected reality behind this


In interpreting kept in mind that

in the temple area by order of Titus. recollection


the

Thus the

is discussed
Tic

under

6
it translates should the for affirming Old Testaidolatry that be

PtXuypo, the word.

gqpwaetOC

because

PdXuyNoc is not sufficient

familiar that ment rather

Old Testament

term is

for

an idol

ground

an image of any kind 1"13V than and its to idols

now intended. apply 4 to impure

In many passages things associated is

of the with the fact

cognates themselves,

and even more important

in some of the Prophets often the equivalent

and in Proverbs

and elsewhere,

"abomination"

is

voNia of_

as shown by the LXX. ,

1.

Mark Thirteen,

59.

2.

Ibid.,

59-72.
But see discussion

Euthymius, Zigabena, 3. e. g. Theophylact, (Peake, Revised "Afark", by R. McL. Wilson,

Chrysostom. ), 814. edn.

4.

BDB. See Nahum 3: 6; Zech. 9: 7; Lev. 11: 10,12,13,20;

Isa.

66: 17.

187.

2.

Statues

erected to Jerome,

by Pilate Pilate

and Hadrian placed in the statue temple an image of the Capitoline Jupiter also, as

According emperor, on the the

and Hadrian site of the

erected demolished is

an equestrian temple.

of the this

Probably

speculation after

above instance, the standards bore

a misunderstanding. of the cohorts into

Some time the but temple, whether

A. D. 26 Pilate standards, did idea statue more than of a is

brought

and these he ever hold this which l

of course, this is

medallions While

of the

emperor,

uncertain. statue, Therefore

many of the to ieder

Church with

Fathers

defiling meant.

none seem able ". .. heeft

denote zijn

certainty hypothese":

eigen

Deze sententie heeft voor, dat zij op het spraakgebruik steunt, teRen zich. Niets is er met zekerheid heeft de feiten maar zij Dat Pilatus het plaatsen beeld in den tempel bekend. over van een is uit de historie verder niet een beeld in den tempel liet plaatsen op to maken. .0.

Thus these speculations,


and cannot and used it it, hardly be taken to the date seriously. the

like

the first,

seem based on hazy recollection


the Hadrian hypothesis

While

Baur championed passage and the would

eschatological

Gospels follow the

containing him in this. destruction and he

most extravagant abomination, the city's signal fall,

of critics according for flight.

today to Jesus,

Furthermore, of the Hadrian ceased city

the

precedes

and is the

The supposed

acts

of Titus before

follow to

while

Pilate's and certainly,

had to take nothing

place he did,

be procurator flight. The Atrocities

in A. D. 36,

precipitated

any general 3.

of the

Zealots

In the nineteenth

century,

as with

Josephus in the first,

a favourite

interpretation
regard it

of the

P&AuyyK
to the

TC

. Pr)pWCaau. -,
deeds of the Zealots

was to
during the

as an allusion

desecrating

1.

Van Dodewaard,

'We gruwel.

..

",

132.2.

Ibid.

188.

siege

of Jerusalem. Bevan, older

This Fuiford, English

viewpoint Nast, Bible

was held Pfleiderer,

by Elsner, Weiffenbach,

Hug, Stier, Keim,

Alford, and P(Injer.

Wordsworth, Most of the set forth

dictionaries,

such as Smith's

and Hastings'

this

view. presented was threefold. (1) 2 Thess. 2 was understood

The evidence

as contemplating

a Jewish apostasy. in the abstract,

(2)

The word used in Daniel or false

is properly

used, not of idolatry incorporated (3)


city

but of idolatry

worship

into

Jewish circles. existed


Jewish 1

1 Kings 11: 5; 2 Kings 23: 13; Eze. 5: 11. a tradition


hands polluted

Among the Jews there


would be destroyed to this if

to the effect
the temple.

that

their

holy
is

Josephus

usually

cited

effect.

The German writers

mentioned

above did

not

hold

to the

dominical

origin

of Nk. 13: 14, but viewed the latter of the temple, when such traditions

as written flourished. logion

about the time of the fall The English writers usually

regard the statement as a predictive


Occasionally Van Dodewaard today it the in

from Christ.
the Zealots 2 is espoused.

same view a broader

regarding

includes

interpretation.

1.

War of the Jews, IV. iii.

12; IV. Yi. 3; VI. ii. I.

E Ppwcsic "De eerste 2. uit den tekst van Lucas is dus a. h. w. een , . teeken van de tweede_ jpgpwaic Lucas waarover Mt. en Mc. sprecken. , tyy1KEV dan ook den vageren term gebruikt welken hij ook voor het , Gods gebruikte. Al is dit een periectum, toch duidt het naderen van het rijk heel aanvezig is. Zooals men van de lente e niet aan, dat de bedoelde zaak reeds is er of zij is aan het komen, omdat er verschillende kan zeggen: zij graden Gods. Voegen in zijn, zoo kan men dat ook zeggen, aldus J. Weiss), van het rijk toe: de ipgp wait hier. Wanneer juist is vat Prat en van wij eraan xaiAsioc OEOC dat de term opmerkt, Tot gyyiKev meer het dan de nadering kennen wij dat met naderende rijk van het rijk), aanduidt is een hier van de spr)t4ow zeggen. PgpwaIC evenveel recht . _ "non stat in indivisibili" feiten om het eens en gebeurtenissen, van complex y0 den term to zeggen. met Ep tot f3SsKuypK this niet alleen "De woorden `7c cre-urmoet men der Zeloten beperken, de gruweldaden zij omvatten een complex, dat en het Gallus en de vlucht der menschen uit Jerusalem Romeinsche lege onder Cestius TBC insluit. Toen het PSAuypvder Zeloten de gruvelen en,

189.

We do not

regard

van Dodewaard's

position

as sound,

but will

content

ourselves taken.
Certainly

for

the present

with

criticizing

the Zealot

position

as usually (1)

Regarding the three-fold


not all exegetes today

cord of evidence it
would insist that is

can be said that


2 Thess. 2 is from

speaking the text

of a Jewish

apostasy.

Such an interpretation

not

obvious

itself.
false term

(2)
worship to the

It

is not true

to say that

rlI1ij)'

is used chiefly

for
the

among the Jews. idols in of other an objective (3) Traditions

Even 1 Kings That is

11: 5 and 2 Kings to say, these

23: 13 apply idols

nations.

were already their worship that the

abominations into Judaism.

sense before are

Solomon incorporated and so contradictory weight in

so various but little

statements Christ's

from Josephus statement.

can be given

interpreting

Furthermore,

most exegetes

today

would

say that

those

who hold

the

Zealot

position with

ignore

the fact

that to

the term jInI j

JEJ Y.

rip

is used the Lord of Heaven, ,


to something of any

in Daniel

obvious reference
by Antiochus,

as worshipped analogous. kind

and that

therefore Zealots

Mk. 13: 14 alludes were hardly be intended

The despicable whatever

deeds of the and therefore

a matter

of worship 4.

could

not

by Mk. 13: 14.1

Ca1ipula's

attempted view in

Profanation the 20th century has been the understanding that

A more popular

P. +wQgw toen was ook de EPr)iUV

toppunt bereikte, zijn compleet. r1rwaic letterlijken meer in zijn

beyond het zich in den tempel en Lucas gebruikte dus het werkwoord zin van: eenzaam, leeg maken,

Men Mc. den overdrachtelijken terwijl zin van: profaneeren gebruikten. " "De grovel. . . ", 135. Note that for van Dodewaard, the mystical phrase is not to the Zealots, though it includes them. His suggestion is that to be limited
We agree that more than one entity the term embraces a complex of several events. wQe-u rP&Awypoc but the elements must is embraced by the Tr 6'pf f., This criterion therefore, the zealots excludes, as each other. parallel extraneous. 1. "This view Beasley-Murray, now be abandoned should 62. Mark Thirteen, as incompatible with the evidence. "

190.

Mk. 13: 14 is that the text

an allusion was written

to in

Caligula's apprehension abandoned the statement

attempted of the initial

profanation. fulfilment view,

Spitta

suggested

of Caligula's and suggested that

profane Caligula's

ambition. threat that

Pfeiderer inspired the events where

his

as now found the This

in Mark and Matthew. fear that another was adopted

He believed emperor

of 39-40 Caligula

A. D. created had failed.

would

succeed

exegesis

by Holtzmann,

Schmiedel,

Menzies, that that M. scare. Torrey's

and J. Lu.

' Weiss. oracle about a variant

C. C. Torrey Jerusalem's as a, result downfall of the

believed but Caligula

21: 20 was an original

13: 14 and Mt. 2 example. 3

24: 14 incorporated

Many have followed

B. W. Bacon particularly

made

a quite

elaborate

case out of the Caligula as "very ingenious,

possibility

-a

case referred

to

by Beasley-Murray

very intricate,

' .4 and very improbable!

1.
2.

Ibid.,

64.

He says: "In no words of the Master was Messianic more impressively authority to his nearest in which he revealed shown than in the last great discourse, Reasons disciples to know concerning the near future. what they were privileged have already been given for believing that this discourse must have been among the first that were sent forth. As to the impending clash with of the writings (according the Romans, followed by the capture the city to O. T. prophecy), of 'When you more definite nothing could at that time have been said than this: by armies. ' Luke, who for all the latter see Jerusalem surrounded part of his Gospel made use of a document differing in many respects from those which were form of words. this employed by the other Synoptists, gives precisely original Mark, followed by Matthew, inserted 'sign, ' the erection of the a more definite in the temple. Should not the fulfilment of Caligula on the altar statue Daniel's be mentioned? " Documents, 35. prophecy of 3. T. V. Manson, C. 1. Cadoux, et al.

". 65-66. 4. Mark Thirteen, the crisis Bacon affirmed: of the year 40 .. 'prophets' drew out from Christian a form of eschatology based on the of Daniel concerning the desecration of the temple, and ... predictions

the Church became committed to this eschatology as a 'word of the Lord'. ... independent Mutually to the Johannine, or not, any however related or unrelated 'prophecies' the Synoptic the Pauline must both go back to the attempt and of Neither for as a 'word of the Lord' in any Caius [sic] can be accounted . than as the Revelation of John may be so called. " The Gospel of other sense Date (New Haven, 1925), 91-92. Mark: Its Composition and

191.

For reasons

traced

in

our first

chapter

we find

Beasley-Murray's

appraisal
5.

of Bacon's case both apt and accurate.


The Antichrist the as the interpretations are those ' which yet remain of

Certainly for discussion

most popular abomination

the

seen as the Antichrist,

and the

view

its
first

fulfilment
think Almost

in the Roman armies with


upon the Antichrist all Continental number of position. scholars exegetes

their

idolatrous

ensigns.

Let us

are in

committed country

to

this

view,

and The linked in 2 Thess.

similarly construction to the

a large

this

and America. &crrgtc r0 found

ad sensum in the NvyNoc _

masculine and the 9

participle obvious

neuter.

parallel

2: 6-7.
reason

constitute
is found in

the major reasons for


the prevailing belief

this

consensus.

An additional
that the Ikanielic

in N. T. times

pictures

of Antiochus

Epiphanes were yet to have a greater influenced

fulfilment.

Thus Jerome (himself


as follows:

by 2 Thess. 2) commented on Dan. 11: 36

is spoken that Antichrist place onwards the Jews think to his own will, do according of. ... a king shall arise who shall himself God, and speak great and lift up against all that is called things the God of gods, so that he shall sit in the Temple against the be performed, until of God and make himself and his will god, Which we, for in him shall the end be. wrath of God be fulfilled: 2 too, understand of Antichrist. From this

The almost universal that


valuable

expectation

among the early

church Fathers is a

the fall

of the Roman empire would usher in the Antichrist


"inasmuch as some of them seem not merely

testimony

to be

offering

an exegesis

of particular

texts

of Scripture,

but recording

Das Markusevangelium, Klostermann, 1. Lohmeyer, Markus, 276; A. H. Mcdeile, (London, 1915), 348; Branscomb, Mark, TDNT., It 598ff. Foerster, Cited by A. J. Mason, "Thessalonians", 2. 168. 1959), VIII, Grand Rapids,

151; Loisy, ii, Synoptiques, 420; The Gospel According to Matthew 237; Schniewind, Markus, 171f.;

Ellicott's

Commentary,

(8 vols.,

192.

primitive

tradition

coeval

with

the

New Testament:

n1

Naturally, Apocalypse"
mystical

those who see in Mk. 13: 5ff. its author pointed


is a recognition from

an incorporated to Antichrist
that the writers

"Little by his
of later of all

are agreed that


This

reference. frequently

also

apocalypses

utilized

figures

earliest

specimen

such literature.
On this position regarding the Antichrist, Beasley-Murray asserts

that

"the supports

with which the interpretation later

is buttressed

are

uncommonly weak" but continues

by saying that:

On the other hand, it would be possible the 3 AuyNa to align doctrine if, it be recognized with the Antichrist with Althaus, that in the N. T. this is fluid, doctrine of possessing a variety forms and above all has what he terms 'immediate actuality'. .. That is, the concept of a power at work against to God is applied forces in the contemporary operative situation. .. .2

We think Antichrist

that

Beasley-Murray's

contention

that

the supports

for

the

interpretation . uyNoc sW
in is the that

are uncommonly weak grows out of his failure Tic


Daniel.

to see in the
the similar

SPnPwaswc
Undoubtedly

a definite
the the strongest

allusion

to
for the

references position wherein

evidence

Antichrist of Daniel

Mark 13 reproduces plays

eschatological part in the

pattern desecrating saints Mark

abomination temple to the of

a prominent as the of the

and desolating in the last

of the days prior

God, as well

menacing eternal skeleton outline. great

of the

establishment

kingdom. 3 of Daniel,

13 places rather places

flesh

on some portions detracting at the

of the predictive from that original

than the

basically abomination in the

Thus v. 14 which

commencement of that by the

tribulation is in

terminates

deliverance

Son of Man, and this

complete

1.

Ibid.,

170.

2. 238-249; 159.

Mark Thirteen, L. C. Allen, '.

68-69. The Gospel According to

3. See Rigaux, L'Antechrist, Saint Mark (London, 1915),

193.

harmony with

the

visions

of Dan. chs.

7,81

9,11-12.

In

each of these

latter

passages we witness onslaught


facts

the attack

upon the holy by the impious king, intervention


that criticism, the

which When these

precipitates
in mind, strong. statement be pointed a similar to

the vindicating
it is apparent this

of heaven.
for

are kept

buttresses the

the Antichrist good sense of acknowledged, are among

view

are uncommonly the follow-up should who take Not as applying least to

Despite

exegetical

by Beasley-Murray out that Lagrange

must be gratefully and Vincent Taylor

and it those

position. among those are the who apparently Paul viewed Mk. 13: 14 As has been

be numbered

the Antichrist

apostles

John. l and

already recorded
canonical

2 1 shown, and 2 Thess. draw heavily in M. 13, and it


likewise

upon the eschatological that the writer


for his

discourse

is just

as clear
that

of the last
verbal pictures

apocalypse

drew from

source

in chs. 11,13 and 17.3

1. 2.

Or whichever See 39ff.

"John" of this

wrote thesis.

Revelation.

"The Apocalypse is moulded by that great discourse 3. of our Lord upon 'the last things' for us in the first three Gospels. which has been preserved The parallelism Matt. 24; Mark 13; Luke 21. ... between the two is to a by all acknowledged certain extent enquirers, and is indeed so obvious that it can hardly escape the notice of even the ordinary reader. " W. Milligan, (London, 1892), 42-43. Lectures the Apocalypse This statement is particularly on but to a lesser to the Seven Seals, to the rest of relevant extent applies

the Apocalypse

also.

194.

Christ's

View of Antichrist

Of course, is,
the

to say that

Christ

in rec. 13: 14 has the Antichrist inasmuch as there


It is not its

in mind

in a sense, somewhat premature,


term was even known in His existed, and in the day. 1

is no evidence that
in the scriptures is in the

to be found first

which epistles other not , term

then

New Testament use the for the the that

appearance 2 Thess. the 2. matter even if

of John. hand when the

Even Paul title

does not

word in first

On the is the ."

does occur Evidently

time,

discussed were new.

as a novelty. It. ..

concept antichrist

was old, is

have heard you the early

coming.

..

John. 2 says in eschatology,

Apparently and the this

Christians

received was part also

abundant of that his to

instruction instruction.

theme of Antichrist impression. the Paul

2 Thess. they

2 confirms

reminds who is

converts

that

already

know about

man of lawlessness

come.

He says:

"Do you not remember that And "this"


the matter

when I was still a brief


important. the Gospel

with you, I told of weeks apparently.

you this? "3 4 Obviously,

was all

within

period

was considered before

Thus years concept

of Mark was written, Christian fire. the church. It intensity is

the

antichrist threat nov

was a familiar to the

one to the eschatological imagination

Caligula's probably of

had added fuel for us to

impossible which

conjure

up in

excitement

must have prevailed

in Jewish and Christian

communities

as the word spread

H. Gunkel, Schpfung und Chaos in Antichrist, On the whole topic 1. see of (Gottingen, Legend, W. Bousset, The Antichrist 1895); Endzeit Urzeit und (E. T., London, 1896); B. Rigaux, L'Antechrist au royaume et Popposition (Paris, le Nouveau Testament 1932); D. S. Russell, dans l'Ancien et messianique (London, 1964); L. E. Froom, Method and Message of Jewish Apocalyptic The (4 vols., Washington, 1950-54). Our Fathers Faith The Prophetic of

2.1 4.

John 2: 18.3.2 Acts 17: 2.

Thess. 2: 5.

195.

of the

mad Emperor's

intended

blasphemy. of the

The coming end,

event

would

inevitably of Daniel's

have been interpreted

as a sign

and as a fulfilment

and Christ's
looked

predictions.

In later
attempt the

years both Mark and Paul would have


as a pattern of the horror soon to be doctrine

upon the & peror's precipitating

accomplished,

Lord's

return.

The Antichrist

before

A. D. 50 vas regarded as part


Himself. own views

of that

faith

committed to the saints

by Christ

Christ's

on eschatology

sprang,

in part

at

least,

from

the book of Daniel,


power was mentioned holy things

as we have seen.
as arising the near holy

It
the

was here that


end of time

repeatedly
the

to pollute

and devastate

ones.

The blasphemies

and aggression

associated

with

the Syrian

king are applied

by Christ

in this

discourse

to a power soon to attack not only for

Jerusalem and precipitate but for all

a time of tribulation, everywhere. As

the Jews as a nation, have noted,

Christians

Swetel and others In this


of the place Olivet in history

Rome takes the place of Syria. the

sense we believe
discourse despite is

aAoyjy,
but its

-Tc

n1

0 awC

Antichrist, fact that

an Antichrist culminating

whose work takes savagery signs, end consists is likely term that is

the

accompanied attending

by the the

supernatural age.

"fireworks", Christ's is

or miraculous of the 2 Thus it

end of the of Na , events. -rnT to the 3

presentation attenuated. is

of a complex the 33_ first

The finale armies

c crFuc, of Rome, but

a comprehensive later

applying

including

manifestations

of Antichrist.

1.

St Mark,

286.

2.

Rigaux,

L'Antechrist,

246-247.

245,249. 3. Ibid., 188f. of this thesis.

Cf. van Dodewaard, "De--gruwel...

", 135, but see .

196.

Even in Daniel

itself,

the

work

of the

evil

prince

is

seen to have at

least

two phases.

The initial

attack

upon the holy city till the end. l


31 years, its

would begin a series the sacrifice


temple 2 would Then

of desolations
and the oblation

which were to continue


would with be caused to

Later,

cease for to

and the itself.

become filled

abominations,

as though

pinnacle

would folloW-,. the desolation


V. 28 speaks victory returning unsuccessful, burnt

of the desolator.
would be set

Daniel

11 is clearer
holy would covenant "work

still.
after will" this

of him whose heart against to his the king

against This

the

a great before time

of Egypt. But after "take

prince

his

own land. again would

a later against

attack

upon Egypt, covenant". that

he would offering

action

the holy

The continual

be taken

away and the

abomination

makes desolate
After many days,

the temple would be set up.


there would be another

But neither

is this

the end.
south5

attack

upon the king

of the

and an ultimate attack


watching judgment so would violating especially

onslaught

upon the holy mount. himself

This time,

however, the

would bring
heavens. on the the the this last holy

the tyrant

to the end decreed for him by the


with terror the message of the temple of not And it which "the vessels, only is time

As Belshazzar walls after his king but

witnessed act

of impiety his

in profaning

impious things,

receive

doom in the

consequence holy ones. with 6

anathematizing flood

final

overwhelming

of persecution

1. 2.

Dan. 9: 26. as pinnacle, in 9: 27. with many commentators. See Mt. 4: 5

Understanding and LXX which uses

iEPcv

3.
5. 6.

Dan. 9: 27.
Dan. 11: 40-45. Dan. 11: 44. _WIT1.

4.

Dan. 11: 28-31.

Cf. R. H. Charles'

"stringent

statute19:

27, Daniell

248.

197.

of trouble

such as never

was"

is

coupled.

Christ for

has certainly

not spelled Yet it


of what

out the details

of such a programme

the end He anticipated.


as prefigurative

is obvious that
lay ahead.

He viewed the times of


He has taken

Antiochus

Furthermore,

elements from the several citing from In. 7,8,9,11

presentations and 12.2


remarks are

of Daniel

to express His convictions,

Some of C. C. Torrey's

interesting

in this

particular.

He accuses Colani,
successors, Testament of that

the founder
to note of the End.

of the "little
that the

apocalypse"
take to into set

theory,
account forth his

and his
the Old

of failing programme

Gospels

Then he proceeds

understanding

programme. to the Prophets), of all army is to a hostile be Jerusalem. Half of the inhabitants will capture and devastate to be a Jewish into captivity, it will carried away and yet continue (Zech. 14: 2). Thereupon will follow city a season of wars, of famine (Dan. 12: 1), tribulation, and pestilence, of unexampled of sore persecution (Dan. 12: 7). This continue half" for "a time, times, which will and a The truth interval is to be especially a time of missionary activity. in every first to the Jews; then to the Gentiles must be proclaimed land, in preparation for the scenes described in Is. 45: 14,49: 22 f., 60: 3-14,66: 19ff., and in other similar passages, when the "saved" of in worship all the peoples of the earth join the Israelites of the One God. Finally, the hostile to make an their forces, nations will unite be Their onslaught end of Jerusalem will religion of Israel, and-the Joel 2: 30 f, in the heavens and on earth, preceded by warning portents 3: 4. The heavenly hosts, 'will them in "The Valley of encounter .. Jehoshaphat. " The Messiah will in the clouds of heaven (Dan. 7: 13 f. ); come the right hand of Yahweh (Is. 45: 1. Hab. 3: 13, Ps. 110: 5) 41: 12 f., and at 3 the destruction Israel. the last see will of enemies of First (according

Not all

would agree with is certainly

Torrey's at least

precis

of the Old Testament picture traced in the

of the End, but it

close to the pattern

1.

Regrettably,

the connexion between 11: 45 and 12: 1 has often

been ignored.

Dan. 7: 13 and Mk. 13: 26; Dan. 8: 13 and Lu. 21: 24; lean. 9: 27 and Mk. 13: 14; 2. Dan. 11: 45 and init. 24: 15 Z-v -rt>Ttw Dan. 11: 31 and Nom. 13: 14; and possibly

yiw 3.

Dan. 12: 1 and rk. Documents, 18-19.

13: 19.

198.

New Testament holy the city church

itself.

For example, attacked, to the

the

author

of the Apocalypse down for before 31 years

speaks during l The

of the which

as being witnesses of that

and then gospel is

trodden

of Christ

the nations. attack and then from retired

finishing of the

testimony which

succeeded

by a final attacked

the beast for a

out

abyss,

a beast

had formerly

season.

2
In the following statement, Torrey again distinguishes of Yahweh. between the

initial

and ultimate

attacks

made by the

opposers

In the time of the fourth beast, by the Jews of course understood the great world-catastrophe of the first century as the Roman empire, was to come. Along with the obscure predictions occupy all the which the last latter the book (Daniel) this much is said plainlys part of king of the last Israel bring an army against empire oppressing will (9: 26f., Jerusalem 11: 31); he will of Desolaset up the Abomination At last, in the holy place. "he will tion himself". exalt ... .. holy "he will plant his royal tents between the sea and the glorious "but he shall come to his end, and none shall help him. ". .. mountain". .. Who was the enemy who was destined"to come to his end" in the Certainly must manner described? no one thus far known to history; ? The it not be the Roman emperor... city must indeed be taken and devastated. ... following the capture of the city and the death of the ... impious Gentile be a time of trouble. monarch, "there will .. ." 3 The world powers in their last throes will things. do terrible ... Note how Torrey Jerusalem the as referred tyrant tyrant distinguishes to in between the coming and the of the further army against attack the last final throes, of

Dan. 9: 26f., last". that Torrey

11: 31,

blaspheming of the

"at from

seems to powers

distinguish in their

attempt but

of the world such as Zech.

in view

of other

passages

12 and 14p and particularly

Eze. 38-39 and Joel

3, it

is doubtful

whether such a separation

is necessary.

to Nk. 13: 10. Allen an allusion comments on the latter, and his "As understood to the Rev. 11 picture by the hearers, also. words are pertinent the preaching of the good news to all the Gentiles need not imply any long lapse of time. " Mark, 158. 1. This is

2.

Rev. 11: 1-8.3.

Documents, 32.

199.

One should also keep in mind the oscillation corporate and the individual. picture, It is likely

in Hebrew thought that the writer

between the has

of Daniel

drawn from Ezekiel's


powers of the from king the north

as well

as from Isaiah
and embodied

10, where invading


own presentation and

were sketched, And all

them in his

of the

north.

these

lineaments

had been scrutinized

meditated
tion

upon by that
as the

Mind which had distilled


suffering before Servant, Israel's

from the prophets


Son of Man

the characterizabe

of Himself

and the foes

who would

vindicated

at the

end-time

and His

own people.

In summary, the evidence indicates


Antiochus Epiphanes, king the little horn

that

Christ

saw in the activity


prince

of

of Dan. 7 and 8, the final

of Dan. 9: 26-27, to Jerusalem

and the wilful

of 11: 36f. a shadow of the

opposition

and the church.


of the Syrian

The term

pashuyp x

-4 ,,

nN &aEwc

reminiscent
which would profane

tyrant,

was an adequate

emblem of the powers

and devastate
besieging that

the holy places

and the holy people,


a--rrl t<6-ro( . by this which P-'-Xuyy

beginning

with

Rome's
indication

armies.

The masculine, was intended come from Christ sources

was sufficient -fjC

no mere "thing" was to

E-pr)pcics4wc

The threat

were personal

and unique. to be succeeded

-Apparently

expected

Rome's attack

upon Jerusalem

by growing antagonism between the empire and the missionary-minded and resultant
claiming of Christ venture, all

church, the Flvperor)

conflict

between agencies
with If Jewry short 3 in

on earth

(including
for the

first

reverence as King the

and adoration of kings. '

those itself

who called joined

acknowledgement

proselytizing converts in from

work would flocking

be cut

righteousness2

with

nations

to the church.

The conflict

would

culminate

1.

Mt.

10: 18;

24: 9; Mk. 13: 9,10.

2.

Rom. 11: 25-26;

9: 28.

3.

Isa.

chs. 54 and 60.

200.

supernatural

manifestations,

signs

and wonders

soliciting

to

false

worship,

with

their

author

or authors 1

working

through

the state

and anathematizing for the

the non-conformists.
menaced saints TrCr. the only prophets. a pale

This final
coming All

conflict

would issue in deliverance


nemesis Christ of the in

by the awowC.

of the this

Son of Man, the already lay

f36Skwypm in

before

outline is

What we have left relic of His original

of the

eschatological of this

discourse outline. 2

possibly

animation-,

Imo. 13: 19-22. to certain The Apostles cf. Rev. 13 and 16: 13,14. allude teachings from the beginning, eschatological and which which they had taught therefore The Pauline must have originated with Christ. and Johannine beliefs to above See 1 John referred probably sprang from the same source. 2: 18 and 2 Thess. 2: 5 and the chapter in this thesis on 2 Thess. 2. 1. The view set forth in this Christ's of the section regarding understanding in the days of Antiochus to come, is IV as typical crisis crisis greater of a found in many commentaries. Rigaux, for example, says: "La fin est marquee, Le temple de impie et sacrilege du roi paffen. par l'activite pour Daniel, Dieu et son autel Une fois que cet element fut entre dans la sont souilles. le il y rests ancre. Dans la tradition tradition chretienne, apocalyptique, d'Antiochus L'impiete temple ne doit pas seulement etre detruit. se retrouvera dans les evenements de la fin. L'abomination du devastateur aura une replique "". f3Sa'-Auy1oc ", 682. dans l'eschatologie. In his classical study on . ... Rigaux earlier 1'histoire Antichrist, "En rattachant the wrote as follows: dans 1'iniquite du tyran syrien, l'eschatologie, en reconnaissant, croissante de la fin des temps, Daniel ne revele-t-il l'annonce par del. 1'histoire pas, is. presence, d'un surcroit d'Antiochus, sa croyance au temps eschatologique, d'iniquite Au meme titre formidable? et dune persecution que les religieuse Daniel doit etre regards comme ayant prophetise, au sens anciens prophetes, Popposition I1 faut mgme dire litteral, eschatologique au royaume de Dieu. l'a fait Si aucun dans le contours avec plus de nettete qu'il et le fonds. , l'Antechrist, de sa revelation immediatement c'est verset ne s'applique du Roiideale bien lui cependant qu'il la figure entrevoyait, comme c'etait de la royaute Messie que les chantres dann la penombre de l'avenir apercevaient travers les images hyperboliques ils un roi de leur par lesquelles exaltaient F3.G. Ch. Aalders epoque. " L'Antechrist, in kan liggen comments: "Wat er verder is een hernieuvde vervulling van vat reeds tot vervulling gekomen is. ""De ", 5. This conclusion to what Aalders "the most difficult gruwel. calls .. his consideration follows He suggests that as the of hit. 2: 15,18. question" into Egypt and the slaughter flight child of the Christ at Bethlehem were seen instance prophecies, of ancient so in the present as new fulfilments of Mt. 24: 15; Mk. 13: 14. discourse discusses that the Olivet believes two themes, the Aalders His understanding destruction and the end of the age. of Jerusalem of this is the traditional dissertaone, and has been discussed on 177f of this matter tion. Thus he looks upon the Roman invasion as a shadow of the final onslaught 2.

201.

6.

The

1? Agy'io, 59s:

4e_the

PI=k63(Tr-wr historical conditions 5 just

as the setting therein discussed)3 though

invading phrase 2

Roman Armiesl in question, But this the action proceed

There and the is

can be no denying picture

of the

graphic

of war-time with position is

sketched. for the it later

entirely

compatible in history history's

is

of Antichrist to present

which

contemplated, terminus. 4

verses

supernatural 13 is

What we have in Nk. context of the original

an excellent allusion discourse holy land

example

of that

fidelity

to the

Old Testament

upon which draws from

Dodd and others the Old Testament and Syria. of

have commented. descriptions These invasions Israel's influx Eze. of

The eschatological invasions of the

by Assyria,

Babylon,

had come because

of transgression, Israel's 5

i. e. as a result

own defection of the

from Yahweh. of the as Nit.

own abominations This is the import

caused the of Jer. of the 7;

abominations as well

heathen.

5-7;

Dan. 8-9,

13: 1-4,14,19.

The real

origin

that the Roman of Antichrist, whereas the present study takes the position invasion though a manifestation was a manifestation of Antichrist, which was to swell into greater dimensions, eventually events. enshrining supernatural See also van Dodewaard's "De gruwel... ", 131, which sets forth a position . identical in'this In the study of this question, the with Aalders', regard. ". words of Johannes Weiss should be ever kept in mind: schon Jesus .. Eadzeit-Erwartungen sich die Zukunft nach der Form der jdischen selber gedacht habe. " Die Schriften des Neues Testaments, I, 195. Weiss reasons that "Wie Messias Vorstellung er sich mit seiner an die Weissagung Daniels angeschlossen hat, so werden auch in anderer Zukunftsdingen die Lehren der Apokalyptik fair ihn massgebend gewesen sein. " Ibid. The chapter in this thesis on the between the Olivet discourse relationship and the book of Daniel supports these comments of Weiss. 1. Those exegetes who take this position include the following: Beasleyrurray, Mark Thirteen, 56-57; Gould, Mark, 246; Swete, Mark, 286; Vincent. Mark, 511-512; W. C. Allen, Taylor, Matthew, 256; N. Geldenhuys, Luke, 532; A. Plummer, Luke, 481ff.; T. Zahn, Lucas, 649; W. Manson, Luke, 283f.

2.
3. 5.

This position

has been argued in earlier


Mark Thirteen, 69.4.

pages.
Dodd,

See 86ff.
More New Testament Studies, 80.

See Beasley-Murray,

Both the of Mk. 13: 14 and the '1-r14 _prf... waeu3 _P51C-'11uyNo, _v6pwlcoC &Vo C of 2 Thess. 2: 3ff. are presented by as punishments permitted God because of the rejection Thus the N. T. picture of His truth. is identical threatens foreign invaders with the Old which so frequently of Israel as a divine judgment.

202.

3S Auyia rather the than

Ti c

prjpWcsExc The writer of Babylon of Daniel

concept begins

is

to be traced

to history

prophecy. invasion

his

book by describing idolatrous, and the daily and temple.

desolating

upon Jerusalem. holy land, the

A proud, holy people, and the

persecuting The symbol taken Idolatry, enemies a scourge in 5-7, Daniel away.

power makes war on the of the theocracy is

destroyed, repeat and pride

desolated, the

sacrifice

The ensuing

chapters blasphemy

same theme Qver and over. seen to characterize Israel's exercise as

persecution, and these

are

attributes

are allowed

by Yahweh to have full abominations.

to His people

who have cherished tim own faults same thing

The prayer as Jer.

recorded 7, Eze.

9 says specifically that out, Israel's this

as such passages her desolations.

namely

had brought

As Jeffery used in U? 1

has pointed order

particular

term ]12W in thought with

in 9: 17 is the coming

purposely Lip f r1p

to make an association

In Christ's
and desolating (would) Rowley, and from He says past set is

day there
would against

already
"herald

existed
the coming and its the

the understanding
of the temple. kingdom i2

that
and that idea,

"a great
it says

war"

be directed

Jerusalem from

This

"was doubtless the

derived "3

Gog passages is this concept

of the which

book of Ezekiel Christ did adopts. in ages

book of Daniel. "What the

And it

in effect,

idolatrous

Babylonians power. events

and Syrians The emperor as did

to be repeated a similar IV of old. "

by another fateful

heathen of

of Rome will and

on foot

sequence

Nebuchadnezzar

Antiochus

1.

Daniel1,

ad loc.

2. Rowley, Relevance, 76. Cf. Porteous, Daniel, 143. Comment on Dan. 9: 26. "The war which the writer is no doubt conceived anticipates of by him as the (cf. between good and evil final Eze. 38 and 39; struggle eschatological Rev. 16: 16; and The War of the Sons of Light and the Sons of Darkness). " 3. Rowley, Relevance, 76.

203.

Let

us look

again

at the

expression

F<SsXuya

Tier

fjPWaT. WC

Usually

commentators woodenly appropriate

the limited

meaning given this et al.


to the

expression
insisted,

in I Macc. 1: 54, but as Gould, Swete, A. B. Bruce,


there is no need to restrict Christ's use of a term

have
limited

connotation
transcended.

existing
'

hitherto.
is

The latter
anticipated of

is usually
by Christ,

included
but

but also

Profanation

much more besides. mean more than rPY in place. and temple that

Even in O. T. usage the merely Proverbs an idol.

equivalent

PEOW\/N, x given to the

could

The extended

meaning

expression

and elsewhere army with

are a hint idolatrous indeed.

of Christ's ensigns Loisy

own meaning invading

in this land

Thus a heathen could be a

Yahweh's

et al.

have seen the

difficulty

P&CkuyNoensues when _ concerning a profanation. 2

-rqQ

C-pr)PL&:r6v3C:
men flee for

is understood
their lives

merely as
to the

Why should

mountains

just

because of an event

in the temple?

Why should there be so altar?

much haste as to leave behind one's clothes


At this We believe EPqPwatc it is welcomed is stage we should Taylor taken it is over attend entirely with

because of a misplaced
to the term ". is

more closely correct the phrase more than Wv tjm by the

IEpnpd3aEwC .. if that

Vincent is

when he says from the Dan., it

possible

because

suggests upon the

profanation TES

of the

Temple. "3 phrase

There

no need to

look

-popwcs--wc "the

as a mere tautology

such as is

suggested

translation

appalling

horror".

While most scholars elucidated to grant. by Nestle, ap

have heeded the meaning of the Hebrew original there its seems an increasing full weight in this tendency context

as of some

on the part

NW aew-'

of war and devastation.

"The common extension of meaning given to O. T. passages in the N. T. forbids that our Lord's insistence use of the expression an must be identical with Beasley-Murray, that in the Danielic Mark Thirteenp'55. Cf. passages. . ." 292. Bruce, "Natthew", 1.

2.

S, ynoptigues,

II,

422.3.

St Mark,

511.

204.

Pesch gives

this

matter

much emphasis.

He says,

"Der Kontext

legt

also

nahe,

dass hier ist. "1

mit der danielischen out that


which This

Chiffre

auf die Zerstrung

des Tempels abgezielt

He points

the passages of Dan. 11: 31 and 12: 11 both refer


describes the devastation harmonizes of the with the city, clear and not alone

back to Dan. 9: 26f. its profanation. 2

interpretation

announcement

in }k.
enquire the

13: 2 of the approaching


after a sign of the

destruction,
fall

and also with v. 4 where the disciples


of the city. Pesch also sense of argues that

imminent

use of

&6TrcOToc zerstrende um die O. T. picture,

emphasizes Person Aktivitat

the active

epgpwoe Feldherrn " 3 is oder

"es geht sein

um eine

oder Macht, 'd'un

den r8mischen

Heer,

jedenfalls

devastateur as well

personnel'.

Even in the

devastation

as profanation,

certainly
desolates

intended.
inasmuch

The suggestion
as it empties the

of Foerster
violated

and others
shrine of true

that

a profanation
is

worshippers

only a part

of the story

Daniel

tells.

Obviously, et al.

no idol

could physically is Antiochus


his

wreak havoc, but as Rowley, Torrey,


is did in view here, and not actual merely

have shown, it
or idol,

who
soldiers

an altar violence

and-, he through and buildings. its inhabitants,

perpetrate

physical

upon people he massacred Heaton logical ' Ul ,

When burnt up their the

Apollonius its city Jews' houses,

entered

Jerusalem its

by guile walls.

and demolished

comments "Having step n111j7,1 of trying W,

broken to

and their faith. '4

homes, Antiochus The impact of the

tools the words

destroy

T131))

as used by Daniel

regarding

b DJ the work of the

jiPli)

should not be

1. 2.

Nahervartuni7en,

142. Hengstenberg's comments See Vol. 3 of of study. 1858), 157-163.

in some respects, his work is outdated Although issues of Dan. 9: 26-27 are worthy on the linguistic (E. T., London, the Old Testament his Christolopy of

3.

Ibid.,

143.4.

Ia.niel,

77.

205.

dissipated

by settling

for

a purely

metaphorical

application.

Thus we find Beasley-Murray


that the

difficulty

in accepting

the commonview as expressed by He says, ". .. it is clear

in his comments upon s. 13: 14.


has by itself no thought

expression

of the

temple'adestruction

but purely
the very

of its
reason is

desecration-. 112 We do not think


adduced by that taken as-not author only true himself. but 3

that
Thus,

it

is clear,
even if

and for

Nestle's grounds

understanding

the whole

truth,

on the

of Beasley-Murray's
significance still

reasoning

above, we are entitled


from Daniel is

to look for a broader


used by Christ. However,

when the phrase

as has already et al.

been said,

we think

that

Frost, its

Carrington, own literal

Jeffery,

Pesch,

are right

1I they give to when _13rA

meaning, without This

denying the pun intended


viewpoint the gives weight

also by the phrase of which it


to both profanation This and devastation, understanding,

is a part.

and certainly understanding

Roman invasion

brought

4 both.

and this

Von Rad reminds us that in Daniel ". the statewnts 1. made about the .. Thus in Dan. 9: 26 future of older words of scripture. are simply exegesis in the prophecy of Antiochus Epiphanes, This is the term `lj'ilY occurs. but goes back to Isa. 10: 22; for the very not a random choice, certainly (Is. the only to that x. 23) is used in the same passage in Daniel, next verse being that the 'decreed is now made to refer difference to the end'. .. II, Certainly 314. Seleucid king (Dan. ix. 27). ... "Old Testament Theology, the 10121 in Isa. 10: 22-23 refers to a destruction which will come as an word In Dan. 9: 26 the term applies to the city, flood. though the overwhelming the fate Therefore it is not strange following verse describes of the desolator. that Jews of the first century saw in Dan. 9: 26 something more than merely desolations by the soldiers The comments the partial accomplished of Antiochus. to the actual of Gaston are more faithful wording of Daniel than the usual notes He says: "The 'abomination' in Daniel seems much worse than by commentators. that of I Mac. I: 54, and it may be that he expected the temple to be completely text The massoretic but as it stands destroyed. of 9: 26 is probably corrupt, `the people of the prince the city it says that destroy who is to come will ' This seems to say that the temple the sanctuary. be completely and will by Antiochus We must beware by the Messiah. destroyed, or possibly either Daniel too much in the light happened according of what actually of reading 118. to I Maccabees. " No Stone on Another, 2. Mark Thirteen, 55.3. See footnote "appalling Horror" the Greek phrase". 2,203 of this thesis.

Branscomb 4. "renders only

Moffatt's criticises one of two ideas in

because it translation He says that due weight

206.

alonel

rings

true

to the

demands of the

literary,

philological,

and historical

evidence of Mark 13. sixth


data

While an abundance of material further, we doubt if

exists

to illuminate

this

interpretation
is required.

our repetition

of mere descriptive

cs-tn K_

From the time that

Mark's

Gospel first

appeared,

this

word as

has stood out to many readers as a warning beacon.


a masculine accusative singular, rather than

Almost all

have read it
plural.

as a neuter

accusative

The fact

that

Mark elsewhere lapses into that in this instance


special.

similar

usage has not discouraged of grammar implies

the conviction
something,

the contravention

or rather

someone, Lenski

Those who like

and Volkmar

affirm

that

6Tir1K-o

is

neuter
corpses, which

plural

find

its

fulfilment
of

in defiling
idolatrous Zealots

objects

such as bones, or
The interpretation to this

or the

multiplicity fulfilment

Roman banners. naturally

favours

the

by the

inclines

be given to the concept of destruction, as that of desecration. as well should f SXuyr roc -cris Kevan says similarly in his article Mark, 237. on the Dictionary Carrington 17. that the Greek in Baker's affirms of Theology, > "can only mean devastation". Mark, 278. This is term 11 s pYjH u3ae u inasmuch as a desecration by emptying a shrine too strong, of. can desolate But Klostermann that the word marks the work of the avers worshippers. 3Atyp "Dieser Greuel ist W. Grundmann agrees. as devastation. Markus, 266. Macht, denn er wirkt Verdung und Verwstung", eine wirksame 143, says in his Marcan commentary, B. Weiss, cited by Pesch, Naherwartungen, des das land 422: " Eprlhtux c fhrt mit Notwendigkeit auf die Vorstellung heidnischen Heeres, das als Collectivum gedacht ist". verwstenden

a&wc

1.. We have not listed on Ilk. 13: 14, such as any recent positions as options (A Study of St Mark), and G. Cotter ("Abomination Farrer those of Austin of (1957), While both of these have been published 159-164). CJT III Desolation", they have not awakened scholarly interest for over fifteen or assent. years, Origen's Parrer's Both seem to pattern methods of exegesis. contention after that the abomination of desolation was seen in the garden betrayal, set up followers, temple of Christ's in the spiritual and some of Cotter's remarks on transcend the speculations in TDNT which the symbolic meaning of EvPrjNoc (Kittel's pr`aoC James Barr has strictured so roundly. own article on

has some likeness to Cotter's, as it sets forth the "theological" significance the desert. ) We think that Farrer and Cotter would each see elements to of but such a circle in the other's position, of approval is rather too commend Subsequent commentaries on Mark have not made reference to these small. interpretations. allegorical

207.

reading

of the

term.

