Book Notice: Apocalpyse, Prophecy, and Pseudepigraphy

John J. Collins

Apocalypse, Prophecy, and Pseudepigraphy: On Jewish Apocalyptic Literature
Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans, 2015.
Available on Amazon.com

This book is a collection of essays by John J. Collins, long time scholar of the Hebrew Bible and Second Temple literature, specializing in apocalyptic writings. The best chapter is the first one on the genre of the apocalypse reconsidered where Collins reflects on the famous 1979 Semeia definition of “apocalypse” in light of more recent studies of genre and apocalyptic writings. His only concession is to agree that because an apocalypse is indeed a genre with a family resemblance to other texts, this does not rule out that it might be similar to something else. But he is open to Michael Vines’ view which stresses the temporal and spatial unboundedness of apocalypses which afford a divine perspective of human activities. Other essays cover topics like the eschatology of Zechariah, Enochic Judaism, election in 4 Ezra, the afterlife in a apocalyptic literature, and apocalypse and empire. A great collection of essays by anyone interested in apocalypticism and ancient Judaism.