Flit oni—CeTa.m (Momi tenia Snc o et Profana, voL i. Fasc 1 pp -t>4) Hil^enfeld (^^ ejfj (I Canon^m /fccepfum, IS (, jp 10 135) Vhnudt Merx (.ircAu I ii 1868, p. lllfif.), 1 tzs he (L 6 4/ \ t r t IST pp '00 to 730), Charles
I njr fV 1 1 ] 4 101)
k II ei feld (attempted restoration
II f 11 1 1S69 pp. 435-468).—
i ( r 1 ; f Moses (1897).— German:
ar V I I I Hi nne(jahrt (iser), Clemen in
I a tzs hs7 <• rffi ; (1 n)
Literati RE — Coiam L Vssomption de Moise ' in Revue de Th I ISO* pp to 94 ^\ leseler Die jungst aufgefundene \ ifi ahme Moses etc n Jah bb f dexUsche Theol. 1868, pp. f b4S Heidenheim Beitra,.e z besser Verstandniss d. As- censio Mosis in 1 lerteljal f ft f del liche u englische Theo- lni l'^ 4 pp "le-'lS Hll enfcid ZnTk 1886 pp. 132-139 ; b hurer HJP II ui -3 S3
5. Fourth Ezra (Second Esdras).— Thispseudepi- ^raph has been knoANTi from the earliest Christian days, and widely circulated under the name of Ezra as his second, third, fourth, or fifth book, according to the various ways of grouping and entitling the books that issue from the Restoration generation. (See explanation of these names by Thackeray in Hastings' DB, art. 'Esdras, First Book of). Fourth Ezra, however, has come to be generally accepted as the name for it.
Contents. — This is given in seven visions. The First Vision (3^-5") is granted to Ezra in answer to disturbing doubts arising in his mind. These concern the origin of sin and suffering in the world (3'"^''). An angel gives him the answer: God's ways are inscrutable. The human spirit can com- prehend but little (4'-='). But .as he pleads that it is painful to be left in ignorance on such vital matters, he is assured of a change of seon to take place soon. Definite signs will mark the change. He must fast for seven days, and receive another re\elation at the end of that time (4'--5").
The Second Vision (5-''-6*') is granted in answer
' .'Vfter unsuccessful attempts by many others, a satisfactorv- explanation of this name has been given bv Burkitt (see Hastings' DB iii. 449'>). Taxo is a copyist's mistake for Taxok — Totcti*. And this is to be read by Gematria as Eleazar. piD:n = nil'S.x. Eleazar the father of se\ en sons is the great Levitc (2 Mac U'S).
APOCALYPTIC LITEEATUEE
APOCALYPTIC LITEEATUEE 85
to the question, Why .has God given over His only chosen people into the hands of the heathen? {6-"-^). He receives the answer that God loves His people, and the problem must be regarded as not solvable for man : nevertheless deliverance is drawing near ; the generations of men are passing ; the world lias become old ; the signs of the end are visible (o^i-e").
The Third Vision (63^-9==), like the second, is given after a period of seven days' fasting, and is in answer to the question. Why does not Israel possess the tend which belongs to it? (G^-'^''). The answer is not direct. An evil age must neces- sarily precede the good that shall be in the future (■ji-16) -pije (loom of sinners is grievous but well- deserved. The Son of God, the Christ, shall appear in judgment (7"""). Few are chosen, but all the greater is the honour conferred on them (745-74)_ A sevenfold suffering and a sevenfold joy await men in the intermediate state (7"""").
Intercession for the cond at the last judgment (7' their doom
will
of no avail
stent with the sufferings of tlir iMindcnined (7'=--S'»). At this point Ezra interposes a prayer and receives an answer (8=""^=). The saved shall rejoice at their own lot, and forget the sufferings of sinners (8«-«i)- It is certain that the end of the world is nigh. The signs are not to be mistaken (8«--9"). There are more of the lost than of the saved (9"--^).
The Fourth Vision (9=''-10'>8) is given upon the Plain of Ardath. It consists of a .symbolic picture of Zion's sorrow, followed by glory. The vision (9-*-10^) presents a woman in tattered garments, weeping and wailing because of her lost son. The explanation by the angel (lO'-''-^^) identifies the woman with Zion, and i)oints out the lesson to the seer.
The Fifth Vision (lCP-12") pre.sents the fourth world-emirire under the figure of an eagle coming out of the sea, and like the fourth vision falls into two parts, i.e. the Vision (10«»-123) and the inter- pretation of it by the angel (12^«). This is fol- lowed by a Conclu.'sion in story form. The people come out to buek fur Ezra, they find him in the plain, and he sends them back into the city (12-"'-'^').
The •'"
ing out of a stormy sea heaven (IS'"*). A countless multitude comes to wage war against him ; but by a stream of fire proceeding from his mouth he overcomes his enemies (13^""). Then another host of friendly men tiock arinind him (13'--"). The question is raised. Is it better to survive to tlie end of the world or to die beforehand? It is answered in favour of the former alternative (IS"-''). The ex- planation of the vision follows. The man in the cloud is the Son of God, the events are those of the Messianic age (13-*'^*).