On the

other

hand,

those

who see

icsrr1K8Toc intended. 1

as

a masculine

form,

almost

always

view

the Antichrist

as being

Daube reminds us that


being ad sensum. 2 Usually

it

is not enough to speak of the construction


as with all other writers, followed the

as
rules

Mark,

of grammar and not of sense.


further observations us that are the Mark's they present

'Why the deviation


most pertinent followed ever ready sacred of the correct

this

time?
subject

Probably
that

Daube's

on this the to habit

can be found. expounders from any

He reminds of Scripture grammatical noticed, 12: 11) is

device were

of Rabbinical

whereby anomaly

draw special 3

conclusions As has already in Daniel almost

in the usage

manuscripts. original

been

each instance

of the

phrase

(except certainly, Mark form. that of less

marked by a deviation Jews, tradition, this long

from

grammar.

Thus,

scribally-minded follows And if the

before

Mark's Daniel4

day, by his the

had scented deviation likelihood

a mystery. from still true correct remains nature into

imitating difficult his readers waacr

some find

to accept, as best

Mark was enlightening the than . ayfoc .. a word what this Christ

he could

as to the

He may thus out at length that

have condensed to the kind

may have spelled

initiated. of construction

much may be considered

as certain,

the

McNeile, Lohmeyer, Klostermann, Nineham, Rigaux, ad Branscomb, Loisy, 1. e. g. Taylor, Mark, 511. Taylor differs loc. Cf. Vincent with some of the preceding the passage as pointing to "a manifestation in understanding of Anti-Christ in expected historical events. "

2.

New Testament,

418.3.

Ibid.,

418.

that it is "practically that the Markan 4. Bacon would have us believe certain by the Pauline. " Mark, 129. Thus Bacon has been affected form of the apocalypse ec5-rrrrc&o( but wrongly H. A. A. the significance for it. of accounts sees _ "The has been assumed (e. g. by Bousset), Kennedy's position curious remarks apply. (see The Antichrist by 2 Thess. ii. is to be explained Legend, that Matt. xxiv. " St Paul's This is surely 23). of New Testament criticism. one of the paradoxes See the discussion the Last Things (London, 1904), 56n. in Conceptions of (Paris, Aux Thessaloniciens 1956), 95-105. Les Epitres If one account Rigaux's it is far more likely that the fuller the other, reflects account is the original.

208.

ad sensum to be met with milieu rsrrcy of thinking o & with

in this terms is

passage

sprang

from,

and was intended Rabbinic

for, "-1

in Rabbinic This

and reading the

through

spectacles.

hardly

phraseology location.

one employs

when desirous or

communicating did Christ

precision these

an exact

What does Mark mean? Matthew also

what which,

mean, if slightly

were His words? remains the

uses an expression Ttcu yiw

although

more specific, include

somewhat nebulous

The possibilities

following:

1. Some key holy place 2. Jerusalem


3. The land

such as the temple, the temple, of course,

itself,

but including

of Palestine. to Mark's r1PUl of the meaning . It is is king to be found always in the to Old Testament's the sanctuary. 2 rPW the sea

The main clue location But Daniel as planting the D7 of also the

linked

speaks

infamous

represented [ct- &roc

tl M by the ] "between

tabernacles

of his

palace

and the glorious


"a time of trouble,

holy mountain. "3


such as never

And this

"stand"

is described
Daniel

as inaugurating
we find that at

has been". 4

So, from

Daube, New Testament, 1. 422. Carrington interpretation to the Antichrist refers based on He calls it "a curious theory", kyrgK6Ta and says that it is . based on the fact that "the word translated 'standing' has a masculine form in Matthew [sic]; it has to commend it. " Mark, 279-80. and that is all He further declares that "The history and usage of the words makes such a impossible, theory and so does the text of Mark, which goes on to envisage " Ibid. We confess to finding this itself war conditions. criticism somewhat Aq a ready shown, the curious, and not only the Matthean reference. 11. E 1(: w the D the usage of particular phrse/st'rongly supports Antichrist does all that has been said above regarding position, and so likewise E6-t'r)K'to( Possibly what has also been said here about Antichrist's .. in history to Carrington, action would make this position more tenable and

the interpretation of Ef6TgK-roc associated with it. As in 9: 1, the word implies existence rather than "standing"
2. 3. the Dan. 8: 13-14; 9: 26-27; 11: 31; 12: 11. the erection a rcjc t

as such.

has rr'E Dan. 11: 45. Theodotion implying , but the older LXX has takes his stand, invader

of tents

where

4.

Den. 12: 1.

209.

least army,

two of the with its would

above possibilities tents v 41 Tc( about

could

be in

focus

in Mk. 13: 14. An invading lay the temple,

military stand

the holy cz

mount wherein (Sai. land holy. 1 as R&c-'AjyFa

certainly times

rrou

In Old Testament

Jews were wont to If Christ

refer

to the whole the meaning

has- enlarged

of the

rr('jc

epr)NwaEWc

then it

is similarly
could other

likely
include hand if that

that

His reference

as to the location
and the

of the
land. the a

abomination On the reason time is

the Jerusalem

temple-site

surrounding point

Mark has paraphrased by Vincent

Christ ".

at this .. in

no doubt

offered

Taylor.

Rome, during .. to more add that were and but

of persecution, language both replace the

when Christians was politically c, y o if

were crucified "2 c Taylor and

and burnt. proceeds Ea'fn K

precise possibly used to menacing

dangerous. iMwo .p reference

&

an original It

to armies that

surrounding this is

Jerusalem

temple. 3

cannot

be denied

a possibility,

the evidence for


offered on ,159.

it

is far

from compulsive.

We prefer

the reconstruction

vayivwcrKwv

VO-irLO
it

This passage has already


that Christ and not

been discussed
Mark uttered the

in

some detail.

4 We believe

possible

1.2 2. 4.

Mace. Mark,

2: 18;

1: 7;

3: 1. 3. Ibid.

512.

See 37-39 Matthew, ad loc. Regarding the supposed parenthesis and cf. Allen, Philip Schaff has written: "It must be admitted that in of the evangelist, three Gospels there occurs no similar the first insertion case of a subjective (editorial to any event or discourse. " calling attention note on Mt. 24: 15, "Matthew", in John P. Lange's Lange's Commentary, VIII, 425. ) The immediate objection to what Schaff says consists of Mk. 7: 19 and the "Thus he declared supposed parenthesis We consider it all foods clean". (for the words that the RSV interpretation unlikely are not actually a translation) It is improbable in this instance. is correct that Christ Who upheld the Torah See D. Nineham, Saint Mark, so strongly would have made such a pronouncement. 191-92,196. Matthew Black is almost certainly correct when he suggests that in the original Aramaic the meaning approximated 'all the food being cast out An Aramaic Approach to the Gospels and purged away'. 159. Thus and Acts, Schaff may be entirely correct, and if so the usual position the regarding is somewhat undermined. der discussion See also J. Morison, n as ae Mark ad loc. h o er hand, most modern comme totQrs influenced by the Greek as Tunas, see the phrase as s Markar or scribe addition.

210.

words, thereby related swell

using a key concept of Daniel

itself.

I": l The word and its 111 to the


concerning. he sought

or

terms occurs 27 times in the ancient to a crescendo in connection


of Daniel that 8 is called

apocalypse,

occurrences x, 712)
.. under-

with

the references
"the this

The vision the

by the writer and for on this.

vision vision

transgression

makes desolate", emphasis

standing.

Note the

recurring

it. had seen the vision, I sought to understand When I, Daniel, ... "Gabriel, the And I heard a man's voice. make this man understand .. " 0 son of man, that the he said to me, "Understand, vision. .... is for the time of the end. 111 vision .. ... . 'but I was appalled by the vision to give and did not understand it. 2

0 Daniel, the

I have now come out the

you wisdom and understanding. 3 of the vision. 4

..

consider

word and understand the

vision.

And he understood . . . from the first

word and had understanding day that you set your

mind to understand. shall

..

.5 6

And those

among the wicked

people shall

who are wise understand;

make many understand. who are wise shall

none of the

but

those

understand.? The last Daniel defiles parmi and the the les four "wise" and a half might chapters of Daniel the vision are avowedly concerning given the so that

understand

power which

sanctuary. qui

Thus with entendent:

Rigaux, p ccV

"noun n'hesitons t waKU3V

nous ranger pas 3 VoE_-/(Tc, de

exegetes

Mc 13,14 commeune invitation de la source, mais le livre

bien comprendre, non pas le texte qui contient la formule -pUko taa 'c

de Marc ou EpqpwEwC,

1.

Dan. 8: 15-17.

2. 4.

Dan. 8: 27. Dan. 10: 1.

3.
5.

Dan. 9: 23.
Dan. 10: 12.

6.

Dan. 11: 33.

T.

Dan. 12: 10.

211.

le

livre

de Daniel.

"'

--rE of

dy

i
is not

`Iobo O
only to those the usual this

y qPeye--rwao aic
within the city. of fleeing been a matter of Judea,

'r

cSpg
of the for Does the the to

The warning countryside refuge. Christ

The dwellers to the for

are warned As to which

against

practice has ever

capital

"mountains", mountains

debate. it

refer

to the

of Moab, or the hills motif?

or is it

merely

employment last-named, make this ". nicht .

of a well-known though it

apocalyptic

We do not think The context is too

can be just "down-to-earth" avers that

may well merely selbst

be included. poetic gehrt

exhortation

and visionary. zur Erwartung Ereignis

When Schniewind der letzten Dinge,

das Fluchtmotiv an irgendein

und man darf Marxsen,

geschichtliches

denken", Z sein! in

we must answer with Man muss die

"darum nicht? des Markus zu erfilllen

Das mssen doch keine der "3 in einer basis

Widersprche Zeit lebt,

Geschichte sich

anvisieren, beginnen.

der alte

Anktindigungen been argued

On the

of what has already

in preceding

pages about the nature


apposite. logical. with -r". its

of the discourse
discourse

as a whole,
in flight is entirety is

Schnievind's
is both

contention

is not

The eschatological Haenchen's reference cpr' . Ir6to

historical the guide mark. to 4

and eschatoLuke 1: 39

comment upon this P r)

much nearer the best

probably

interpreting

Compare also always

Neh. 8: 14.5 have a significant to 6p J &r temporal mv meaning in Mark, is but

does not linked

in

this

case being

as a consequence 'rC this is

such a meaning is the awaited

intended.

The appearance Drop all, stay

of the not, flee

SsyNa -all

r&

signal.

comprehended

1.

"huyNoc

', 682.2.

Markus,

174.

3.
5.

Markus, 124n.
See discussion in Beasley-rlurray,

4.

Jesu, 4444-448.
58.

Mark Thirteen,

PAGE NUMBERS CUT OFF IN ORIGINAL

212.

in the following crisis Christ! coming angels, to the

present verses

use of 1

-re

Subsequent

usages too

of

1c re the

in the thought here is of the

are worthy

of study, if it.

as they

express

and climax. ... in do not clouds with

"And then believe great elect

any one says to you, 111 "And then they will

'Look,

see the he will

Son of man send out the earth

power and glory. from the four

And then winds,

and gather

his

from the

ends of the

ends of heaven. "2

Thus from the first


urgently discourse from from one climax this aspect to

-cc-
another reminds

to the last
with

in this

discourse
momentum. to the

we are hurried
Reading the

intensifying

one of listening Tic the , tribulation, but these f"

Hallelujah , the

chorus. subsequent and the belong O

The appearance miraculous rapture, to the the

of the

PS"EAuyHc during -f act. of the

manifestations are all marked by the final

the

true

epiphany, events 1? all

successive

one act,

Thus is End. ,

the .

iuyNa

nWa

terrifying

harbinger

1. 2.

Nk. 13: 21. rlk. 13: 26-27.

213.

Excursus

on the Meaning LXX

of

fi3cS'IvyFan is

and to translate (a)

In the

j3S9hUYpa
(c) VI-p1 171 J

used chiefly

11-2yn
is used of its 13: 14.

(b)

rpo

(More rarely, .)

fMAuy1.. ia

by the LXX to translate appearances is as follows:


The term middle is found in the

The complete N. T. list

Lu. 16: 15;


passive in Rev.

Rev. 17: 4-5;

21: 27; Mt. 24: 15; M.


occurs in the

21: 8 and once it

voice,

Rom. 2: 22.

AG states that
in

that

the literal before


of

meaning of PS4Auypa God because it


everything

is "(1)

anything ...
"

must not be brought


the Old Testament. ...

arouses his wrath.


with idolatry.

(2)

As

connected

In TDNT We read that:


parts of the Bible the reference may be to things ... ) "unclean", (-aesthetically? "repugnant", or which are cultically "abhorrent", to certain and especially pagan things which are themselves to the God of the O. T. Thus idols particularly abominable p5e%vyp%-ra This usage is found in the writing may be called ... . PSAuy pv, but in them there is an extension which makes prophets. .. to kvopia In the Wisdom literature this development parallel .... leads to the point to paganism disappears and the where the opposition to evil. word simply denotes God's hostility .. .1 legal As regards usage in the LXX the same work continues: in the

bS-XuKThe word group translation in the LIM is a. of a regular (92 times). the word group : jyh in Jer. There are 6 exceptions Ezr. , , Chr., Ez. and Prv. In Ez. the word group 'I'M occurs 44 times, and voH EUO PSeu430 times is not used; and derivatives in'24 is not these. On 8 occasions 21 D fl are used of out of O KO.AocP1bc (cK Xevpa%oc PSs. iuKin Prv., rendered ; , Rag-AukAgain, b. is used relatively are used 5 times. infrequently Heb. terms for idols, for certain along with other Ei 6whov, )Ei pc1TO%r\ToV, yNui'iTV, such as attempted renderings -svOupoa, eni-rrj&uFAoc. c! viov, pl'Tociov c (9 times in Lv., It is used quite for the word group c. often incl. Da., elsewhere 20 in the prophets only 3 times), along with Z, Jv, 'npoa6X8i6Hoc. as UpoaoXO such renderings The LXX continued the extension of the term begun in the prophets, it from natural and aesthetic and helped to liberate connections vo . (-- 598), partly by equating it with ethical like concepts

(for

a')ifl

599), and partly ,

by pouring

into

it

the purely

1.

Foerster,

"

13as\u cafot

...

",

TDNT, I,

598.

214.

by il*, y)rj in Prv. (- 598), ethical content acquired especially This is particularly and thus giving it a completely new orientation. fIdE'P\uyNa plain in Sir. 15: 13, where the LXX has Tfv
for the dualistic can also double term 11-2yfll 119) antithesis denote the the will repugnance of the between As an expression of the Nuyp'X of God and that of man, p ungodly to the will of God

(Prv.

29: 27; Sir.


to

1: 25; 13: 20). 1


add to of the above for

BDB has little instances are the of the following:

our purposes, and ilY111

but

typical

employment

rpt7f

or cognates

I PV r-p --L1 T rp V!

See 1 Kings See Lev. See Lev.

11: 5; Nah. 3: 6;

2 Kings

23: 24; Eze. 22: 24.

20: 7-8.

11: 11,43; 11: 10,12;

20: 25; Deut. Isa. 66: 17.

7: 26; Ps.

J1 2 Kings 23: 13.


example of the

See Gen. 46: 33-34: It

Deut. 14: 3; 1 Kings 14: 24; 2 Kings 16: 3; the last verse is an excellent
and lBoth words are

should be noted that


nature oj1]y1rj

synonymous

found in the verse and are used of false inu, PnNw waw Feminine, 6PfN11OEc-'e
in the setting

gods in an identical singular of

sense. Qs as from J1]&


r

genitive,

ipnMc,

cannot be defined
Firstly, it

quite
is for

as simply
not the the latter as Nestle reflected consider from its

when viewed this

of Mk. 13: 14. the the Hebrew is

case that is pointed in the Old

word perfectly in meaning, a century

represents while ago, the

W3111 ,
not.

equivocal out nearly

former in

Secondly, of the term first

usage

Daniel us,

Mk. 13: 14 is significance

a case of paronomasia. of the Greek SprIpwaawc

Let

however, in

isolation

Testament "equivalent".
desolate, is bring to Mt. in the ruin",

--

F-pq 4&
and the Lu. complete

signifies
list

"to lay waste,

make

of New Testament 17: 16; 18: 17,19.

occurrences F-Pgpulalc and their

as follows: only

12: 25;

11: 17;

Rev.

occurs

'_, N, 6C-wr,

passages,

1.

Ibid.,

599.

215.

parallel

in Lu. 21: 20, but

spgHoC

(desert)

is

of more frequent

usage.

TDNT summarizes as follows: The adj. NoC apqHOC usually 11OC (usually in the NT) and the subst. T refer to "abandonment", whether of a person

Soph. Oed. Col., 1717: C u a r c, icloc(w ipr'f Eur. 01.4: 27: t "ht,abandoned wife"), he uppl., Z cf. HOC , (EoOqC SP9poc EoOav. oTr&wv Hdt., IX, 63), or a or a cause The latter locality. does not have to be a desert. It is a place "without inhabitants", "empty", e. g., an "abandoned city" or a (Hdt., 'thinly district" IV, 17f.; VI, 23, VIII, 65: KtZpq populated i WPx60c'; P. Lille, EPnMc I, 1TNEiw Xpvov P -r 26,3 (3rd cent. B. C. ), cf. Mt. 23: 38 vl.; Lk. 13,35; Ac. 1: 20). It can naturally mean "wagte" in the strict sense, e. g., an unprofitable "waste of stone or sand" (e. g. Hdt., 111,102: Kxrvc yo(p izZi ), r & c. -rev e-a-nv F-pr, and it can thus 'pc 4pov be used for a "lonely" heath (e. g. Lk. 15: 4, where the shepherd leaves pn) the 99 sheep Lv rci iw) .1 Epr1Noc

(mc-rp

rPru vn That a city 5. is or country or . ("devastated") is the natural of of the destructive attack result (Mt. 12: 25: ). It EPrPucttc enemies --49F'65'rai 6: 11; Lam. 5: 18; be, as in many prophetic the OT (Is. may also of sayings (Mt. 23: 38 vl. and Ez. 6: 6 etc), the consequence of the divine wrath Rev. 17: 16). 2 par.;

; --wr_EPrNwojr
examples, apart
2 Chron. 30: 7;

is commonlyused in the LO for 1JDW. 3 Typical


are Lev. 26: 34,35; Ps. 72 (73): 19;

from the phrase in Daniel


36: 21; Jer. all 4: 7.

To the Hebrew word we now turn. shows the metaphorical ambivalent meaning primary of MY meaning , "to

BDB, as with which seems to

lexicons, the

emanate from

use of the

stun"

or "to make silent".


Typical usages following: in the Old Testament Ot32I of or cognate forms

include

the

to be laid
I D1VJ r1lU Plur. f.

waste,
places

desolated.
waste,

See Eze. 33: 28; 35: 15.


ruins. See Isa. 61: 4; Dan. 9: 18,26.

laid

to be astonished.

See 1 Kings

9: 8; Jer.

18: 16.

1. 3.

Kittel,

" prlioc...

",

TI JT, II9 books

657.2. times,

Ibid., of which twelve

659. are translations

Used in the canonical ZOO or cognates. of

eighteen

216.

0 01 W
1]w'J

Part.
Niphal.

laid

waste.

See Lam. 1: 4,13,16;


to be laid in all other

3: 11; 2 Sam. 13: 20.


waste. forms See Jer. of the verb, for the 4: 9; and most 12: 11.

to be astonished; meaning is found The

The same twofold further examples

are unnecessary.

instances

in Daniel,

part,

have been left

for

later

discussion.

CHAPTER FIVE

RELLTIONSHIP BETWEENII wxuyP a -rq c

TASS. Frf

2 AND THE

twcsi

U-

218.

From the time of 1 Maccabees till


b yNa TAG with the pq f t. term, that w is

the writing
unknown to

of Mark, the phrase


literature. opponent It of But the concept on

associated the lines

of an eschatological was well-known. onwards. 1

God modelled Jewish

of Antiochus from the

Epipha. nes, writing

echoes throughout

apocalyptic

of Daniel the

As regards end when the holy

the New Testament, city is to imperilled, our thesis,

Synoptics great third

all

speak of the tribulation refers

sign

of the Two of

and the and the

launched. armies

use the phrase

central

to the

is always embodied in a 1. This is not to say that the concept of Antichrist Not only their human figure. own sacred books, but the myths of surrounding influenced the eschatological of the of the writers presentations nations is sometimes a demonic: - figure, Thus Beliar and sometimes pseudepigrapha. in the is prominent The more general presentation humanized. of apostasy is gradually Daniel, but the picture descriptions after of the end written demonic Antichrist either until as Satan or one of his lieutenants, sharpened See Testaments feature. human, becomes a regular of the Twelve Patriarchs, or Reuben 4: 7; 6: 3; Levi 3: 3; 18: 12; Dan 5: 10-11; Judah 25: 3; Psalms of Solomon Oracles 3: 63ff.; 1: 20; 15: 33; Sibylline Pompey); Book of Jubilees 2: 1,29 (. (Whether such passages as this than 2: 167f. a Jewish rather one had originally ) The role of Belial in the Qumran document, is not certain. Christian origin a The War of the Sons of Light with the Sons of Darkness (chs. 1,13,16) should be compared with the foregoing. Oracles 5: 93-110. IV Ezra 11-12; II Baruch 40; Sibylline Later sources include dating, Because of difficulties of Christian regarding and the possibility it is not possible to place much stress interpolation, produced on Jewish writings However, we can say that at that the time of the early Christian era. about born of the Jews in general held the idea of a coming powerful time, ruler God and hatred in himself the tribe enmity against of Dan, who would unite by the Messiah. See Bousset, The Israel, but who would be destroyed against Apocalyptic; Rowley, Apocalyptic; hilligan, Legend; and Pussell, Antichrist (London, 1908), 158-162; Rigaux, L'Ant6christ, Thessalonians ch. 7. to by Paul in 2 Thess. 2: 4, has not been found in any Daniel 11: 36, alluded 654: "A partir but see Rigaux, text, de ce moment-l. biblical extra , ." ..

219.

the

invader.

But prior

to the

writing

of the

Gospels,

echoes

of Christ's

eschatological Christians,
It is

discourse

are to be found in the two letters the .

to the Thessalonians 64AUYf.. ia


to the -r'c 1 Maccabees was appeared, Thessalonian

and among these echoes are some concerning


the earliest epistles, is 1 that found. the Just from -r6 the first as

in these, picture

reference P1uypoc that

Danielic sPqf...

of the Antichrist is unknown to

WCEWC so the

literature oivepo iroc

time

written,

expression in

cvrpiac interest

when it in the

was a unique epistles,

term

literature. the central

Thus our present chapter Gospel, 2 Thess. of the

especially

second

letter. discourse In to the

What Mark 13 is Synoptics we are full thing as a whole, with

to that so is

and the 2 to

eschatological corpus.

the Pauline apparently l-12

each case "To give the a

confronted

an atypical

emphasis, of

esoteric. would

account

of the

interpretation

2 Thess ii. "2

be almost are best

same

as to write

a history

of Christendom.

As some plants

known

for
the

their
Slough

thorns,

so this

passage is renowned because of its


for its swallowing thereby, of

difficulties.
cartloads of Scripture having the been of

As

of Despond was noted without engulfed

up of whole passage

good instructions, appears rendered to have entirely

benefiting a multitude It

so this

exagetical

tomes without as "probably

luminous.

has been described of the Pauline

most obscure 3 From the

and difficult

[passage]

in the whole

correspondence".

days of Augustine

many commentators

have evinced

an extraordinary

humility

when confronted

with

the task of exegeting

this

famous chapter.

Even Rigaux's4

1. 2.

Assuming, with

most,

the

priority

of Thessalonians (CB)(Cambridge,

over 1914),

Galatians. 170.

George G. Findlay,

Thessalonians

(MN-TC)(London, 1950), 155. Neil, Thessalonians Cf. William It. 3. one of .. the most difficult passages in all the epistles and one which in the A. Y. " incomprehensible. is quite Epitres (Etudes Bibliques)(Paris, Les Saint Paul: 1956), 4. aux Thessaloniciens (Hereinafter to as Ep. ) 279. referred _

220.

monumental At this

work

on Thessalonians one sees some truth

contains in the

a well-known couplet:

confession

of bafflement.

point,

Commentators each dark passage shun, And hold their farthing candle to the sun.
But if 2 Thess. blighted for 2 is with those an acknowledged spots. Its part of the biblical sun, it seems to be

a part

puzzling was first

incomplete written,

allusions but hardly

were sufficient, so for subsequent the chapter,

doubtless, readers.

to whom it

Thus one can own to a sense

of frustration

when studying

a sensation
rightly vast said limbo

which is heightened
regarding exploded the whole

by a review of its
body of opinion vastest this

commentators.
on this pericope: that that in ...

As Farrar
". .. that

of

exegesis-the "' And all

and the dreariest despite the fact

human can " description

imagination say: "Isis "There [Paul's]

has conceived. is scarcely

another

a more matter-of-fact .. is very positive

prediction and definite.

the Bible. his

language.

of the personality
between leaves his

of Antichrist
and Christ's as to his would of

is vividly
return

distinct;

and he asserts

the connexion
that

appearance

from heaven with

an explicitness

no room for Farrar's

doubt

meaning. "2 one to believe that here is an instance miserably. 3

criticism

tempt

where As in It is

the the quite

principles similar certain then the

grammatico-historical there is

exegesis

have failed

case of Mk. 13: 14, that majority if any single (meaning

no consensus of exegetes is

of interpretation. correct in its other

group all

position,

others)

must be wrong.

Perhaps

factors

besides

the acknowledged canons of interpretation

are at work here,

as

1.

The Life

and Work of St Paul

(2 vols.,

N. Y.,

1880),

It

617.

172. But the same writer Thessalonians, Findlay, 2. "This paragraph is the most obscure to us in St Paul's Charles 3. (Hereinafter Hasson, Norris, H. Giblin in to

says of 2 Thess. 2: 1-12, Ibid., 139. Epistles".

referred Staab, etc., Thessalonians

(AB, =)(Rome, The Threat to Faith 1967), 13,15. Threat. ) 13-15 has listed Feuillet, Rigaux, W. Neil, as discontent Cf. Leon as expressing with present positions. (NIC)(Grand Rapids, 1959), 225.

221.

has been suggested

earlier.

'

Contributory

to the

chaos of views

is

the

face-

of Paul's value
oozing little it celestial attraction

Antichrist.
fireworks for either again,

The thought
from the the that tips

of a supernaturally
of his fingers

endowed villain
has had mind. But to

and toes, century

nineteenth

or twentieth

needs to be said the " task Not

such an ideological The issue exegete are is

repulsion Paul

has nothing mean? "

do with

of the

exegete.

"What did on the

'What did

he believe?

"What can the of the

believe

same subject? 6

The key words dcvoiia(;; worthy which a little

pericope

%TTOa-rocaioc,

v OPwtrcC of 2 Thess. 2

IC

uic VO(6C, , of respect

-MC

rwwXsio(C. Any interpretation with these, Before introductory and suggest attempting matters

must grapple

some explanations this task, however,

give

congruence

to the whole. on certain

should

be said

of importance.

1.

See 11-18 of this

thesis.

222.

Authenticity

of 2 Thess. of the that the letter letter is not of absolute a personal importance ideology feel it to us, which, if not

The authenticity because Paul's, it is is at obvious least

reveals

modelled analyze

upon his. arguments,

Therefore, the issue

we do not of which

incumbent upon

upon us to minutely by the majority

has been agreed of 2 Thessalonians all

of modern commentators. into ' brought question, but

The authenticity it is defended

has often recent

been called

by virtually

N. T. scholars.

The main argument ever been its supposed Holtzmann 2: 1-12 is is

against to

the

authenticity

of this in the to urge

epistle matters the of

has

contradiction

1 Thessalonians main scholars that

eschatology. of 2 Thess. criticism

was one of the clearly other outdated. suddenness

that

picture

than

of 1 Thess.

4: 13 to

5: 11. and many with and it is

This others

certainly the .. for

W. G. Kflmmel, Beasley-Murray, of the is advent the not incompatible

have shown that signs. ".

preceding historically

both -

conceptions go together

end comes suddenly, together

prepared

and are viewed Christianity. is viewed answer like "2

in the

apocalypticism The style contrast would it to that

of Judaism of this of the

and primitive second first. letter

as restrained -"And so ... was not differs

and formal ?"

in

One might temperament style.

What

prove? itself task of love

A mercurial in a fixed first.

Paul's

bound down to in this epistle style. are neither

expressing from Letters the

The apostle's purpose

task

of the

A different

presupposes divergent.

a"different Paul's

and letters

of law are notoriously

1.

et al.

W. Beare, (4 vols.,

Interpreter's "Thessalonians", 1962), IV, 625. Nashville,

Dictionary

of the

Bible

ed-U. A. Buttrick',

188. See also 50-54 ICUmmel, Introduction, 2. "contradiction" the supposed eschatological lists the authenticity of against commonly presented

Donald Guthrie thesis. of this among the arguments most "The change 2-Thess., but says:

is not in eschatology but in viewpoint due to cha..nging circumstances. " Introduction, "Not one of these objections is 572. At the conclusion of his review he states, 573. to possess real substance.. " Ibid., seen

223.

solely,

but

we ever

find

admonition

intermingled

with

expressions

of affection,

and

the proportions

depend upon the situation. there are similarities


literary it is

Certainly
between But it of his the letters.

of language and of general


dependence more likely would of some kind Paul would

structure
or other. follow some

These suggest argued than that that that

has been rightly own literary it of is

that

habits

another a forger chapter

laboriously create the

seek to

1 copy him.

Purthermore, that the lack

most unlikely in the that

would

difficulties

clarity

second if there

inevitably

arouse12 Thessalonians, there would

We need reminding probably and it is

were no First the the authenticity genuineness

have been no question just as reasonable to

regarding question

of Second Thessalonians, of the first letter on

the basis
picture

of its

contrast
First

to the second, as vice


Thessalonians is just

versa.

But the traditional


as such a person

rings

true.

such a letter

Paul would probably as

write

for the first

time to a church he had early its writer had previously

raised corresponded

up, and Second Thessalonians


With the same group To quote the letter for are it less

does imply that

of believers. on the than Whole, those the which difficulties are raised period. in the by the "3 way of accepting attempt to

another, difficult

account

as pseudonymous

writing

of a later

1. 2. 3.

Beare, K(lmmel, Beare,

"Thessalonians", Introduction, "Thessalonians",

625. 190.

626. J. Frame asserts ". the hypothesis similarly. .. in spite may be assumed as the best working hypothesis of the diffof genuineness (ICC) by the literary iculties Thessalonians resemblances. suggested .. ." (Edinburgh, 1912), 53.

224.

Authenticity

--

Historical

Setting background of 2 Thess. suggests of the Parousia. that the

The customary letter remarks Paul's the his was called in his aim is first

summary of the forth as a result

of a misunderstanding the approaching

apostle's Therefore that

letter correct

regarding this

now to

misunderstanding present, and to this precursor

of some who believed end he reminds return. view. '

day of the earlier

Lord was already about the

them of

teaching times that

lawless

of Christ's this orthodox

In recent has contended references charismatic There directly is,

C. H. Giblin the main aim of eschatological of doubtful truth This is in

has challenged 2 Thess. 2 is

He

directly

pastoral, rebuke

and that of believers.

to matters practices of course, pastoral.

grow out character

of an implied

among the that

Thessalonian Paul's

Giblin's also

contention of Christ's

aim is as we have

true

discourse,

seen.
support.

But the unique features


We do not think that in

of Giblin's

case seem to have but shadowy


his positions community. (2) and his regarding His whole understanding to the that

he has established this infant Christian arguments,

pseudo prophetic thesis of depends

behaviour (1) on . the his

philological of these for

JO 40 1ro(K-r0L 01 2 but to the

Neither

have recommended themselves lies the in the fact that

reviewers, letters the

basic

reason just

rejection contain

Thessalonians blight it Giblin this

do not

required dominated

evidence the by his

charismatic or that XOV. KD(1

contemplates

actually Paul

Thessalonian use of

scene, T

was to

phenomenon that

referred

1. 2.

Threat,

148-150. Giblinfs question mean by this that reviewers philological that it is doubted whether his evidence for is rightly applied See further discussion 2 Thess. 2: 6-7. 251-56 of this on

We do not but evidence, interpreting

chapter.

225.

Literary

Context

of 2 Thess.

The very first the heart


alludes

words of this

chapterl

show that

the ensuing passage is Paul


that

of the letter,
fact that

and embodies Paul's


some had been shaken

main purpose in writing.


and excited by the belief

to the

the day of Christ


Then Pauk proceeds eschatological his Thessalonian

had begun, and that


to argue against

soon they must behold the Lord Himself.


by clarifying the taught

such a misunderstanding

picture. converts.

He does so by reference But this is not

to what he had earlier

accomplished

by a mere summary

allusion.
features

lather,
of the

it
coming

seems that
crisis

the apostle

is glad to spell
as the

out again some


to the

which

he anticipated

prelude

fulfilment

of "the blessed hope".


chapter begins with a "Finally, brethren. . . ", intimating words

The following that his

main purpose

in writing

had been discharged.

Thus the

opening

of chapters discussion
Textual

two and three

of 2 Thessalonians as well

clearly

reveal

Paul's

eschatological

as the conceptual,

as the literary,

centre

of the epistle.

Criticism are no major "there problems only "2 in the three Greek text of 2 Thessalonians. technical affect According interest the exegetical

There

to F. W. Beare which call for

are

readings

of more than particularly

consideration.

None of these

problem.

We have chosen to followreading for

ocv()PwnoC it

-tar-

cvot4ias

as the

2: 3, not because the case for the context,


from the

is conclusive,

but because it does not vary

harmonizes best with


much in significance

and because thus adopted it

alternative.

Thess. 1.2 des Briefes", -

2: 1-2. E. von Dobschtitz Die Thessalonicher-Briefe 628.

2 Thess. entitles (EEK)(G8ttingen,

2: 1-17 "Der Hauptteil 1909), ad be.

"Thessalonians", 2. is relevant first though most critics

The passages concerned are 2: 3; 2: 13; 3: 6. Only the for our study, and here the textual evidence is equivocal, favour the rendering we have followed.

226.

Relationship

between

1 and 2 Thessalonians between occasioned but also the

and the

Eschatological and the

Discourse Olivet not only that

The similarities discourse to parallel the have often concepts

Thessalonian 1

epistles

remark. to verbal

These similarities expressions. 2 is

extend

Thus Zahn affirms

eschatological postulating commenting Matt. J. the

presentation an impetus on the xxiv. is

of 2 Thess. from Christ

historically 13.2 "It is

incomprehensible And H. A. A. no exaggeration Chapter and with "4

without Kennedy, to

such as Ilk. says:

same Pauline the

passage

say that us. "3 that

most instructive the

commentary

on the

before believes verbal

B. Orchard epistles

expresses to the

same conviction "are fairly

as Kennedy, bristling discourse. forth

Thessalonians of the

coincidences nine

and reminiscences devoted

eschatological setting

More than

pages are

by Rigaux

to the

of these

"coincidences Just

and reminiscences",

and an analysis

5 of them.

a few of the

outstanding-parallels

are now indicated.

2 Thess 2: 1,2:

Now concerning

the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ


we beg you, brethren, not to be quickly

to meet him, and our assembling shaken in mind or excited, ... Mk. 13: 27,7: from the four ... do not And then he will from the winds, be alarmed. ...

send out the angels, and gather his elect ends of the earth to the ends of heaven.

See C. H. Dodd, The Apostolic Preaching 1. and its Developments B. H. Streeter, The Four Gospels (London, 1924), 493; H. A. A. Kennedy, 38-39; (hereinafter Conceptions St Paul's the Last Things (London, 1904), of referred J. B. Orchard, 55-56,166-68; Beasley-Murray, Jesus, 232; to as Conceptions), (1938), "Thessalonians the Synoptic Gospels", Bib, 19-42; Torrey, and ,= Threat, 73; Rigaux, Ems., 95-105; Documents, 36-37; Giblin, Hartman, Prophecy, 178-205, et al. -ranRelium des Matthaus 56. Synoptic Gospels", 19. (KNT)(Leipzig, 1905), 651n.

(London, 21944),

-2. __Das 3. 4. 5.

Kennedy,

Conceptions, and the 95-105.

"Thessalonians Rigaux, .,

227.

is used in a unique sense in the first njavvaywyi' passage, and __. all commentators recognize here a reference to Christ's saying as OposiaOoci in the second passage. is also a unique recorded term, apart from the Olivet discourse being found only in this Thessalonian text. )
2 Thess. 2: 3: Let no one deceive began to you in any way. ... no one leads

Mk. 13: 5: And Jesus you astray. 2 Thess. .. 2: 3,4: ."

say to them,

"Take heed that

Let no one deceive you in any way; for that day will comes first, not come, unless the rebellion and the man of lawlessness the son of perdition, himself is revealed, against who opposes and exalts that he takes his seat in so-called every god or object of worship, so himself to be God. the temple of God, proclaiming At. 13: 14: ought not "But when you see the to be. .. ." desolating sacrilege set up where it

The coming of the lawless 2 Thess. 2: 9: be with all power and with pretended will Mk. 13: 22: and wonders, "False to

one by the activity signs and wonders.

of Satan ...

Christs and false prophets arise will lead astray, if possible, the elect. "

and show signs

These parallels
works in reverse in (v. trial 1 6),

are representative
with M.

only,
13, the against needless (v. 22),

and could be multiplied.


following deception fear the elements (v. 5), the (v. 26), find the

If
their to

one

and begins 2 Thess. the

counterpart Divinity (v. 14), (v. 27).

The warning against prophets

claim

warning false

(v. 7), advent

abomination the gathering

(v. 19),

Orchard the in Pauline similar

stresses shows that contexts.

that the

the

comparison

between

the

Synoptic the

accounts

and

same greek

words

are uaed in are

same sense and rare are expressions, found "it this using is

Furthermore, He argues and the ..

some of these that

extremely authors

as has been indicated. "the same rare to words admit.

when different in the

words same common of literary

same contexts", 2 We think

necessary

some kind

dependence".

1. 2.

Hartman,

Prophecy,

205. Synoptic Gospels", 37.

"Thessalonians

and the

223.

conclusion source

is

a non sequitur. both the

1 ideas

The phenomena certainly and words have sprung,

point but

to that

an original source need

from which

not necessarily
of the regarding were often which oral

be literary.
which things

Almost certainly,
circulated in the

the source in question


early church. 2 Christ's

is that
words and 13

tradition the last

made a deep impression accounts at the also time

on Ilis

contemporaries, such as ilk. crisis. work. Thus his those

repeated.

Written

probably of the in his

existed, Caligula

may first Paul speaks

have circulated of his

use of traditions

missionary received. 3

'What he letters

passed

on to

others

he claimed reminders

to have himself

frequently writes. going the

contain

of what he has already in the Christian

taught

to whom he traditions in

Well-established back to Christ

traditions and the apostles, 4

community, their

frequently

find

elaboration

letters

of the New Testwnent. between I&C point, the 5 y

Relationship v At this

.4cL

and

vAwrtoc'

we are

concerned

with

the

relationship

between

the

yN. c -f
similarities The are

flp

and its uC

apparent parallel

in 2 Thess. 2.

The

as follows: -rrj-_ .pi appears in a discourse which has as its

bJvyMa

1. 2.

Cf.

Giblin,

Threat,

73.

Rigaux, Eli., 105. "Les nombreux cas de ressemblances soulign'es plus haut de valeur. pauliniennes sont une indication et synoptiques entre les expressions de la predication de mesurer Papport Xis permettent en chretienne primitive de fixation de formales, des themes, et de reconnattre la de doctrines, fait des differents d'originalite auteurs. " part

3.1
4. 5.

Cor. 15: 3.
Hartman See also lists discussions, past chapter. and present, on this subject, Prophecy, 180.

270ff. of this

229.

theme the

end of the

age and the

Parousia

of Christ.

It supported

is associated by miracles,

with

a time of lawlessness

and apostasy, for

of false

claims

and a time of special


just prior to the

testing
return

the elect
Lord.

through

supernatural

manifestations

of the

The where "it

PSgXuypot

Tr r.

Ep It

*1 os.wCis to be manifested constitutes

in "the holy place"

ought not to be".

a key sign of the impending end,


the gospel. EprpwaE(zC

and comes as a judgment Judging by its

upon those

who have rejected the PS/uypok

O. T. counterpart,

Trio

consists
arrogating and its itself,

of a power that
to success itself is the the

is proud,
position for setting

blasphemous, and outrageously


of deity. its doom. up of the ' It Its- supremacy "comes to its is

ambitious,
short-lived, end" with time

signal

as a prelude Turning The now to

to the 2 Thess.: i'qr

kingdom

of God.

cvGpwttoc -

cvopiocc

appears

in

a pericope

devoted

to

a discussion
He is His

of the end of the Age and the Parousia


represented takes by signs seat in as being place at lawlessness the incarnate,

of Christ.
and epitomizes associated apostasy. with false

manifestation supported He takes This his

end of time,

and is

claims

and wonders. the temple is the -rr C of God. sign that the like day of the the Lord

culminating and the-

apostasy VOf is iflc attitude

certain

has dawned, -fq ?

1oC

vot riots upon those displays all other

44
the

uyNa gospel.

Pr)NwQSwg v8pwarrps_ blasphemous

a judgment voJ O(C

who have rejected himself objects

The a proud,

as God, manifesting of reverential regard.

against

His supremacy is short-lived,


by the coming of Christ

for his manifestation


doom.

is quickly

followed

and subsequent

1.

Dan. 11: 31-45.

230.

