80 APOCALYPTIC LITERATURE
sentation. Some revelations come in sub-conscious convictions. Those who receive tliera do not feel called ui3on to give au account of the way in which they have received tlieni. In fact tliey seem ignorant of the method of communication ; they only know that they have received knowledge not previously possessed. Apocalypse and revela- tion thus, though primarily the same thing, come to be distinguished from each other.
The term 'apocalypse' is also sometimes used, with an ettort at greater precision, to designate the pictorial portraiture of the future as fore- shadowed by the seer. When so employed it be- comes appropriate only as the title of certain pas- sages in oooks otherwise not to be called apoca- lypses (so Bousset in Herzog-Hauck, PBE, s.v., who enumerates the following passages : Dn 2^-'- ; Etii. En 8»-91. 37-71 ; Ps-Sol 2. 17. 18 ; the Assumption of Moses ; Slav. En. ; 4 Ezra ; Syr. Bar. ; Sibyl. Orac. iii. 286 to the end, iii. 36-92, iv., the Jewish source of i. and ii. ; also certain sections of the Apoc. John and 2 Th 2^-'- ; Mt 24 with parallels).
To constitute a writing an apocalypse, it is not necessary that the author should "have actually seen or experienced what he portrays. It is enough that he write as one who has had a vision and is describing it. Thus apocalypse becomes a form of literature precisely in the same manner as an epistle. Strictly an epistle is simply a letter from one person, or many persons, to another, or others. But, as a matter of usage, it has often been atlopted as a form into which men have chosen to cast their thoughts for the public. The same is true of the dialogue, of fiction, and many other species of literature. Such forms become favourites in certain ages, usually after some outstanding character has made successful use of them. The dialogue became fashionable when Plato made it such a telling medium for the teaching of his philo- sophical system. The epistle was used by Horace, and later by Seneca. The apocalypse form appears as a favourite about the beginning of the 2nd cent. B.C. The most illustrious specimen, and l)erhaps the prototype of later aix)calyptic litera- ture, is the Book of Daniel.
ii. Origin .vnd History.— The question has been mooted as to the earlier antecedents of the apocalyptic form. Its ultimate source has been traced variously to Egypt, Greece, Babylonia, and Persia. In view of the fact, however, that the Hebrew prophets frequently incorporate visions into their writings (Is 6, Jer 24'-', Ezk l- , I- •24-j: i. it is scarcely necessary to go outside •■! I-n.I in search for its origins. Nevertheless. iIj • 1. ii: n the Babylonians, the Egyptians, ami thr Ci i k~ had their apocalyptics. And it would be u mi-take to ignore the influence especially of Persian forms during the period of the formation of Jewi>li apoea- Ij'ptics. This was the very period when Jewisli forms came most directly into touch with Persian. In any case, much of the material of tlie Jewish apocalypse has been adopted and naturalized from Persia (cf. P.ou<set, Pi>^ .//»/. Apukali/pti/:, 1903; Gunkel, Sc/e7.^/'"7 ". '/,„„,■, 1895). Apocalyptic literature in ij. n. lal 1,, jns before Christ. Soon after the Chri-uau c ra ii develops into the two naturally distiuet luiiuo uf Christian and neo- Hebraic. Hence we may distinguish three classes of apocalypses: — (1) The earlier Jewish ones, or those which were published from B.C.2()0to A.ix 100. Within this class, however, may be included also such writings as proceed irom Jewish sources purely, though not written until half a century, more or less, later than the last limit of the [jeriod. (2) Christian apocalypses, including the canonical l)Ook known as the Aixxialypse (Revelation of St. John), and a series of ajmcryphal imitations. These are mostly pseudonymous, but include au
APOCALYPTIC LITERATURE
occasional work in which the author does not con- ceal his name behind that of an apostle or older prophet {T/w Shepherd of Hernias). Apocalypses of this class pass into Patristics and culminate in Dante's immortal Commedia. (3) The neo-Hebraic apocalj'pses, beginning with the predominance of the Talmuil (especially the Babylonian) and in- cluding a series of revelations to the great Rabbis (TAc Ecvdathn of R. Joshua b. Levi, The Alpha- hets of Ii. Akiba, The Hebrew Elijah Apocalupsc, The Apocalypse of Zerubbabel, The Wars of King Messiah, The Revelations of R. Simon b. Yohai, The Prayer of R. Simon b. Yohai, and the Persian Apocalypse of Daniel).
It would be somewhat beside the purpose of this article to do more than sketch the hrst of these three classes of apocals'pses. On the other hand, as Christ emerged in history at a definite period and in a definite environment, and as in this en- vironment nothing is more conspicuous and potent than the early Jewish apocalyptic literature, the importance of this literature cannot be overesti- mated. A flood of light is shed by the form and content of these writings upon His life, teaching, and work. Happily, considerable attention has been given in recent years to this as a field of investigation, and some definite results may be registered.
iii. The Apoc.vlypses. — Of the earlier Jewish apocalypse, the canonical Daniel forms the proto- type. The proper place, however, for a particular treatment of Daniel is conventionally the sphere of Old Testament Introduction (see art. ' Daniel ' in Hastings' DB vol. i.). Our list will begin with the Books of Enoch.