Both the

Olivet

discourse

and the

Thessalonian

epistle

draw heavily

from

Daniel

for

their

presentation, of each power.


one part of the PN

and this When it

helps to explain

why the same things this series of


2

are represented
parallels is P is but XU

is remembered that
discourse the case for rc

between a fragment Pa .r te

of the overall

eschatological parallelism, with

and 2 Thess. equating vc the ocC

WC

O 6(v6xa1ToC denials

overwhelmingly are

complete. incomprehensible.

Thus. the 1

of some scholars it is beyond

such as

Carrington

We believe

successful

to in their It seems that, Discussed 1. 208 of this thesis. anxiety on defend the historical of Mk. 13 to the events of A. D. 70, such application level have refused to recognize Carrington of any other possible as writers the He contrasts J. van Dodewaard, we believe, errs in this way. meaning. ' rqc Matt. PdAuyjjoc a'pnNwof and I&. with the oivOpwrroe cvoN+ar. of 2 Thess. 2 thus: "lit. II Thess. en Mc. pAE'Auyp o,, vs. 9. De wonderbare teekenen zijn eerst wonderen; -geen karakteristiek Mt 24,23 en Mc 13,21 wordt over de voor den Antichrist. gesproken. wonderers der valsche Messiassen Gevaar voor alle Er is gavaar voor de bewoners van geloovigen. Judea Vlucht is uitgesloten. Men kan nog vluchten. (vs. 10-11). " de ziel het tijdelijke Gevaar vooral Gevaar vooral voor voor Leven. is, dat to this Prior of contrasts, van Dodewaard says, "Opvallend series die onzen tekst de zinspeling voorkomt, op 2 Thess. 2,3 vv bij alle auteurs deze stelling Veel Protestanten en uitleggen. verdedigen eschatalogisch " in vergelijking den Paulustekst. leggen dezen Evangelietekst uit met ", 131. "De gruwel. ... link that "all We have already shown that it is not remarkable authors" As There are the best of reasons for doing so. 2 Thess. 2 with Mk. 13: 14. they dissolve by this writer, for the supposed contrasts once it offered the events in Mark transcends that the description is recognized of the tribulation (See Dodd, More N. T. Studies, 80, and them. it includes A. D. 70, although of ) In fairness 10`7/'f it must this thesis. to van Dodewaard, however, of also in effect, his protest be said that he concludes with an acknowledgement which, He says, "Eris dus nets tegen, dat men dit his previous arguments. enervates letterlijk uitlegt zin van van den val van Jerusalem en in typischen gebeuren " "De grovel. ", 131. den Antichrist. ... All such protesting acknowledge that Christ of writers gave an extension PUAu1F Paul is In principle, to Daniel's fqrC. meaning v)pLoa _ the same, for there is doing the same to Christ's reference, and yet not quite Himself intended for supposing that Christ the broader meaning for good reason

that later churchmen elaborated. list A partial fir) f, c/0'hw4 11jk vya those scholars who have linked the Antichrist of 2 Thess. 2 with the of of Mk. 13: 14 is given on 191 of this thesis. OyJa Tos "Pwaswc

231. that f SaAvypoc -rr-rEPnNwatJC standing in the holy place,

refutation the and,

the
on one level For this is implicit

ON0p iTOC

1?

cvOMiocs
at least,

sitting
point 2 is

in the temple of God,


to the same phenomenon. in order that whatever

of interpretation some exegesis the parallel of the

reason, in

of 2 Thess. find will

necessary elucidation.

might pericope

further

The key-terms inadequacy recent

now be considered. in view of the

Despite

the nature of

of available in

explanations, this regard,

unsuccessful at

innovations

there

will the

be no attempt KaALOV

extreme some but this time

originality. suggestions in,; a Gestalt each element


no6Taala

Nevertheless,

as regards which

have been hazarded which grows we have not in separate

embody well-known If the

positions, latter in

seen elsewhere. significance,

has any worth, luminosity. '

and the whole

Is this
as descriptive significant is that Paul basis verses it the is

to be understood
of a world piece in

as a Jewish apostasy,
revolt against for its the

a Christian
Possibly

dereliction,
the most

or

Maker?

of evidence set

available to give to

formulation

of a conclusion but initial proceeds reference. part.

does not that that the all

about

any special pertinent given

explanation, to his

on the In the Rather, occupy apostasy

he continues the

say is is not

follow

apostasy

any independent lawless to

characteristics 2 from Therefore, the

and behaviour one should of the not great

of the attempt rebel.

one which the is

picture.

distinguish The latter

sharply

revelation

is made with the challenge 1. The attempt and warning of Leon Morris et al. "Many conjectures have been put forward. in mind. Sometimes they have been But we cannot feel at all sure that we by ingenious arguments. supported It is best to face the fact. " Thessalonians, have the clue to the situation. 224-25. 2. Hartmau, Prophecy, 198.

232.

mentioned parallels

in the to

same breath the

as the fact

former. the

His

being

revealed

( TToKIAo

eh

some extent

that

apostasy

comes

The word itself


are concerned. 1 This

always signifies
is is true of both

religious
Testaments. Bible. that

revolt,

so far

as the Scriptures
usage referring reference

The classical However,

to political is an excellent to

defection example its here against setting, is

absent

from the

the present

of the

principle only

a word must be given to etymology, world-wide of Jewish to

significance

according The setting of mankind That zeal event than

and not

according

or common usage. rebellion apostasy. misplaced

undoubtedly God. Paul is

that not

of a culminating, thinking apostle primarily prefers

had already to use the

happened present

and the

speak of their many of his race.

term. 2

He yet

had hopes for

Neither

does Paul proceed to reflect

upon Christian

apostasy,

although

such

could be included
at which he wrote

in his view as a contributory


there was little indication

or minor feature.
of any large-scale

At the time
Christian

defection,
on their the

and in these present


fidelity. of evil, effort is

letters

he congratulates
in this passage as to the

the Thessalonians
is fill majority is a description the world of the of stage. race

But what we do find and its to final defeat

maturing

blossming_so God. by seducing sketched.

Satan's by signs tion

climactic

and wonders men into

dramatically those

The result and those

to be a separasaved.

of all

two groups,

perishing,

being

Finally
Thus_q

comes the reference


kryoa-raaioc in this

to judgment,
context

`(va__."pIOwaiv.
"a wide-spread

_m

v-r

....
defiance

denotes

and violent

is attached to the word in late Greek, but The sense of political 1. revolt See the usage of the LXX and the N. T. is opposed to such an interpretation. Cf. Frame, Josh. 22: 22; 1 Macc. 2: 15; 2 Chron. 29: 19; Jer. 2: 19; Acts 21: 21. Neil, Morris, Milligan, ad loc. 2. Rom. 10: 1-2. Pace Kennedy, Conceptions, 218.

233.

of the

authority

of God. "1

This

rebellion

is

to

be fostered

by miraculous

signs authenticating A key factor


the which but legal it lawless one.

error,

resulting

in false

worship

and idolatry. given of


of the of divine meaning is

in interpreting
His characteristic A vc*ioc rebellion "an active

the apostasy is the description


is also the characteristic

apostasy precepts, not the the

he epitomizes. is fundamentally but rather

includes against personal "2 God.

transgression Its primary

sense,

hostility this

more malicious term 3

than

transgression as the of the classic apostasy Another it in the here

of a norm of action. Qumran text finds important by the that its cited key in key to mystery

Furthermore testifies. of the the

has cosmic basic

scope nature

by Rigaux the nature

Thus the rebel is rj&r is the

great

here

described. afforded

interpreting

apostasy which evil

contrast T-roci in hidden

context implies

of lawlessness final crisis

vp

Paul

prior

to the

at work

4 orm. that
that

This is not to say that it

it

does not ever become flagrant, by subtlety

but rather However,


the

in general
which

is characterized
is veiled is

and underhand activity.


openly. With

at present will

soon to be manifested upsurge

man of lawlessness Will it be cloaked

come a violent 5

of unrighteousness.

No longer

or restrained.

Most of what Paul Thessalonians logical This has its

has to say, in the with

or has already A some time yoc

said K9)(

in u.

person,

to the The eschato-

seed form

discourse event would

had forecast be associated

when lawlessness of false

would

be multiplied. Neither

the working

prophets.?

1.

Neil,

Thessalonians,

160.2.

Giblin,

Threat, le

65. des fils

"Entre 3. d'iniquite",

des t6nebres les mains de fange se trouve 655. in. 1 QS, III, 21 cited

gouvernement

4. 6.

Cf. Eph. 2: 2.5. Mt. 24: 10,12.

Rigaux, Neil,

Frame, Milligan, T.

Morris

et al.,

ad loc.

Mt. 24: 23-24.

234.

did

this

picture

have its

origin

with

Christ. testified

The Old Testament to the same.

apocalypse According to the

Daniel,

and pseudepigraphical

writings,

former,
would before allusions

a king of bold countenance would arise


have "reached and just to their the 2 full measure". "

at a time when "the transgressors"


writings, era, produced Daniel's and distress with Sin, will blood, injustice, 3 abound. are to be of just

Apocryphal Christian

after

beginning Ethiopic of the

of the

amplify anarchy

apostasy. the will

Enoch pictures end. The earth

world-wide is

as characterizing the heavenly orbs violence the

time

to be filled abandoned.

be worshipped its is foams, similar. will

and the apostasy

Creator

blasphemy, In

in all

and transgression

IV Esdras with

portrayal panic,

The inhabitants be hidden and the

of the earth earth deprived

seized

a great

truth

faith.
which

Then "iniquity

will
for

increase
a long later

above that
time. "4

which you see now, and that

you have understood Long before Daniel

and the

pseudepigraphical

writings,

however,

the concept of a final


hosts, Later nations gathered beyond the even all nations,

rebellion
would

is to be found in the prophets.


make war on God by attacking point to the same belief. His

Gog and his


people Israel. the as 5

New Testament

statements

At Armageddon

of the Earth have their to make war on the this point, after Gog's the

rendezvous.

with_God. forth

They are pictured from 6 heaven. with

Warrior

who rides the

And even Satan in

millennium armies

same scene the holy

reoccurs

van leading

rebel

against

city.?

It
The event

is no wonder, then,
of which Paul

that
is

we find
familiar

the article
to the

with

r(ocs-raaia both because

speaks

Thessalonians,

1. 3.1. 5.

Dan. 8: 23.2. Enoch 80: 7; 91: 5-9; 99: 4-9; Eze. chs. 38-39.6.

See discussion 100: 1-2.4. Rev. 16: 13-14;

in Rigaux,

253-255. .

IV Esdras 56: 1-2. 19: 19.

7.

Rev. 20: 7-9.

235.

of his legends

own instruction, of just

and because

Jews and Gentiles

alike

already

possessed

such a climax

to history.

The preceding
for partly vof f2 all that follows.

discussion
If this

of the

noa-nxc r`)
is identity , as well elements in

oc
one,

has relevance
we are already

understanding the vcx6

a correct of as the

on the way towards ICKC the nature ,

discovering of the

vePWnoc '-r
significance of

rcoc-rExoV .

These terms

represent

the unified

presentation

of the apostle's
testing we close in the with

picture.
relevance

The accuracy
of that definition

of each definition
to the related

finds
ones.

part

of its

Therefore, an introduction

a summary of what has preceded,

intending

thereby

to what follows.
By anticipated r) Gm o by the oca+a early Paul points It to an eschatological a world-wide rebellion revolt

Christians.

comprehends

against
preaching, by the worship signs

God, His gospel,

and His law.


instead This Instead will

It

marks the rejection


gospel,

of Christian
lie" to offered a false

and the acceptance

of another

even "the leads the with

man of lawlessness. of a pseudo-God. of the new gospel of this nature,

embracing of the

of a false fruit of the

gospel Spirit,

authenticating "all power". RwxeImc is the and

be miraculous such as.

wonders

performed

The key terms point to the

passage time,

vcJioc,

G cTTOKO(AJc jQ-rai, At its heart

and issue

of the

rebellion. the bring

man of lawlessness hostility the of the

who enshrines apostasy. goats,

in himself

self-idolatry, mankind the

blaspheury, to the test,

His deceptions

separating will

sheep from

the

and pave the way for

1 The Judgment. rebellion

"Thessalonians" Lange's Commentary, XI, 132. "The Riggenbach, of the Nan of Sin must help to bring appearance about the complete separation. ". 84-85, Threat, Cf. Giblin, another compatible meaning should not be .. that the 04TOQ-roacIm It is conceivable ignored. implies the separation divergence the ultimate of the good and the wicked, of two opposed lines of the response of faith development; the and the response of disbelief, viz., true cult cult of self. " of God and the idolatrous 1. C. J.

"

236.

be short-lived, very This where, though


b ",

for suffices

the

height to annul finds

of blasphemy all

brings

the

true

Christ, the

Whose Pretender.

presence presentation

opposition, illustration final

and to

destroy last its

by Paul

further the

in the finds

apocalypse, most detailed,

according symbolic,
VepWTTOC

to most exegetes, description.


T1 yotaicxC

rebellion

Paul article 6o6 The are in

now characterizes four -rrc descriptive ITLAEl -Tr c character, equivalent, as the vq

a well-known phrases. ocC, i co(c

figure.

Four times TBC J1., K. -r. C --rFc

he uses the O(C, otvc 1 M vopOC. LOXEI QC four cvoNoC,

cvGpuw1TOG JEVOC L c)

vkv-rj<& and used by Paul

v epwrroc Semitic in are as well

and not _ other

elsewhere. V, vopiocr-

Two of the and 6

expressions and they,

vepw1Tb two,

eTr-I c

connote

rebellion,

anarchy

and ruin.

As Satan himself
representative for with destruction Lucifer himself Pit. "l

is the original
is lures this the an opposer '. OL

rebel

and destroyer,

so this
not

final
only himself As destined

of his but of old, "like

or adversary, tvo to

and is

tTOilf also

to the "sit on the

same fate.

being

desires but

mount of assembly" down "to by his the depths

making of the tion at

Most High", in the Thus,

he will of

be brought

His session Parousia. the likeness

temple in

God is, succeeded small evil. It

dissoluhas to conceive after

Christ's one in

remarkably Prince of

compass Paul is difficult

sketched

of the to

how any literary Satan could

artist

purposing the is

represent

a coming

one as patterning

have improved marvel

picture. magnified into the as we recognize same portrait. He is that This a parody there figure is also only with

The literary another resembles likeness Diabolus

incorporated but also

not

Prince

Manuel.

of Christ,

1.

Isa.

14: 13-15.

237.

an unveiling, signs

a parousia,

a fixed

appointed worship.

time, Either

possessing Paul

power to work John, or

and wonders,

and claiming

anticipates

John copies Paul,


the true Messiah. ' matter

but the Antichrist

is sketched by both as a counterfeit

of

This initial is

of parody,

or counterfeit, The phrase expression over cvr1p of prophet, _ "the sixty

is vOpt

probably iioc

implicit Ic

in the cvcc. i( c

term

used by Paul. parallel Tb

a literary ON

to the G'E`C

man of God". times is

The Septuagint term a defining elsewhere "we wonder with without the having an

uses

pwTTOg

as a technical used with toe says,

designating genitive is only to

a prophet. express the with like

The term thought the Paul,

never cvGp

and

used rarely a NT author have used notion:

genitive.

Thus,

as Giblin perfectly (with the

whether

who was certainly + genitive

familiar article)

LX X, could in mind the

cv6 '"Ma. of n

TIOC

God'. n2 Therefore

what we have in

2 Thess 2 is

allusion
Rigaux paulinien tion

to one who copies God's Man, but who is in fact,


speaks fait similarly figure "3 to give/ us our best he is he is clues to Giblin when he suggests d'instaurateur that dune

the very opposite.


"L'Antechrist religion, par predica-

de prophete,

et miracles.

The phenomena referred nature and work of this

relative

to

the

time, like

Antichrist. individual. obliterated

" If If by the

a counterfeit to be unveiled of the real

of Christ,

Him he must be a single in glory, and is then

by a parousia Christ, his time of

coming

manifestation
signe, car avec qui

is limited
une Bois produit

to the last
pourra

of the last
ne pas avoir est presentee

days.
pour

"Ce signe nest


la venue

pas un

suite

du Seigneur, en rapport

cette

parousie

de 1'Antechrist de Jgsus. "4

comme directement

la parousie

John's Antichrist 1. Cf. Rev. chs. 11,13,17. suffers He, too, works signs and wonders, claiming worship, etc. 2. Threat, 69.3. EP. 271.4. P

death,

but rises Ibid.,

again. 269.

238.

Thus, at the

in the

setting

of 2 Thess. His which parousia applies

2, Antichrist is this the a sign that

is

an individual the

to be manifested Therefore, history,

end of time.

end has come.

any interpretation or to a succession that all

passage mark. make the be said

to

an individual it

of past

of such,

misses

Similarly, apostle's

must be affirmed to signify true

modern interpretations evil

which

words

generic sense but

or some such can hardly word. set The views forth the thereby natural to to

to be exegetical may themselves of Paul's century

in the

of that

expressed significance our own 20th

be accurate,

they

do not

statements.

Father Let

they

represent

concessions study his

Weltanschauung and to that end

us rather

seek in this regarding

find

Paul's

own concept,

we will

now enquire Most of the

sources. on 2 Thess. 2 written in the beginning years und Chaos des

early-studies

of this (1895)

century

refer

to two epoch-making and Der Antichrist

books.

They are Schpfung

by H. Gunkel,

berlieferung in der by W. Bousset, of the dragon Creator Jewish

des Judenthums, in the doctrine the conflict expresses more cautious indicates but many As of

Neuen Testamentes, The former to be found the work

und der alten asserts that the

Kirche roots

published Antichrist

same year. are

in the primitive chaos monster after

Babylonian Tiamat and the

myth regarding Narduk. lines, Gunkel. but

between similar in his that

Bousset he is

views,

working

along

independent myths than

use of the

ancient

Babylonian

The evidence times,

such legends

were familiar that

to the Jews in Old Testament their asserts influence that this

scholars regards

have come to think . __vofo C_..

has been exaggerated. term is the equivalent

Bousset

See Neil, Thessalonians, 177-179, "Only when the evil for an example. in is vanquished by Christ, Rule the Kingly men is overcome, when Antichrist will Whether it comes quickly of God be complete. and suddenly. or whether .. it is still, 179. slowly. as Paul would tell us, an Act of God. .. .. ." Neil recognizes that his homily does not really in this thought express Paul's but some have presented it is not. This, similar place, moralizing as exegesis. One of the best discussions is to be found in of this matter 1.

239.

Belial familiar

(otherwise to

occurring

as Beliar,

Belian,

Beliab, All

Belias, the

Belier, assumptions

Belchor), of the the

apocryphal

andfpseudepigraphical school are implicit

works. in this

religionsgeschichtliche descriptions Hippolytus, rather than of Antichrist and other from their

position.

To Bousset, of

found

in the writers,

eschatological must spring

commentaries from non-biblical ' data. 2 but it

Irenaeus, sources

patristic

own meditation occurs often

upon the in the

scriptural

The word for

Beliar

Old Testament,

is

never

the case that


linked with 3

it

applies
in

as a name directly
such a way as to however, is

given to a person.
give an evil different connotation in the in the 18th

Rather it

is

prefixes

to persons non-canonical and 19th the large of in

or things. Jewish

The situation,

quite to

writings.

These became familiar through the

scholars

centuries, reservoir

and particularly of such materials

diligence for

of R. H. Charles the buckets

was made available the

or thimbles the belief

commentators.

Qumran has now added to

store.

Immediately,

the essential

identity

and continuity

of all

Oriental

religion

made the myth

Thessalonians, 170-173. He says of one interpretation which he ". to be merely idealistic: however true this may be as an considers .. little to their of the Apostle's application words, it contributes or nothing interpretation, first or to the exact meaning they must have conveyed to their or readers. " 171. writer Despite Denney's on vagaries in interpreting 2 Thess. 2: 1-12, he has at least (Expositor's the principle here involved. See Denney, Thessalonians, seen clearly Bible)(London, 1892), 317f. 1. But see Milligan, Thessalonians, 159. On Bousset's "The data on which this theory ibid., 173. is built up make it more than a very plausible conjecture. nor, .. it were more fully established, would it have any direct for certainly of any such mythical all thought origin of was wholly absent from St Paul's mind. " Deut. 13: 13; Judg. 19: 22; 20: 13; 1 Sam. 1: 16; 2: 12; 2. 2 Sam. 16: 23: 6; 1 Kings 21: 10,13; 2 Chron. 13: 7. Geerhardus Vos, The Pauline ) to as Eschatology. referred 3. Eschatology (Princeton, theory as a whole see to are too uncertain after all, even if bearing on our inquiry, the current imagery

Milligan's

10: 27;

25: 17,25;

30: 22;

1930),

96.

(Hereinafter

240.

of the

contest

between

Marduk and the

Chaos-dragon

a probable

origin

for

the

Antichrist

myth.
between the Old and the NewTestaments, powert the already existing through shows of Beliar

In the period belief the that

of the Jews in influence of the

an eschatological Beliar-myth. affected Later the

God-opposing

burgeoned literature the title

pseudepigraphical earlier chief belief till

a demonizing

process Satan

became a synonym for is, how much of the sources?

or one of his picture with

representatives. springs reached

The question from nonby Geerhardus

New Testament Mary today

of Antichrist the conclusions

canonical

agree

Vos of Princeton

over

forty

years

ago.

He wrote:

literature the apocalyptic This recurrence pseudepigraphical upon and does not carry much figure the antecedents to discover of the Antichrist be denied that an amount Of course, it cannot a priori force. convincing before the Pauline in Jewish circles folklore was current of superstitious beliefs Only that these current of such gross and were written. epistles doctrine form were the source from which the N. T. Antichrist rudimentary is hard to drawn and from which it can be satisfactorily explained was 2 believe. Mere assertion, We must ask concerning to be found to all paralleling such as this the verbal canonical studied by Vos, is not enough to settle the question.

relationships or non-canonical that ancient of the first are

of Paul's sources?

words.

Are these is obvious

The answer proved so

who have closely upon the description

apocalypse century. drawn from

which

influential Paul's

Jewish

milieu great

The key features the book of Daniel.

of

of the

adversary

They can be listed

as follows:

"Ile

man of lawlessness", cf.

cf.

Dan. 7: 25; 8: 25; 11: 36-37; Dan. 7: 11,26; 8: 25; 11: 45;

"the son of perdition",

Passages such as Psalm 2, Eze. chs. 1. Dian. chs. 7,8,9,11, were responsible

38 and 39, Zech. for the original

14, and above all, Jewish belief.

2.

Vos, Eschatoloy*,

103.

241.

"who opposes and exalts himself against every so-called 11: 36-39; cf. Dan. 7: 8p20p25; 8: 4,10p11y23-25;

god.

..

."

"he takes his seat in the temple of God. .. 9: 26-27; 11: 31,45.
Other scriptures alluded to by this passage

." cf.
from

Dan. 8: 9-14;

2 Thess.

2 include

Isa.
other

14: 13-15, Eze. 23: 2,8,


less obvious allusions, in to "1

and Deut. 13: 1-3.


but saying the that

Undoubtedly
listed traceable concept

there

are also

ones already "No clearly the man-of-sin

are undeniably and safe except that road via

related. leads the

Vos is back into

correct the past

discover

prophecy

of Daniel. for

The reason to find.

Paul's

use of the

passages

from firmly

Daniel believed type

is

not that

difficult Antiochus of a concept

His predecessors the adversary yet

and contemporaries sketched to come. in Daniel, Christ

Epiphanes, God-opposing

was the

or symbol this

figure

Himself

had endorsed

in His eschatological end were derived


"the of that distinctly foreign this to

discourse,

and Paul claimed that

his

own views of the

2 from "the word of the Lord".


apocalyptic part" of Christ's listed3

While Bousset assumed that


was "a fragment sermon with H. A. A. Kennedy seen grave Matt. .. 24, that

Olivet believe which

origin", view

others . "is

already

of Bousset's

an assumption Bousset that

we have already 2 to explain

reasons Kennedy, echoes of St.

doubt. "4

And while

used 2 Thess. "it

on the

contrary, tradition

declared

seems much more probable. are to be found in the

of a genuine Paul. "5

of Jesus'

words

statements

was anexact version of b avOPwctoC c aNap r ac See James Strong's editorial

176. See also W. Hendriksen, 104-105. Thessalonians, Vos, Eschatology, 1. Hendriksen H. F. Hahn, Old Testament in Modern Research (Philadelphia, cites that "the distinctive 1954), 110-117 to the effect features of Old Testament than those which it had in common with significance religion were of greater derivative other religions, and that even those elements which might be called into vehicles for distinctive had been transformed " Ibid. These beliefs. long conclusions of Vos, Hendriksen, et al., are only ar epetitionof positions held by oth rs. Mgses `'t''jr rt fr 1e anoa-tocaioc e oin e out that pl3,

'iannd

'and af &jsseCRrrhsfjoer1 gaddthhat . eir o avof oC footnote in Otto Zckler's on "Daniel", commentary

242.

So far he parallels activities indicates writings, people prophet"6

in

our study Satan

of Paul's and Christ,

man of and that

lawlessness the terms

we have found descriptive

that

both are that the

of his

drawn primarily long notion Ps. to before

from Old Testament became a popular eschatological Joel 3,

sources. figure

The evidence in non-canonical of Yahweh and His as "Daniel the

Beliar

of a mighty

opponent Zech.

existed. testify

2, Eze., 38-39, this. also parody the that the

14, as well

We have noticed time. the Not only passage. his

lawless indicates rj

one appears this, but

only the

at the whole

end of context of

of Christ of

He is

centre

rToQ''ala his

and the

time-location possibilities. wicked, the that

of this 11 .. ultimate

phenomenon automatically the cnw-rocajoc implies

limits the

own chronological of the

separation

good and the .. . "T

divergence

of two opposed

lines

of development.

The fact

he is tobe term had just

"revealed"

could not but remind the first

readers

that

the same

8 been used of the coming advent of Christ.


enquire as to the particular nature of the "lawlessness" suggest, he

Next we would to be manifested is

by this

being,

and whether,

as most commentators One striking character of the

to be considered

as a member of the Paul here is that

human species. this godless

impression presenting His

received is ascetic

as one reads in nature.

he is flesh.

There

are no hints

of any sins

Lange's

Commentary,

VII,

176.

2.1
4. 6.

Thess. 4: 15.
Kennedy, This title Conceptions, 212.

3.
5"

See
Ibid.

35

of this

thesis.

Qumran community for See 4Q 174, model for all subsequent apocalyptic. (Oxford, in the Judaean Desert, V, ed. J. M. Allegro

was used by the

the

author of the popular 2, line 3. Discoveries col. 1968), 54.

7.

Giblin,

Threat,

84-85.8.2

Thess. 1: 7.

243.

are the Scripture

sins

of the

spirit. the

To illustrate, devil of craft,

a zealous envy, pride,

Christian blasphemy

on the

basis

of

could

accuse

and the

like,

but not of gluttony,


this points is His point we are

impurity,
reminded

or sloth.

The present

case seems similar.


that cJc c

At

of what has already than the transgression rather

been stated,

more to

rebellion

of some norm. than a criminal In 2 Thess. 3.1 There sin of faith form of the 2 is in the

The lawless or profligate.

one

primarily particular

a rebel fault at the

against lies

his Maker,

in his pole

self-deification. to Genesis'

2 we seem to to be as and flowered. of

have arrived

opposite but saying to issue

desire

God was indulged It seems that are

lightly, is

here that

that the

particular response

has burgeoned and the true

Paul finally

response of

disbelief the

in the purest of self at its

cult

God, and

contrasting Not the

idolatrous least puzzling

cult

worst.

of the

verses that

in this "he takes

chapter his seat

v.

4 with temple

its of

reference

concerning

the Antichrist

the

God, proclaiming
debated. in the

himself

to be God. "
out, his

The meaning of_va rthis off passage

here is much
runs "so that effect seat that he

As Findlay temple

points

more literally seat, showing claim to

of God takes This belongs or implies to

himself, the

to the central literally in later

he is minds

God. "3 which

a formal

occupy kvUN1

in men's means to

God alone. It is

'ATroF-i of frequent 4

"show off", there

"exhibit".

occurrence

Greek,

and in the The

"nominate" means of God is

or "proclaim". to the

As Frame declares, assumption of divine

"The session honours. "5

sanctuary

tantamount

1. 3.
5.

Riggenbach, Thessalonians,
Thessalonians,

"Thessalonians", 144.
256.

127.

2.
4.

Giblin,
Milligan,

Threat,

84--85.
100.

Thessalonians,

244.

purpose claim to

of the powerful deity. involve times of the 1 It his

display

of

signs

and wonders that his which His

is

to

substantiate of himself

his against "to

may also legislating law"

be implied

exalting will

God will

of decrees 2 of Yahweh. whom he rebels,

be an attempt

change the from that

and the

own religion

must be distinguished of divine "man of lawlessness",

One against

and counterfeits the work of the a man?

institutions but what

are to be expected. of his nature?

So much for

Is he really reply would with involve of

a man, and only a "yes" the to this incarnation This

Nost that that being

commentators parody

enquiry. of evil would

Others in the his

admit same way "father"

a complete Jesus Satan,

was the

incarnation Father

goodness.

involve

as Christ's

God. 3 was

1.

This

exhibit

is a parallel Christ's deity.

to the

use of

QqHaTc)V

by John the

evangelist,

to

2.
3.

Dan. 7: 25.

that has been held by some commentators from the time of Theodore A position Leon Morris does not believe that Paul here teaches the present Hopsuestia. of figure but says, "Paul speaks of this as of the man of lawlessness existence just as in 1: 7 he has spoken of the revelation being 'revealed', of the Lord before his It indicates that the Man of Lawlessness Jesus. exist will ... to the world. It may also point to something supernatural about manifestation in this area. He says: Rigaux seems most careful 221. him. " Thessalonians, davantage? le determiner "Si Paul a en vue un individu, peut-on "Ce n'est Sa parousie Satan lui-meine. Paul l'en distingue pas explicitement. lointaines de Satan. Quoi qu'il en soit des origines par l'energie se fait ... il n'y a point trace dens Paul dune des idees sur les demons, et leur chef, du diable. " Ems. 270. But having disavowed the idea of an incarnation incarnation "Si l'on peut estimer he proceeds to add: vise un qu'il certain of the devil touchant la personae meme de l'Antechrist, il ne dit rien de precis. individu, .. Ibid., 271. for thought Giblin beyond the evidence and accommodates Paul's We think goes ". He says: the interpretation the sake of modern sophisticates. of the .. be more readily Man of Rebellion given above will appreciated as a distinctively figure Pauline of an anti-God characterization which could be basically i. e., an imaginative representation of evil that is not representational -is the figure and empirically-defined as both a physical entity. affirmed ... but by Paul he is depicted in a cultic context, represented more as an antithesis than as either " Threat, to faith 72. presence or a persecutor. a physical this figure We agree that the apostle than to faith presents as a threat rather but we cannot see that he does not intend his readers to as a persecutor, 'physical i. e., an "empirically-defined presence, a understand entity".

."

245.

The use of appears as man.

v@purroc The Old Testament

in this frequently

regard uses

need only "man" for

show that spiritual

this

being

' beings.

Furthermore,
physical, brought implying is

we have noted above that


indulgences. Again he is It is

his sinfulness
certainly of as being was not yet the

by no means smacks of
sins of spirit almost This which are

bodily to view. that

spoken but

"revealed", manifested. into account.

as though implication

he already not is

existed but

certainly

compulsive, concentration i. that

should

be taken invested and his

Far more He works would spirit would be have

significant with Trag

the

of power To Paul

in this

personage. it

LUVOc.

contemporaries, himself that

appeared beings merely

much more likely in various a fellow in places 2 human. the form

Satan would

manifest than

through

as an angel The writer of "demonic

of light, of the spirits,

Antichrist the

Apocalypse

expected signs"

manifestation "abroad day

of Antichrist to the kings

performing them for battle

going great

of the

whole

world,

to assemble

on the

God the Almighty-, t3 of


would be to press Opinion being into

The best that


service

moderns could do in expressing


as the of the word exact

such ideas
4 of the

such "catch-alls" on the matter

"Spiritism". nature factors in

may never

be uniform but

contemplated him are

by Paul, quite

as we have seen, He is

some important

regarding

clear.

an eschatological

personage,

character

1.

Judg.

13: 6,8,9;

In.

9: 21;

10: 16.2.2

Cor.

11: 14.

Rev. 3. likewise

"So the Lawless Gne is now hidden and will Neil writes: 16: 13-14. " Thessalonians, 161. Fie soon be made manifest. et al. take the It is denied by Riggenbach, Vos, Findlay, et al. same position.

Popposition Rigaux says, "Enfin, terrestre, 4. eschatologique phase de la lutte tgn6breuses. entre le bien et le mal, est dominee par le jeu des puissances des hommei. sur l'esprit Les premieres pages de la Bible annoncent une victoire juives Les dernieres infernal. decrivent faction du monde invisible productions Elles predisent et rangent les d4mons sous la dependance d'un chef. sur la terre d'activite de la part des esprits un redoublement pour les temps eschatologiques de Dieu. " L'Antechrist, d'efinitif triomphe 204. et un

246.

and power basic

similar

to Satan, lies

but

in work he endeavours To this

to parody

Christ.

His to

lawlessness his

in his

self-deification. of worship

end he endeavours

authenticate

own system noticed not.

by means of miracles. can be said personage. 1 with certainty to regarding the future

We have also what Antichrist and not is

that Ile is

many things not any past

He belongs

to history,

although Paul's 2

figures description.

from history He is zeal is not

such as Antiochus a Jewish lead to

and Caligula or of the. could temple.

may have influenced a Jewish true ever antichrist.

pseudo-messiah, to persecution

Jewish

misdirected but it

might

representatives acknowledge is there tyrant. dans le

of Yahweh, opposition any validation 3 Despite

difficult

see how Judaism violation of His is

to Yahweh, for the the events 4

or countenance claim that

Neither a political 1'impie is

the Antichrist A. D. Paul of political in Daniel "situe

primarily

of 40-41

nettement

domaine

religieux".

The absence fact that

specifications and the pseudAnd

even more striking the Antichrist is

in view bears not

of the the

both

epigraphs lastly, the the find

colours

of a political itself

oppressor.

Antichrist

a power that not related

exalts

against atheists

God by denying who, in terms we of

supernatural. history

He is

to present-day recent

of the world,

are a comparatively to be God". be said concerning

phenomenon.

Rather

him "proclaiming One other thing,

himself should

the

relationship The latter divides

between presents

the

eschatological single

discourse

and our present eschatological

passage. discourse

"as a "5

phenomenon what the

into

three.

1. 2.

Rigaux, "I1

Ems,. 269. ,

juif que Paul ait pense un pseudo-messie guere probable n'est ou " Ibid., juif. 271. Rigaux says that even Bousset abandoned this un antechrist See also Vos, Eschatology, 114f. position. j., Ibid., 271.4. 3. Rigaux, 272. 5. Hartman, Prophecy, 202.

247.

Those who possessed would come saying "I

only am".

the

Gospels

would also

anticipate expect the

in the advent

future of "the

that

some

They would

abomination

of desolation"
seems to unite the that Synoptic the

and then the appearance of miracle-working


the writers, three. a first After studying both his

false

prophets.
and that of

Paul

presentation

century

Christian with

could the

have drawn the fall of Jerusalem

conclusion was to was one

anticipatory re-enacted

phenomena associated on a vaster scale. the

be shortly

The writer

of the Apocalypse elements of the

such Christian, by Christ tribulation an idolatrous to


6

who incorporated and applied great 2

distinguishing

end offered of and first

and Paul

them on a global apostasy,

scale.

A final

period

and testing, Antichrist,

supernatural New Testament

signs

and wonders, from

characterize

eschatology

last.
yac

To what does Paul here refer? Jerusalem's


temple,

Does he intend

the reader to think or the heavenly

of

present

temple,

or an eschatological
or ... but but .7

temple,

or the

Christian

church, ikp6V to,

He does not temple repeated complex article that

speak, of is

of. va6C shrine.

Thus it

is

not

an entire the

alluded to

an inner

Purthermore, of the

points

a temple

well-known.

In view

apostle's

the a AvyNa use of _


in Mk. 13: 14 it is clear

Tim
that

pr)rtc
the

e oC
temple

passages in Daniels
at Jerusalem is

and the parallel


focus.

once more in

1.
2.

Rev. 13: 1-8,12-18;

16: 13,14;

17: 8-11;

19: 20.

We do not mean to imply by this that the New Testament view statement is solely that of an eschatological individual. The contrary of Antichrist Paul, and John give us a variety is the case. Christ, of aspects of the one that an eschatological However, all three believe individual is to concept. The initial par excellence. as the Antichrist appear use of the word indicates "Children, it is the last hour; this: and as you have heard that antichrist have come. is coming, so now many antichrists John 2: 18. John here .. ."1 (pace Bultmann) the coming Antichrist, both affirms fulfilment and the existing of the same genre.

248.

This

would

not

necessitate,

however,

that

Paul

employs

the

well-known

site

in a literal

sense.

It

could in this to the existing


elsewhere in his real

setting

be a metaphor. 1 in Galatians
argues 2 Thess. for 2.2

His rather 4: 25, and his

contemptuous reference
neglect of that place is

Jerusalem
writings, in

the

case that does the of Eze.

Jerusalem's eschatological chs. 40-48,

temple

not

his

concern

Neither

temple find

concept,

based on a peculiar anywhere in the Pauline

interpretation corpus.

countenance

Neil
is Ps. in Paul's xi. 5. to

assumes that
mind at all, of the

it

is "not likely
but that he is

that
thinking 3

the actual
rather But there the

Temple at Jerusalem
in the is sense of in the the on those by "the

..

Temple of

God in heaven". On the position.

nothing

context strongest earth.

support arguments

this

assumption. this

contrary, The the

context

affords

against

cvcafjoC -functions homage of all now are men, until infatuated

There

he claims earlier

to be God and seeks the love

who have not

received

of the

truth

lie".

He is destroyed
Paul's normal

on earth by the advent of Christ.


is with reference to the in Christian church. 4

use of _voc c era Protestants club

In a bygone polemical and thereby however, found

assumed this to batter the setting

usage papal of

2 Thessalonians, .5 This view, the

an effective not only the

antichrist 2 Thess.

ignored

eschatological

2, but

also

to follow "While the temple We find it difficult 1. Leon Morris when he writes: is not easy to identify, the best way of understanding the passage seems to be building that it is some material for the which will serve as the setting Thessalonians, blasphemous claim. 224. Morris the connection recognizes .. ." but does not see of the temple with the Antichrist's proclamation of deity, by its very nature, that this indicates the metaphorical climax, use of temple See what follows in our discussion. in this regard. 2. 3. 5. See G. Wohlenberg, Thessalonians, 164. Thessalonicherbrief (KNT)(Leipzig, 1903), 142.

4.1

Cor. 3: 16-17; Eph. 2: 20.


a representative instance in the

than the Reformers we find More recently Wordsworth. Bishop Christopher commentary of

249.

truth

that

the

Christian

church

must cease to

be such once the Antichrist

becomes

its

tenant. 1 There is only one view which fully accommodates the context.
often been neglected oinoc sswv

The remainder
by exegetes VTa

of the

sentence

concerning vatic EG-riv finds

the . OEnC its

temple It is

has too this itself

when expounding- Eo V ':, : n session

KOIaa', interprets

which

the word in question. proclamation of Deity. regarding

The temple This the is his

equivalent

in Antichrist's words, the

rtocea uybic: in the temple is 2

In other a poetical It

whole

section

establishment

description be that the

of the Paul

usurpation

of divine only. the the

prerogatives actions fact projects temple),

generally.

may well but also

has in mind not of Caligula. is this attitude than the But

of Antiochus regarding to the rather

Epiphanes was their

threat and it

central Paul of the

both

blasphemy, (not

which fall

end of Time, than the

necessarily location

more distant by earlier

exact

affected

profanities.
11 .. in

C. J. Riggenbach sums the matter colors spiritual himself in of his own time, Paul is depicts

up admirably
an act which,

when he says:
as a symbol of say:

permanent He places

significance, God's room,

confined

to no locality, himself on mankind

and means to as a Divine

and forces

ruler.

u3

". 661. See Rigaux, 1. 1'eglise qui ., .. de 1'eglise ne pourrait plus se nommer 1'eglise 2. Rigaux

la tete Christ mettrait un autre de Dieu. " Likewise Morris, ad loc.

Paul's intention. "Sieger dans le temple est pour lui perceives Le Saint des saints divine. une attribution est la propriete et la demeure Le sanctuaire de Dieu. inviolable l'adorer est le lieu oii les fideles viennent Usurper la place de Jahve, le deloger de sa demeure, ses faveurs. et solliciter le plus abominable l'acte 'afin lui clue Von puisse c'est commettre contre Ek. 661. This is also the understanding de se faire passer pour Dieu"'. of Amiot. Voste, Steinmann, Ibid., 660. Knabenbauer, Cf. also A. J. Mason, ad loc. c Cf. W. P. Adeney's "Thessalonians", 128. 3. the Vo& comment regarding ". 'a sense, being, used in a wide allegorical as Mr. Garrod suggests .. forcible by his own deliberate method of showing that the man of sin will action (The New Century Bible) the dignity of God'. " Thessalonians and prerogative usurp (Edinburgh, In support 1902), 238. is is the fact that "sitting" of this position in the N. T. in a figurative See Col. 3: 1; Heb. 1: 3; 8: 1; 10: 12; sense. often used 12: 2; Rev. 3: 21; 20: 4.

250.

KoC"rEcyZ/

"Who now is

the

K1

)(cV

'

is

really

the

darkest

point

in the

whole passage. "1


obscurity it is

Most exegetes would agree with


correct to say, Antichrist one is as does Giblin, himself. struck with 2

this
that

judgment.
the

Because of this
has

kaTE)(WV

become more famous than Right esoteric 17, at the outset of the

a phenomenon found 13: 14 and in

also

in

other 13 and and

portions as in terms. exercise

New Testament. 2, a power of these to is

In Nk. referred

Rev. chs.

as well

2 Thess.

to by use of both the the for the reader is

neuter called

masculine upon to all the

In two out wisdom in that that

three rightly

instances, identify

order

entity third

depicted. instance,

And

acknowledge

same wisdom is Because prejudice

required

one now under they

our survey. should not

these the

similarities of the

may be only present is viewed enquiry. as one the extending the this

superficial Furthermore, antagonistic Ka-teXwV caveat,

issue

in M. to

and in

Rev. the power in 2 Thess. But if in three extending sources

in question most exegetes

God, whereas

consider in that

to be beneficient. we are also justified the the

we are warranted another, should held not with namely

phenomenon

of parallelism Until could

between recently,

be overlooked. reference to the view; Ka-f-)(UV (2) the

main positions (1) the

be listed

as follows:

contemporary-historical

traditional
first links

view;
the

(3)

the mythological
of the apostle with

view;

(4)

the "gospel"

view.

The
or

words

contemporaries

such as Caligula

Nero, seeing in the restrainer


"Antichrists". 1 koc-re)ov earlier alluded

the predecessors
holds the that
.1

or inhibitors
the .

of such
is view the has been who sees

The second position and the to, Emperor

Roman Empire The third

KoCTE)(wv by the

and is

represented

exegesis

of Dibelius

1.

Riggenbach,

"Thessalonians",

130.2.

Threat,

14.

251.

xiav Ka-rE01 of the

as some mythological chaos monster. 1 As for

spiritual the fourth

being, position

restraining it

some

equivalent revived believe the

has been

in modern times that the necessity factor.

by Oscar Cullman, for About the world-wide five This years

and J.

Munck. 2

These scholars of the gospel was with the is

proclamation

restraining

ago another should

interpretation not be linked

offered other but

by Charles four

H. Giblin. it claim

new view

as though of its

paralleled to displace into

them in-popularity alternative Giblin 3 than views,

or enduring its the

nature, argued data

because

elaborately linguistic

presentation differently Ka-fE(wV it

must be taken to the majority

account.

applies

of exegetes. rather

In particular beneficient gift,

he thinks entity. the

of the He sees in

as a malevolent manifestation, element

a charismatic

a pseudo-prophetic into the Thessalonian

exercise

of which The

had produced

an unruly

congregation.

&-ra K-roi

are regarded as those adversely

affected.

7" and replies, Dibelius In his commentary, 1. asks: "Who is the Koc'rE)(WV "In myth, saga, and fairy-tale is the monster bound with chains or secured further behind strong doors. " He proceeds to quote Job 40: 26, and illustrates He warns however against the interpretation from Russian folklore. of the (IINT) (Thbingen, Satan. Thessalonicher 1925), 43. as XW'J 2. his 3. The most recent exegete to adopt the "gospel" view (Century Bible, )(London, Thessalonians 1969), n. s. is A. L. Moore. 103. See

" K9<-MXW V could be used in a doctrinal context and in a pejorative but probably the connotaaction one without sense to denote a strong-handed Its intransitive form, particularly in Pauline tion usage, is .. -'control-). by 'hold sway' or 'prevent'"', On the explained or even 'restrain'. not well other hand, it could well connote a self-interested act of possession. .. Unfavorable of the term and its abrupt appearance could be grasped overtones through an allusion to pagan cult practices, that concretely particularly more in which something activity or someone 'takes hold of, of pseudo-charismatic 'seizes' 201-202. another. " Threat, or to Paul in terms of apostolic KTcc are contrasted .. is one neither fault of simple idleness and their enterprise, nor of indifference krocK1 'L It seems more likely life. that the to the needs of earthly were for the deception those responsible than on the topic of the parousia rather Paul does not make the connection, this deception. however, of victims and we 4. It. the kfl,

252.

As one reviews

exegetical

analyses

of the

ICa-reX wv

one is ,

tempted

times to think at

that

the commentator sometimes reveals

more about himself, as opposing


of Augustine interpretation and

his methods and his presuppositions,


positions reflect come under his wise review. While

than about the hinderer,


some follow the humility

caution,

others

have seized

upon a particular

with

dogmatic certainty,
to the that

and scorned alternatives.


Roman Bnpire idea. as the says restraining of the

This is particularly
power, traditional which times is

true

of some who hold categorically it the historical

and of some who view just (he calls as

reject

Giblin opinion, that "in

or political alternative)

a nomenclature quite "l recent

appropriate it

as the

no one has maintained that this

enthusiastically (the not

or even very one) is

seriously. "nothing "2

Beare has asserted a conjecture much earlier

position that will

traditional stand

more than And Gunkel

and one claimed that

up under

scrutiny.

"the solution refutation.

by recourse

to the empire is so arbitrary the scorned viewpoint


and evince

that will

it feel

escapes that such

1,3 Some who cherish


are

summary rejections

arbitrary

unfounded

prejudice.

" Threat, to conjecture. 147. Giblin here mentions the chief have recourse must Paul does not make the specific to his position. point upon which objection Most readers of Giblin's Giblin's rests. case largely work would feel that heel" for the author. however, Other major objections, is an "Achilles this his case. Robert J. Peterson says: against and have been marshalled can Ka< (pp. 169f. ) that "Giblin )(c3v of evil argues cannot be a restrainer is already because 'the mystery of lawlessness of sin at work. ' The mysteries QM 14: 9) refer to the hidden activity Qumran (1 QH 5: 36, IQ 27 1: 2,1 of at If this is the background for the term in II Thess, there is no reason evil. Kvc1)(wv it to come into could not restrain evil by not allowing why D. E. H. Whiteley, 360. holds to the open. " JBL, LXXXVII (1968), who himself Ka-cc) has said of Giblin's the traditional V of the understanding "powerful". that it is to some extent linguistic But he points position Giblin that while suggests that there are no good lexicographical out parallels KV-911WV Moulton and Milligan do give such for rendering as 'restrain', See JTh'st, n. s., XXI (1970), 168-69. instances. Charles Brutsch's key criticism fails is that Giblin's to explain Koc-rEx wv of the explanation why the force brings disappearance ThZ1 with it the coming of the great rebel. of this See also W. Schmithals, THLit IXV (1970), 359-60. XXVI (1970), 200-202; J. D. 612-14; W. J. Dalton, ThSt, XXIX (1968), Quinn, CathBib , XXX (1968), 767-68;

J. Murphy O'Connor,
1. Threat, Schdpfung 17.2.

RB LXXVI (1969),

622-23.

"Thessalonians", 224-25, cited by Rigaux, ., 274.

628.

3.

und Chaos,

253.

Others

will

feel

that

the

judgments

in question

merely

state

the

obvious,

despite

the appraisal

of those who, like of the great majority


to the restrainer of Nero,

Milligan,

claim that

the Empire view "1

has 'ti on the support


Those who hold great be the Others founder Paul's Rebel and his

of ancient

and modern scholars.


usually place

zeitgeschichtliche within the

hypothesis same circle. Vitellius of Titus. namely the that

the could

Thus Claudius of Caligula. All the

Km-eXu3v

and the Proconsul Ka-rE X ov earlier mentioned, of evil at

have seen in Nero the on the has to rock do with 2 of fact the While

such views discussion and not End could with come of

maturing Paul

end of time, that final the

any lesser in his would Caligula day,

crisis.

undoubtedly

believed that the

he likewise

must have believed than past, Caligula

throes time

of Satan Paul future. wrote,

cause more "fireworks" was ten years in the

or Titus.

At the yet

and Nero and Titus

in the

The apostle

also is picturing

events essentially

religious

rather

than political. the


view, scale). best can 3

Few modern commentators have recourse


contemporary-historical though contemporary A large represented write the that view history (not is

to what we have here called


with the traditional but

to be confused there that

likewise believe the

envisaged, the

on a vaster school,

number of by Dibelius,

exegetes holds

mythological passage. for

key to the in favour but "The in

present

Thus Neil the clue to

"there

is power,

much to be said not "4 in history, He adds,

of looking some kind

restraining

of theological power' is

or even '

mythological probably

speculation. supernatural.

'restraining held in

therefore by some

The Lawless

One is

check meantime

1. 2.

Thessalonians, Wohlenberg

101. mit der 140.

"ES kann nur der in Verbindung the apostasy: wrote of Trbsal stehende gemeint sein. " Thessalonicherbrief, endgeschichtlichen See the discussion 169. by Milligan, Thessalonians, 171-73.

3. 4.

Thessalonians,

254.

angelic

power appointed

by God. 111 Leon Morris,

on the

other

hand,

says about

this

explanation,

"there

seems no point

in postulating

this

as the solution summarizes his


only serves the .. to

to our problem. i2
own stance emphasize

Frame, reviewing
"This we do not

the various
review

hypotheses
of conjectures

by concluding: the fact that

brief

know what Paul that Itigaux

had in mind,

whether

Roman iinpire, or something to other

or a supernatural else quite different. but

being "3

keeps the Anomos in seems closer to

detention. than

Dibelius

commentators, with

he refuses position en quoi

to pronounce of agnosticism eile consiste.

a definite

conclusion. "Nous nous of

In sympathy avouons recent though

Augustine's de decouvrir

he confesses i4 Thus,

incapable commentators better with

a review view, is absent still

upon Thessalonians than the

shows that

the

mythological

supported

zeitgeschichtliche The note of

hypotheses, certainty is

expressed

a stammering

tongue.

from

most exegetes who vouchsafe


The traditional should not be dismissed are true significant of the than view

space to it.
that the Roman Empire as is constituted its the hindrance critics. the Its same is

as summarily in quality

done by most of

supporters probably prejudice Empire type

and quantity,

and therefore from that

arguments from

employed.

Some, arguing point not to with out

apologetical the Roman this

rather has gone,

exegetical Antichrist

grounds, is still

and that

us.

We reject

of argumentation.

The simplest

answer

such a prejudiced

exegesis

would be to say with Neil, the testimony


itself.

"Paul was mistaken. "5

Rather than deciding

from

of the centuries,
have the

we must decide from the words of the passage


in mind? This is the first question.

Did Paul

Roman fnpire

1. 3.

Ibid.,

170.2. 262.4.

Thessalonians, 279. .

226.

Thessalonians,

5.

Thessalonians,

177. "It

is an historical

fact

that

Paul was wrong. "

255.

Whether

he was right

or wrong

lies

outside

our purview.

igaux is more to the point declaring


est

when he criticizes nest


nl in question, we will

the Empire view by ni historique: eile

"La pensee de l'aptre


et eschatologique. of the opinion

pas politique

theologique To dispose

need to be more precise question must be asked What is Obviously or contradict Hanse and Rigaux U3 in the instance for it the would the in be

than in

with

the

first

two hypotheses. though the literal its yields meaning writer to

The most obvious are not of

this

connection, that is,

demonstrative. V? to gild

meaning,

KoVCE

presumptuous philological this "to

of the

present

endeavour

researches 2 Giblin

of scholars

such as Milligan, the case of

connection. seize",

has essayed

meaning of certain renewed

intending

a type It is

of demonic-possession true that some scholars

of the

Thessalonians.

have called

investigation

to determine

whether the traditional


of the Giblin term in

meaning of "restrain"
question that in his 2 Thess. contention 2.3

is
On

the most accurate the other hand,

determination reviewers of

have noticed the

largely

depends

on what he elsewhere

says about

c-rocK-rot

1.

Ep. , 274.

The Vocabulary See Rigaux, 593; J. H. Moulton and G. Milligan, 2. of the ., Sources from the Papyri and other Non-Literary Greek Testament Illustrated (London, 1930), 336-37; Milligan, Thessalonians, 155-57; Hanse, Apart from the technical 829. TDNT, II, use in Acts 27: 40, Kac-4x0Y navigation E)(IV transitive, Because the concept is broad, the meaning is always applying . by the context. In the Thessalonian is variable epistles and must be determined (1) Hold fast, by commentators two distinct usually meanings are assigned -Hold back, 2 Thess. 2: 6,7. for derivaBoth are appropriate 1 Thess. 5: 21, (2) 9)(63 but whether they are the most appropriate tives of renderings = possess, than of philology. Milligan is more a matter of interpretation shows that the basis for Giblin's "And if we accept He says: linguistic case is an option. found strong support, that the the view, which has recently Koc-roXOI of the Serapeum are to be regarded as those 'possessed' by the spirit of the god, in the same direction. have further " Thess. 156. By this evidence pointing we to the metaphorical Milligan in alludes use of the verb as illustrated statement instances Thus the objections to of Koine usage in the second century. some Giblin's on grounds other than philology. must be primarily position

3.

See Giblin,

Threat,

16-17.

256.

The defence provoked

of the

belief

that about

a false

prophetic

ecstasy

at Thessalonica Kare Xwv is at

Paul's

passage

the Antichrist

and the

best tenuous,
attribute a probability. but we would

and therefore
key term There not rank is

the nuance of meaning which Giblin


likewise only a possibility in Giblin's

wishes to

to the

and by no means study of 2 Thess. 2,

are many good things his exegesis

of vv. 6-7

among these. those cult

The disorderly

ones rebuked

by the

apostle analogous evidence

were not

necessarily of the

who had been seized of Dionysus. T And this rejecting 2: 6

by some experience being the "to the case, the

to prophets is of not

conclusive

enough to warrant as meaning in

majority restrain".

interpretation

Ica-reXL%S

2 Thess.

Two other

grammatical

and exegetical

issues

pertinent

to the

I. oc-EXov

should be at least
the that revelation therefore led the issue

mentioned.
of

Fifty

years ago, N. F. Freese suggested that


be that of Christ's own coming, His faulty of his and

spoken the to

in v. 6 could

Kor,-rexwv almost being the

was the

Antichrist. dismissal has never is

grammatical position. 1 The A

arguments case for second in the

Rigaux's

contemptuous

restrainer is whether

the Antichrist hindering to in v. power 5.

mown much favour. as included that

to be understood is,

TocZ Ta

referred this at

That in his

can we be certain

Paul

had included new converts and Dibelius

mysterious Thessalonica? matter,

figure

eschatological from

instruction Milligan,

of the Frame,

Rigaux and sides

differs with

Bornemann,

in this

Hilgenfeld

and von Dbbschutz.

With considerable
the hindering

hesitation
is

(which he acknowledges),
concerning which Paul

Rigaux supposes that


had not previously

power

an entity

spoken.

In this

instance
"to presume

we feel
that

that
T

Giblin

is correct
is

when he argues that


somehow related to

one has a right

Koc-cEXov

1.

.,

665-66.

2.

Ibid.,

665.

257.

Tu-ra to other out

, provided elements one's argue of \'

subsequent

study

of the_ under

-re-`X KO, 0\1 c.

and its

relation to

explicitly "1

contained In reply

_rfociti

may be expected et, al., or logical to

bear

hypothesis. that V to

to Rigaux

and von Dbschutz the temporal in

we would meaning which usage making

regardless

of how one construes

in v. 6, ._ relate it,

and irrespective the vital is fact

of the words is, that that Paul apart is for

the passage the first

we wish of this mention

from the

debatable time tenor the to

one word,

there

no hint

of a highly implies that

significant the

yet

unknown entity. were familiar Paul

The entire with both

of the pericope Antichrist

Thessalonians and that

and Hinderer

concepts,

therefore

now needs

only

allude

2 to these.
Our digression on the philological that significance yields of KoC1 Xw nothing which is leads

us to

agree

with

Rigaux

such an examination

absolutely linguistic

demonstrative grounds alone,

for

any exegetical

position.

Therefore

on

we can neither

endorse nor repudiate

the viewpoint

1. 2.

Threat,

165.

Frame comments as follows the position regarding of those who wish to V 3V of v. 6 in the sense of "and now to pass to a further understand point": "This explanation puts so great a stress on the new point as such as to & (cf. ). 1 Cor. 12: 20. demand ViV that the it is more likely . . ... emphasis is laid not on the new point situation as such but on the present in involved KQcTEXov as contrasted with the future situation when aP-r be removed, and the prophecy of v. 3 will be KoC'fEXcw will " Thessalonians, 262-263. The following Frame's position, realised. verse confirms there. for we have the same contrast is opposed to.. rcrc , and _iSrl _Ki . ___ EVEpyeT-MI to is to be connected with voHoC PvoV iP., X. . vcnoKoAu68rc 'works inwardly', is contrasted which meaning with -ro(i Wohlenberg agrees. "Immer steht auch hier the later manifestation. vv mit Energie im Gegensatz zur Vergangenheit als Zeitpartikel, auf die jeweilige An unserer Stelle den Gegensatz des jetzigen Gegenwart hinweisend. Wissens zu Belehrung der frher erfolgten mndlichen ausgesagt an. " zu finden, geht nicht 143. He argues the case at length Thess. throughout most of the , following page. 3. Ey. 2 274.

258.

that

sees in

the

Roman Empire evidence for

the seeing

hinderer. in the of Empire (1) the Km-reXoV surrounding in and the the

The usual Emperor allusions, (3) to the the as the (2)

K a-tE xw V the double

consists description, fourth horn "dreadful

The secrecy

as of a power invested beast as the

a person, According

understanding seer, in the

of Daniel's little the

Roman Empire. would come into

blasphemous with

(Antichrist) and terrible" an "unfailing Epistles should

prominence himself malice anything State the

connection in the "1

kingdom. refuge testify

(4)

Paul Jewish "Could

had found

Roman magistracy Both Acts than the

against to this.

and persecution.

and the

be more intelligible main bulwark work at against

that forces

St Paul of

see in this and impiety did not

impartial which to the

injustice

menaced his apostle

every

turn? "2

But the

conviction "The mention sources.

belong

alone. sign

Bousset occurs perishes.

reminds in nearly "3

us that: all the

of one distinct at hand when

premonitory the

The end is

Roman Empire The greatest

difficulty to in the

usually criticism

offered

against

this Paul

position is not in

is the is

the

one already habit correct, utterances objection

referred

by Rigaux. If the Empire

of making then it

political constitutes

references. the only

interpretation in Paul's is not

political "a theory "4

reference which

apocalyptic this

as a whole. would

As Frame says, preferable.

open to

be distinctly

We now proceed to offer "something somewhere"5 offered

such a theory.

To rest

content

with

the,

by many exegetes may be a course of wisdom,

1. 3. 5. All

Frame, Bousset., Rigaux, use the

Thessalonians, The Antichrist 665;

260. Legend, 123.

2. 4.

Kennedy,

Conceptions, 260.

219-220.

Thessalonians, Beare,

Thessalonians, Neil, 173; ., "something, or someone, same nebulous

"Thessalonians", or close

628.

somewhere"

approximates.

259.

but it

could possibly

spring

from lesser

causes.

With this

suspicion

we

tentatively

make some observations.


itself force. offers some characteristics v is of the entity we seek. thus the

The pericope (1) It is a present

Ka-rE)(o

a present

participle,

obstacle (2) It

was already

a barrier force.

at the time Paul was writing. The Ka-fe(ov into restrains It the full is the removal

is a beneficient of the mystery of this

burgeoning

of iniquity

the Antichrist.

or withdrawal lead his


(3)

beneficient

power from the midst that

enables Satan to

representative
principle

to success.
of opposites, it would seem that this power is

Thus on the

itself

in harmony with

the government of God. to the lawless

It one.

is a law-abiding It is EvvoJoC

force,

and law-upholding, rather


(4) "in (5) acted that is (6) would

in contrast .

than
This

vooc

power has a divine so will the

time-mission. hinderer hinder

As Antichrist till his time than

is

to be revealed

his It

time", is

has been fulfilled. one which is passively to It

a power that There is

actively no hint It is that

withdraws, it is

rather

upon.

to meet with

any fate or

similar

of the Antichrist. merely This moved out power

neither

to be "consumed"

"destroyed".

of the

midst .1 ages, from the beginning fail of time to to the end. We attention

spans the a truth

emphasize

which

most commentators

give

adequate

and weight. rebellion

It

is implied

throughout

this It

passage that

the eschatological or so thinks This ultimate one masquerading

is Satan's and it with its

crowning effort. is his mind that dramatic

is his master-plan,

the apostle, rebellion,

we seek to represent. by the lawless

claim to deity

265. "The fact not the manner of the removal. is 1. Frame, Thessalonians, .. 102. "Nothing is said as to how the removal Thessalonians, indicated. " Milligan, is to be. affected. " And Wohlenberg, "Es ist doch kaum der Nebenbegriff spoken of 147. gewaltsamen HinwegrIumung wegzudeuten. " Thessalonians, einer unfreiwilligen,

260.

as Lord by the and it the there

of the great

divine

temple,

has not

been postponed

willingly

from

age to age the hinderer, that

Adversary.

Rather

he has been foiled There in Paul's the

by God's power, for

has been so from the has just

beginning.

are no grounds time by Satan,

believing and therefore belong passage

Rebellion

been conceived for believing is that

are no grounds yesterday. that globe, for just

hindrance for

hinderer and the

only as

to Paul's teaching of this by God's least

There as long

every

reason

understanding active

as there has his We should

has been a Satan key-weapon, look for itself. of this in with power, if it is

upon the

inhabitants

so long agency. the

the Antichrist, an entity

been restrained at has not

opposing with

whose existence that this

measures fully

existence

of evil study fit

We submit problem. the thinking

been taken (7) but

into

account not

in the to

We add a seventh, because the facts great

merely

of Paul's must be an a being if

time,

demand it. and mighty A feather

This one,

of necessity, able

extraordinarily supernaturally exterminate withstand a wicked

to withstand but

endowed. Hiroshima

could of

crush

a mosquito, proportions. prince

we wish What alone

to could air",

we use something believed

greater

the spirit

one whom Paul from the

to be "the

of the

power

of the

heavenly other than

places, than

who could the permitted preceding or the

send storm will is yet of

and tempest, God? characteristic can or the not

and destroy

with

no boundary importance

Of lesser which only should

any of the This ' power,

another

be kept with

in mind. reserve.

sphere

of its his

operations,

be discussed

Had Paul influence

meant merely of the Holy

own ministry, it is

proclamation

of the

gospel,

or the

Spirit,

apparent

why he could not have said so plainly.

As mentioned at the beginning

1. Paul's epistles, at his own request, were read publicly and circulated widely. &E. 4oisl ocyiotC While they were to be rehearsed 1Ta'1v -rc c Thess. 5: 27, that some less "holy" than others might misuse there was always the possibility by the apostle. We have an imperfect parallel in the case of statements Christians in Communist countries. who meet secretly proselytizing

261.

of our discussion
shared with other

of the
esoteric is

Koc-i

(u I'

this
of the

feature

is something which is
However, both TAG while the

passages

New Testament. and is the us. . The

Koc-rEXwv and seemingly of Mk. 13: 14, to

referred

to with the also

mystery, case with confronts

applied vyNoc

to a power EPy)Ni306LZC is

a person,

as is

a great

difference

KXTEXWV

benign,

while

the entity

of 1k. 13: 14 is malign. instance

Thus the vagueness with the entity concerned

which the apostle


probably

speaks in this
connotations.

suggests that

has political

Does any single by 2 Thess. 2?

theory

reconcile

all

these characteristics

suggested and benign. it It had

Certainly,

the Roman Empire was both present and it could be said that if Paul intended

was also law-upholding, a specific it time-mission.

in God's providence to refer to its

Likewise

passing, '

is obvious why he is purposely


Roman Empire, it

restrained

in his description
comply with

of the restrainer.
six

But the

seems to us,

does not

specifications

and seven.

Compared with

the ages Paul would have attributed

to Satan,

Rome

was only of yesterday. the throne Furthermore,

And compared with

the might of one who had stood by insignificance.

of God, even the mighty the most obvious of all

Roman Empire paled into questions

is to ask "In what sense could

E. Stauffer Revelation In his discussion of Antichrist", of "The Final has "Under the assault the last defences that the Creator of antichrist says, Even political the powers of chaos break down completely. order against erected (E. T., London, 51955), 214. (Hereinafter " New Testament Theology collapses. to as Theology. ) This correctly concept that expresses the biblical referred the anarchic is a divinely hinderer, lawful restraining ordained government tendencies out that according of depraved man. However, Stauffer also points the more to the N. T. "The nearer the Church comes to the end of its history, 24: 10; 'offences' to be (Matt. the final destructive persecutions and will prove ). Barn. 4: 3; 2 Thess. 2z3,10ff. Here the sifting Did. 15: 5; reaches of history there comes the revelation its climax, which is of the divine rejection, and " Theology, in destruction. 220. through carried 1.

This is an excellent by Stauffer.

commentary upon the Thessalonian

reference

offered

262.

the Empire hinder successfully

the appearance of Antichrist? on the scene during

"

"Why could not the Antichrist of the Emperors? " It does

venture

the reign

not seem enough to answer that the last logical


of the to,

in the book of God's providence

Rome filled

sheet prior connection


object the

to the page of Antichrist. demonstrated


If the

There needs to be some and the nature


be pointed

between the work of hindering


system of law in the realm

hindered. question

of Caesar

then

must follow

"Why should

a mere civil

code and.. its

enforcement

officers taking

prevent life

the revelation prevents war? "

of the lawless

one any more than on its own,

the law against and other that factors

Law has no strength its efficacy

must be introduced

to account for

besides

of wages to an established

officialdom.

In summary, it is far

seems to us that from self-authentic-

the view of the Roman Empire as the


ating, but it remains an option.

Koc-re cv

Can any alternative We believe so. Our on

solution suggestion
issue of

be found which meets with is one that


exegesis

fewer objections?

smacks somewhat of placation,


the religious

and may seem to be in

this

what Erasmus was in

controversy
of a clear-cut of more than ring true

centuries
position.

ago -

representative
consider however,

of compromise rather
that that it strives

than emblematic
best

Some will We think,

to make the do not

two worlds.

these

"seemings"

upon close

examination.

The reviewer

of the positions

taken in this

matter (1)

of the Several

K-fL)(ov of them (2) These

becomes aware of some obvious and significant date from practically positions, grinding, one studies for the beginning

facts.

of the history

of exegesis.

the most part,

did not spring

from exegetical

axes requiring (3) As

but rather these,

were originated he finds that,

to meet the facts as with most heresies,

of the case.

they seem to err in frequently

what they deny, rather

than in what they affirm,

and criticism

263.

attacks

them on this

negative

flank.

(4)

Therefore,

the strongest

case may of the

be capable of being fashioned respective positions.


explanation of all

from a combination

of the "strengths"

A coherent obtainable Paul's rather

of

iz the

-rt Kov key elements

and

KrK-texwd

is pericope.

by a Gestalt

and requirements certainly the that

of the

presentation than that

to the

Thessalonians

was almost We think that

of a complex, indicates a situation taken were that

of one or two parts. rather than

evidence but

he discussed with certain

a situation basic

merely that,

a power or person, in harmony with the

emphases. and other law would Holy Spirit

We submit

positions

elsewhere taught for the that

by Paul civil as the It is

New Testament restrain the

writers, natural

Thessalonians

rebellion urging

of human depravity them to yield surrounding history that world. to the the to

as long gospel.

moved on men's clear that the

hearts

perfectly

great event

apostasy in the at

coming Antichrist-would And therefore prevailed this factor, some factor

constitute or factors the

a unique would entire

of mankind. time which had it is

be missing

hitherto

throughout which

history the

of the hindrance

Logically threatening

or factors,

constitute

rebellion. Paul pleading probation was aware that divine the Old Testament ceased, to presented that occasions event the when the closing of human ending is in

of the for

Spirit

and with

some, leading despair,

experiences

of unmitigated

rebellion "Ephraim

hopelessness, to idols, let

and perdition. ' then the

When Yahweh pronounced next event to be expected

joined

him alone",

was that

those

who had sown to the wind would reap the whirlwind.

In the Writings

it

was founds

Because I have called and you refused to listen, have stretched out my hand and no one has heeded,

1.

Hos. 4: 17.

264.

and you have ignored all my counsel and would have none of my reproof, I also will laugh at your calamity;

I will mock when panic strikes you, when panic strikes you like a storm,
and your calamity comes like a whirlwind, when distress and anguish come upon you. Then they will call upon me, but I will not answer. ... Because they did not choose the fear of the Lord, ... would have none of my counsel. .. 1 therefore they shall the fruit their eat of way. Paul that given future himself had undoubtedly up" those preached, as he was to stubbornly later write 2 in Romaus, They were of the the past. Flood

God "gave over

who remained mind.

impenitent. Paul's

to a reprobate

And no doubt

understanding about time

was patterned the

somewhat according Torah as teaching that,

to what he believed not only at the

He understood but then God. on repeated the people

of the

occasions

when the warnings alone, to fall not

of the prophets into for incurable this people.

had been rejected, rebellion .. . "? 3 sin the doom against

had been left Jeremiah

Had not Paul

been told,

"Pray in his

was also Holy

aware that which

own day Christ leave the guilty

had spoken defenceless

of the against

against assaults

the

Spirit

would

and temptations

Satan. 4 of

The same Christ

who had pronounced

1. 3. 4.

Proverbs Jeremiah Matthew

1: 24-31.2. 7: 16; 11: 14; It 14: 11. is

Romans 1: 24,26,28.

that Christ's the significant warning regarding sin came as a result unpardonable of a rejection so marked that the Jews Christ's Apparently, to the mind of work to Satan. concerned attributed (so as to ascribe total Christ, divine of the movings of the Spirit rejection by the withdrawal work to Satan) would always be followed and of the Spirit, the close of probation for those implicated. Does not Paul contemplate just before the end? of the sort for the entire something world of unbelievers in a God, so well-mannered He believed as not to tarry where He was unwanted. Had not Christ walked out of the temple environs with the commentary that the "house" was "theirs" henceforth the Jews, and no longer God's? And had not the same Christ warned the Jews that as a result of their rejection from a pretender to come? John 5: 43. of Him, they would be open to deception to note how Rigaux in his chapter It is interesting "L'Homme du Peche et Paulinienne" de 1'Eschatologie 1'Easemble in L'Ant6christ, 314-316 has much

12: 28-36.

265.

upon the race which rejected


the victim of seven devils exorcized)

Him, also warned that


worse than the devil

Israel

would find
idolatry that

themselves
which after then they

of external been said Spirit

had successfully the gospel

And it in the

had also power trial, the worst the

by Christ to all the

had been preached of great

of the

world 2

would it

come a time

iniquity, that

and deceptive rebellion

miracles. could not

Therefore, take

was as clear till Holy

as day to Paul as a whole

possibly

place the civil lowest It

mankind Spirit, would until factor

had rejected all benign

good news of

3 grace. race fall

Meanwhile such as to the hearts. with

working restrain the

through man's pleading moving

institutions

of the Man would

law,

natural Spirit of the

wickedness. ceased Spirit

not

depths

to move upon resisting upon all men, the (albeit race the

was this

of the

limited into

power until abysmal depravity

Pentecost) from 4 the

which very

alone

had prevented

from child

sinking of

beginning.

Or so Paul,

rabbinic

schools,

believed.

to Christ the opposition Satan and wicked spirits and the of say about He uses such terms as "emaecher" and in their spread of the gospel. apostles them to the opposite in the same sense as we have above, but applies "obstacle" that Satan and evil That is, Rigaux clearly sees the hindering effect parties. to Christ's He also refers have upon the propagation of "the truth". angels the expulsion regarding of Satan from heavenly places as of His vision mention (Luke 10: 17-18). Thus, it is obvious the apostles preached. successfully to Satan's designs. figaux that the gospel is an obstacle speaks of the in connexion with their hindering of wicked spirits endeavour to effect for if into apostasy. But the interaction is surely lead believers apparent, it must the preachers those who wish to purvey apostasy hinder of the gospel, by its proclamation be true that the gospel, on the heart and influence also Only when preaching to apostasy. is an obstacle ceases, or hindrance of men, the Holy Spirit can the of unbelievers, moves no more on the hearts and to

of Satan and his minions ambition So would Paul the apostle believe
1. 3.2 Luke 11: 23-26.2. Thess. 2: 9-12.

regarding world-wide and teach.


Ilk. 13: 10-22;

apostasy be fulfilled.

Mt.

24111-24.

Paul believed that God desired the conversion of Israel, and that to that the preaching of working to make effectual was continually end the Holy Spirit "During In this connexion Cullmann's comments are of interest. the gospel. the New Testament period there arose a view, often expressed in the Talmud 4.

266.

This

gazing

into

the

mind of Paul

reveals

nothing

foreign

to

the

pericope

we are studying. 10-12 points maturing It

It

is all

consonant with flowering

his

expressions

there.

2 Thess. 2: the

to the ultimate

of righteousness

and iniquity,

of the two groups, that


partake lie"

those being saved and those who are perishing. to receive


the

is made plain
who will to "the

it

is those who have refused


in the apostasy.

the love of the


gospel of truth of the

truth consent

Those who reject They are without the

of Antichrist.

divine

panoply

books, that the Kingdom of God would not come until and in the apocryphal this question In this connection, Israel often as a whole had repented. 'Who is preventing the Messiah's in the Talmud: appearing? '" appears The Background of the New Missions in the New Testament", "Eschatology and 1956), D. Daube, (Cambridge, W. D. Davies, Testament and its Eschatology, eds. is mentioned as "In both passages (Mk. 13: 10 and Mt. 24: 14) the mission 414. 'sign' the eschatological divine cosmic wars, famines, woes: along with a in men. the intensification of evil persecutions, etc., and catastrophes, Thus it appears that the coming of the Kingdom does not depend upon the but only upon the fact of the proclamation 'preaching'l, of this success itself. "We find further for the same view in the Book of Revelation evidence (vi. What then has the preaching the Gospel in the world in 1-8). of ... 'sign' It also is a divine the task of the other three riders? common with (or 'promise'-) the end. further, in other passages in this book the of .. In for the summons to repentance before the end is emphasized.. necessity 6-7 is the In xiv. 3 the 'two witnesses' are mentioned. who prophesy. xi. .. Gospel', appeal of the angel with the 'eternal who addresses a final picture 'to every nation to repentance and tongue and people'. and tribe 'sign' the Gospel as an eschatological "The fact that the proclamation of in the passage in is not a peripheral phenomenon, comes out very clearly Ibid., 415-416. Acts i. 6-7. .. ." ". deal could be said for the view, suggested first of all by a-great .. to by Theodoret, later by Calvin, Theodore of Mopsuestia according and on and 6 is the eschatological thing' in II Thess. ii. 'the withholding which had a temporal the Greek verb for 'withholding' At first message. missionary is to Here the allusion in the sense the 'retarding', -'delaying-'. meaning to According the 'time' of the coming of the Kingdom of God. ... or 'date' in Mark xiii. 13-15 the Anti-Christ 10-14 and Matt. xxiv. the Synoptic passages the preaching just as in II of the Gospel to the Gentiles, appears after

Thess. ii. removed.


"Further, question,

6f.

he will

appear after

'the withholding

thing'

has been

this assumption "Who is preventing

is directly connected the appearing of the

with that Jewish Rabbinic Messiah? '" Ibid., 419.

The last what "Paul,

two lines the child

link the arguments of Cullman with of rabbinic schools, believed. "

our suggestion

as to

267.

Spirit three truth")

and thus are deceived by devilish verses it is asserted that it

signs and wonders.

Twice in these ("the

is the failure for the ultimate

to accept the gospel rebellion.

which renders the race ripe

This same

emphasis is found in the preceding believed


those letter of that

chapter.

Rest is promised to those who against


previous rejection

Paul's

testimony
obey the

to the gospel,
gospel

but vengeance is threatened


Jesus. "1 And in his

"who do not Paul

of our Lord

had spoken which

of wrath could fits Gestalt "trial

coming upon the Jews because save them and the requirements into Gentiles. 2

of their

gospel This

alone

interpretation of the

the

drawn from consideration. is

2 Thess. Let it

2p but

only

as all that in

aspects the

are taken fitting"

be noted

following

no one element

being

considered

as truly

on its

own.

For example, the function of God's gracious still

of civil

law is viewed as in turn is

dependent upon the working

Spirit,

and this

regarded as dependent upon the gospel's


(1) (2) the gospel. (3) divine rebellion the Civil law was in harmony with It in results -all was itself 2 Thess. 2., the with Civil Its law was a present operations force.

being proclaimed.

were beneficient

for

those

proclaiming

and receiving

the

foundation barrier to

principles v oNia

of the . and of men The

government. pictured

natural its

rampage of lying the frantic

wonders actions

conceivable

of wide-spread suggest that

licence, first the

who are perishing

restraints

of law must be

dissolved. (4)

Civil Civil

gyvopoc government was law had a divine by God for time-mission.

rather

than

vopoC it has

Rom. 13 shows that evil

been appointed
is being offered

His purposes of good, restraining


the gospel.

'while grace

to men through

1.1:

7-8.2.1

Thess. 2: 14-16.

268.

(5) actively heaven:

The power giving withdraw

efficacy

to civil ceases.

law, the Holy Spirit, When the fiat still

will in and

as human probation still

is proclaimed be filthy,

"Let the evildoer still do right,

do evil, and the holy

and the filthy still

the righteous are determined rejected


influence

be holy", l then men's sides those who have crumble.


the

and sealed, Automatically,


restrain

and the Spirit to Paul's

ceases to influence thinking,


of

Him.
will

civil
God is

law will
absent

Its

no longer.

The fear

from

hearts

of those who have sided against existence.


(6)

Him, and lawlessness

becomes the rule

of their

2
Civil law, in the form of human government, has spanned the ages.

Acknowledged right
according (7) to the

and wrong were recognized


first records of civil of the Torah.

by men from the earliest

times,

The power

law has been extraordinarily

great

and might_yp

but only because of its


acting upon that The ancillary mysterious Because the rather civil that residue

alliance
of the

wAhthe restraining
image of God still earlier, also the

influence
present the

of the Holy Spirit


in lost mankind. for interpretation. dissolution

specification than

suggested is

necessity in this

open reference, through

fulfilled to

law functioned also of the

Empire,

speak

of its

Would imply

ruling

government.

Such would

have been accounted

treason

by some.
Let us think again on Rigau. x's objections to the interpretation concerning

the Roman Flnpire, this Paul's interpretation, thought

for

it

is obvious that

the solution it.

just

offered

embraces argues that

though it

also transcends or historical,

Rigaux rightly it

is not political

but rather

is theological thing. qui

and eschatological. and not secret. ".

And he adds that .. et 1'empire

moreover the Lnpire

is a patent

romain est la chose la plus patente

1.

Rev. 22: 11.2.

Cf. Rom. 1: 21-32.

269.

soit.

r1

Rigaux

also

quotes

Dibelius

approvingly:

"Si

K-rEXav

se

rapporte sait

l'empire

romain,

seul peut le decouvrir

dans le texte

celui

qui le

deja auparavant. "2 It is true that

What can be said with of the apostle

reference

to these criticisms? not political

the thought

is primarily

but religious. the reply like

As for whether his thinking the parallel

be historical

or eschatological discourse. 3 Paul,

must be as with

case of the Olivet history

the prophets,

does not separate in all.


that

and eschatology.

To him, it

is the same God Who works all


of the Advent if the sermon believed were fulfilled,

As both the Speaker and the recorders


could the swiftly apostle. move into eschatology Paul's

history so likewise

conditions

And while

concern was not with matters such things


would

political, divine

again it

must be urged that continually

he considered He

as the sphere wherein


towards

providence
towards Pilate,

moved.

have felt

Rome as Christ .. unless it

Rome's representative, you from between divine glory. [i. above the e.

"You would from

have no power. The apostle for all

had been given dividing tributary control line

God]. "4 sacred, in

knew no absolute things were alike God's things.

secular

and the Everything to Him,

to the and for His

purposes. Of Him,

existence

was under

and through

Him were all

When the criticism


a secret with entity, we feel Paul is

is made that
that not the

the Roman Empire vas a patent


thought that may here the

rather

than

apostle's saying

be represented is a secret

a twist.

necessarily

hindrance

thing. reserve,

Rather he intimates that is,

that

he is under obligation

to speak of it

with

he dare not let

his meaning be as patent

as the reality. making

During World War II

many in Germany or occupied

zones wrote to friends

1. 3.

Ems. 275. 9 See 58Z of this thesis.

2. 4.

Ibid. Jn. 19: 11.

270.
to Hitler and the Gestapo. These were real

reference entities, necessity


the

and not mysterious were of And as for


already

but undoubtedly akin to Paul's


of Dibelius,

many of the references mode of expression


that only the

in such letters

in 2 Thess. 2: 5-T.

criticism

one aware of Paul's

meaning

could understand
present asserting. It

his epistolary

reference,
did

this

is the very point


was talking

we are at
about. the

The Thessalonians was not intended that

know what Paul

He says so.

Roman officials

should

understand

esoteric will

references.

Of course,

Dibelius

means that

of modern readers,

none

be able to decode Paul's

communication unless they possess the key. thinking experience (based and

This is true, as it

but we have the key in what we know of Paul's tradition), and of his

was on the Torah and Christian

situation. The matter of similarity between 2 Thess. 2: 6-7. M. 13: 14, and

Rev. 17: 8-11 must now be glanced at afresh


that has been given are related, of the that in his the hindrance Paul day,

in view of the interpretation


hinderer. as benign How is the its if these

and the

entities which

can picture and yet

Empire it

through oppositely? From

law functions lies in

Mark and John picture their changed respective its face

The answer mid-way were

difference reign, the

between Empire

situations. as far

through l

Nero's

as Christians against

concorned.

The law which

had protected

2 them, was now invoked

them.

A second question and Rev., is:

which grows out of the likeness "If the PSAvyMa pr -t?

of the terms in My Ji, aLOC applied to

2 Thess.,

the armies of the Roman Empire in A. D. 70, how can a relationship

be affirmed

"Only in one respect did the persecution Bo Beicke writes, under Nero the one undertaken by Domitian some thirty years later affect and even later the authorities the fire, following persecutions; were aware of the difference between Christians furnished and Jews, so that Jewish privileges no longer for the Christian community. " The New Testament Era, sure protection 1.

(E. T., 2.

London, 1969),

251.

See Rom. 13: 1-T.

271.

to exist

between this

Pa iuyP

and both the hindrance

and the Antichrist spell it

in 2 Thess.?
out in greater

The answer is included


detail.

in the former one, but we will

Firstly,
between of the

it

is clear

that
rrjc are

there

is a linguistic

and contextual

similarity

P&%uyHm 2.

irpg1jtbGewc an abomination temple

of Mk. 13: 14 and the Antichrist to God, both powers are a sign

2 Thess.

Both powers both

threat

to His people,

menace the

of God, both

constitute

the

of the end, both are displaced

by the avenging Christ.

Even the expressions

dAvypoc ,
crrwki'aC is sometimes

vOPwrro --i -rrls p'1Nwaew,


have some things the equivalent of %vop., i in common. and

voNiac
In the

and

ui

rc

Septuagint

PSA01e0 of

Ar,

nwla

by the Septuagint. influenced that Paul's terminology It is well-known 1. was its cognates occur often in the LXX. Eze. 29: 12 The word cnw\cio and EprjNv is used as a synonym for is an instance where ('X'rruuAF-iC both three times in this verse, The Hebrew root and underlies exists _J]1uf the dLrrwA6.1oc in the Septuagint While for these words. range of meaning the common conceptual to that of "death", from the idea of "calamity" extends Thus is always that of "ruin", factor of course is also basic totOUi which . aAuy Noc -r, )-e- 2p rp cuC the expression would have many connotations it would be reminiscent to the reader of the LXX. While primarily of the phrase in all its component parts would carry the nuances of lawlessness in Daniel, idolatry, its forms, but particularly and also the ruin which lawlessness in its train. always brought cvoaC vGpwrroc that the phrases It would appear, therefore, rC i c -ii 0, (Ohe i occ do not stand a great way off in meaning M u and When it is f1Wu'No,. from the fearful and hateful c 're pwaswC " _ is the idolatry that the special sin of the man of lawlessness remembered it is evident that the thought his demand for worship, involvedin of such a be a stench in the nostrils of the pious, a favyNa would character indeed.

in and of itself. course, has no unsavoury connotations KXT5--)(wv , of However, the passage of time between flavour here is benign. Its contextual Paul's writing of Jerusalem brought changes of Thessalonians and the destruction law and government at times a menace where once they had been which made civil

the events of Nero's Thus after reign Christians could read of a protection. ,v FxSAu\(px both the and the Ko, 1 c and apply them NW6 Cf. Alfred but in contrasting Plummer's comment. to the same entity, senses. the Hebrew for 'abomination', in LXX co pia ". very often represented in Hebrew "the man of abomination" might mean one who claimed worship as and (London, Second Epistle the Thessalonians idol. " A Commentary on St Paul's an 1918), 47. Abbott,The bon of Man, 3477 referred bee also b. A. to by Plummer.

272.

Secondly, between of are the

it

is

liwise 'c is

clear

that

there

is

a linguistic

similarity hinderer Both of

PUXuyp 2.

EprjNwaeLoC presented and both eschatological. puzzle lies

of rot.

13: 14 and the

2 Thess. connected

The entity with

as both are

a power and a person. with the necessity

government, Both are key to the

linked

mystical

reference. Thirdly, the

in the

fact

that,

as many scholars reference to

have recognized,

Mk. 13: 14 "transcends

a limited

historical

the destruction
present.

of Jerusalem",

though "the historical


exist in Mk. 13.

reference
The first

is undeniably
has reference

111 Two levels

of meaning

to the attack Israel into

on the holy city prior

in A. D. 70, and the second to the attack to the end. Christians The one could quickly greater

on the

of God immediately the other,

have merged

had the early


gospel to

met with

success in their
of these two

proclamation

of the

the Jews and the

world.

Because

levels
with could found

of meaning, and because of the nnpire's


the Neronic be part persecutions, hindrance it is possible

change of attitude
to see how the and yet

to Christians

Roman Empire

of the

complex

in A. D. 50, 2

in A. D. 70 be

as a prefiguration

of Antichrist.

1.

Giblin,

Threat,

73.

"The identification Beckvith's 2. remarks are pertinent: of the Beast and Antichrist with the Roman emperors is held by some to be inconsistent with the in the New Testament. St Paul, Rom. 13: 1 ff. Christian view as expressed elsewhere the existing declares by God; power, the Roman, to be ordained governmental to Antichrist, saying and in 2 Thess. 2: 7 he sets the Roman power in opposition the appearing that it is only the former that prevents This of the latter. directly this latter passage is the only one in the New Testament expressing to account for it in view of the Apostle's and it is not difficult opposition, To him the order and security by the of the world maintained experiences. in contrast Roman government represented ordinance a divine with the awful to God anticipated tyranny. and hostility as to come in the reign of Antichrist. in part already begun and in The persecutions of Nero and those of Domitian, the Christians at the time of our book, and the growing yet threatening part the emperor-worship, in enforcing to the writing are all subsequent of rigor It must also be borne in mind that to one familiar these epistles of Paul. it would not be the revolutions marking the course of Roman history with 17: 16f., to conceive, as does the Apocalyptist, the present Roman order difficult by one who had been a Roman emperor. " The Apocalypse to be destroyed of John (New York, 1919), 396.

273.

The interpretation comprehends within it

thus offered several

of the hindrance

and the hinderer

of the main positions

taken by commentators the pericope.


He moves and willing sense the

in such a way as to avoid contradiction


In one sense the Holy gift level Spirit of is the

and to harmonize with


because only its

hinderer,

while

upon men by the thus at a lower

"common" grace

does law retain officers, .

influence, made thus

the

human law-enforcement become the

to maintain

law themselves,

KN-tE Xwv

In another

preachers
preached incomplete. Holy to Spirit,

of the gospel are the personal


becomes itself This for it is not is the to hindrance contradict for

restraining
so long

influence,
as its task

and the gospel


of witness regarding the is the gospel

what has just preachers,

been said

He Who empowers the hearers.

and enables to invoke

be received as the

by willing hindrance,

For those

who wish

a divine

Decree

Mk. 13: 10 and Pit.

24: 14 exist,

and such a position

becomes identical
Neither He argues the that "that angel man of the that

with what has already


position

been described.
lie oral far from what is here favoured. as

does the since

of Hofmann' to his

Paul is

appealed concerned, yield

instruction on Daniel, to the it

which, is

so far

lawlessness

depended the his solution readers powers

to be expected of the and reasoned The NE(5ov

same source

may also

problem

ISXWv angelic tells beings Daniel

Hofmann referred act that as restraining after

to Dien. 10: 5,13,20,

among human governments. Dan. 10: 20 with come Antiochus, out for the period EK the

he departs

(compare will

a 6oct yev Antichrist. Christian is given "The very Church: for the

of 2 Thess.

2: 7) then Paul

Old Testament

same prospect the

holds

of the opportunity to withdraw,

through Spirit

conservative when the

action former

of a good spirit is compelled

of Christ;

1. Die Heilige "Thessalonians",

Schrift 130.

Neuen Testaments,

I,

330ft.,

cited

by Riggenbach,

274.

then

will

Antichrist the church

come. "l

This

comment of Riggenbach, in this work Holy thesis.

it

will

be noticed, that for the as

comprehends Christian long of

interpretation has opportunity as the

advocated for its of the

H. implies the

of proclaiming Spirit,

gospel

as angels,

instruments

move upon the

leaders

governments. It is objected the Holy that Spirit the Holy is but Spirit is nowhere called Kr )cwN1 and because

But because

one key element

in a Gestalt,

Paul's

teaching

may have stressed


in upholding Holy Spirit

the human elements as much as the divine,


this objection. the last Certainly,,, great the concept is to

we are not of the work

justified of the

restraining

apostasy,

be found throughout represented

Scripture. through

And it

is just

as certain

that

the Spirit

is

as working

human agencies

such as preachers

of the gospel, "2 0

or government officials. 11 ...

"For there

is no authority

except from God. .. of God. .. . "3

he [him who is in authority

v. 3] is the servant --

The view taken by Hofmann, Luthardt,


and some modern writers4 linking the

Baumgarten, Auberlen,
with the ministry

Von Oettingen,
of benign

restrainer

spirits
between

(reflected
angelic

in Daniel
beings

10) may find


restraint

a partial
of evil to the of the adapted.

reflection
pictured time npire in

in the
the last

connexion
Apocalypse. some so his

and the

As John adapts forty imagery cannot cast years for

his

pictures Paul,

of Antichrist

wherein

he lived,

after the

when the attitude of evil Paul's is in also

had changed, his

restraint interpret thinking

While sense, day,

presentations nevertheless indirectly aid

be used to light on the

any strict of that

they

of Christians

and thus

interpretation.

1.

Ibid.,

140.

2.

Rom. 13: 1.

3.
4.0.

Rom. 13: 4.
Betz, "Der Katechon", NTS, IX. (1963), 276-291.

275.

In Rev. 9 we read two versions in Rev. 20 a final instance.

of wickedness

restrained

and bound, and

In 9: 1-3 a star

from heaven has the key to the is the

abyss which imprisons


King of destruction

the demons of chaos, and when the key is used, it


(perdition) who issues forth with his hosts.

The same

concept is echoed in v. 14ff.


restraint. fling and they unleash

Again bound
"such

angels of death are released


as never 20. was" upon mankind. It is preceded

from
The final

a plague described

of demons and men is

in Rev.

once again

by the removal
the greatests

of divine
of all

restraint.

A spirit
recovered

from God unlocks


of his deadly are wound,

the abyss and


ascends to to

antichrists,

battle.

Gog and Magog andtheir

abominable

multitudes

gathered

stand

where they ought not, end is perdition,

in their

endeavour to desolate is needed no more.


Paul, and Daniel,

the holy

city.

But their

and restraint

In the presentation

of John,

as with

other

Bible

writers,

evil

is never an independent before


thinking power

power.

It

is Yahweh who ever must are loosed.


could work. men. transpire, Evil would

grant permission
Certainly, the not gospel in in the the to

the winds of strife


of Paul, of the until Spirit Truth before

and rebellion
the great

apostasy its to all best to

must have finished had been offered among men which be allowed Spirit of

be allowed only, the

dominate those

Then, and the

and then maintained ultimate dissolution

would

institutions

represented crumble. With

elements

of divine pleadings and then

government of the the

rejection of civil

of the law,

God would i

come the pwiio (: -rqG

enactments

of the

c vo Jc c

would lead men to war against 2 Thess. 2, but with


his 0u

the holy.

Such a view is not and with


agrees all

only consonant with


those With scriptures those

all

that

Paul has written,


It likewise Almost

from which cop

own ideology

was hewn.

Ayo,

handed down by tradition.

commentators have recognized as difference and contradiction

part

of the picture,

and what so often to recognize

has appeared the

may only be the failure

276.

Gestalt

in which truth

often

comes. of 2 Thess. 2: 1-12p and true


of the

Ye have now completed our study of the key-terms we submit that


the original

the interpretation
of the text,

here suggested is self-consistent,


and in harmony with the pattern

to

meaning

prophecy previously

elucidated.

CHAPTER SIX

THE APOCALYPSEAND THE

IOiNa 'fps PN

278.

If the fld4Auy1oc 'Tf


Daniel, its "blade" grain" indeed, is found

&pnNwcrp-uc
in the Olivet

motif has its seed in the book of


discourse, its "ear" in 2 Thess. It 2, is

and the 'full doubtful, than

in that whether

book know pre-eminently the theme of Antichrist for its prominence

as the Apocalypse. would in the ever last

have assumed more book of the New

footnote

attention,

but

1 Testament.
As T. D. Bernard grow thicker meridian begin to glory and darker pointed out in a notable the full work, the books threatening of Scripture. Christian years. clouds 2 The

as one reads and the with the

concluding flush

of Pentecost, diminish

of early of passing

expectation, Several of

gradually

attrition

Paul's 2 Peter,
Jude it

epistles

yarn of approaching intensifies,


more shrill.

troubles.

In the letter epistles


itself

commonly called and the missive


we have not comes into his

the warning
becomes still but storm

while

in John's

of
only own,

But in At this

Revelation

clouds, as the

and tempest. of "the

juncture power

Antichrist of the air"

representative

prince

of the

who has great

wrath knowing "that

his time is short. "

This is not to deny the plethora to key figures of references of evil which in the pseudepigraphical But for the Apocalypse, writings and elsewhere. exist have been explained development these references might as merely the natural Similarly, the O. T. antagonists philosophy. of Israel such as of dualistic Gog and Magog, et al., Antiochus, might never have achieved eschatological but for the expanded treatment in the last of such a final status adversary Christ's book of the New Testament. references could have been brushed aside use of an old theme, and inasmuch as 2 Thess. and homiletic mere literary as it is doubtful 2 is an isolated phenomenon in the Pauline corpus, whether it its present but for the recurrence prominence would have achieved of the same The term Antichrist in the Revelation. is purely motif a Christian neologism, far as available evidence indicates. so 1. 2. The Progress of Doctrine in the New Testament (London, 1864), passim.

279.

Of course,

Antichrist

is a genus as well

as a specific Christ
of the first

figure)

All

who oppose by cruelty,


come under commentators, was the the title this head. Satan

or counterfeit

by subtlety,
left out

and His church,


reckoning by

Though sometimes in the

himself,

eyes of the

century him. last

Christians, known by

supreme Antichrist. is signs his chief

So Revelation last

12 paints of the

Better days,

henchman of the proclaim

one who will a time of

employ

and wonders,

himself

as God, and precipitate

trouble
upon the

such as never was, "the hour of trial"


earth. "2 exist ttn between the

which will

"try

them that

dwell

What relationships the T Auy i -rnc

Antichrists

of Revelation

and

jJi rrg toc of

of Daniel, 2 Thess. 2?

Mark and Matthew,

and the

AvQponoc

-mom

cvota-ocr

It if for

should first

be said that

such relationships apocalypse

should be anticipated appears to be an While the Olivet


and reflects c pq all o6uC is

no other of all
is not

reason than that prior apocalyptic


in

the final

expansion
discourse throughout one of the

found in Scripture.
form, it certainly the _PWuyp.

apocalyptic motifs is

embodies ia -VIC

apocalyptic chief.

of which a truth

And it

that

has impressed

almost

commentators

that

the book of Revelation


last things". It is

is a thorough-going
just as certain that

development of Christ's
the writer has in view

sermon
the

on "the

sicher auch nicht zufllig, wenn man immer wieder versucht war Gestalt als den A. anzuprangern. und versucht hat, eine bestimmte geschichtliche Ob nicht dieses Wort - man denke an den Wechsel von Sing. und Plur.! - vielleicht ist, ein Gattungsbegriff, eine Umschreibung eines eine Art Chiffre eher 1. "Es ist
in den Epochen zwischen Typs, immer wieder konkretisiert und aktualisiert des Herrn? " L. Coenen, "Antichrist", der Auffahrt TENT, 30. und Wiederkunft defined, Strictly "Antichrist demonic or demonic-human adversary a mythical ... before the Second Advent. f Christ More broadly, the appear who will ...

term is also applied to a historical " M. Rist, "Antichrist", thefithful. Yyvaa1V TOXI\t 2. Rev. 3s10.

or mythical potentate who wages war against v-tiXPtid-rot IBD, I, 140. ". Kai vZv .. Jn. 2: 18. ."1

280.

forecast

of Christ

on the last

Tuesday of His life, in mind. the ,


city,

as that

Christ

in that

address had the themes of Daniel In Mk. 13 and its, -parallels


linked with attack upon the holy

1 rEhuyMoc Tr sP'1Nu'Q C is
time

precipitation

of an unparalleled

of trouble,
prophets,

miraculous
and the the

signs and wonders, counterfeit


Parousia of the avenging

Christs

and false
Christ. and reoccurs.

ultimate

and rescuing city occurs

In Revelation,

same theme of attack

upon the holy

It
is

is synonymous with persecution,


the great subject entire of the

or "war" against
chapter is specifically

the saints.
first half to

This "war"
of the in book,

concluding 2 It

of the

and of the

second half.

referred

chapters

11,12,13,16,17,19

and also in other While special

chapters

which do not use the word

attention
is only

to Armageddon has been discounted


once in the book, what we

by some on the

ground

that

it

mentioned

actually
alluded

have in this
to, and which

mention is the climax


dominates the thinking

to a war which is repeatedly


of the writer.

As the original
desolating for the himself, invader so it

pS AuyFm
who wore out is with the

-ifc
the

apxjNc; 3crewc.
but also

was not only a


one who claimed of Antichrist Mark, the Matthew and worship in

saints, earthly

chief

manifestation

book of Revelation. apparition glory,

And furthermore, vas the such is immediate also the

as in Daniel, prelude to

2 Thess. I this kingdom of

setting

up of the

God in

case in the

Apocalypse.

"The more closely R. H. Charles says: example, we study the Seals in Luke xxi., Matt. the more strongly xxiv., with Mark xiii., we shall connection that our author finds his chief in the be convinced and controlling authority there set forth. " The Revelation St John (ICC, scheme of eschatological (Hereinafter ) 1920), I, 158. to as Revelation. Edinburgh, referred 1. For "Here very little Commenting on Rev. 16: 16, V. Hendriksen is said says: But we must remember that-this battle. final this same conflict about of in Revelation 11: 7 if. Has-Magedon is described in Revelation and especially ..; (London, (Hereinafter 20: 7f. " More Than Conquerors 1962), 164. 19: 11 ff.; to as Conquerors. ) referred 2.

281.

Preparatory obvious parallels


Dan. 8: 13:

to a closer pertinent

look at the passages concerned, to our subject will be indicated.

some of the more

For how long is the vision the concerning .. burnt offering, the transgression that continual makes desolate, and the giving over of the sanctuary and host to be trampled under foot? " when you see the desolating where it [hei ought not to be. the ... lawlessness. rebellion comes first, takes his seat .. "But sacrilege .. ." set up

".

Nk.

13: 14:

2 Thess.

2: 3,4:

and the man of in the temple of

God

Rev.

11: 2:

". . Silty-

..

the .00"

nations

...

Will

trample

over

the

holy

In the first holy places "stands"

reference

we have a desolating

"treading power

down" the described

and the worshippers.

In the second, a power similarly ought not"9 The third as a threat reference

"in the holy place" if

"where it

to the worshippers the

who must flee profaning

they are to be saved.

characterizes

one as "sitting"

in "the temple of God". city

When we reach the parallel are in focus.


initial

in the Apocalypse,
worshippers

again the temple and holy


even "trampled",

Again the
reference. And

are threatened,

as in the

again it
profanation, tion is

is invading

Gentiles

vho are responsible


Antiochus the

for

the aggression
2 The climax successfully

and
of devastamakes war

as was the when the

case with beast

Epiphanes. pit

reached

from

bottomless

on the Two Witnesses. follows, and with it

But the triumph

is brief,

for vindication

of the saints to the

the kingdom of God on earth. quoted above.

Here is the parallel After

concept adjoining

the verse in Daniel

many days the sanctuary

1.

Lu. 21: 24: ".

..

and Jerusalem will

be trodden

down by the Gentiles.

..

."

The Revelation See T. F. Glasson, Commentary, 2. of John (The Cambridge Bible The Apocalypse 1965), 67-70; Isbon T. Beckwith, John (New York, Cambridge, of I, 279; W. Milligan, Charles, Revelation, The Book of Revelation 1919), 252; (Hereinafter (London, 1898), 176-7T. ) to as Revelation. referred

282.

to be vindicated, was the first apocalyptic chapter

and of course its

true

worshippers.

Thus closely cling

does

of Revelation

concerning

the Antichrist

to the initial

sketch in Daniel
chapter concerning horns

on the same topic.


second half work the of Revelation also enshrines with

The opening I nielic imagery

of the the raking out

of Antichrist. stars from the flood

We read skies, to 2

of a monster making War in escaping days"

seven heads and ten heaven, saints. a time, the monster and on earth The battle times, stands

pouring wages for

a devastating

drown the and sixty war on the

"one thousand Then for

two hundred the final

even

and half on the

a time. "4 sand of the

remnant,

sea summoning a fearful

henchman who

will

initiate All

the last

slaughter. rise from the Old Testament description as sky-raking, land like of the

of this

takes its

5- He, too, work of Antiochus ones to the ground. He, too,


period

was pictured

and dashing the holy an overwhelming ten horns.


and half

He, too,

invaded the holy

flood. His

was pictured
of persecution

as the representative
also chapter was represented of Revelation twin of the the of

of a monster with
as "a time, continues heavenly times, the

a time.

"

The thirteenth 11enielic picture.

expansion having

of the the same of time, 6

The earthly

dragon, for the

heads and horns, number of appears. His He blasphemes the

and doing sanctuary miraculous

same work

same length its

God and desolates and wonders

worshippers. those

representatives

perform

signs

to persuade

on

earth

to adore his

image which could both breathe

and speak

Then comes the

1. 2. 4. 6.

Dan. 8: 14:

".

..

then the sanctuary

shall

be restored

to its

rightful

" estate.

Rev. 12: 4, cf. Rev. 12: 6,14.5. Rev. 13: 5, cf.

Dan. 8: 10.3.

Rev. 12: 15, cf.

Dan. 9: 26; 11: 40. 7: 25.

Dan. 8: 10; 9: 26; 7: 7-8; Dan. 8: 13.7. Rev. 13: 13, cf.

Dan. 8: 25.

283.

great

martyrdom death of,

of the non-conformists, the Two witnesses

an obvious in the first chapter

parallel Johannine

to the war upon, presentation counterfeit discourse and of the

and the Antichrist aspect

theme. l of the

Many features which

of this

enhance the by the 13 is Olivet the

adversary

had been stressed of Revelation to resurrection who, like

by 2 Thess.

2.2

The chief but

figure revives

member of a trinity; he calls witnesses, in of this reverence. C. forth can

he has been slaughtered authenticating call down fire is the signs;

life; Christ's

he has witnesses

from heaven; reference definite

he demands worship. is

A new feature object

chapter This motif. is

to an image which allusion to the

to be the

a very

P&%vyND, found

TES in Daniel

qEPqNwc3 3.3

Even the

number 666 reflects

imagery

See Martin Kiddie, The Revelation 1. of St John (MNTC, London, 1940), 242-244, (hereinafter to as--Revelation); Austin Farrer, The Revelation referred of St (Oxford, John the Divine 1964), 151-155 (hereinafter to as Revelation); referred I, 333; Hendriksen, Charles, Revelation, Conquerors, 144-146; G. B. Caird, (London, 1966), 162 A Commentary on the Revelation St John the Divine of (hereinafter to as Revelation); Ronald H. Preston and Anthony T. referred (London, 1949), 95 (hereinafter Hanson, The Revelation of St John the Divine to as Revelation): "The symbolism of this is taken mostly referred chapter "; Glasson, The Revelation John, 79 (hereinafter from Daniel. of referred .. . "The imagery comes from Daniel 7. to as Revelation): .. ." Revelation, See Caird, 164, "The monster is a parody of Christ. 2. Previously 'bearing John had seen ihe'Lamb the marks of slaughter'; now he sees one of the the deadly marks of slaughter, heads bearing and its death had been monster's " Preston by something that could pass for a resurrection. followed and Hanson, 96. "As we study the details there is one astonishing Revelation, of this chapter becomes apparent: Satan has produced a parody of the feature which gradually " Farrer, Revelation, dispensation. 152, ". divine a parody of Christianity ..

...

."

Kiddie,

Revelation,

252-253.

3. The image erected by Nebuchadnezzar is said to have measured sixty cubits Emphasis on the symbolism of numbers (which is foolish to the by six cubits. by the ancients. The number six in Western mind) was taken quite seriously Egypt was understood to be the combination of the solar disk and the ancient See the remarks of E. Lohmeyer, Die Offenbarung des Johannes sacred serpent. (Hereinafter (i{NT, Tbingen, 1926), 118-119. to as Offenbarung. ) referred

284.

Chapter fourteen
to Antichrist The entire Apocalypse. paraetic graphic in the

of Revelation
special had the the first of the was in us. "2 for all

contains
blessing

a warning against
to those as this to the who are chapter

submission

and promises book of Daniel It also, ] from

to be martyred. of the and in

same purpose chapter Gentile

last,

had a didactic were sketched of this

purpose. pictures beast

The evils

oppressor

whose point

every

instance is

"beware

same mark

now oppressing is the basis

And Daniel later

the prototype on the

of martyrologies. Such

Dan.

11: 32-35

variations

theme.

admonitions

as Rev. 13: 10 and 14: 12-13 are but reminders


15 pictures the ultimate victory of those

of Dan. 12: 2-3,10-13.


who had refused to

Revelation

worship
issue a faint

Antichrist
from the

and his

image.

The destruction
the

of the desolator
one on earth chapter,

is seen to
vas but be

heavenly

temple

of which with

desecrated reading this

shadow.

One familiar

Daniel,

would

reminded of many references theme.


oppressor, in the

in the Old Testament book coinciding

with

this of Israel's
adversary old

Daniel

had spoken of a heavenly Watcher Who marked the pride


the wanting. judgment which weighed the impious

and he had sketched and found end, it

balances to its

Catastrophic

upheavals it. 3

had brought

Babylon

and there

had been none to help

Dan. 9: 27 had promised

a "decreed end" for


divine pouring bowls indignation out of the

the desolator,
was accomplished. wrath

and, this

end was to be "poured out" when the


Revelation even the 15 promises emptying the

Similarly

of God upon Antichrist, Thus would the

of heaven's by Isaiah

of judgment

plagues.

consummation

foretold

and enlarged

upon by Daniel "It

be fulfilled.

The message of Daniel

and Rev. 15 will

is the same -himself shortly

does not pay to submit to Antichrist.

The desolator

be desolated. "

1.

Rowley,

Servant,

279.

2.

See comments in Ibid., See Isa. 10: 22-23, cf.

276. Dan. 9: 27, ll: 45.

3.

In.

4: 13-14;

5: 5,25-30.4.

235.

The following

chapter

in

Revelation

still

centres

around

the work of

Antichrist usual with


given the

and the divine

response.

The seven plagues are divided, into four


the

as is is

the sevens of Revelation,


second group which Christ. ivy leaf,

three. 1 and
final battle

Most attention
in the

to the true

describes

war between men to be had "shame

and false with that the all

In ancient 2 the to

times

Antiochus but

had compelled the writer

branded warned

mark of Bacchus, receiving

of Daniel to

who submitted contempt. "3

such would 16 pictures

become subject divine its wrath

and everlasting upon "the

Revelation

the

descending

men who bore

the

mark of the beast others

and worshipped

image. "4 who have shed

Those who have persecuted blood, must now drink it. 5

are now persecuted, central emphasis

and those in this

But the

chapter

is

upon

the gathering the Almighty. the beast, fact,


in the

of the kings "

of the earth

"for twelve

battle

on the great

day of God

The powers of chapters prophet,

and thirteen, of this

namely the dragon, opposition. 6 In

and the false

are the leaders

Rev. 16: 13-14 appears to be descriptive


last half the of Rev. beast 13. War is image,

of the same crisis

mentioned
His people in view, identical Concerning Lamb", and

made upon God by compelling or die. The same powers chapter the that enlarges are the

to worship the crisis the ten

and its

same signs

and wonders.

The following imagery, it is but

by use of different horns of the beast

war motif they "will

remains.

written

make war on the

1949), 42; (hereinafter Images (Westminster, A Rebirth Farrer, Austin 1. of Conquerors, Hendriksen, 23, "The author of the to as Rebirth); referred in terms of seven. This number occurs fiftyis constantly Apocalypse speaking is the fact that he again and again What is even more striking four times. his sevens in groups of three and four or four and three. " See also arranges (Hereinafter John, 254,523. to as Apocalypse. The Apocalypse Beckwith, of referred 2.2 Mace. 6: 7; 3 Mace. 2: 29.3. Dan. 12: 2.

4. 6.

Rev. 16: 2. Rev. 16: 13-14.

5.

Rev. 16: 4-6.

286.

apparently

by antagonism

to

"those

with

him",

who are

"called

and chosen and

faithful.

"1 The initial references


descriptions

to this
of the

"war",
attack point to the

it

should be kept in mind, are


of his day.

found

in

Daniel's

by the Antichrist out that

Commentators is a springboard

on Dan. 9: 26 frequently for later references Antichrist saints

the war here eschatological viewpoint, as a harlot

mentioned conflict. when the arrayed 2 one in

final

Revelation who has shed the

17 describes blood of the

from is

another

characterized

purple

and scarlet,
beast yet

bedecked with
with

gold and jewels


horns.

and pearls,

and astride
the

the

now familiar great" is

seven heads and ten allusion to the

The name "Babylon saga of Antiochus Babylon" which

another

Old Testament the "great

Epiphanes. he had

Nebuchadnezzar,

who had boasted

concerning

built,

thereby

exemplified

the pride

of Antichrist.

His kingdom city for 4

built

upon the Euphrates becomes the symbol of Rome and her allies, is not only located
of the so, Daniel "drying hints

the harlot The writer


with 5 Even be

upon seven hills


the river the fall

but also upon "many waters".


Babylon, an event by second unleashed

had depicted up" Daniel, of the shall

of ancient

associated Isaiah.

Euphrates, flood

as foretold

of persecution

by Antiochus

"dried

up".

As Isaiah's

writings,

well-known

and repeatedly

quoted by

1.
2.

Rev. 17: 14.


Jeffery,

"Daniel", Porteous, 497-98. Daniel, 143: "The war which the is no doubt conceived anticipates of by him as the final eschatological writer (cf. Ezek. 38 and 39; Rev. 16: 6 and The War between good and evil struggle and the Sons of Darkness). " of the Sons of Light

3. 5.

]ui. Isa.

4: 30.4. 44: 27. Cf. Jer. 50: 38; 51: 36.

Rev. 17: 1.

6. It is in 12: 6 is oppression symbol for

even possible that the symbolism employed by the writer of Daniel liken related to this theme. Frequently the Old Testament writers to an overflowing It is also a standard river. and persecution See Jer. 46: 6-10; 47: 2; 25: 9-11,15-26; invasion. Isa. 8: 7,8;

287.

Daniel, with

had predicted "no one to that save'',. he,

that

Babylon 1

would

"come down and sit seer holy said

in the

dust"

'her, __y.

so the the

later glorious

of the

eschatological "would the come to applicaDaniel. "3

adversary his tion

upon attacking him. i2

mountain 17 continues of by the

end, with of the

none to help

Thus Revelation "spoken

Pf1N War-

prophet

It
forth the

is evident
judgments

that

Revelation
preceding

17 delineates
chapter.

the crisis

which calls
Its along

of the

But it

does more.

with

the following

chapter,

describes

those judgments by employing other and burning her, and the


fate depicted

symbols.
holocaust

The ten horns desolating


of the city, are but

the harlot

alternative

expressions

of the

in the chapter has its It EPrflJoC roots

concerning

the seven last

plagues.

And all

this

symbolism

in passages of Isaiah

and Danie1.4 the terms with SsvyF-! a the person and fate of

should be specially and _.

noted that

f w

are linked

Dan. 9: 26; 11: 22,40. Dan. 12: 6 could well be 2 Sam. 22: 5; Ps. 69: 1,2,14,15; intended as a pictorial presentation of the truth expressed in Ps. 29: 10, "The Lord sits the Lord sits enthroned over the flood; enthroned as king for ever. " Compare Ps. 93: 3-4, which stresses that Lahnek_ is mightier them. than flooding and able to control waters, 1. 2. Isa. 47: 1,15.

Dan. 11: 45.

3.

Mt. 24: 15.

to the symbolism of the drying up of the Euphrates, 4. We refer specifically the coming of the kings from the east, and the references to the beast and the The description ten horns. of the weeping over the city, of course, is taken from Ezekiel's passage on the lamentation over fallen Tyre, but the references Dan. 4: 30. Probably the use of fire as the to "Babylon the great" reflect destroying emblem also comes from the same book. See Dan. 7: 11.

288.

Antichrist wilderness

in this

chapter.

'

The power which had forced experience chapter


in

the saints

into

the

of a persecution

is now itself reiterates

to endure the wilderness this terminology.


its occurrence

of persecution.
The Parousia

The eighteenth
is symbolized

2
is seen

Revelation

19, but

as the climax
and the But their false

to the battle
prophet

of Armageddon.
13, is lead the

The powers of Antichrist,


of the earth latter and their

the beast
armies. is 3

of Rev.

the kings lake of fire.

ultimate

destination

This

symbol

reminiscent

of the fate fire.

assigned to Daniel's "4 The angel's call

Antichrist to the birds

which "was given over refers back to the


from the

to be burned with
similar call

recorded

in Ezekiel

when the

powers

of Gog and Magog,

north, attack

fell

upon the mountains holy mountain"

of Israel.

Daniel's

description

of the last

upon"the

by Antiochus

is modelled upon the Ezekiel etc. The overwhelming


fate of the king

passage.
of in

Thus the reference


is reminiscent with

to "the north",
of Eze. the fate 38: 14-16,

inundation
of the of north 6

11: 40-44 11: 45 is

and the

identical reference

of Gog and Hagog upon the incorporates chs. latter the imagery

mountains of the all

Israel.

The Johannine mentioned the

to Armageddon and Daniel. attacker

mountains upon

by Ezekiel

Thus Rev. "in the

16,17,18,19 days",

enlarge time

destruction

of Israel's

"the

of -the

7 The fate end".


become the

wished upon Antiochus


assigned to the

Epiphanes by the writer


Antichrist

of Daniel
of John.

has

destiny

eschatological

1.

Rev.

17: 5,3,16.2.

Rev.

18: 19.

Rev. 19: 19. We read here of " Tv -Raflov in the cases of Rev. 16: 14 and 20: 8. as 3. 4.
6.

", the article

being present

Dan. 7: 11.
Eze.

5.

Eze. 39: 4,17-20.


was a tradition, and Ilan. ai. 45 that the final " See also Russell, Apocalyptic, there

Revelation, 330, ". riddle, 39: 2-4. .. in such passages as Ezek. xxxia. l if. exemplified to be among the mountains of Israel. was conflict

192.

7.

Eze. 38: 16; Dan. 11: 40.

289.

There is yet, another motif before


to

reference It

to the. P69uyHoc climactic

-f,;

gpuaaewc made

in the Apocalypse. the millezm


theamillennial the hordes four quarters

is a final,

allusion.

The attack Or, if


anew. the

is repeated after
view, the

the thousand years.


is pictured not

we choose
Rev. north, 20: 7-10 but

follow

same attack

describes from the

of Gog and Magog as coming, of earth himself. after their Again

now from

resurrection, the holy city is

and as led

by the

supreme Antichrist, Lan. not", 11: 45. on the

Satan

menaced as in "where all it ought

Once more the borders end, with of "the

PS9Auytoc holy place".

-rqc e-pnpwa&Cstands But once and for He is "given over

"lie shall with

come to his

none to help

him. "

to be burned

fire.

"

And from the ashes of a desolated


Now the with men. new covenant The kingdom promise

earth the seer beholds arising


is fulfilled with and God descends the glory of its

"a
to

new earth". tabernacle

has come indeed,

consummation.

Shut out forever


saints

are all

those who have worked abomination.


as they bear that on their ancient forehead, priestly

'

The once desolated not the

are now vindicated but unto the

mark of Antichrist, of borne of the his "holiness by the seer

name of Yahweh figure

inscription Creator vision all that

the

Lord"

of the primeval 2 race.

image of the the symbolic

original

sinless

parents

of the

Such is

of Patmos,

embodying

and transforming

"on a larger

canvas"3

predecessors

had intimated.

1.
3.

Rev. 21s17.2.
Preston and Hanson,

Rev. 22: 4; Ex. 28: 36; Rev. 14: 1; Gen. 1: 26.


Revelation, 10.

290.

Exegetical

Summaries

of Antichrist

Passages

in

Revelation

We do not propose to give an exhaustive the Apocalypse which reflect


of these passages could well

exegesis e-prN
thesis if

of all cc
dealt

the passages in motif.


with

the, ViuyNa
occupy an entire

-c-

Any one

comprehensively.
important Tsnwaw of these

We plan rather
passages, theme.

to indicate
the

the basic meaning of the most


of such for the the cSsXuypu special

showing

relevance

Some suggestions

regarding

hermeneutic
illustrations passage

to be applied
of their

to the book of Revelation


will

will

be offered,
instance

and
first Preliminary

application

be made in the passages

of the

considered,

and with

subsequent

to a lesser

extent.

matters brevity,

vital

to the background of exegesis will unanimity


Date,

also be treated, scholars

but with them.


Interpretation. five

because of the virtual


-

of leading
Text,

regarding
Setting, that apostle the

The Book of Revelation Authorship Johannine majority While writings believe

Authorship,

Historical believe the 2

a few scholars are the from

such as E. Stauffer and that

one author, must remain

author

John, 1 the possible

issue

an open question.

It

is

not

1. 2.

Theology,

40,41.

"All that we can say with fair is that the book was written by certainty Christian named John, who was for a time banished to the island of Patmos. " a "No subject Revelation, 4. Kiddle's is well-known: Glasson, statement of has provoked such elaborate discussion Biblical studies and prolonged among as that of the authorship of the five books of the New Testament which scholars (the Fourth Gospel, the three Epistles to 'John' traditionally ascribed are of And no discussion John, and Revelation). has been so bewildering, disappointing, The s tudentwho attempts to follow the innumerable lines unprofitable. and of is soon caught in a maze of conflicting forward to enquiry arguments brought theories, the rival finds himself and invariably unable to reach any support the authorship definite conclusion concerning of at least of some, if not all, it is quite In fact, impossible the books concerned. the authorto determine evidence. " Revelation, ship of any of these books from the available xxxiii. Ktnmel says: "We know nothing than more about the author of the Apocalypse by the name of John. For he cannot be that he was a Jewish-Christian prophet John the son of Zebedee, if the son of Zebedee died as a martyr identical with long before the end of the first Introduction, 331. century. .. ."

Preston

and Hanson agree.

They ask the question,

"Who wrote Revelation? " and

2y1.

to prove

the

identity

of the

John of Rev.

1: 4,9 with

any other

John of the

New Testament. l Until


to the

the end of the 18th century


John, but the following

the Apocalypse was generally


century saw many scholars

ascribed

apostle

opposing

this

primitive

tradition.

The great

difference

in language and style reason for this


Gospel

between

John's

Gospel and the Revelation


an increasing

was the chief


the

dissidence.

Puthermore,

number viewed

fourth

as non-apostolic.

In recent
tide in critical

years there
opinion.

appear to be hints
Otto Piper has written

of another possible
as follows

change of

in a noteworthy

article:
Anderseits in neuester Zeit sind die Argumente gegen die Tradition betrgchtlich fr einen gemeinsamen seitdem Forscher geschwcht vorden, Dass die Behauptung der J. und des JobEv eingetreten Verfasser sind. lehrt ist, der beiden Bcher stark berstrieben der Unvereinbarkeit IQT eine Beide haben gegenber dem brigen der Sprache. ein Vergleich Begriffe gemeinsam. .. ganze Anzahl zentraler .2

But he concludes: der apostolischen


enthitlt. n3

"Zusammenfassend wird man sagen d{irfen, Verfasserschaft

dass die Bestreitung Problems

der J. noch eine Reihe ungeldster

"The answer must be simply - John. " Revelation, 23. reply, this uniformity Despite of opinion seem to have some recent scholars thoughts about the possibility of improving upon mere "John" as the second See Caird, to the quest. Revelation, Farrer, 4-5; Revelation, answer (Caird thinks that the weight of the evidence is against the common 1-3. but records his conviction of the gospel and the Apocalypse authorship is not decisive. Farrer, that the language difference characteristically, in voting for the Apostle. ) Leon Morris believes is more thorough-going the to be scanty, towards Stauffer's evidence for Ktimmel's objection and inclines See The Revelation St John (London, 1969), 25-34. of position.

2. 3. 4.

But see Morris,

Ibid.,

27 f. RGG (3rd edn. ), col. 829.

"Johannesapokalypse", Ibid., col. 830.

292.

We think by Piper Date It

that

for

the present

there

is nothing

to add to these conclusions

regarding is quite for

the matter clear

of authorship. it was penned during a period of the

from the book that church. '

persecution reign former


in

the infant

Thus most critics

have chosen either Against the

of Nero or that date is the fact


danger

of Domitian that

as the time of composition. obviously considers


beyond that

the writer

the church to be
which Paul

serious

of complacency

and worldliness,

warned against

in his time. 2

Arguments based on passages such as Rev. 17: 9f., as the divergent


assert

and 17: 11 are not conclusive,


number of early writers

interpretations
with definiteness

testify.
that

A
the

such as Irenaeus

book originated pressure


at least

the time of Domitian. 3 at is alluded


written

The fact

that

the threat Revelation


during the

of increasing indicates
last third

towards emperor-worship
that the

to throughout
at some time

book was probably

of the century,

and that

Domitian's

reign

was a likely

occasion.

In summary: Die verschiedenen Indizien Versuche, fr aus dem Buche selbst beruhen zT auf fehlerhafter das Datum zu finden, Exegese, zT sind die Immerhin lassen die nicht andezogenen Stellen eindeutig genug. Erwhnung des erneuten Erstarkens Feindschaft der jdischen gegen die Christen darauf schliessen, und die Hinweise auf -- Christenverfolgungen dass die Scrift, wie schon Irengus annahm, gegen Ende der Regierungzeit 4 (196) geschrieben Domitians wurde.

1.
2. 4.

Rev. 1: 9; 2: 13; 2: 10; 6: 9; 3: 10; 17: 6; 18: 24; 19: 2; 16: 6; 20: 4.
See Rev. Piper, chs. 2 and 3.3. Adv. Haer. v. 30.3.

Cf. Guthrie, Introduction, Ibid., 949: "although the main col. 830. apart from the question purpose of the book may be considered of date, this in the quest to ascertain is not unimportant the precise historical question irrelevant for arriving background, nor is it entirely at a satisfactory The most widely held view is that this Apocalypse interpretation of the book. during the reign of Domitian, towards the end of that more precisely was written See also Morris, i. e. AD 90-95. Revelation, 34-40; Kfmmel, reign, .. ." 32? -329; Preston and Hanson, Revelation. Introduction, Revelation, 25-27; Caird, 5-6; et al. all of whom agree with the preceding A. Feuillet references. in Domitian's believes that the book was written reign but issued as though See NTS, IV (1957-58), in the time of Vespasian. 183 if. The position produced during the days of Galb is not widely authorship of C. C. Torrey regarding See his The Apocalypse held today. of John (New Ifaven, 1958), 58 if.

293.

Text

Despite

the fact than that


"2

that "the Greek text

of Revelation

is more uncertain yet it raises

in

some respects
"few major

of other books of the New Testament"l

problems.

The vast consisting articles writer's

majority usual

of the

more than

1600 variants the

are minor addition

in

character, of

of the

differences

in word order,

or omission of the question

and connectives, gra: rimatical

synonym substitution, Thus there

and the exist

"correction" any real

"errors".

does not

regarding text

the significance 3
it

of any given sentence or paragraph which a better

could solve.
furthermore,

must be said,

that

despite there

the massive

learning

and for

equally assuming Historical

massive

imagination

of R. H. Charles

are no good grounds text. 4

dislocations Setting

or rearrangements The main point

of the

original

to be made here

has already

been referred

to

in the discussion that the great

of the dating

for

this

book.

The author

obviously

believed tradition

tribulation

well-known

to both Jewish and Christian


signs of the times

was about an increase finally expresses ". ..

to break. in the

Apparently existing

he read the towards

as foretelling an increase K{lmmel

pressures by the

emperor-worship, of a demonic

to be accelerated the thought

appearance

antichrist.

of the the

majority

of modern commentators a knowledge "5

when he writes: of the external

to understand of its

message of the Apocalypse is especially

circumstances

origin

indispensable.

1. 2.

M. Rist, Caird,

"The Revelation Revelation, v.

of St John the

Divine"

(IB),

XII,

357.

"It is surprising how seldom these divergences 3. doubt about create any serious the English the sense intended, " Farrer, Revelation, 51. or affect rendering. "On the Whole, the text of Revelation is fairly A majority certain. of the in which the book abounds solecisms appear to deal with the curious variants from time to time endeavoured particularly scribes to correct the ...; of gender, number, and case of noun and adjective, grammar in the matter author's

294.

Interpretation sense when he left the sole exception.

It

has often this

been remarked Bible that

that

Calvin

showed his

extreme

good

book of the declared all

without

a commentary

from his

pen -

Jerome it is

the Apocalypse for multiple

"has as many secrets meanings left that lesser the lie hidden

as words", in

and that

"beyond

praise;

each single but

word. nl others

This

hyperbole

has understandably have affirmed for the

souls

speechless, exegete methods book. that

more self-confident by a penchant "My spirit for

ancient exegetical itself to this it as --

must have been blinded of Origen. There is is Luther

allegorical accommodate

wrote:

cannot small

one sufficient neither the taught canon. is that

reason in it

the

esteem in which i2 Zwingli

I hold it as

Christ

nor

recognized.

denounced

an intrusion severe. that this His

into

In our own day C. H. Dodd has been almost "if we review future of the the book as a whole, effect

judgment

we must judge to a

excessive place just .. judge

emphasis those ." that far

on the

has the

of relegating

secondary of

elements

Gospel which here.

are most distinctive He adds: ". .. we attitude but

Christianity.

Neither in its below

does Dodd stop conception the level of the not

are bound to to man the of the best

character

of God and his

book falls parts

only

of the teaching verdict is

of Jesus

of the

Old Testament. "3 Loisy's

similarly

unfavourable.

and in that IBD IV, 70.

of mood and tense

of the

verb. "

J.

W. Bowman, "Revelation,

Book of",

there are no certain that the book contains Similarly 4. grounds for holding Such theories into its own structure. fragments of other works incorporated by "overprecision handicapped criticism", and arbitrary canons of literary are to the Literature See Introduction to Moffatt. of the New Testament according (Edinburgh, ". to Riddle: According 1918), 491. and many other unhelpful .. the text which, theories, to mutilate attempts and the unconvincing unnecessary accompany them, can be avoided when John's mind and purpose are correctly commonly " Revelation, For a very thorough discussion xxxii. understood. of such questions, Apocalypse, 216-239. see Beckwith, 5. 2. 3. Introduction, Cited by Caird, 327.1. Revelation, Preaching 2. Developments (London, 1936), 86ff. liii. . 9.

The Apostolic

and its

295.

He pulls

no punches when he says: that can be said of it is that for centuries men have taxed to find in it a meaning which is NOT there, for the simple the meaning which IS there was immediately contradicted by I' of events.
in strong contrast opposite to other school. earlier appraisals. Take

The best their wits reason that the course

Such a comment stands Bishop Wordsworth Henry for

an example

of the

More observes 'that there never was a book penned with that ... artifice as this of the Apocalypse, as if every word were weighed in a balance before it was set down. ' Those remarkable specimens of careful in its earlier composition chapters may have been designed to remind the that every sentence of it is pregnant reader, with meaning, and that in its Visions, the best method is to examine diligently order to understand the Apocalypse. 2 every word of

The Origins 1. of the New Testament (Peake new edn. ), 1044. "Revelation" 2.

(E. T.,

1950),

11,

cited

by N. Turner,

(London, 1872), II1 172. Commentary on the New Testament Wordsworth waxes in expressing lyrical his evaluation His comment is worthy of the book. quite "It reveals to more modern expressions. a long train of of study as a contrast in the History failings, future of the Church. and chastisements sufferings, that Christ is And yet it cheers the reader with the consolatory assurance, that He went forth than His enemies; in the first age of the Gospel mightier 'conquering like a royal warrior, and to conquer', and that He enables all His to overcome; that they who die for Him, live; that they who faithful servants for Him, reign; upon Earth, and that the course of the Church of Christ suffer Himself; is like the course of Christ that she is here as a Witness of Vie is to teach the world; that her office that she will be fed by the Truth, the Ancient Church with manna in the wilderness; hand, like Divine that she be borne-on the world; eagles' wings in her missionary will career throughout injuries from enemies and from friends; and yet that she must expect to suffer that she too must look to have her Gethsemane and her Calvary, but that she will have her Olivet; that through the pains of Agony and Suffering, also and through the darkness of the Grave, she will rise to the glories of a triumphant joys of the new Jerusalem; Ascension, that she, who has and to the everlasting in the wilderness, " will been for a time 'the Woman wandering be for ever and in heaven. ever 'the Bride' glorified

"It will be readily acknowledged by those who contemplate the course of the Church from the days of St John to the present age that such a representation of it is in perfect accordance with the facts of the case; that it bears evidence t; of divine foresi and that it was well adapted to serve the purpose of in every age from the dangers of despondency rescuing the minds of Christians in illusory hopes and visionary and also from the snare of indulging and unbelief, dreams of perfect spiritual unity, and religious purity upon earth; and that it and prepare them to encounter trials was admirably framed to instruct and with constancy and courage, and to endure hardness as good soldiers afflictions of Christ; and to strengthen their faith, and quicken their hope even by those trials by Christ in this Book; and that as having been foretold and afflictions,

296.

In much more recent

days Caird has summarized the situation

aptly:

No other book can have aroused such equally passionate love and It has been the inspiration hatred. of poetry, music, and art, the fountain of worship and devotion, the comfort of the bereaved, and the strength
of the persecuted. But it has also been roundly denounced by more critics

a pledge that the other predictions affords of this same Book, which Triumph of Christ the full Felicity and final reveals and the eternal and Glory servants, of all His faithful of all His Enemies, will and the destruction not fail accomplishment. of their "The Apocalypse is therefore to the Church in her a Manual of Consolation through this world to the heavenly Canaan of her rest. " Ibid., 148. pilgrimage There have been and are modern scholars who would agree with Wordsworth the skill, artistry, value of the book, though not many and abiding regarding See, for example, W. Milligan's three would express themselves as he does. books on The Apocalypse; Kiddle's Moffatt Commentary (xxv. f. ); Merrill and (Grand Rapids, 1957), l94.; Interpreting Revelation J. B. Phillips, C. Tenney's (London, 1960), 9; New Testament A. Wikenhauser, The Book of Revelation (New York 1958), 545f; Baker's G. E. Laadd, "Revelation", Introduction , 6. Rebirth, Theology (London, 1960), 53; Austin Farrer, Dictionary of On the other hand there are commentators who view the book differently. While Hendriksen can tell us in his opening sentence that "in form, symbolism, is beautiful beyond description", purpose and meaning the book of Revelation (Conguerors, 7), N. Turner suggests that in the book, "There is too much and often it is employed pointlessly second-hand material, unassimilated -obscure to us, to many early Christians, and to vast numbers of readers who decline the relevance to make it support their of Rev. today can peculiar notions. ... John does not really live be as great as it was in the 1st century. hardly ... what we think may sphere. ' We sometimes experience and move in our intellectual described in his word pictures, but that does not tell be symbolically us what know himself? The number three means heaven, his symbols mean. Did he really four means the earth, and the number seven is the blending of these two, or God dwelling with man: but most of the rest is as obscure as the Jewish literature (Peake, new edn. ), 1043-1044. When commenting it is based. " "Revelation", on which to the fact that Megiddo was the battle-ground of upon Rev. 16, Turner refers kings in the OT but then adds, "nothing so subtle could have been in the author's (Our own opinion " Ibid., is that the writer 1054. of Revelation was mind. than Turner gives him credit for, less more subtle yet considerably considerably This conclusion than Farrer makes him out to be in his Rebirth. may say subtle thus

it

research is much about Turner and Farrer as it does about John, but critical as An open mind exists for the same purpose as an conclusions. useless without that it might shortly seize upon something worth digesting. ) open mouth,
is that we should observe the contrary But the main point of evaluations This certainly is chameleon, the book. suggests, not that the book itself This factor is present. is the invariable factor but that another prejudice (which ever postulates in an literature eschatological supernaturalism) against before the rising the supernatural has been dissipated sun of science. age when

297.

than Luther
Strangely issue others affecting find 2 that

as a work of vindictive
critic

and unchristian
against that critic it

spirit.

1
every, Christ,

enough, its it

can be pitched While

on almost fails to

worth. exalts

Dodd can assert

glorify New others

Him far it is

and above most of the to be vindictive not alien to

books

of the

Testament. attempt tion to

While show that

some declare its spirit

and unchristian, Christ's not own righteous He hated

indignathem, feet "his of the to that than but

when He voiced they to

woes against

the

Pharisees,

because love,

because of others

misrepresented stray. 3 While did 4 not

God, and by slighting one can reject come true, assert the

His

caused the that

book on the basis must affect

(John's)

prophecies author", nature

and that that

our judgment is a failure

book and the recognize the the

others

such a judgment Such countering issue time being

of Hebraic

prophecy.

critics times

believe rather

emphasis times

of prophets themselves,

has ever 5

been upon the furthermore time

of the

upon the rather Again, contrast

and that

was seen as qualitative left out of the reckoning. in

than these to

quantitative, writers opportunity to the

with suggest time Divine

"nonentity" that could

such spans of mere chronological be long 6 or short depending of

time

upon prior

human response

initiative.

The element

contingency,

1.

Caird,

Revelation,

2.2.

See Piper,

"Johannesapokalypse",

col.

832.

"The call to rejoice Revelation, 221-22. 3. 'E. g. at the destruction of -Norris, But we should notice in the first the city some modern students. appalls place It is a longing is not a vindictive be done. that justice that this outcry. And in the second, John and his readers were not armchair pedantically critics They were existentially discussing and wrongs in an academic fashion. rights that It is a passionate cry uttered out of the deep conviction committed. ... musttriumph and which eagerly welcomes that triumph. " See also Caird, right 230. Revelation, 4. 5. XII Turner, "Revelation", 1044. Thinks Again About Daniel", Baptist Quarterly,

Beasley-Murray, (1948), 367.

"A Conservative

6.

See 104ff. of this

thesis.

298.

undoubtedly

characteristic factor leading

of Hebrew prophecy, to critical

must be reckoned with, against

they. l say is

Another the fact


exegesis initial certainly canonical,

prejudice

the Apocalypse

that

millenarian
volume -

fanatics
their

in particular
happy hunting excesses

have run to extremes in their


ground and paradise. 2 From the

of this circulation explain

of the in part also

book these the slowness to

have been common, and they to accept the book as

of some regions

and they

explain

some degree same position

modern negative where our study being of strong, far

attitudes. of the from uniform,

Thus we have returned PdeAuyHcK not because --roc of the 6-pq kc facts

to the

began of the case,

interpretation but because

often

unrecognized

prejudices. logical fence.

Human nature

being as it

is,

even exegetical

human nature,

eschato-

materials Favourable

must ever encounter critics tend to blur

such bias -

from opposite and negative

sides of the critics

the problems,

sometimes damn the whole because the problems appear to support pejorative
what

existing with
One's laws "is array

attitudes.

The situation
earlier can too regarding easily

with

the Apocalypse is thus identical


to Mk. 13 and 2 Thess 2. one's the application of the

we have found

approaches interpenetrate As a result book, but with

own Weltanschauung of grammatico-historical not only with

exegesis. a bewildering "3

reader

of Revelation more bewildering

faced of

an ever

interpretations.

1.

Caird writes: "All oracles terms, are expressed in unconditional or apocalyptic, 177. unless they repent. " Revelation, condition: this thesis.

See lO5fof

of doom, whether prophetic but carry an unarticulated

Particularly These extreme interpreters 2. are not yet all dead. have expressed some fantastic futurist such as Valvoord persuasion the meaning of Revelation. regarding 3. Caird, Revelation, 2.

writers positions

of

299.
All adequate eloquent chapters this book

of which

preamble

has been to

give

point

to the

necessity

of an waxed the at the

hermeneutical in superlative face to

approach vein, in

to Revelation. describing face the

Commentators difficulty 1

have always of interpreting we propose from

they

and sometimes

unwillingly. principles safety to,

Therefore which

juncture itself,

submit

some hermeneutical can therefore These are with

spring

and which approach. 2

be employed and not

as a legitimate for,

exegetical

supplementary

substitutionary

well-known
will

standard

exegetical

procedures.

These supplementary
exegesis

principles
relevant

be outlined,

and then

illustrated

by a concise

of the

sections
passages

of Rev. 11.
of the book.

The same principles


The objective

will

later
will

be applied
not be the

to other
impossible

key
one

throughout

of giving
basic

an exhaustive
embodied

3 but rather commentary,


and their relationship

the aim viii


to the

'be to indicate
r-

the

concepts

PaF-AQyNK

eprlHo' aewe

motif.

1.

Caird,

Revelation,

2.

"Revelation", "It is certainly E. g. Turner, 1044. 2. to interpret very difficult to the modern Christian. the book in detail Assuming that the first readers knew the meaning of the details, the secret perished with them and cannot be " See also Preston and Hanson, Revelation, 9f., recovered. and W. Milligan, (London, 1892), 7-10. (Hereinafter the Apocalypse Lectures to as on referred ) Milligan the neglect Lectures. protests against of the book due to its "That it should be obscure or mysterious difficulties and says: would in no Obscurity We have no reason and mystery meet us everywhere. us. startle way It is an altogether thing when we different to complain of such arrangements. is difficult, but that it is from its are told, not that a part of Revelation and that it is constructed very nature unintelligible, with so little reference to common processes of thought and rules of language as to place a distinct Man may not immediately of its meaning beyond our reach. conception ... just as thousands of years passed before he comprehended the comprehend it, But the voice of the earth, or the movements of the heavenly bodies. structure both of the earth and of the heavens was never in itself less fixed or certain They were capable of being interpreted; than it is now. and at last they received It is the same with the book before us. " 9. their interpretation. that so few commentators have prefaced their of regret a matter work W. Milligan is a welcome subsequent procedures. of their with a rationale differ though we may still with him-concerning exception, some conclusions. 3. It is

4.

In most cases, argument and evidence are left

for

the footnotes.

300.

Supplementary

Hermeneutical

Principles

for

Interpreting

the

Apocalypse

The first for


the

principle

requiring

attention this

is not supplementary. particular


pieces,

It

is basic

all

interpretation,
of the

but doubly so for


New Testament are

book.

Inasmuch as all
of

writings

occasional

more representative

persuasive
Tracts for

oratory
the

than of enduring
and the vital

literature,
question gives

they are to be recognized


asked "What times? "1 answer. John testifies

as

Times,

The first

page of Revelation

an adequate

that

he was in the isle Jesus. "


persuasion

of Patmos

on account of the word of God and the testimony as a result of the


2 That

of

The most obvious meaning of the words is that


of government the writer found himself

in a new habitat.

this

is the right

interpretation
permeate times. the

seems evidenced by the references


rest of the book. of tract is

to persecution

and martyrdom

which

So much for

the

Now we ask,

"What sort

this

one?

How does John meet the needs of the time? " answer.
a certain crisis language

And again John himself . This classifies


kind

gives us the

His work is an o`moKcKW tc class against of literature. the background 3 Writings

the book as within


the existing the

of this history,

describe usually

of world

and they

do so in

of symbol. It

that in order to explain therefore, follows, an apocalypse, we to which the heavenly the earthly identify first symbols realities must symbolism the author has and then see how by the use of this correspond,

However for excellent This is axiomatic, 1. needs documenting. and scarcely (Apocalypse, Kiddie, in Beckwith 197-208); introductory treatment materials see St John (London, 1911), (Revelation, H. B. Swete (The Apocalypse of xxxvi-xliii); (Revelation, Every modern commentary asks I, xci-xcvii). Charles lxvi-xcviii); it. The N. T. Era is helpful in answering Beicke's have asked. the question we

2.

See Beckwith,

Apocalypse,

434-35. amply discussed

3. In addition to 21-23 see the same topic of this thesis, in the volumes listed under footnote 1 of this page.

301.

tried

to interpret

earthly

history.

1 nature of John's tract for the times is

That this, judgment of the symbolic correct is indicated

at the close of his introduction.

There he says:

As for the mystery of the seven stars which you saw in my right hand, the seven stars are the angels of the and the seven golden lampstands, the seven lampstands the seven churches. 2 seven churches and are Thus John asserts: angels, its "In this as the the my opening symbol for vision I saw stars " as the symbol context the seven of adds

and lampstands for

churches. speaks

The literary

endorsement,

following

verse

of one who holds

stars
certain the

in his
that

right
the

hand and who walks among the seven golden lampstands.


literal meaning is unintended. stars Incongruous like the indeed would

It
be

is

mental

image of

one large

enough to hold his

sun in his

palm,

and yet

small

enough to thread book is full

way between 3

lamps-Lands. symbols chiefly belong

Thus the

of symbols.

But do the

1. 2. 3.

Caird, Rev.

Revelation, 1: 20.

10.

"A literal description Lectures, 14-40. Charles writes: See Milligan, would in which the things in the case of the simplest be possible visions, seen only the range of actual human experience. in more less within were already ... are of an elaborate nature, and the more and complicated our author the visions it becomes of literal the experience, the more incapable and intense exalted Moreover, if we believe, does, that behind description. writer as the present there is an actual belonging to the higher these visions substratum of reality then the seer could grasp the things world, seen and heard in such spiritual only in so far as he was equipped for the task by his psychical powers visions, behind him. In other words, he could at the best development and the spiritual him. of the heavenly vision vouchsafed apprehend the significance only partially the symbols more or less transformed he perforce To the things attached seen that these naturally evoked in his mind, symbols that he owed to his own waking and the sounds he heard naturally of the past; of the tradition experience forms with which his memory was stored. in the literary Thus themselves clothed His psychical disability. the seer laboured under a twofold powers were the full unequal to the task of apprehending meaning of the heavenly generally the were frequently unable to set forth and his powers of expression vision, I, cvi-cvii. things he had apprehended. " Revelation,

302.

to a common source or do they have diversified found on the first


prophets, are

origins? references

The answer again is to the Hebrew


Isaiah the et al. Apocalypse

page.

Here we have frequent


and history. designed of, to lead

and to Hebrew ritual cited, to, as if

Daniel, the

Zechariah, to .. regard ."

repeatedly

reader

"as a sequel experience tion of the

and continuation

Hebrew prophecy. of kings are also

Israel's and the institu-

when called sanctuary

to become a nation and the priesthood

and priests, alluded to.

W. Milligan

has it

right

when he sums up his

conclusions

regarding

the

symbols of Revelation.
(1)

He says:

They are for the most part suggested by the religious position, The Apostle training, both of the writer and habits and his readers. had been a Jew, in all the noblest elements of Judaism a Jew to the from such a point We may expect that what is written core. very ... breathe the very essence of Old Testament prophecy, more of view will be be moulded by its spirit, in its apocalyptic will parts, especially home amidst its pictures, with its words. and be familiar at be made with regard to the historical Similar remarks may .... Such events often lie at the to in the Apocalypse. events referred there be a single bottom of its symbols, but it may be dcubted-if taken advantage of by the Seer was not in which the incident instance But to his readers. both well known and of the deepest interest ... Jewish. is wholly the symbolism of the Revelation and exclusively The symbols of the Apocalypse are to be judged of with ' or age. of a Jew, and not with those of our own country (3) the feelings (2)

Many, of course,
pagan myths incorporated

will

contend that
Otto

Milligan
Piper,

does not give due right


says:

to

by John.

however,

Symbole sind ferner nach ihrem ursprnglichen nicht und ihres im Lichte Sinn zu deuten, sondern einerseits mythologischen Im Hinblick Literatur in der isrelitisch-j{idischen Gebrauches .... Charakter ihren visionren als Beschreibungen sie auch nicht sind auf die Wdrtlich sind. zu verstehen zu behandeln, 0.02 Die Bilder

Austin reaction

Farrer

tells

us that

he began his work on the Apocalypse To him it appeared that

in they to

against

the commentators he had read. that

assumed too easily

of the book could be interpreted much

by reference

1.

Milligan,

tures, Lec_

25-30.2.

"Johannesapoka. lypse",

col.

831.

303.

what existed was that

outside

of John's

work, such as pagan myths. parts

Farrer's

on

conclusion

"there

appeared to be in several working-out

of his book a more continuous,

hard-headed
recognized.

and systematic
.. . "1

of Old Testament themes than had been

Beckwith,
Apocalyptist myth familiar

in commenting upon the imagery of Rev. 12, reminds us that


his thought "2 here in a form adopted by saying from that some legend as part

"the
or

has clothed in Jewish

folk-lore.

He continues

of their

commonSemitic transformed.
crucible,

heritage

the Jews retained

legends which they more or less a Jewish

Thus pagan myths adopted by John have passed through


in mind is symbolism vital of this for interpretation primarily of Israel

and to keep this said that the

of the Apocalypse. Jewish, to that we must nation also,

Having next still, will enquire or to vitally

book-is the things

whether the affect

John was now applying church as the

Christian

new Israel.

Our conclusion

here,

our interpretation

of many passages.

We believe
to the Christian of the

that

the whole trend


in Asia

of the book, from the introductory


Jewish to the sanctuary fact that symbolism, in the to

reference
the final

churches Nev Jerusalem,

under

vision

testifies

thinking

of the

1. 2.

Rem, Apocalypse,

7"

613. Otto Piper on this "Die Religionshas written: subject Stoffe Schule hat auf die Mille hingewiesen, die mythologischer geschichtliche Wenn aber das Buch nicht falsch in der J. auftauchen. vllig gedeutet werden im Auge ist, muss man zwei Gesichtspunkte wie das bes. bei Boll der Fall soll, Zu einem grossen Teil handelt behalten: um es sich bei diesen "Mythen'. .. das der Seher im AT vorgefunden Material, hat und das ihm gemeinsemitisches Deutung gegeben war (zB das Tier als in einer israelitischen deshalb bereits Auch kann von einer einheitlichen Macht). Symbol der gottfeindlichen politischen des Nahen Ostens und Persiens Gnosis, in der damals die Mythologien zu einer Die Sibenerreihen Art Weltreligion vereinigt waren, keine Rede sein. zB haben Ursprung in der J. vllig ihren astrologischen verloren, und wenn auch der Schlacht Gedanke einer eschatologischen seine Wurzel in einem babylonischen haben mag, so kam er dem Seher durch das Medium Mythos von der Gfltterschlacht Die Weise, in der die mythologischen Bilder in der J. benutzt des AT zu. sie dem Verfasser ausschliesslich wie sehr werden, zeigt, als Ausdrucksmittel Gedanken dienen. " "Johannesapokalypse", fr seine christlichen col. 829.

304.

seer,

the Christian

church has taken the place for the phenomenon often "unlike

of literal

Israel)

This fact the strange

may be the explanation Hebraic


mortal product compelling

commented upon -

Greek used by the seer -man"2 according of incompetence, power. The diction .. . *3

any Greek that


This it with Greek, brilliant

was ever penned by


"is not and the

to R: H. Charles. for he handles

however, lucidity

One has commented thus:

is more Hebraistic than that of the Book of Revelation It adopts Hebrew Idioms and of the New Testament. of any other portion Syntax, It studiously disregards Hebrew words. the laws of Gentile and Hebrew words and it christianizes anomalies and solecisms; even courts dress, them in an Evangelical and consecrates sentiments, and clothes Christ. 4 them to We do not find in John's book the evidence that we have in Paul's epistles

of a hope for

Israel's

conversion as part

to Christ.

He seems rather

to look upon They have

those who were circumcised become tormentors great city of Christ's

of "the synagogue of Satan".

followers, for

and as such they now belong to the the crucifixion of Christ and the all

of Babylon responsible

martyrdom of His followers.


its ancient associations,

In John's

eyes "the proud name of Jew, with


prerogative of those

had become the

who gave allegiance

131-32; Ferrer, Revelation, 109-110, Revelation, See Caird, says: "Now this (xxi. 9-xxii. St John keeps is sheer Judaism. 2) taken literally, picture ... he does not take it literally. because it is in the prophets; the picture, does not await the world to come; the cadres in of the nations The pouring "Such is St God's Israel out with Gentile recruits. were filled of .. ." blessed future John's way of saying that the triumph of God's people and their by his promises to Israel, are nevertheless and that the Gentiles are secured How purely in to share the promises. brought symbolical such a way of speaking is can be judged from the equalization of numbers sealed from the twelve tribes. in this The best test case for commentators of Rev. 7. regard is their exegesis 1.

"

2.
the

Revelation, exhibits

world

Charles affirms that "no literary document of the Greek xliv. It would almost seem that of solecisms. such a vast multitude It

deliberately the grammarian and the set at defiance of the Apocalypse author The reason clearly in is that, of syntax. while he writes rules ordinary ... Ibid., It cxliii. in Hebrew. .. Greek, he thinks ."

3. 4.

Caird,

Revelation,

5" "Revelation", ' 149. Commentary on the New Testament,

Christopher

Wordsworth,

305.

to the true

Hiessiah. 111 Commenting upon Rev. 7, Kiddie

says:

John makes what amounts to a twelvefold that the Christian assertion ... to the ancient Jewish churches are the chosen people, complete heirs (cf. Jas. 1: 1; 1 Pet. 1: 1); heritage it was as the elect nation that 2 they must both suffer persecution and enjoy vindication. Carpenter sums up the matter: The Christian Church

inherits her privileges, absorbs the Jewish, and adopts, with wider and nobler meaning, her phraseology. The historical basis of the Apocalypse is the past history of the God's dealings the same lines. chosen people; with men always follow The Apocalypse levels shows us the principle working higher and in a The Israel takes the place wider arena. of God, the church of Christ, the national Israel. 3 We feel of that the principle For failure here to expressed observe it is mandatory for a correct exegesis

of

Revelation.

consistently

many have made shipwreck

of their
extent

task.

Even such a classic


on the

commentary as Beckwith's
of Revelation

forgets

it
the

to some
Two

when commenting

key chapter

concerning

Witnesses.

Ladd, more recently, principle


Christian rather nation,

has followed

his example. If

4 of Israel are now

From this
applied to the

emerges yet another.


church than they must thereby a local. 5

the things
automatically Israel

have a worldis scattered

Wide application throughout every

merely

The true also

and similarly to

Babylon

has become world-wide. but the original

The seven lamp-stands

point

a world-wide

body of believers,

26. Revelation, Kiddie, (Philadelphia, Revelation of 1. 2. 3. Ibid., 136.

See also John Wick Bowman, The Drama of the 1955), 29.

Book

W. Boyd Carpenter,

"Revelation",

Ellicott's

Commentary, Rapids,

VIII, 1972),

526,578. ad loc.

John (Grand the Revelation A Commentary on 4. of (Hereinafter to as John. ) See Zahn also. referred

For a typical 5. of this principle example of the application have applied In every case where commentators 178. Revelation, is implied. to the church this principle Israel

see Parrer, the things

of

306.

seven-branched this

candlestick

resided

in

a Palestinian

holy of the

place.

Throughout prophets events. of 3: in

book John takes couched Rev. in

materials a local

from the visions setting, the

Old Testament

originally For example,

and he applies mourning universal is from

them to world-wide of some in application. to the the land

1: 7 applies it

original

Palestine, 4,5 all the the

and gives "white world. of

an eschatological of Israel's priests

In Rev. faithful

raiment"

promised Isaiah's

Rev. 6: 14 takes Idumea and applies to Isa. the 2: 10-22,

a passage it

description

of the

destruction verse in the its alludes

to the

end of the world. at impenitent

The following Judah, world takes of all but at words the vision

originally

levelled

new setting of the

significance

has reference

to an impenitent

time

second advent

of Christ.

And Rev. 6: 16 similarly them to the wicked

of threatened world at the

judgment

upon Samaria

and refers chapter

end of time.

The following

of Revelation but

uses the usage earth. the

of Ezekiel applies Examples principle.

regarding

the marking for

of some in Jerusalem, in the these are four

now its of the illustrate

to protection could

Christians but

quarters to

be multiplied,

sufficient

What has already Revelation interpretation is a mosaic which

been said

underlines

the

fact

that

the

entire

book of

of Old Testament this fact

passages,

and therefore founder.

any solitary 2

ignores

must inevitably

that John's initial should be stressed purpose was to address and primary All conjectures local based on John's most comprehensive churches. specific seven historical, levels of meaning should issue from the sure "pegs" of the local, Thus later to which he alludes. the when Rev. 17-18 is considered, situations to the Capital basic application despite of the Empire must not be overlooked legitimate extension of John's meaning. some consequent 1. It impossible to enlarge without going over every chapter, verse, and mosaic of passages from the Old Testament, clause of the book, which is a perfect to by distinct at another referred at one time quoted verbally, now allusion, taken from one scene in Jewish history, and now again from two or three together. Lectures, 76. Milligan, 2. "It is

"

307.

Closely the ritual


significance A vital nature of the

integrated

with

the foregoing

is the usage in the Apocalypse of

and festivals
for

of Israel's

1 This too is sanctuary. not without


book. of Revelation the on, obvious. is a vital that that is the Christ-centred of Christ, the visions. is the 2

interpretation for

of the

principle work,

any hermeneutic in ways beyond baptism

and this

The life key to the the

particularly John body the

His ministry truth

from the of the

assumes the of Christ, experience But not

New Testament it is

teaching

church

and therefore of the Head. only the life

to be expected 11,

body will

share this. for the

Chapter of Christ

in particular, events

illustrates is significant

as regards

interpreter.
stressed Apocalypse that

His teachings
Christ's

also play their

part.

It

cannot be too strongly


is the seed-bed of the also to

sermon on the sense. 3 All

Mount of Olives the key concepts

in a special

of Mark 13 are

be found in an enlarged persecution


earthquake,

form in this

book.

The spread of the gospel, disasters


vas, the

the and

of its
the

adherents,
of trouble

international

such as war, famine,


appearance

time

such as never

of Antichrist

Sir Isaac Newton recognized this 1. feature and employed it in his commentary. by Farrer. He says that the In more recent times it has been stressed (Apoc. 1) to Christ the birth light the runs "from Christ week of apocalyptic (Apoc. MI). light On the way, however, it runs through fulness of all the St John's scheme all the symbolical of the year, and this brings within quarters See also D. T. Niles, 93. of the Jewish sacred calendar. " Rebirth, riches (London, 1962), 108-111. Seeing the Invisible is the possibility that behind the structure Not quite supported as strongly form of the Paschal Vigil. See Massey of this book is to be found a primitive (London) 1960). the Apocalypse The Paschal Liturgy H. Shepherd's and 61. ". the life of Christ, remembered as St John .. the type to which the history be supplies remembered it, of His people shall the Apocalypse And on 69 we read: ". is penetrated in conformed. .. ." .. the history manner by the tendency to present a remarkable of the Church as in every respect to the history Lord. " corresponding of the Church's 2. Milligan, Lectures,

3. See Charles, 42f.

Revelation,

I,

158; Parrer,

Revelation,

4-13;

I1illigan,

Lectures,

308.

including

false

Christs

and false -all

prophets, these,

and His own return which figure

in glory

to in the

rescue and reward the saints Olivet discourse,

so prominently

are found again in symbolic

yet more detailed

form in the

Apocalypse. Most of what has been said the His fact that the book with through which in the we are immediately concerned and His preceding revolves pages amounts around Christ. ' to

ancient

testimony

the prophets, the new Israel.

own more recent

revelation,

and His these

world-wide

church

Note how Piper

has summarized

emphases. Was steht im Mittelpunkt der Botschaft, die der Seher verkndigen" Negativ kann man sagen: ist nicht Gott. ttig will? nicht er, ... sondern Christus oder Jesus, wie ihn Johannes mit Vorliebe nennt. ... Mit gleichem Recht knnte man aber auch sagen, die J. beschftige Linie Genauer aber wird man sich in erster mit dem Gottesvolk. ... sagen miissen, dass die J. die Wechselbeziehung zwischen dem himmlischen Herrn und seinem Volk auf Erden beschreibt, wobei das letztere alle Auserwhlten durch die ganze Geschichte Das hindurch umschliesst. Geheimnis, das Johannes zu verktindigen hat, ist das Teilhaben zentrale der Glubigen und seinem Wirken und Leiden, und daher auch an Christus Triumph. 2 an seinem schliesslichen

Thus Piper tion light the etc.,

rightly

sees that

in this His

t boo

church is seen doing

the

same work This

of proclamacasts the Witnesses,

as Her Lord, not twelve but only tribes also

and as sharing symbols

sufferings people

and victory.

truth

on the

of the the

of God such as the with the church

Temple,

of Israel, on the

Woman clothed of Christ

Sun, the -the

New Jerusalem Dragon, Beast,

opponents

and His

False Prophet, and and erroneous


While it

and Babylon.

Thus the interpreter

can be saved from novel

applications

of the symbols.
that the recognition of the book as

has been emphasized

apocalyptic

literature

is a guiding

principle,

it

should also be pointed

out

1. is 2.

Thus even what is said about Christ's to Him by way of parody. related "Joha. nnesapokalypse", col. 832.

enemies,

and the

foes

of His

church,

309.

that

the book claims claim John's

to be more than just it is also prophecy. state while 3

a typical 2 It

apocalypse.

'

Its

oft-

repeated analyze

is that psychical

is not for but it

us to endeavour to us to recognize the book to have

illuminated, According

is for

the nature

of the claims he makes. of coolly

to his own statements art. He believed


such vital

is not the product


been all "in the Spirit",

reasoned literary

himself

and to have received with them are

from heaven 4

messages that

who dare

to tamper

anathematized.

Similarly,
crisis. is 5

John claims
translates

that

his book has for


last sentence

its

theme the eschatological


1: 3: "For the crisis

G. B. Caird and thereby

the

of Rev.

near",

he does justice goes further words reflect

to the than the

constant

implications

of John's to this

assertions. matter, but

BeasleyMurray in essence his

some in making claims

reference

of the Apocalyptist

himself.

John was more than a poet setting in vague images the triumph forth He wrote for the churches under his care with a of God over all-'evil. in view, viz., Caesar. the prospect situation practical of the popular Grasping the of his day being enforced worship on all Christians. ... involved, John was given to see the logical principles consummation of the tendencies to the obedience of Christ at work, mankind divided or On the canvas of John's age, therefore, antichrist. and in the colours he pictured the last of his environment, of the world, great crisis not he could do no other, but merely because from a psychological viewpoint, because of the real correspondence between his crisis and that of

"The Revelation See G. E. Iadd, Jewish Apocalyptic", 1. FQ. 1IXI% (1957), 94and , (E. T. Edinburgh, to the New Testament (Herein100; Zahn, Introduction 1909), 437. ) This apocalypse to as Introduction. is not pseudonymous, referred after neither history does it retrace It is not pessimistic, but under the guise of prophecy. hope. rings with prophetic

Says Piper: "Der Verfasser will gttliche Rev. 1: 3; 22: 7,10,18,19. Offenbarungen Ansichten. in der J. beschreibt der nicht nur seine persnlichen mitteilen, ... in denen ohne bewusste Vorbereitung Verfasser seine pneumatischen Erlebnisse, 2.
die Gesichte pltzlich Verfassers religise "Johannesapokalypse", 3. But see Charles, in sein Bewusstsein Sie eintraten. Deutung zeitgeschichtlicher Ereignisse 830-831. cols. Revelation, I. ciii -cix. 4. sind nicht als des " zu verstehen.

Rev.

22: 18-19.

I, 5. See Charles, Revelation, 4f. et al. Farrer, Revelation,

clxxxiii-clxxxiv;

Beckvith,

Apocalypse,

208-213;

310.

the his for

last

days.

utterances it is characteristic

... than

'foreshortened this it does those of the of all prophecy.

perspective' OT prophets l

no more invalidates and of our Lord Himself,

It
the book,

seems to us that
can lead

only the recognition


exegesis of its

of these features,
contents. 2

which characterize

to an adequate

1. 2.

"Revelation" Other

(h'BCR), 1280.

to guide exegesis minor principles of this book could be listed, forms such as contrast, as regards stylistic particularly prolepsis, As one of these, in particular, is vital for our study etc. recapitulation, in these pages, reference to it, in the words of another, be made. will "The principle In their broader features the contrasts of contrast. of the Apocalypse the eye. No reader can fail for a moment to perceive at once strike like Aaron when he stood between the dead and the living, that, St John stands in this book between two antithetical On the one hand and contrasted worlds. life, light, love, he sees Christ, the Church of the living God, heaven, and the inhabitants hatred, of heaven; on the other he sees Satan, death, darkness, the synagogue of Satan, earth, It is not and the dwellers upon earth. ... The contrasts enough, however, to observe this. of the book are carried out in almost every particular that meets us, whether great or small, whether in the objects, with the persons, of which it speaks. or the actions connexion

"If, at one time, we have an ever blessed and holy Trinity, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, at another we have that 'great antitrinity of hell, ' If we have God Himself, even the the Devil, the Beast, and the False Prophet. Father, commissioning the Son and clothing Him with His authority and power,
the first have the dragon commissioning beast and giving him this power. we ... If the Son ... the dragon. has two appears as a Lamb with seven horns, .. If the name of the one is Jesus horns like a lamb, though he speaks as a dragon. the name of the other is Apollyon If the one is the or Saviour, or Destroyer. the morning star shining in the heavens, the other is a star fallen bright, of heaven into the earth. " "If the one in carrying out his great work on out is the lamb 'as though it had been slaughtered, ' the other, earth as we are told by the use of the very same word. .. has one of his heads 'as though it had been slaughtered from the grave and lives, unto death. ' If the one rises there cannot be a doubt, when we read in precisely the same language of the beast that he hath the stroke that here also is a resurrection of a sword and lived, If the description from the dead. given of the Divine Being is 'He which is, which was, and which is to come, ' that given of diabolic and agency is that it 'was, and is not, and is about to come up out of the abyss';. ... "Many other particulars meet us in which the same principle of contrast rules. Believers God; unbelievers are sealed with the seal of the Living are marked with The 'tribes the mark of the beast. of the earth' are in contrast with ...

the --tribesbinding of sealing it and of the

of Israel. and the harlot Babylon with the Bride. ... Satan. .. in the casting him into the abyss, in shutting of the binding and burial over him, we have a counterpart Lectures, 110-114. sealing of His tomb. " Milligan,

in the ... it, and of our Lord,

311.

Revelation

11 -

The Two Witnesses

and Antichrist

In the light first motif.


here scope

of the foregoing

principles

it

is proposed to examine the Faa -rid as its Epr) WUF-Wc results


by the

passage of Revelation 1 This examination


in present order

to embody in detail

the. f IUAo so far

must be done with brevity,


to keep within the proportions

are

presented, of the

necessitated

thesis. chapter of Revelation is both a conclusion and an introduction. 2

The eleventh

between Dan. 8: 13; M. 13: 14, Lu. 21: 24; 2 Thess. 2: 4 and 1. The relationship In each instance Rev. 11: 2 is intimate. power menaces the sanctuary an anti-God The very language of the first has been incorporated reference and its worshippers. While Rev. 6: 9-11, with its references to the sanctuary, into the last. martyrdom, the cry for vindication and its answer, may also point back to Dan. 8: 13,14, the presentation of Rev. 11 is much more particular and less general. 11 is part of the interlude between the sixth Revelation and seventh trumpets. interlude between the sixth As such it is somewhat analogous to the similar and We think the remarks of Farrer passage also have on this latter seventh seals. has to do with the final bearing proclamation on the former which certainly

the gospel on the eve of Antichrist's of Mk. 13 and 2 Thess. 2.


"St John's

final

rising,

and thus is related

to

nor the end way of saying that Antichrist cannot be manifested, (MSatt. xxiv. the Gospel has been preached to all nations 14) will come, until be to say that the predestined number of the elect must be stamped with the Name, to merit their the persecution before of Antichrist gives them the opportunity St Paul reminded the Thessalonians that a caretaker reward. power, or eternal the accession of Antichrist, was a part of the Christian scheme person, delaying (2 Thess. ii. 6-7); Antichrist this power is out of the way'. cannot come 'until interpretato the contrary, the most natural In spite of all that has been written the lines An angel of tion vii. of St Paul is that which follows of Revelation is all one) restraining the appearance of God, or a commandment of God (it the apostolic holds sway until then has run its course; Antichrist, mission 105-106. be removed'. " Revelation, "the obstacle will Rev. 11 Josef Ernst is representative of most modern commentators when he links is also made by with Dan. 7,8,9,11 with Mk. 13: 14 and 2 Thess. 2. A connection the beast from the abyss with the beast from the sea in Rev. 13, and equating See Die Eschatoto the portrayal the genealogy of the latter tracing of Dan. 7. (Regensburg, in den Schriften des Neuen Testaments 1967), 123, logischeiGegenspieler (Hereinafter ) 125,126,127,132. to as Gegenspieler. referred

2. T. S. Kepler says on this chapter: ". .. a key to the book's basic meaning. It acts as a sort of prologue which interprets all to which the remaining chapters (New York, 1957), 117. the book are leading. " The Book of Revelation of
Preston "The whole appearance their comments on the section and Hanson introduce to prepare seems to be intended parenthesis us for 87. the Beast. " Revelation, of by saying: 10-11.13, the ultimate

312.

It

concludes

the first

half

of the book but introduces chapters

the second.

Most of the -

key elements which are to characterize the attack


the rising

12-22 here find

enunciation crisis,
safety

upon the church as it


of the Antichrist vindication accompanied forth. has often

proclaims
a state

the gospel during


of apparent in death,

the final
the real

from

and

ultimate in glory set

of believers, by judgments

and the ushering upon those

of the the

eternal -

kingdom all are

who reject

gospel

here

The chapter

been declared

the

most difficult

l of the book,

but as Caird has said,


with legitimate "2 the

a faithful
principles

interpretation
makes its

of its
meaning

symbols in harmony
"free from any sort of

exegetical

ambiguity.

To detach rightly

chapter 3 it.

from

its

own introduction of an angel

in

ch.

10 is land

to

fail

in

interpreting

There we read

astride

and sea

with that

a little

scroll

open, proclaiming

that

there

is to be no more delay,

and

the mystery
the

of God is now to be fulfilled


and on eating told finds

as predicted
it

by the prophets.
palate about but many

John takes bitter

open scroll,

sweet to the prophesy

upon digestion.

Then he is

"You must again

"Chap. xi. is at once the most difficult in the whole 1. and the most important in many respects this book of Revelation. is the key to John's chapter ... Kiddie, Revelation, theme. .. 174. central ." is extraordinarily "The chapter difficult to interpret, and the most diverse have been proposed. " Morris, Revelation, 144. Josef Ernst characterizes solutions to the darkest this and most difficult chapter as belonging of Scripture. portions 124. See Gegenspieler,

2.

Caird,

Revelation,

133-134.

136; Caird, Revelation, Revelation, See Norris, 3. 128; Revelation, Farrer, Revelation, 166-167 for typical 127; Milligan, the statements regarding The little between these two chapters. the description connection scroll contains Beasley-Murray for the church. "Me little of the coming tribulation says: the rest of the visions seems to include scroll of this book. " "Revelation" (NBCR), 1292. "The persecution the content of the church is. of the little .. 128. " Caird, Revelation, scroll.

313.

peoples

and nations

and tongues and kings. "

At this

point

our present

chapter

commences, as John is given a measuring rod and commandedto measure the temple of God, its
measure the the

altar,
court

and its
outside will

worshippers.
the temple; over

He is instructed
leave the that holy out, city for for for

-it

".
is

...
given

do not
over to And

nations, grant

and they

trample

forty-two

months. two hundred

I will

my two witnesses clothed in

power to prophesy "

one thousand

and sixty

days,

sackcloth.

It
matter indicates gospel. people

seems then that


forth the in the

the contents
eleventh coming is

of the open scroll


of John's who proclaim for ' book. the the

are identical
Thus the

with

the

set

chapter to those

bitterness of the "many during

suffering

sweet tidings

And this and nations

suffering

to be world-wide, and kings. i2

message goes to it is suffering

and tongues

Furthermore,

the final

crisis,

for

there

is now to be no more delay, 3 Thus we have in chapter

but the mystery

of the

kingdo, a is to be consummated.
of the following The temple and the lampstands chapter. of God, the all

10 clues to the meaning

holy

city,

the

two witnesses, church. 4

the

two olive to

trees, the

symbolize

the witnessing

They witness

"In Hendriksen the same theme as follows: See note 3 on p. 312. comments on 11 now gives us a description of the chapter with 1038-11, close connection very the true Church must endure when it preaches the 'bitter' which experiences " Conquerors, 126. 'sweet' gospel of salvation. 1.

2.
4.

Rev. 10: 11.3.


"The first

Rev. 10: 6-7.

be plainer; that we meet with in this figure chapter could scarcely from this literal lapse into the misapprehensive could, conception save a nothing that the Temple in Jerusalem was still 1,2, draw the conclusion ch. xi. passage, The Temple has always been a symbol of the time of these visions. at standing i. e. the Theocracy form under which the Kingdom of God has appeared, the visible later, the Church. Lange, "Revelation", Cormnentary, XII, 223. first, and at ." ..

There is no absolute

necessity

for

the theory

that

John here incorporated

during the siege of A. D. 70, with reference uttered of a Jewish prophet, an oracle Caird says that "there the temple. has been a remarkable to the inner courts of but he adds, "In spite for the idea", of the eminence support of scholarly amount this theory must be judged improbable, its advocates useless, and absurd: of

314.

truths

contained

in the law and the prophets in vs. 6-7), prerogatives

(alluded and they,

to by references like It

from the

experiences of old,
for

of Moses and Elijah and royal

Joshua and Zerubbabel would be impossible


to "gaze at their

have priestly

and duties.
and nations"

"men from

the people

and tribes

and tongues

dead bodies"
Jerusalem.

were these two literal


The world-wide of this . church passage -fr . is

corpses in the literal


signified. the following:

street

of literal

The sources (1) Daniel's

are basically crsu C

PU'Auypa

passages,

particularly

7: 25;

8: 13; 9: 26; 11: 31-35.


(2) Ezekiel passages regarding eschatological events. See particularly

chapters

40 and 37.

to the army of Titus, because, once the outer court had fallen improbable, not to could have supposed that he would be content even the most rabid fanatic itself inviolate; it for three and a half years and leave the sanctuary occupy Zealot, because, whatever these words might have meant to a hypothetical useless, different to John twenty-five they certainly years after meant something quite that John could the siege; assumption and absurd, because of the underlying these words to be taken figuratively have intended unless someone else had not literal Indeed, it is hardly too much to sense. used them in their previously in a book in which all things the very last are expressed in symbols, say that, temple the temple and the holy city things could mean would be the physical Jerusalem. If John had wanted to speak about them, he would the earthly and into the lapsing have found some imagery to convey his meaning without But in fact John regarded the Jews as the synagogue inconsistency of literalism. in the preservation instituof their religious of Satan, and was not interested 131. Despite the fact that Caird could be wrong in rejecting tions. " Revelation, he is certainly in the Christian the idea of an incorporated apocalypse, right We include to the passage. because of he ascribes his long quotation meaning its principles suggested at the commencement of the hermeneutical exemplification Caird clearly of our exposition. sees that the church has taken the place of is strongly Israel, literal aware of the symbolism employed and he likewise Israel, is things throughout which, though based on the tangible of literal

now applied

spiritually

to the church.

for the latter Caird echoes Kiddie to some extent, too assures his readers that the conjecture of sources being employed here is impossible of demonstration. "Can we then believe that John was so far removed from reality a as to insert Surely not. into his Apocalypse? He was writing for passage meaningless " Revelation, in days of extreme urgency, Christians when every word was precious. 144. The reasons adduced by these writers Revelation, See also Morris, 174-75. have climbed too of recent commentators may suggest that the great majority "band-wagon" the contemporary in this matter, of exegesis upon precipitately

when assertingh. n original source.

reference

to the literal

temple from a non-johannine

315.

) (Footnote 4,313, cont. Feuillet stresses that the theory that the writer of Revelation has incorporated a separate Jewish document has not been demonstrated, and he proceeds to show
in a Jewish sense. symbolism of the Temple should not be interpreted ete suffisamment ". d'emontree. la signification quelle n'a pas .. ... du chapitre de l'ensemble En particulier, la preservation est chretienne. du temple de Jerusalem,, dont Jesus avait partielle annonce la ruine totale, interpreter, nest le langage. -bymbolique pas comme on l'a fait, en un sons juif; implique " "Essai D'Interpretation Du Chapitre un sons chretien. est utilise that the

qui

XI De L'Apocalypse",
"A la

NTS, IV (1958),

184.

de Swete, Allo, Lohmeyer, Charles, Wi kenhauser, suite etc., nous dont doit etre epargnee la partie en outre que be temple de Jerusalem, croyons titre ici qu'une figure interieure avec 'ceux qui y adorent", ne pout et ne titre pris au sens propre. I1 est impossible de be faire saurait si Jean ecrit cette date, Et meme, supposer que le morceau soit anterieur 70. apres l'encontre l'auteur de l'Apocalypse de la parole comment et-il pu aller du temple "il de Jesus: ne resters pas pierre sur pierre qui ne soit renversee' ?" Ibid., 184-85. This endorsement of these early statements by Feuillet ... does not imply endorsement of the exegesis for other symbols by him. offered He is inconsistent, the measuring has to do with merely converted and believes If Feuillet Jews. To him, those measured are the Jews spoken of in chapter 7. Israelites, by "Jews" Christians only, and not necessarily converted understood the Commenting on 11: 1 he can say regarding he would be on firmer ground. quo with a reed "Un tel langage montre clairement of the worshippers measuring qu'aux ne s'interesse sommes en presence d'un pur symbole: l'auteur nous " du vrai Dieu, et non la construction materielle. adorateurs authentiques departs from but Feuillet These words represent Ibid., 185. sanity, exegetical his own premises and makes a similar error to Beckwith who also wishes to One's convictions Israel this drag in literal about while chapter. lnterwveting Paul's and conversion promise of penitence yet to be seen among the race which Christ is not to be made the basis of exegesis of this chapter. crucified to this Lagrange has erred the same way, applying chapter es chatolo gic ally Josef Ernst Israel. in Palestine and in special connection with literal events interpretation of 11: 1-2 is not necessary, sees that the contemporary-historical Jews in the last crisis. but he also wishes to invoke the fate of believing This error would be unnecessary if the meaning assigned 130. See Gegenspieler, in Rev. 7 were understood. John symbolizes by John to the tribes of Israel what in Gal. 3: 28-29; 6: 16; Rom. 2: 28-29. Paul plainly states to the Lohmeyer emphasizes the adaptation by John of the things of Israel Christian Before setting forth this view he declares church. concerning world-wide "Diese that: fragment the Wellhausen view of an embodied Jewish oracular begrndet. " Offenbarung, 88. And later this Ansicht nicht scheint gengend "So wird es nicht is repeated. thought c. 11 durch Annahme mehr notwendig, Quelle verstndlicher oder Zuweisung an verschiedene zu machen von Interpolationem Ibid., 90. It is necessary to recognize his viewpoint on this matter, ." ... John has incorporated, but by because elsewhere he speaks of Jewish traditions but chiefly those of the Old Testament, he means not the Wellhausen oracle, such Ezekiel, In interpreting 11: 1-2 he says: found in Daniel, and Zechariah. such as ". Orakel es ist dann mglich und notwendig, sie auch als christliches .. 'Der Tempel' und 'die in ihm anbeten' sind dann die urchristlichen zu verstehen. in 'Glubigen'; nichts und das 'Messen' bedeutet anderes als das 'Versiegeln' Dann aber sind diese Verse eine Art 'pneumatischer' Interpretation 7: 3-8. .. Vision. Damit ist dann auch eine sachliche der ezechielischen Adaption und ..

316.

Verbindung zwischen if. und 3-13 angedeutet. " He points out that whereas Rev. 11, first glance seems to speak of Jerusalem as the show-place of the Antichrist at his triumph over the witnesses, ch. 12f. "wissen nichts von solcher and of " Ibid., 89. The seer recognizes, Lokalisation. says Lohmeyer, that the beast world, and that his appearance out of the abyss represents the unbelieving
"Um einen Ausgleich "nicht dieser widersprechenden gebunden. " Ibid. an Jerusalem Vorstellungen, handelt und einer universalen einer jdisch-partikularen es sich So gibt die alte jfdisch-urchristliche Vision. Erwartung, in dieser und ... Es ist notwendig von ihr zu reden, und doch hat sie nicht auch nicht. sie gilt die man frher This view point is die Bedeutung, an sie knpfte. " Ibid. mehr than that of Lagrange more homogenous with the whole trend of Revelation much Jerusalem literal in the eschatological See also picture. wishes to retain who. 175-180, who is close to Lohmeyer, Morris, and Caird, Kiddie, Revelation, and of the Jews as expressed against such views on the conversion protests who ". the outer court, Beckwith, by Charles, et al. Caird says: and Lagrange, .. the church in part of its the holy city, symbolize no less than the temple, and is to to accept that Jerusalem " Revelation, Ile also refuses 132. existence. to the whole the application be taken in its literal sense, and affirms rather to Jews; the gloating He says: ". .. Roman world. crowds are not restricted The ancient they are the inhabitants world had no Cook's Tours of earth. in Jerusalem the international audience John here envisages. capable of assembling the city incidentally "Our conclusion what we have said about confirms about in Christians, the city two individual If the witnesses the witnesses. were literal in the narrow, they died would have to be a city sense; and this which 138. have seen to a reductio leads, hypothesis absurdum. " Ibid., ad as we "It seems to me important Morris sense when he writes: good shows exegetical (verses 1-13) is to betaken It is plain that the whole section symbolically. but most expositors that the sanctuary proceed of verse 1 is symbolical, enough Then difficulties literally. to take the witnesses multiply. and the holy city They are fewer when we see all as symbolism and a coherent emerges. pattern to that it refers John has already used the lampstand symbol and explained (1: 20). the Thus it seems best to take the witnesses as symbolizing churches What John is doing then is outlining or some part of it. church witnessing ... Its lot will be hard, but its eventual the witnessing the function church. of 14.4-45. is sure. " Revelation, triumph

"

(Revelation, 176) who says: Biddle Revelation, 138, and particularly See Caird, 1. though they have "What a strange phrase to use of the death of two individuals, 'make war on them and kill them' (a phrase which is been divinely protected in the similar and, as we hope to show, parallel and appropriate natural quite in general). 7, where the Beast 'wages war' on the saints in xiii. passage

their by the Beast; no slaying or had witnessed prophecy, unpleasant It their to attract the attention city. own local of event calculated ordinary in its significance. The whole world was moved -less than universal was nothing the The whole world is concerned, the fact three times over. John stresses ... to suggest that they bodies (though John says nothing their whole world gazes at that would be awkward indeed! ). to the City to do so come ." .. to their

is what happens after Stranger still interest only to the small circle of

This was no parochial their death. affair of those who had been obliged to listen

317.

(3) (4) (5)

Zechariah

passages.

See particularly regarding

chs. 12 and 4. Elijah and Moses. that He

The Old Testament narratives The records


prophesied prior

of Christ's
for

ministry,

which may indicate


of men, and then

1260 days rejected in to

was crucified Even v. 10

to His vindication

resurrection the Gospel

and ascension. record.

seems to be an allusion Thus this chapter gives John's

See Luke 23: 12. future holds

understanding

of what the

for

believers
to that

in Christ.
of the

Soon they are to enter upon the great


days of Antiochus image" will Epiphanes. be slain l

tribulation,
to abyss,

similar "worship

Those who refuse beast from the

the

beast

and his

by the

just
to

as those who refused


the false worship

to receive
the

the mark of the ivy branch and conform


image of Antiochus were martyred in the

surrounding

2nd century priests


are

B. C. Christ

"But, " says John in effect, your'Master.


of Christ's life In the life,

"remember you are kings

and You

like

You will
sufferings cannot

not be treated
as certainly

worse than He.

to be partakers glory. you,

as you are to partake you,

of His secured

Your inmost sealed this you. earthly Ultimately

be touched. of life earth hidden

God has measured Where the with before Christ all in Lord in

courtyard but the

suffered, God kingdom

you may lose cannot

be hurt.

you will

be vindicated

the

". he (John) was writing in a time of supreme and urgent crisis. 1. .. .. that the Church was about to face the great he was passionately convinced Kiddie, Distress Revelation, 178. See also of ruthless persecution. ." .. 89; Glasson, Revelation, Revelation, 68-70; Farrer, Preston and-Hanson, Note Farrer's 128-130 et al. Revelation, rebuttal of those who wish to Jerusalem into the chapter's "St John cannot be application. read literal in what happened to Jerusalem in A. D. 70. Evidently deeply interested the in the event, of the world was not implicated as it had looked like end St John is too far away from the event, being. and his Church is fighting .. He hurries front. on into a description of on a different of the position the Gospel in the intermediate age between the; fall of the Holy City and the that is to say, in the time of St John. " Ibid. Antichrist; 130. coming of

318.

of glory,

while
8 is

your oppressors
of great

must suffer

judgment. "
us plainly the world spirit that he is

Verse using which

significance. He also

Here John tells makes it spirit clear that entire court

metaphor crucified

1 and symbol. Christ is

of Jewry

to be the It

of the that

in their the temple, is stronger

opposition referred than to

to the in v. "leave out.

church. 2 is that

seems likely of the

the

outside _ K aAp-

a symbol out". 2

Babylonian it

world.

merely

Elsewhere are in

has the but

thought all others

of excommunication, are it court cast out.

i. e. casting The believer's from the all

Only the life unbelief city

believers is indeed

safe,

earthly

the world, Israel.

and there Thus the called

must suffer points to

who echo the great

of apostate which " is

same as "the their aptly Lord typifies

allegorically

Sodom and Egypt, for sacrifice and

where thus

was crucified. the

The court world.

was the place

persecuting

Verse 7 is similarly
the beast which is

important.
for

Here we find
the first time. is

the article
This is

linked

with
with

now mentioned

in harmony as the later in not

John's chapters Daniel, is in

frequent also the

usage of prolepsis. make clear. persecutes 1260 days, Thus both 21: 24 are Like the the saints

The beast svyr,, because that visions to.

Antichrist,

oc Telr_ their

rzpopwaeWrworship is

beast for

of him.

He

victorious the

and during Daniel's referred

time

he treads

down the

worshippers in

sanctuary.

and the

prophecy because of

of Christ its

Mk. 13: 14 and Lu.

The beast,

desolation

ist das V8rtchen_"fvauNa-riKwc das wohl nur nach 1. Sehr lehrreich _... Aber hier ist, anders als bei Pls, das 1 Cor. 2: 13f. zu erklren ist. "pneumatische" Urteil zu "Jerusalem" angewandt; auf das konkrete Verhltnis es begr1ndet die Schrfe des Gegensatzes, aber ebenso auch die Tiefe der Verbundenheit mit dem Judentum, weil es das Recht zu einer "pneumatischen" Darber hinaus liegt Tradition in dem Wort vielleicht jdischer eine gibt. .. Teasist Andeutung, dass die Bilder der Ape "pneumatisch" zu verstehen sind.
fur die Frage unwichtig nicht 93. Lohmeyer, Offenbarung, 2. See Feuillet's extended nach der "Bildlichkeit" der apokalyptischen Visionen.

"

discussion

on this

point.

"Essai",

186.

319.

of the true Thus later


The abyss origin victory wound, 3

worship, he will

is indeed an abomination portray the fact


in pointing He is from the

to the seer who portrayed will himself

him.

that

the desolator
nether in world

1 be desolated.
as his by His a mortal of

is

significant 2

to the abyss

of desolation that Christ

and destiny. on Calvary

the sense

has inflicted

upon Satan right

and his

representatives to-coerce

and hence they

have no real

to attempt

the people

"The wilderness Rev. 17: 3. Beckwith is taken by many com. to be 1. says: destruction to which Rome is to be reduced. " Apocalypse, typical of the utter 692. Beckwith himself does not agree with this application and contends that "the actual destruction is not exhibited following, of Rome, or the desolation Ibid. in this vision. However, it is difficult to understand how such .. ." in v. 16 that the can be taken in view of the plain a position statement is to be made desolate, in 18: 19 "in one hour harlot and the similar allusion ". has been laid waste. " Moses Stuart desert, comments: she appropriate .. the future to symbolize condition of the beast. " A Commentary on the Apocalypse (Edinburgh, 1847), 675. Paul's home. See Luke 8: 31. The demons looked on the rx'Pvcraror. as their Rom. 10: 7. All it to the abode of the dead. use of the term applies solitary where it appears as the other N. T. usages of the word are found in Revelation to God and His Church. The angel of the abyss habitation of beings hostile the Destroyer. See Rev. 9: 11. The Greek term here employed is is called See Kennedy, Conceptions, used in the LXK as a synonym for fl7 W. sometimes 121ff. In Job 28: 22 it is "the pair and forerunner of Death. " Farrer, 119. This is the original Abgrund of Semitic Revelation, mythology. 2. does not deny that John entertained This application 3. to also an allusion Nero, but we contend that his main application is not thus superficial. Commentators have too readily followed Bousset in this matter. The interwoven throughout the presentation parody present opponents suggests that of Christ's Satan himself to Christ's similar we should look for an event overtaking Indeed, it is the same event, of a mortal wound. and is symbolized reception by the casting down to earth of Satan (Rev. 12). "The smiting of the also it rests Because head is not simply an historical allusion. on Scripture. .. the woman, he is flung down grovelling the serpent has attacked on the earth, between his seed and the to carry on a feud with the woman, which is continued (in himself, the serpent have his head or in his seed? ) shall woman's seed: We have witnessed the woman's seed, his heel (Gen. 3: 13-15). the ambushed, by point; fulfilment takes up oracle point and now that the serpent of this 'the rest of the woman's seed' through the instrumentality the feud with of his the beast, to see that the head of the we are not to be surprised own 'seed' Revelation, 153. Farrer is smitten. " Farrer, has so many serpent's'seed' here, we might not be persuaded by his exposition unique to himself, concepts However, commentators for their did he stand alone. well-known of sobriety despite the majority trend in favour similarly, of Nero. exegesis have affirmed in and of themselves Even were it not so, the facts To rise out cry out.

320.

It is identical of the bottomless pit is, to John, the symbol of resurrection. Compare Rev. 11: 7; 13: 3; 17: 8; 20: 1-3,7. with the healing of the wound of death. Wherever we read of a rising out of the pit in Revelation, the renewal of a It is this very fact desolating power is spoken of. policy by a resurrected
which proves the resurrection state of the renewal of persecution of the beast in the book of life. ". the beast to those whose names are not written .. i. e. the has already once existed and will again come up out of the abyss qv (cf. (xvii. ix. lf., 11) -8,11 three times Ki o K world of the dead EQTiv ). The antichrist and his kingdom are a power which had already had then disappeared, and at the end of the times appeared once in history, This is a fundamental thought is to appear again in life. of early Christian is expressed, in the statement The same thought 3,12,14, xiii. prophecy. .. that one of the seven heads of the beast had received a mortal wound, which had received This means that the beast itself healed again. a death-stroke, 440. Zahn, Introduction, again. and had come to life .. ." "By the death of Nero, or any other one of the emperors, before the time the continued Revelation, existence of the Roman kingdom had never been of If a Caesar dies, much less had it ever ceased to exist. questioned, .. Caesar who immediately lives there is another and reigns. " "The idea, however, beast that the representation smitten of the revivification of the fatally of Nero, is rests upon the myth of the return one of its heads. .. or of The notion, irreconcilable which arose of this myth. ... with the history that the suicide of Nero and at first among his heathen admirers, soon after from that country he had not died, but had fled to the Parthians, and would return to Rome to take vengeance on his enemies and to assume the throne again, the beginning of the second century unchanged until -- namely, until existed that Nero, who was born in 37 A. D., was the time when it was no longer probable " Ibid., the interpretation 443. "Moreover, of the number 666 as alive. still improbable. is extremely the name of Nero. .. Hebrew form. .. the alleged of for whom it would be necessary for Greek Christians, Revelation was written Ibid. to translate a Hebrew name. .. ." derived from it and the Nero myth and the interpretation discusses Guthrie demand this? "But does the Apocalypse itself then proceeds as follows: really 3) may be The Beast with the mortal wound which has now been healed (xiii. Nero myth, but in its later forms that myth involved by the current illustrated his lost throne, the head of a Parthian Nero returning army to recapture at to Parthians, destruction the consequent of Rome. Yet there is no reference with The Beast represents the embodiment of evil, in chapter xiii or xvii. either to a Nero myth, which, comprehensible recourse without quite conception a (ludibrium) time. by Domitian's had become a 'joke' to Tacitus, according from the dead, the Beast as returning the Apocalypse Moreover, represents since to Nero after this only refer a period when the idea that he had not could had elapsed because too great an interval died had ceased to be believed really " Introduction, 953-54. his supposed disappearance. since to the returning to refer Christian The first of Nero from the dead writer in any way with the prophecies But he does not link this Augustine. of was See Civ. Dei. xx. 19.3. Revelation. to the wound is assigned that twice in Revelation Paul Minear points out is not that a wound inflicted the beast itself, on afcrmer rejected ruler and to the prophet John "this Furthermore mortal blow on the empire. a wound A mortal wound injured the dragon as well. the sea-beast which affected ... the authority destroyed of head, beast, and dragon by terminating simultaneously It is difficult to maintain by men. that Nero's the blasphemous adoration

321.

God. present

This

is

spelled note

out more clearly that rising from

in the the

twelfth is

chapter, to be the to in clue

but equated to the

for with real

the a

we should life of the

abyss gives

show of nature

manifested healing

by persecution. of the mortal in the

This

wound referred on the

chapters If

13 and 17.

The same theme reoccurs

chapter

millennium.

R. H. Charles,

" I Saw A New Earth (Washington fulfilled D. C., suicide such specifications. "The cure also impelled He also says: 1968), 250-51. men to worship the dragon by the greater devotion and fear which they accorded to the beast. Now there is absolutely no evidence that the rumored resuscitation of Nero had such effects Minear places great stress on the actually as these. " Ibid. "wound" in Rev. 13 is everywhere fact that TA qy? translated else , "plague". translated Therefore, that the wound is as elsewhere he concludes "The wound was a God-inflicted the symbol of a divine punishment. plague which destroyed the authority simultaneously of the head, the beast, and the dragon. It was a wound from which the beast could recover only by using deception, in that deception, his blasphemous claims by succeeding and by making absolute " Ibid., to ultimate 253-54. Minear then makes the power over human destiny. of Rev. 12 as does Farrer, same application making the Atonement the infliction "Such an interpretation is in line with other New Testament of the deadly wound. descriptions of God and 'the principalities of the war between the servants Ibid., ' Texts such as Luke 10: 17-24; . 11: 14-22 and Col. 2: 15 and powers'. ." the application this view. Minear, of 666 to Nero, of course, rejects support that this by Zahn, Lohmeyer, et al., as elaborated rejection and we consider While Bousset's is a water-tight was tremendously case. work on the Apocalypse between the book and the times, important as showing the relationship a good in retarding This has resulted by being overdone. case was somewhat spoiled On the issue of the Nero interpretation of Revelation. exegesis progressive to grant allusions commentary on Rev. 17 which is prepared see also Lohmeyer's but chooses to interpret to the Nero legends, on the basis of apocalyptic than from history. He may overdo this, as he overdoes his symbolism rather structure etc. of the book, but his case is worthy emphasis on the seven-fold Loisy, Bousset closely. on the other hand, follows of study. in order to do justice It may be necessary, to keep in to all the facts, It is possible to mind that John sometimes works on more than one level. that the seer is aware of and employs the legend of Nero without acknowledge the full being committed to the position that sees in such allusions meaning The safe place to begin all attempts in of his references. at interpretation historical depth is with the local apparent application which was immediately Thus Rigaux says: to both John and his readers. "I1 nous semble done probable dans sa description que Jean a connu et employe la legende de Neron redivivus C'est meme de la Bete. Rien ne prouve cependant qu'il llegende. ait cru Tout est Symbole dans la description improbable. fort des Betes. " L'Antechrist, 353.

P. Minear, "The Wounded Beast", JBL, LXXII Articles on the topic include: (1953), 93-102; B. Newman, "The Fallacy of the Domitian Hypothesis", NTS, X (1963-64), 133-139; C. Clemen, "Die Zahl des Tieres Ape. 13,18"; "Nochmals the Zahl des Tieres Ape. 13,18. " ZNTW, II (1901), 109-114;, XI (1910), 204-223.

322.

G. E. Ladd, and similar


second advent of Christ

exegetes are correct,


and consigned to the

Satan is wounded afresh


grave for a thousand

at the
But

years.

after

that

time the wound is apparently


saints. 11 sets and in forth doing in

healed,

and as of old he goes forth

to

make war on the

Thus Revelation the later following chapters hear chapters, are ringing

seed form

all

that the

is

to be enlarged

in

so it

indicates

manner in which story the

these reader

to be interpreted. echoes from the P3a"XwMoc the

And throughout days of the -rsc

the whole

can ever Antiochus apocalypse.

original

Antichrist, in the first great

Epiphanes,

Zprjp4AQ6-wC-

323.

Revelation

13

This can be called other


it, found.

"the Antichrist

chapter" of the book, for

although by
to be

chapters
none give Ernst

make reference
so much detail rightly refers

to the same power and the crisis


to the to the climactic passage time as "the of trouble high point

initiated
as is of the here

whole

eschatological Again

drama. "' our interpretation is aided by taking into account the preceding

chapter.
expulsion "great

There. the Atonement of Christ


of Satan wrath, from the heavenly

had been graphically


The defeated is short. "

pictured
adversary

as the
has

places. his time

because

he knows that

He stands

on the

sand of the sea watching his final desperate


conqueror.

for his

last

representatives and spoil

who will

set on foot of the

efforts

to spite

the people and plans

Lamb his

Then is described

the well-known

beast with

its

ten horns and seven heads, an allusion


to Christ's earlier the

and modern commentators are agreed in recognizing


Empire followers. outlined, lens about the of John's 2 it day, lately become vicious the the in its

therein
attitude

to the

However,

in harmony with that it is

hermeneutical Fmpire

principles

must be said visions

as viewed not the civil Antichrist province

by John through government foretold of the

of the its

of Daniel. business.

What he sees is he beholds in the

as such by is

lawful 3

Rather, happening

prophet.

What is

then

Asian

Empire

1.

Gegenspieler,

131. 633f.; Apocalypse, Preston and Hanson, Charles, Revelation, I, Revelation, 95, et al. 333; Caird,

See Beckwith, 2. 162; Revelation, 3. the

",`Many modern scholars to, Morris see in the beast a reference comments: We may well see in the Empire a Roman Empire. This seems too simple. that will to the full of the evil manifestation one day be realized preliminary But there is much more to the beast than ancient in the antichrist. Rome. " takes a similar Hendriksen 165. Revelation, "Chapter 13 shows us position.

324.

but the breaking when it


death. regarding myth, expect scale, but

of the waters.

The real will

attack

has yet to be launched, leader,


to

and

comes, a demonic potentate


At this point reference It is that

be its

one from the abyss of


the popular John alludes interpretation to the current

must be made again indeed he is possible here

Nero redivivus. it is not possible

that it

giving

credence.

He does not on a world-wide mad fiddler.

a revived reminiscent

Nero.

But he does expect place in

revived

persecution the

of what took

Rome during

days of the

And almost certainly tremendous truth


by Christ's

John sees in the legend about Nero a caricature Satan,


yet

of the wounded
attack

that

the chief

Antichrist,
strength

has been mortally

Atonement,

will

essay his

once more by a final

on the church.
the serpent

He believes

that
tail

what is coming is the final


will launch the earth-dwellers

death throes
to perdition,

of

whose swirling

instruments, upon the the agents, or tools which the dragon uses in his attack the persecuting The first Two beasts are described. Church. represents ... in and through the nations Satan operating of this world and their power of The second symbolizes the false of and philosophies religions governments. dispensation; this Both these beasts oppose the Church throughout this world. the form which they describes them in terms that indicate the apostle yet A. D. " Conquerors, 144. decade of the first during the closing century assumed beast ". he is for obvious symbolical the first Farrer concerning says .. Revelation, 151. Milligan, the figure who shies of Antichrist. reasons ." .. "The whole Nero, etc., from any historical writes: such as applications clear in multiplied description of the a travesty particulars, of the beast is thus, Like the latter, Himself. the former is the representative, Lord Jesus Christ ... he has is 'given' him; the 'sent' of an unseen power, by whom all authority from the dead; he has his throngs of marvelling his death and his resurrection his authority over those who own his sway is worshippers; and enthusiastic but is colterminous boundaries, by no national limited with the whole world; in himself the scattered he gathers up and unites elements of darkness and all had previously to the truth and from which the existed among men, which enmity " Revelation, 224. Milligan Church of God had suffered. proceeds to assert influence but "the general pagan or papal, that the beast is not Rome, either Ibid. This is making in so far as it is opposed to God. .. the world, of ." that for John the beast represented It is certain too much of a good thing. However, than merely the antagonistic historical more specific world. realities the beast being a travesty Milligan's are well spoken. of Christ regarding words but to be manifested in history the concept of an Antichrist As such they fit Ernst stresses the end of time. the fact that the political at particularly but requires the complementary Rev. 13 will consummation not suffice, of meaning Gegenspieler, 133. demonic eschatological power. of a

325.

and many of the saints


Allusions Most Daniel commentators 7,8,11, but to

to rest.
TrC to the "NU)Cr6or. familiar Antichrist pattern are many. of 3 which of the l

the_ PdAuyMa refer also not to only the

prophecies in Daniel as that

story

of the of the

image recorded Syrian king

undoubtedly

pointed

to the

idolatry

as well

Commenting upon the first beast of Rev. 13, Rigaux writes: ". car ni .. Juifs, les propheties danieliques ni les chretiens ne consid6raient comme d'AntiochusEiiphane. Pour les Synoptiques, par las exploits accomplies de la desolation l'abomination doit encore se produire. I1 n'est pas douteux Josephe, 1'Apocalypse d'Esdras de Baruch, les rabbins et celle que et les Peres bete de Daniel comme le symbole do la quatrieme ne considerent apostoliques l'empire dans saint Jean comme dans Daniel, le symbole romain. Par consequent, des des Betes s'applique De plus, empires. puisque le regne de la quatrieme Bete nest dans pas envisage comme passe, mais est regarde comme se realisant Jean a voulu d'ecrire, l'empire Bete, romain. sous le symbole de sa premiere .. faction de Rome. " L'Antechrist, 347. persecutrice "As in Dan. 7, the king and the kingdom tend to be Glasson well says: the monster is the Roman empire but as the chapter identified; develops at first it comes to stand for a single ruler with supernatural powers and with a deadly the servants hate against 79. of God. " Revelation, "The ten horns no doubt come from Dan. 7: 7 where they represent ten kings. " 80. Ibid., "One is reminded of the similar On v. 14 the same writer comments: situation in Dan. 3 and Nebuchadnezzar's image of gold which all his subjects were to 82. worship. " Ibid., Rev. 13 with Nk. 13: 14 as do many others. Caird links "John does not actually Antichrist for the monster, though he might well have done. use the title (Mask 13: 22); Jesus had prophesied the coming of 'false Christs false prophets' and the second of his two monsters 'the false since John calls and, prophet'. ... it is a reasonable inference that he thought Christ. of the first as a false ... Other traces of the same tradition may be found in two other New Testament books. 14 there is a reference In Mark xiii. to a new 'desecrating horror', which was the temple. Mark personifies to pollute it. Revelation, 165. ... ." .. Caird thinks of the myth of Antichrist as a genuine myth "capable of re-enactment " Ibid., 166. in varying circumstances. too, makes several Loisy, between this He connections chapter and Daniel. de Satan, et par eile va se realiser le the beast as "une incarnation sees de 1'Antechrist. Apocalypse Commenting de Jean (Paris, 1923), 245. regne ." Daniel. "Trait the blasphemous mouth of the beast he writes: upon, emprunte .. Epiphane. " "L'auteur ou il concerne Antiochus va insister sur les blasphemes Daniel; 1'utilisation donne a fait de ce prophete qu'il en paraphrasant des Seleucides dann la quatrieme ne voyait aucunement l'empire qu'il croire de Daniel touchant la prediction bete et qu'il le quatrieme regardait empire, demi d'oppression le regne des saints, les trois ans et et comme restant il ne se fait " Ibid., de la reediter. c'est pourqubi aucun scrupule accomplir: And again later he speaks of John as "preoccupe 250. Daniel en de suivre 1'interpretant, et ne voulant pas abandonner son formulaire plus ou moires Ibid. Rare indeed is the commentary which does not link myst6rieux. .. ." a 13 with the. Rev. Tres uSaS A of Daniel. _PUAuypm 1. les

326.

Babylonian months",

monarch.

Once more we have the well-known as indicated

period

of trial,

"forty-two

the same therefore

in Rev. 11; 2-3.

Again we have reference

to "War" upon the saints,

as in Rev. 11: 7.1


the symbol of the two-horned beast who thereafter

What seems to be new is

is known as the false reiterated,


He also calls

prophet.

But even here the theme of Rev. 11 is being beast is an obvious counterfeit
and works mighty signs. 2

for the two-horned


down fire

of the Two witnesses.


He also is the

from heaven

representative

of another,

indeed,

his publicity

and propaganda officer.

One

cannot help being reminded,


discourse of Christ which

not only of Rev. 11, but of the eschatological


not only false Christs but also false prophets.

foretold

We have both brought


its point of departure

to view in the present


from the

chapter.

While John's
minor, it

thought
does not

took

pagan priesthood

of Asia

linger
to

there.

He sees false
league with the

religious
dragon,

leaders
being

on a world-wide
enabled fulfilment

scale,

apostate

God and in

thus

to work

the wonders 13: 1-3. parties

of Spiritism. Church

He has in mind the

eschatological

of Deut. religious

and statte will

yoke as in Christ's

day when opposing

1. all 2.

The "war" have their

in Revelation the references concerning See Ian. 7: 21; 9: 26. rise in Daniel.

activities

of the

Antichrist

The second beast emphasizes the great cunning of Antichrist, as the first This also is a glance backwards at De. his great power. See niel. stresses Den. 8: 23-25; 11: 21-23. Stauffer "These two weapons of writes: particularly great power and much cunning, appear combined into a system in antichrist, is the eschatological The antichrist Rev. 13ff.: world power that takes the " ". into his service! the military, lying spirit political and economic .. is consummated in-a religious front the devil's united counterpart alliance dei (cf. This religious Mark 13: 10). to the universal of the civitas mission is the work of the false prophet, front who looks like a lamb, but talks united He is the religious herald like and political a dragon. of antichrist, ... by misleading His favourite theme is for whom he recruits miracles. adherents Good Friday, of antichrist's mortal wounds and their miraculous a perverted 214-15. Theology, healing. ." ..

327.

united

over

their

hatred

to the

popular

Rabbi

and linked

with

the

State

in

order

to destroy

Him.

The union will men will

be aided by miracles

through

the power of

the dragon,
that the in iss beast Rev.

and thus all

be enlisted
in the

to make war on the Lamb, all


This is combination discussed than of again John's

save those and the 16,17,19.

whose names are false prophet

book of life. ensuing activities

and their

No better

commentary

on chapter

13 can be found

own words: And I saw, issuing from the mouth of the dragon and from the mouth of three foul spirits the beast and from the mouth of the false prophet, for they are demonic spirits, like frogs; performing signs, who go to assemble them for battle on abroad to the kings of the whole world, And they assembled them at the the great day of God the Almighty. .. in Hebrew Armageddon. place which is called

Revelation
in the controversy

13 is thus. the gathering


between good and evil,

for Armageddon a conflict

the final

conflict
Parousia

to be ended by the

' of Christ. will


there that

John is saying that and will

the last involve

conflict death.

like

the first

(Cain and Abel) instance


struggle While a

be about worship,
will the also majority

As in the original
will be the

be a marking of earth

of separation. will join the church

So severe dragon strives and his to

associates.

warning the

message from and his the

the witnessing

save men from worshipping of the of God

beast

image,

and endeavours instead will

to turn

them to the worship to the Adversary

Creator,

multitudes his mark,

become subject The mystic

and receive

his

likeness.

number has ever

been associated

with

the serpent. as if

It

is the number of sin and imperfection, evil to the nth degree. from God. It is truly It

attenuated all

to a that

trinity belongs

to indicate

represents

to man when separated

"the number of man" -

between have seen the close relationship Stauffer 1. and many other scholars He also links both with the fulfilment Rev. 13 and Armageddon. of 2 Thess. 2. And Armageddon is inevitably 214-15. Theology, associated with Dan. 11: 45 and spr)Awcsatac -s PNAijo, the -

328.

man under

the

serpent's

control.

And even here

are

overtones

from

the

original

\,, p(5E", JypV


is repeated

Tqk
in

liPrMWQEwC
with

pattern,
false

for
2

in that

source too the number six

connection

worship.

the mystical 1. Cataracts concerning number 666. of nonsense have been written An Almost all of it pours from thought-forms removed from those of John. quite in the take into account the rabbinical interpretation currents must adequate in the early church. lacking Judaism of John's day which were not altogether "The number six itself track. here is on the right Milligan awakened a feeling It the significance the Jew who felt dread in the breast of numbers. of of This below the sacred number seven just as much as eight went beyond it. fell As in the last number denoted more than the simple possession of the Divine. day' of the feast on the the eighth day, of the 'great on case of circumcision day of the week, day, or of the resurrection of our Lord on the first eighth in active days, it expressed a new beginning the previous following power. seven to reach the inability the number six was held to signify By a similar process it. To the Jew there was thus a falling hopeless short of and sacred point it; let there be Triple doom upon the number six even when it stood alone. three it by ten and then a second time by ten until you obtain of a multiple 666; and we have represented following a potency one another, sixes mysterious than which there can be none greater, of fate than which a direfulness of evil that Milligan's 235. We are not certain there can be none worse. " Revelation, but we believe that they lean in the right be entirely substantiated claims can direction. to the interpretation Caird criticizes of 666, but offers most approaches no 174-76. The comments of Morris of his own. See Revelation, solution positive 'it is the number of man' 174. ". translate Revelation, helpful. are more ..
... ."

The variant application, of 616 probably arose out of a partisan reading to Gaius, and should not divert of us from the problem of this trinity such as six. G. E. Ladd has voiced the doubts of many as follows: the Nero solution Regarding The in Greek is not 666, but 1005. total the numerical of NeronKaisar ... Neron Kaisar into Hebrew, which does indeed is solved by transplanting problem in the spelling however, by a slight 666. This is achieved, total of variation Furthermore, has explained the Hebrew word for Caesar. why John, writing no one to a Greek-reading symbolism of gematria would have used the elaborate public, that It is also significant Hebrew instead of a Greek form of the name. with a " Revelation this interpreters the ancient of solution. recognized none of "it is possible that the number was The same writer John, 186. suggests that 187. to be altogether intended symbolic. " Ibid.,

2.

See Dan. 3: 1.

329.

Revelation

14 and 16

According Certainly
with seer fatal Christ then

to Lohmyer, Rev. 14 is the high point the outcome of the last


But having the final the given warning fulfilment indeed that to

of the Apocalypse. The victors


of triumph, about 13: 10. devil its It

here is pictured
upon Mount Zion. proceeds

battle.
glimpse the world of M.

stand
the last places deep to The consider and the

to present

choice.

Rev. 14: 6-12 pictures in a dilemma. While the

earth-dwellers crystal worship fall it

They stand beast

between death

the

and the

sea of God. him,

threatens

to those

who refuse submission. not

heaven thunders the oppressor

a pause to all is are foretold in

who contemplate order that

of Babylon invincible. of Jesus. is

men might

The obedient

characterized martyrdom the sign

as possessing by their of the loyalty,

endurance

faith blessing

Upon them who risk

a special

pronounced.

Then appears

Son of Ilan in heaven,

He comes to garner His own and destroy as


We are particularly additional read that allusion the . to the. interested P in

their
the last

persecutors.
verse which contains motif. BEV of those and the the an Here we Tv9r who, later like

uyH&wrath with both

Tic of

epr)Nwo God is laboured

eAi C Sw

wine press We cannot to prove

of the agree that

trodden

MOX5WC Caird, vintage supports

the the

exegesis of the 1

endeavour apply the

harvest

wheat Rather,

to the contrary.

ingathering 2

of God's

servants.

evidence from

The symbolism

of the

vintage

has been gleaned

1.

Revelation,

189-195.

"In the vision 2. which now follows, of the vintage vv. 17-20, the principal Joel 3: 13, is contained, in its original, feature, not in the ingathering as The crushing of the winepress. of the grapes of the grapes, but in the treading the staining in the press, of the feet and garments of the and especially the 'blood of the grapes'. became a familiar the red juices, treaders with .. Hence this down of enemies and furious trampling for the utter figure vengeance. Is. 63: 2-4. God's wrath visited upon the wicked; cf. Joel cf. symbol of .. it The meaning of the second vision is clear; 3: 13; Lam. 1: 15; Rev. 19: 15.

330.

Old Testament pictures enquire --

of divine

indignation

against placed

the wicked. outside

But let

us

"Why is the scene of destruction illustration

the city? 111 of the biblical


was is to be launched of the north")

Here we have another


eschatological by the themes. -fqC holy city,

of the homogeneity
such as never (also to the called

The time

of trouble

P&huypoc the

6Pr)NwaiEu3C

"the

king

surrounding

according

climactic

presentation

of Daniel.

Then Michael Joel


"in

comes and delivers

His menaced saints. the attack


in

This view is similar upon the city


20: 8 where

to

3 and Eze. 38-39, which also picture


the latter days". John uses the occurs. last

of the saints
the the will final church be

same idea In Rev. onslaught

Rev.

employment with the

of this assurance

symbolism that

14: 20, John comforts (Rev. 13) the saints

in the

secure.

John knew that

Joel

2: 32 promised deliverance

from the foes gathered

upon the not the judgment as a whole, but God's vengeance visited pictures, figures the whole It is then not parallel with the first, which ... wicked. We have in the judgment, as it affects the righteous and the wicked alike. two visions, as often with the author, first a general fact or staianent, then
or part. a detail Hendriksen, 185; Beckwith, - Apocalypse, 663. See also Morris, Revelation, .. ." Conquerors, 155-56; Farrer, Revelation, 165-68, et al.

"The vintage is trodden 1. the city. St John accepts the symbolism of outside Joel describes Joel. in which under the metaphor of a ghastly vintage a battle Jerus 1 the natio lls J at ac kin are s sh dodh 41 the to 5P 'o' be c ni ineed wi hosn hr't more i Gsse eme$ e fie the ac es so harrest to be reaped in a fiel Of barley supposes the b tF on the . The value of the phrase 'outside Judaean hills. the city' is that it links Joel's both of with the last chapters of Isaiah and Zechariah prophecy respectively, Jerusalem. " Farrer, a final slaughter of enemies outside which describe "A final 167. Beckwith Revelation, reminds us that assault upon God's people by the assembled forces of their enemies, and the overthrow of these, are the of the apocalyptic writings. and this common predictions event is thought .. The Apocalyptist place near Jerusalem. appears to have this as taking of in mind in the use of the words 'without the city. "' Apocalypse, tradition This is nearer the mark than Morris's 664-65. more general application. 186. Kiddie would have us believe that the city is Revelation, mentioned to Old Testament passages about the but he has missed the allusion Babylon, Jerusalem. Carpenter is nearer the mark when he says final outside slaughter "have refused the defence of the true city " that those who fall and sanctuary. 604. "Revelation",

331.

outside

the city. 1

Similarly,

Joel 3 pictured Zion.

a harvest It

in the valley

of which

Jehoshaphat
John describes to

(= Judgment) which lay outside


as the harvest of the earth.

is this
applies

same harvest
the treading down the city of of

He also

referred city, are

in Joel

3: 13.

Those, trodden, is

who in while the

days past the saints of

have trodden composing "the holy the

holy God

are now themselves secure.

The 1600 furlongs vision "in the wherein land to of figured Israel.

circuit

oblation" on the "very

Ezekiel's mountain" Ezekiel's of the

a mighty "2

temple

and city

high

The writer church slaughter. of the end, the _PS --

of the Apocalypse outside Thus the AvyNo harvest in -f of which treading c

applies the enemies

"oblation" church perish

the world-wide

in Armageddon's 14, the north) of bringing to his

of the C

Wine press (i. e. the the feast

in Rev. king

Pn(404 valley

of the

the

of Jehoshaphat, at

upon the

slain

Gog and Magog, and the

desolation

accomplished

Armageddon, all

point

to the same event the people of God.


principles

judgment and destruction

upon those excellent


for

who seek to destroy


example this of the

Rev. 14: 20 constitutes


suggested as specially

another
applicable

hermeneutical

book.

Revelation, 665. See Beckwith, R. H. Charles differs with Beckwith regarding issue of whether the earthly is meant. He says in or heavenly Jerusalem to Kiddie "There can be no question and Beasley-Hurray, contrast as to the 'the city. ' It is not Rome (for its destruction identity has already been of It is, moreover, of the Seer in 9) but Jerusalem. announced in the hearing Jerusalem but the heavenly Jerusalem which is to not the earthly most probably for the 1000 years. descend from heaven to be the centre of the Kingdom of Christ is a proleptic If xiv. 14,18-20 11-21 only, then the city summary of xix. ... Jerusalem, to might be the historic but its ruined site; or rather referred 11-21 and also xx. 7-10, then the city is a summary of xix. if this can be none that came down from heaven-the other than the city seat of the Messianic II, Charles 25. We think is mainly right,, Kingdom. " Revelation, but wrong in Jerusalem, to "the historic John his reference its ruined or rather site". in all references by the holy city means the church, to chapter at least prior Whether in picturing 20. a subsequent era to the Parousia, gives when faith he replaces the emblems of ancient Israel by more material place to sight, is another question. representations 1. the

2. See Eze. 40: 2; 45: 1-5;

48: 9f.

332.

In Revelation

16,

the

drying

up of the

river

Euphrates,

the

kings

of

l the the east, gathering

of the kings

of the whole world,

and Armageddon,

interpretation "Many commonly received of the passage Ladd says: though it were a self-evident fact in the text-that assert-as commentators from the east' the 'kings the Parthians represent who now invade the civilized This, however, is sheer of Nero redivivus. world under the leadership (regarding " John, 213. However, we view Ladd's own interpretation speculation. "the pagan hordes") This type of interpretation as just as speculative. came "puffed" into modern favour when journalists the "yellow peril" about the turn While it is true that John interweaves some current myths of of the century. in mind, it is even more his day into his work, and may here have the Parthians As in the case true that the main source of his imagery is the Old Testament. Old Testament teachings where for every local several of Christ's allusion Older can be found, even so it is with the author of Revelation. references were wont to point out that the language of Rev. 16: 12 has been commentaries in Isaiah to Israel's deliverance having reference from drawn from expressions (Isa. For example, note that the phrases "from the east" Babylon. 41: 2; ancient 41: 25; 45: 6; 59: 19) are 43: 5; 46: 11) and "from the rising of the sun" (Isa. in connection from with Israel's redemption each employed three times in Isaiah Similarly, the drying up of Euphrates is there mentioned. the captor nation. Milligan has expressed himself See Isa. 44: 27. at length upon this matter, "Probably He says: studied. no part of the Apocalypse and should be closely interpretation than the first Bowl. has received of this statement more varied is the point to be determined; 1,11oare these kings that come from the sun-rising host, given is, that they are part of the anti-christian and the answer usually spoken of as the kings of the whole inhabited earth, part of those afterwards in order that they may pursue an before whom God dries up the Euphrates march to the spot on which they are to be overwhelmed with a final uninterrupted Something may certainly be said on behalf of such complete destruction. and objections. view; yet it is exposed to serious a "1. We have already been made acquainted with the at chap. ix. 14, ... to the progress Euphrates; of Christ's and, so far from being a hindrance river the symbol of their overflowing might. and destructive enemies, it is rather 'from the sun-rising, ' "2. We have also met at chap. vii. 2 with the expression to the quarter from which the angel comes by whom the and it is there applied it is not easy to think foes of anti-christian of God are sealed. people ... in the same term. described from a quarter coming 'from the sun-rising' 113. These kings are not said to be a part of the kings immediately They are to. the whole inhabited referred earth' afterwards of from them. distinguished rather "4. The 'preparing of Him whose of the way' connects itself with the thought by the coming of the Baptist. was prepared way "5. takes us back, alike in The type of drying up the waters of a river, to the means by the historical of the Old Testament, writings and prophetic of His people, secures the deliverance not the destruction which the Almighty 269-70. His enemies. " Revelation, of "The 'kings A. Plummer says similarly. the forces of the east' are certainly to Christ see an allusion on the side of God. Many writers and the saints. ranged (cf. Mal. iv. 4; Zech. iii. Christ 8 in Scripture figure The sun is a frequent of 2; xii. 1; xxii. 12 LXX; Luke 1.78; 16). The kings of also ch. vii. vi. and 11-16. " the east may thus be identified with the armies of ch. xix. (PC)t 395. Revelation 1. On the

333.

are symbols which call


borrowed order the that east". from second

for particular
Isaiah which

attention.

The first

two symbols are


waters in

foretells

a drought

upon Babylon's the

Babylon

might

be overthrown preliminary asserts that

by Cyrus, to the

God's Anointed, of Israel

"one from Babylon. whore waters

Such was the Apocalypse thus

deliverance ten horns

from

The last "the

when the

turn

upon the by the

people

and multitudes

and nations

and tongues"

represented

of Euphrates

cease to be her support.


comes from Almost from all the the east, i. e. from heaven, see in this to legend, as King of Kings and

Then Christ Lord to of lords. Parthians It is

modern commentators east, that whom, according this myth lies

passage

an allusion lead mind, against

the

Nero would of John's

Rome. but than only

indeed

possible Rev.

at the back

here that enter

again, to

as with 1

13: 3, he may have something of Christ and His church,

more Christ-centred and other the powers of God.

convey. picture

He speaks when they

the

have some relationship symbol for the Messiah origin. likely in

with

people

igva-ro It

r to term should

was a familiar something in this

in New Testament Elsewhere that the

times. Apocalypse

pointed the

or Someone of heavenly manner, and it of is this all hardly

uses written

a book so carefully chapter. exegesis To when

change the is

meaning

symbol

the

later of east"

literalize dealing with

"east" this

to depart

from

sound principles The "kings of the

book of metaphors.

may be intended

as a direct

contrast

to "the kings

of the whole world"

mentioned in the same

in applying the literary To be consistent principle of parody which John interpretations. He makes erroneous uses is a safeguard against continually in so far as he describes them in enemies to speak for Christ even Christ's ". Thus many commentators terms reminiscent the point of Him. out that .. 'es war und ist nicht Worte: klingen und wird wieder sein' wie eine dlmonische 'der war und der ist und der kommt'. " Lohmeyer, N'achlEffung des Gottestitels; 145. Similarly the principle Offenbarung, of contrast whereby John places the the woman clothed the Lamb, and the whore against beast against with the sun, Jerusalem, Babylon against In also makes for safety and of interpretation. is used by John to place "the kings of the east" Rev. 16: 12, this principle in opposition to "the kings of the whole world". It is not an instance of Such cases are clearly shown to be such by their parody. context. 1.

334.

paragraph,

and could represent

heavenly beings Who come to deliver Cyrus to deliver Israel

the saints, of old


the sanctuary.

as the Median kings


from divine Babylon. glory

from the east came with


John also from the had in east, ever

Possibly as coming are

mind Eze. the route

41: 2, which of entrance student

pictured to the

These symbols PdE'Avyplx are often -tiffs

of particular

interest the

to the attacks

of the upon Israel out ' that Daniel overflowing the multitudes

'Pnf wc7LwC

because

of the

latter

represented is

as a "flood".

Many scholars

have pointed force.

Euphrates probably Euphrates. multitudes who are

used in Scripture his clear

as a symbol term from that is

of an invading Isaiah's the

borrowed It is

use of the from Babylon, dragon,

reference Euphrates that it

to the represents is these

Revelation and it beast,

supporting gathered His ouc.

also

clear

by the church. is the It

and false as the

prophet, ultimate

to make war on Christ P,5AuyNa so surely end for is this the drying

by attacking ij up of the (desolating) are part It is but npt

Thus as surely the Antichrist symbol is vital of the to

of Revelation, beginning of the the

Euphrates power. and parcel has already phase

persecuting

remember that

Euphrates

and Babylon

of Antichrist. been pointed of the "war" out that the to "battle" so often mentioned in the in Rev. of 16: 14

another

referred

chapters

Revelation mention it.

dealing

with

the Antichrist. source of this

Chapters motif is

11,12,13,17,19,20 found in the Danielic

specifically references

The primary

to the war made upon Israel

by Antiochus

Epiphanes.

to as `1t is first in Joshua 24. The word itdelf 1. referred means Many verses describe the Euphrates or river. sea, flood, as the stream, a land and Babylon. boundary line between Israel's See Joshua 24: 2-3,14-15; See Isa. 8: 7,8 as a typical Gen. 15: 18, etc. example of the use of the word invasion to a catastrophic by Assyria. The same symbolism is with reference See Dan. 9: 26; 11: 40 and Rev. 12: 15-16. Thus it by Daniel and by John. used that the writer by his reference to Euphrates is not unlikely of Revelation to the same war as mentioned in 17: 14. The waters are in Rev. 16 points to be "people and multitudes declared distinctly and nations and tongues" who to the people of God. Rev. 17: 15. hostile are Euphrates

335.

The symbol the memories

of Armageddon thus with fall Megiddo

becomes exceedingly with the prediction of

appropriate. of Ezekiel

It that

conjoins the not only

associated would

enemies declares great

of Israel

"upon the

mountains name for Messiah", enemies

Israel.

111 Beckwith the scene

Armageddon between the

to be "an imaginary Antichrist of that north and the Israel's

designating but

of the

battle

shows that

Ezekiel's is the

prophecy source. 2

about It is

overthrow likely of the "3

"upon the

mountains"

quite king

the writer

of Daniel

has Megiddo the which

in mind when sea and the plain floods concepts

he speaks glorious of

of the holy

coming. to his fits to

end "between across

mountain. armies

The location when en route

Megiddo, attack

invading

poured

Jerusalem.

Thus both

of

TtAENoS
-[rC is

and
ZPI) identical

`ApVimye&wv
s with the

link
and the

with

Daniel's

presentation

of the
of the in

3iluyNx whole earth

iwQ

Qu Vayciv towards false

of the lings worship described

compulsion

Rev. 130 which chapter


of his day.

is also based on Daniel's

imagery concerning

the Antichrist

"The spirits Revelation, 324. Farrer sums up the symbolism aptly: to Har-Magedon, that is, Mount Megiddo. No such mountain-name Megiddo is a town on the southern Plain, side of the Esdraelon was ever current. to the foothills 'Mount Megiddo' the nearest of known cities of Carmel. would Carmel. ... St. John wants to refer to Megiddo and to Carmel have to designate Ahab, a renegade Anointed, in one breath. or Antichrist, and husband of Jezebel (see ii. 20) 'sent unto all the children of Israel and gathered the prophets' of 'together there to try their Baal and Ashtaroth unto Mount Carmel'. strength .. the Lord God of Elijah, by the sword. Ahab And. .. and to perish against likewise to perish in the mouths of himself on the day when a lying spirit was him and his allies. transfers The author of Chronicles false enticed prophets ... He defied the exact circumstances of Ahab's death to the death of Josiah. a true he was shot by archers God. There he fought against at Megiddo. warning, .. ... The lamentation for him. ... of Megiddo appears to be a great lamentation was the families because taken up by Zechariah. where 'all of the land mourn', .. Now we know from Rev. 1: 7 (cf. they have 'looked on him whom they pierced'. xi-9) So in sum, Mt. Megiddo stands in his mind for St. John made of this text. what doom; where kings prophecy and its dupes go to meet their where lying a place destruction; their are misled to their armies and where all the tribes of the and to see him in power, whom in weakness they had pierced. For there earth mourn, in their the stars against princes, courses fight and the floods of destruction them away (Judges v. 19-21). " Revelation, 178. sweep See Kiddie, 1. bring the kings 2. Apocalypse, 685.

3.

Kiddie,

Revelation,

324. ".

..

Daniel

mentions

the hill,

too-between

336.

Revelation

17 17, Antichrist n1 It is depicted that as the "mother of harlots ultimately and

In Revelation of earth's others

abominations.

is declared

she who has desolated 2

by martyrdom will

herself

be made "desolate

and naked".

There can be no dodging the allusion which had dominion over the kings John, though fully not primarily personifies that

to Rome, the city

upon seven hills, must be said that

the earth. 3 of political

But again it

aware of the current in either.

and even economic scene is religious tells and us

interested

To him Babylon is essentially

the whole world's

apostasy from God.

His use of the title

he has Babel in mind, and also the kingdom of Nebuchadnezzar. Babylon is "a name of mystery". not the whole truth. 4

John goes conclusion

of the way to say that out not be the truth, may

The first

or at least

Babylon the whore stands in obvious contrast the sun. 5 This woman is the consort encompassing all of all of Satan --

to the woman clothed the very opposite against

with

of the church the Most High. times,

of Christ,

ages who have rebelled is a figure for

As the woman of Rev. 12 obviously

the people of God in all But as John

the woman of Rev. 17 encompasses the rebels so particularly applies the bride eschatologically,

of every era.

so with, the harlot.

Jerusalem and the sea. .. Revelation, this passage. 1. 3. Rev. 17s5" Rev. -17: 18.

Morris also refers to Dan. xi. 45, when interpreting ." Gog and Magog in mind 200. Daniel probably had Ezekiel's 2. 4. Rev. 17: 16. Rev. 17: 5. See Ladd, John, 222.

5. This is another illustration of the use of John's principle of contrast. If he can represent the church of all ages by the symbol of a pure woman, it is he pictures that the antithesis applies only to certain unbelievers unlikely to those in a particular in a certain city, of time empire at one point or even only.

337.

Paul had spoken of ' rebellion


rebellion,

ocTioa ro O oc

and Babylon to John summarizes the to the Gentiles. Babel had originated in

spoken of by the apostle


and thus it will end.

Too often of this Bnpire figure is

emphasis as applied but

has been placed to the city

solely

upon the Certainly

secular this

significance metropolis in sun, 1 of the black or one

of Rome. John's

in view Either

does it

exhaust

meaning?

He sees only with the last.

and white. is the part

one is

numbered with purpose his the

the woman clothed parenetic

of Babylon. to the

And his

remains

to the

Throughout flock from those as

letters

seven churches them against

objective synagogue 3

has been to Satan, 2 of False

save his

compromise. who like Jezebel, Ahabs. 4 All

He warns

and against are from styled

Balak

and Balaam seduce desire is to

God's people. save

teachers

and John's this

"half-baked"

Christians

becoming in Rev. 17.

must be kept

in mind as we contemplate

the picture

It
that

is succeeded by a call
if the Christians city, it is

to separate
seven

from Babylon
churches in Asia

(18: 1-4),
were to are in

and thus indicates


come out of the

of the

seven-hilled While as ire people

more than true it that is

geographical Scripture

locations harlot

focus. for cities such

uses the

symbol to the

and Ninevih of God. 5

much more frequently and not "adulteress"

applied is the

apostatizing figure,

"Harlot"

most appropriate

from Babylon is enjoined 1. Thus flight See Rev. 18: 1-4. in the holy city. 2.
4.

upon all

who have not taken their

stand

Rev. 2: 9; 3: 9.
Rev. 2: 20

3.

Rev. 2: 14.

23: 7,8,11,14,17,18, Isa. 1: 21; Jer. 2: 20; 3: 1; 13: 27; Eze. 16: 15,22,33,35; 5. 43: 7,9; Hos. 2: 2,4,5,10; 4: 12,15,18; 19,29,35,43,45; 5: 4; 6: iO; 9: 1; Mic. 1: 7. i: used in Uie LXX at least times to fifty or its derivatives, TT6Pvq, fornication It may be significant describe the spiritual of Israel and Judah. NuMr piov which occurs more than twenty times in the New also that _, _ to anything is never applied Testament, but always to things openly unbelieving, sacred or professing Such contentions religious as these. characteristics. as used in this study, are not mennt to den

338.

for

the

emphasis of the is

is

upon the in

many lovers 17 is

and the wages gained. in Jer.

The literary and 3: 1-11, (Jer. is 3: 3), found (Jer.

origin

symbolism a harlot

Rev.

to be found a sign 2: 33), 2: 34). will

2: 33-34 forehead

where Judah who causes the lifeblood

(Jer. in

2: 20) with others (Jer. (Jer.

upon her

transgression of guiltless

and "on whose skirts She is clothed her is (Jer. in

poor"

crimson

4: 30) and golden her life. We are to

ornaments. reminded faithless

Her lovers too that the -

despise

4: 30) and seek of Babylon as

same thing

written

was addressed and of saints, These references are the texts

Jerusalem

in her was found on earth. "

the blood Compare lit. Isa. that

of prophets 23: 35. 23: 15, which John

and of all should most often of the

who have been slain be kept cited city in mind as well in support

as Nahum 3: 4ff.; undoubted fact

of the

initially

thinks

of Rome.

rn. v These references to 4Q _A6E-Auy


and-, 9pF-pcV

and

tpgHw vr)v rjpr)Nweq,


of been linked 4 pfl 1 k; 3&Z "

in chs. 17 and 18 by no means exhaust the connections our main theme. The call admonition to flee to flee from Babylon has often from the

Babylon with

by commentators to Christ's

3ai:Iluyf.. ia TIr.

L'Antechrist, 348-350. arguments for Rome such as are found in RiFaux's well-Imown to indicate that John saw more than just Rome, and that he They are meant rather have as its centre concerned with the final apostasy which will was particularly to God rather Furthermore, than political the issue of relationship matters. for professing Christians, he was writing of Rome. not for unbelieving citizens by his portrayal he intends lest its members to admonish the flock, Therefore, into spiritual fornication. Rev. 18: 1-4 with its admonition be led by Antichrist these contentions. "But we must Babylon strengthen Kiddie to forsake admonishes: Jeremiah, Jerusalem that in Isaiah, it is pre-eminently and Ezekiel not forget (see excursus on ch. xi) how John's We have already is the harlot-city. seen who in mind of Babylon the great was fashioned constantly with the thought picture Jerusalem 341. of doom. " Revelation, as the city of

1.

".

Jesus warned the people of great wickedness and persecution abomination. ... in the Judean area. Moreover, false shall would be present prophets which ... to deceive even the people of God. When such wickedness and attempt arise ... in the city to lead God's and when the false prophets prevails are attempting there is only one way to escapes And that is to leave the astray people ... of the

..

our Lord also gave a similar

command to depart

from Judea in the times

city.

...

Many of these thoughts

lie

behind the command in Rev. 18: 4 to flee

339.

Only

such withdrawal

can save the

soul.

How appropriate

the

admonition,

how

artistically
chapter the

placed by John, when we recall


dealing with the the destruction announcement: of the

that

Rev. 18 is the fifth


worldlings. is the Babylon

consecutive
In ch. 14, .. ."

rebellious fallen tells

theme began with

"Fallen,

the

great. In the outpouring plagues. of her saints. foretold

The destruction following of God's

by the

treading

of the winepress accompanies Chapter the

same story. for the

chapter, unmingled

a solemn pause wrath

preparation

upon Babylon. deserves idolatry,

16 describes it

Babylon's is because of the which fire.

Chapter rebellion Chapter that the fate the fate

17 shows why Babylon against 18 enlarges ten horns God, her

such punishment her pride,

her persecution chapter

what was commenced in would desolate if the

the preceding

whore and burn the

her with

Such was be the to

of a priest's

daughter

she played

harlot,

and such would Her failure

of a world

to whom Christ

came, but

who received

Him not.

recognize

the divine

Lover would be her undoing, expressing the fate

and the burning

of the city

is

only another
chapters. reminded Antichrist, Also the is healing borne

metaphor for

already

suggested in the preceding


who read city it would as be

Therefore, of Christ's the in

says John, admonition -M-c

therefore to flee

FLEE: from the

And all guilty

of Jerusalem

O(Wuypoc

drew near. puzoF-WC a parallel to Rev. the 13 and its beast description the of woman other

chapter

17 we find wound.

of the

mortal

John says that five

upon which

has seven heads,

and of these,

are fallen

and one is

and the

is likewise her hands are stained full city of wickedness. .. Christians. there is the implicit Moreover. of martyred with .. ... Thus the two situations of Babylon and the false prophet. which our association in the vision in his apocalyptic discourse, Lord pictures and which John relates And the command of Christ of Rev. 17-18 are, mutatis mutandis, rather similar. to leave Judea in view of the tribulation contributes and wickedness undoubtedly to the form of the thought in Rev. 18: 4. " Louis A. Vos, The and expression (Kampen, 1965), 161. in the Apocalypse Synoptic Traditions "So ist der himmlische Befehl an die Christen durch Js 48,20; zum Auszug aus Babylon Apk 18,4 einerseits 52,11; Jer 50,8; 51,6 uI vorgebildet 24: 15ff durch lit. anderseits aber auch sicher "6o iov", " Kuhn, TWNT, I, 513. from These suggestions par mitbestimmt. Kuhn 1g thrown light Y8n9 tit on the id ularly of the ls rti of Rev. 17 is p `ounce . wen e principle ac ount for e egeting in ook wnicFi Mk. 13. of Revelation's close kinship recognition discourse with the eschatological of from Babylon. the blood This

340.

is

not

yet

come.

The beast

finds

its

identity

in

each of the

successive

heads.

Thus it
again. interested elsewhere, is not

can be said to be not, though it


We doubt if there is any need to place

once was, and that


count ' Emperors.

it

shortly

will

be

John was not meaning

primarily as

in that. and there primary

Seven in this are about

has the other it is the

same symbolic cases.

fifty-three rather

Arithmetical

calculation

the

significance,

symbolism

of completeness.

Kiddie discusses 1. the troubles to do so and then adds: of those who attempt "The fact is that those who seek in the reference to seven kinjis a list of seven individual beyond hope, and that monarchs must admit that the text is enigmatic to intelligibility is to be reached only by the arbitrary a mere approximation mutilation of the text, or the performance of extraordinary mental gycmiastics. " "No, the number seven has here its symbolical force-as always in Revelation. insist that in their form his words admit of no exact present we shall ... historical reference: verse 10 is a general statement, and John's readers can to read it as anything have no temptation 350-51. else. " Revelation, Beckwith writes See 706-70T of his with much good sense on this topic. Apocalypse. "What kings have preceded is for the Apocalyp$ist's He says in part: it is enough for them to know that only message to his readers unimportant; before the end of the then present is reached. " one is to follow world-kingdom And on the following "In view of these considerations 707. page he summarizes: to the conclusion that the number seven here is purely we are brought symbolical, that the Apocalyptist the Roman power as a historic means to represent whole. " Ladd speaks similarly and then proceeds to discuss vv. 9-11 to excellent "It is difficult to see any connection between the seven hills effect. of Rome "The second and final and seven of its emperors. " 222. manifestation of the beast is an eighth king; but it is not the eighth king for there are only seven; it is an eighth king which is one of the seven. This suggests that one of the two stages of his existence. " John, 231. Zahn also seven is to experience See Offenbarung, takes this position. II, 553. Our own suggestion is that a key is provided in Rev. 20: 3-10 where we dragon, as with the beast, has a resurrection see that the slain experience Cf. Rev. 17: 10. The sixth head is the wounded one for "a little while". (thus it both "is" When the beast revive& it is manifested and yet "is not"). in the seventh head and because this the beast seventh head represents

he, like Jesus (the 888 name) has experienced If this is the resurrection. true meaning of the enigma, the significance have fallen, of "five one is,. to do with calculating the other is not yet come" has nothing but emperors, is about to enter the scene as earth's only with the fact that the Antichrist final demonstration of Satanic power.

The latter rising up after having been slain it is also called the eighth. See Lohmeyer, ad loc. There is no reference number symbolizes resurrection. to eight heads. The beast himself is declared to be "the eighth" because

341.

Thus the five


including about to the give

heads represent
emperors birth is the

all

who have gone before


The number six Antichrist, the refers seventh

as Satan's
to the

representatives,
evil beast. remind his time

of Rome. final of

existing

to the the

head of the to

The number eight the readers life that

symbol

resurrection yet again 1

and new beginning, ascend the abyss

beast

would

and demonstrate united the is

revived the

by a flood

of persecution. by the eight parody

All

the

powers

of earth

under

ultimate head. the

demonic Antichrist There to are not show its

spirits only

of demons constitute seven, the but the seventh

seventh called Life, if

heads,

also

eighth

of Him who is

Resurrection

and the but is no

and whose number is used at all, parallel is given it is only

888.2

John may indeed a face

think

of the Nero myth, There

a mask for in the Danielic

much more demonic. because

precise parody

to this had not

presentation and rise again.

He of whom the

yet

come to

die

". the number eight marks the beginning Revelation, 286. Milligan, .. Revelation, life, and heightened powers. " See also Farrer, with quickened of a new "For eight signifying 20-21, and 2 Peter ii. 5. " 158. see 1 Peteriii. resurrection, ". but the wild beast, Carpenter empire shall no eighth rise, writes: .. deathin all the seven heads of his power, will, in the convulsive smitten now throe, seem an eighth power, in which the ebbing life of all the seven finds This fierce up of the doomed power of and last flickering expression. ... 613. is dwelt on again in chap. xx. 7-10. " "Revelation", evil 1. 2. See Morris, Revelation, 174.

342.

Revelation

20

Into
enter. recur again attack

the problems of this


to say that their here final

much-debated chapter
most of the outworking. the kings the rebel motifs Again of the

it

is not our purpose to


preceding rises the chapters the of abyss,

Suffice

of the the beast

once more for he assembles is the holy is

from object

by deception city, complete. force but 1 this

earth,

again

time

doom that

falls

upon the

abomination men worship him. "2

of desolation him,

The great to do so,

who sought

to make all

and who employed forever of his

"comes to his of the grave's the

end, with abyss.

none to help Simultaneously,

He returns the objects

to the attack

desolation

become aware that and trial His will

unending

conflict

has at

last

ended, joy ages.

and that

temptation bearing story,

be no more. in His John's

They luxuriate glory throughout music.

in the the

of their

Lord,

mark and basking painting,

Such is

John's

John's

undying

("Tempelzerst'brung Walter 45) links Apokalypse", Nikolaus 1. und synoptische ' ewG_ We do not agree with the. Sr=NuyNoc Tyr- p with this event. Loll for Mark, or his exposition his dating of Nark 13, but we agree with him either between the Ilk. 13: 14 passage and Rev. 20: 7-10. that there is a relationship (UK. ) an die Stelle ". des tIbergangs Says Walter setzt er zur letzten .. der Geschichte, Periode die Erwartung an der nach der aus Dan 9 gespeisten jenes halb mythische des Tempels stehen sollte, Entweihung Bild vom Auftreten (vgl. Ape. 20: 7-10). " des Antichrists

2.

Dan. 11: 45.

CONCLUSION

344.

Our study of that chapter

has been an attempt in the Synoptic

to

interpret

"the

most difficult

section" 1

Gospels

most commented upon in modem times.

Our conclusions

are as follows. of the study then revolutionary that the viewpoint offered is sixty indeed

In confirmation years ago, the present

indicates

New Testament

inescapably
can be said of Revelation. but "the very

and unashamedly apocalyptic


also of its key figures itself living its

in some of its

basic f

concepts.

This

such as Christ, is

Paul,

and the writer New Testament

Eschatology fibre of the

no mere addendum to the 2 and the type

strand", concepts

of eschatology of God and the

mirrored

by apocalyptic,

with

of the kingdom

Son of Man, has rightly The recent


However century

been called

"the mother of Christian

theolopr". sound.
to the

emphasis by Pannenberg in this


now, as in evidence scholarly is 1910, this

regard is exegetically
acknowledgement is

distasteful mind, the

twentieth-

compelling. done to prove largely die that the records insertions such positions that apocalyptic there are no we have appears are the implies,

Much of the of the instead outgrowth rather Olivet

work

discourse that

consist prejudices

of unauthentic hard, inimical and that to all

to prove

of philosophical the result

attitudes of impartial

than

4" For study.

example,

1. 3.

See Gaston, E. Ksemann.

No Stone

on Another,

8,23.2.

H. R. Mackintosh.

"An inadequate 4. critical methodology and/or a theological or philosophical bias has vitiated the conclusions of modern biblical critics nearly as often As a substitute for the older dogmatic exegetes. as those of pre-critical the student and exegesis, approach to the problems of criticism of the New 'key' Testament has often been offered to guide him in his criticism; another

345.

conclusive -rte

grounds for

rejecting saying.

the dominical

nature

of the

fSXuyNok 13: 14 in
of "Daniel

EPwartwc
reflect as other furnished of the

The eschatological
of concord of the for

sermon, and M.
with the contents

particular, the prophet"

same attitude logia

genuine the

Gospels.

The same Old Testament notions, and especially the

book which the

springboard kingdom"

most apocalyptic representative

terminology

"the

and its

"Son of Man" is

originator

of the

PSsAuyNoc Trc

rwcsr 1

and the primary , Furthermore,


the expected

Cpspel

does not hold any of these concepts in isolation.


as Christ accepted the teaching of Daniel regarding

as certainly
dramatic events

of the near future,


Revelation. The latter

so did His followers,

including

the writers

of 2 Thess. and

writings

contain

overtones,

not

only

of the

Passion

but

of the

eschatological has value for been subject


remarkable and there elements

sermon which embodies Passion motifs. the exegesis

Thus the study of Nark 13: 14 both of which have There exists
of Danielic itself for themes, the main

of 2 Thess. 2 and the Apocalypse, vagaries of interpretation.


presentation Old Testament

to such innumerable
homogeneity in

the New Testament look outside the

is

little

need to

of Nev Testament study

eschatology to

and apocalyptic. show that narrow hitherto a context. the 3 uyfia references

This Mwaca

has endeavoured has been given

too

The usual

to Daniel,

1 and 2 Maccabees, 2 Thess.,

and Josephus are all

pertinent

but

has had little in strictly foundation in many cases the point of reference but rather has been based upon philosophical historical study and exegesis, judgments. " W. W. Gasque, "A Study of the History theological prior of and Ph. D. thesis the Criticism unpublished of the Acts of the-Apostles",

(Manchester,
1.

1969),

372.

". Saint Mark, 163. W. C. Allen, even in St. Mark we have the following .. ideas: - 'the kingdom of-God, ' 'the Son of Nan, ' 'the coming of the apocalyptic (9: 45); 'the world to come, ' 10: 30; Son of Man in glory with the angels, ' 'life' ' 12: 25; 'the Son of Man coming with the clouds of heaven, ' 14: 62; 'the resurrection,

'inheriting

eternal

life,

' 19: 17;

'the

nearness

of the coming kingdom 1 9: 1. "

346.

they are not exhaustive. much earlier


the cony historical r1pili books.

The elements of the phrase are to be traced They are found in the Pentateuch
writings. of Daniel's elements presentation existing emphasized Christ is as the correct

back in

than Daniel.
and prophetic is

and reoccur
of the in the long did

a welding He merely motifs of the

already themes

historical before. with Daniel. as it LX(

and prophetic And what Nestle's goes, were but Daniel

consummates from UiU As certainly Jjwj use of predecessors, his

did with

predecessors, r1riv

interpretation it is not

as far of the

complete.

translators

influenced

by Jeremiah's

and thus , so Christ,

were simultaneously motivated by similar

influenced

by some of Jeremiah's

sources as well same concept. presentation scholars


right,

as by the results

of His own creativity, EprH wcs'ic

could utilize into

the

Luke also interweaves

his alternative

Nk. 13: 14 in 21: 20. There is a growing awareness among recent of 6prioaaws
merely dissolves that former is flight the if the as part the

that
and not

in Nk. 13 is to be understood
of a phrase long-standing signifying difficulty authentic, is desecration

in its
only.

own
This

understanding since

echoed and re-echoed then spoken vv. of, 3-37 while should also are not, in the latter

Wellhausen in the

P7k. 13: 1-2 are temple's

because only

destruction The riddle

desecration

predicted. because

as to why there at the temple is

be such panic-

characterized Furthermore, emphasizes several

of an event with rather Christ

solved. of ch. 13, which As 9: 24-27

solution

harmonizes

the

Markan

context

judgment

and desolation, out,

than

approaching giving

sacrilege. Daniel

exegetes

have pointed

in Mk. 13 is

a much wider application

than the events connected with

Antiochus

l Epiphanes.

1.

See Gaston, No Stone on Another,

118. See also

99ff.

of this

thesis.

347.

He apparently react
and

anticipated

that

in the near future by devastating


This crisis,

the idolatrous the holy


commencing the

Romans would the holy city


would The

against
temple,

the insurrectionists
and the holy people. world, find its

land,

in Palestine, elect.

ultimately spreading of His

involve tribulation

the whole would

particularly terminus of trouble

Christian own return swell

in His

as the Vindicator from the initial

oppressed

saints.

As the

time

was to

Judean episode to a global similar


-r1

one, so it

is likely

that

Christ

anticipated the
remain

a ak

development in the nature


PnN`'O and the "'s Apocalypse. " Hints

and actions
of just

of Antichrist,

rZAuf
in

such a tradition

2 Thess.,

1 John,

The 2 Thess. 2 presentation


has reference to an eschatological

of Antichrist,
adversary

modelled on the Olivet


attended by miraculous

discourse,
who

signs,

display would rc

himself

as God and claim universal standing sitting


to the 2, the

homage.

The PSF-AvyMN vOpA1TOC of interpretahowever, complex

PnM"o`'' vor. ocs

in the holy place,

and the

in the temple of God, on one level


One marked difference, of a providential

tion exists. which

at

least,

point

same phenomenon. &npire is

In 2 Thess. hinders the

seen as part antagonist.

coming

of the

final

The pictures
embody the

in John's

Apocalypse
found

of the varied
in Daniel,

manifestations
Mark, and 2 Thess.

of Antichrist
2. Pagan

characteristic

features

Rome is certainly events which will well as a specific Christ

in focus, include figure,

though the writer supernatural and all

seems to anticipate Antichrist

eschatological is a genus as by

manifestations.

who oppose by cruelty, head.

or counterfeit

subtlety

His church, come under this and philological link, as well

A strong
Daniel, Mark,

as conceptual
It

ones, connects together


that F=plN'Wcr'4

2 Thess.

2p and Revelation.

has been noted

is not unrelated Antichrist, (just

to

crrwe is

as used by Paul in his Old Testament 11-IDY

description

of the to

as in the later

is often

a parallel

348.

vohia
Macro c

) and to some extent


Thus the ) implies language the

it
itself

is synonymous with
of Ilk.

LPI}=Y and
the masculine

13: 14 (including adversary would

a-rrc-ra not only

that

eschatological but

be characterized in his him and whuld

by idolatrous drag

worship

by a destructive destruction Ultimately, and thus

effect those the

upon all

wake. destroy

He would spiritually

down to physical all who did not.

who resisted

destroyer

himself

be destroyed indeed.

as foretold

by Daniel,

be revealed

as a son of perdition

The intimate by Daniel remains

link

between

the

abomination

and the

sanctuary

as forged 24: 1-3,15; the

in the New Testament. 2: 4, and the the

The two are

coupled

in Mt.

Mk. 13: 1-4,14; Old and the of

2 Thess.

symbolism is

of Revelation.

Throughout of the

New Testaments the exploits in

sanctuary of Antichrist

seen as a microcosm and the ultimate

kingdom of his

God, and both

vindication

victims has the holy the for

are portrayed destiny of the

sanctuary places of the for

imagery. in focus

Mark 13, but also

as certainly the vindication

as Daniel, of "the

holy

ones". same the

The presence i. e. uplifting

Son of man motif downtrodden of the being

in Daniel

and Mark betoken rescue and praise scholars saints of the Similarly, as surely of the have

the

worshippers, Most High. given to its holy in

oppressed that is

and hated the picture

"priests" of judgment the

Several favour

recognized (Dan. 7: 22)

of the estate" (9: 24).

synonymous with and the

"restoral of the

rightful place"

sanctuary the the little that from coming

(8: 14), of the

anointing

"most

Son of Ilan in Nk. abomination The return

13: 26 parallels of Nk. of is

Dan. 7: 13 and is same figure is

counterpart horn the being

of the

13: 14 as the power

in Dan. 7.

"great

and glory"

(13: 26) hints chapter, far

Shekinah,

once withdrawn, of disparate

to be restored. elements, is

Thus the a well-integrated

a hodge-podge

midrash

on the chief

themes of Daniel,

namely the reign

of God and the opposition

thereto.

349.

The same portrayal and of the Antichrist is prominent

of the kingdom under the symbolism

of God under

the

imagery invader

of the

sanctuary,

of a destructive The closing

of the temple, of

in the final picture

c. nonical

apocalypse. of the world

chapters

Revelation the

the destruction

power which had blasphemed Those who have trampled by the treading 'pqN oc of the (17: 3,16;

tabernacle

of God and its city housing the

worshippers the temple Their

(13: 6-7).

underfoot great

the holy

are destroyed destiny is the

wine press

outside Puooor-

city.

18: 19) and the (1: 7,13; the

(20: 1-3). for

The coming of One "like the saints those yet (6: 9-11;

a son of man" 20: 4), and

14: 14) brings

vindication

16: 4-6;

subsequent

tabernacling

of God with

who hitherto counted

have been "living by the world, with you", Glorifica-

stones" and with typically tion

and "pillars"

of the church-temple Now the covenant

as refuse dwell

men in general. realised that

promise is

"I will

in the wilderness restoration

sanctuary,

completely

fulfilled. by the

brings

of the divine like

image symbolized the high The reign priest

inscription

of the sacred to the Lord"

name.

Each believer,

of old, thus

has "holiness consummated Earth's

beaming from his betokened

forehead.

of God is

as the holiness sanctuary,

by the holy

places

prevails

from sun to sun.

once defiled

by wickedness

incarnate

in Antichrist,

has been cleansed among men in body

and vindicated

by the act

of the Son of Man who once tabernacled continue

the days of His flesh, throughout

and Who will

so to do in His glorified

the ages to come. the modern emphases upon the kingdom of God and the Son of Man of study of the relationship between the reign 8 AuyNo the need far Congart, "Hc46s-, closer McKelvey, deal Zc

In view themes, this

and the sanctuary study of Daniel

microcosm

of the divine

suggests

and Mark 13 from those Cole,

standpoints.

Lagrange,

Grllssner, with

Congars,

and Gaston have pointed that

the way, though not all pattern of Scripture

Mark 13.

Dodd's

contention

the underlying

350.

is

that

of death

and resurrection

finds

emphatic

support

in these

particular

portions All Testament eschatology

of the canon. that has been written the doctrine all in this of Christ's apocalyptic it thesis to date posits Parousia. that the New all

affirms

future is

While not With

is apocalyptic, H. H. Rowley, as pictured something

eschatological. that

Cu1lmann, in the

Matthew Black, return of Christ,

et al.

must be said

the belief

in Mark 13, inherent

is not a delusion Christian

of primitive doctrine and "to " To the

Christianity reject this

but

in fundamental

hope is to mutilate such a belief the divine sores.

the New Testament part

message of salvation. of the theodicy they to salve other l

N. T. writers It vindicated

was an essential silence and apparent

offered. a locus Thus our as

non-intervention

world's leaves study well

gaping

Apart

from this,

as Kuyper has shown, every escLatoloby to vital alone issues can satisfy. of Biblical

some questions of M. 13s14 is

unanswered which intimately related criticism think

Theology

as to matters

of Biblical

and exegesis. reminder that "the

In summary, we should eschatoloMr interpreted

of J. A. T. Robinson's now stands 13, ... is

of the Gospel of Mark as it by the apocalypse in chapter

dominated

and must be true of Mark is

And what is

1. "Eschatology is the crown and the capstone of dogmatic theology. It ... is the one locus of theology, in which all the other loci must come to a head, to a final to conclusion. some questions every locus left unanwered, ... In theology it is the question, which eachatology should supply the answer. how God is finally in the work of His hands, and how the perfectly glorified in anthropology, the question, how the disrupting counsel of God is fully realized; influence in christology, how the the question, of sin is completely overcome; work of the Holy Spirit at last issues in the complete redemption and glorification the question of the people of God; and in ecclesiology, of the final apotheosis All these questions of the Church. answer in the last locus of must find their dogmatics, making it the real capstone of dogmatic theology. " A. Kuyper, Systematic Theology (Grand Rapids, 1949), 665-66. cited by L. Berkhof,

351.

true

both

of Matthew and lake: of their concluding thus

any reference apocalypse. said n1

to the End must be understood Having the 2 granted this, it should

in the next

light

be added that is true nature seeing

what is

concerning as a whole. is affirmed

eschatology Furthermore,

of the Synoptic whether the

Gospels disparate to avoid is

of the New Testament of the Old Testament that the apocalyptic of the Old, The study though

or denied, presented and depth r' -Ti

it

is

difficult

eschatology the height fMAvypo-

in the New Testament of the former cxsac motif,

modelled

on that the latter.

transcend as herein

of the fact.

attempted,

documents this

The words of Pannenberg

and Barry

are appropriate

in

epilogue:

He. was not an apocalyptic, although the views of the apocalyptic ... .. tradition are everywhere the presuppositions of what He said and did. 3 Jesus certainly thought in apocalyptic categories. His message can only 4 expectations. be understood within the horizon of apocalyptic

1.

Jesus

and His

Coming,

118.

2. Streeter hope, first its expression finding asserted that "the Christian in crude apocalyptic like that of the Epistles to the Thessalonians, insensibly changes its emphasis, passes through the mysticism of the Epistles of the Captivity, in the Johannine doctrines and culminates of the Spirit and Eternal life. " Oxford Studies, 426. But this same Streeter urges that during the identical in the contrary in the direction" period there was "an evolution Gospel literature, beginning with an uneschatnlogical by Mark's Q followed the whole is heightened admission of the 'little apocalypse', and ultimately by Matthew. In other words, according to Streeter, the tendency of the Gospel literature of the church was the opposite of the church's movement in theology. But this surely demands too much. It is more accurate to say that the emphasis upon the immediate coming of Christ gave way to an emphasis that the present Christian is right life now of the same essential and blessedness that quality Christ will, bestow at His return. "The truth rather is that there are two the whole New Testament side aspects of religion which are present throughout by aide, the thought of Eternal Life or of the kingdom as present, and the Saint Mark, 166. conception of it as future. " W. C. Allen, 3. 4. V. Pannenberg, Ibid., 32. Jesus-God Man (E. T., and London, 1968), 217..

352.
The whole story [the life of Jesus moves in an atmosphere of wonder, fringed, as it were, with a numinous corona, whose flames leap up in immeasurable splendour into spaces which we cannot chart. We cannot tear it out of that setting. Apart from it there is no story to tell. And it is the triumph of the eschatologists to have recovered that 6 atmosphere.

1.

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