APOCALYPTIC LITERATURE

BY DEFINITION APOCALYPSE IS A UNIVERSAL DESTRUCTION

CAUSING THE END OF EXISTENCE

WHERE DID APOCALYPTIC LITERATURE COME FROM?

• JEWISH SOCIETY FELT LOSS OF IDENTITY AND HOPELESSNESS• RULED BY ROMANS• HIGH PRIESTS OF THE TEMPLE WERE CORRUPT• FORCED TO ADOPT GREEK CULTURE• MEMORY OF ANCESTORS BEING EXILED

• JEWISH SOCIETY WONDERED IF GOD ABANDONED THEM OR IS SIMPLY TESTING THEM• CAME TO THE CONCLUSION THAT THE BAD EVENTS WILL LEAD TO THE COMING OF

GOD• GOD WILL ARRIVE SOON TO OVERPOWER EVIL (HOPE IS IN GOD)• APOCALYPTIC WRITERS SHOWED THE END AS A HUGE CATASTROPHE (WARS,

EARTHQUAKES, DISASTERS, ETC.)• END = GOOD OVER EVIL

MATTHEWS APOCALYPTIC LITERATURE

HOW DOES MATTHEW DIFFER?• GOD’S ARRIVAL IS NOT A FRIGHTENING SIGHT• HE ARRIVES WITH GOODNESS, “THE BLIND RECEIVE SIGHT, THE LAME WALK”• GOD COMES AS A FREE GIFT OF SALVATION (A WAY TO BE SAVED)

FROM APOCALYPTIC LITERATURE TO KINGDOM OF HEAVEN

• KINGDOM OF HEAVEN OR KINGDOM OF GOD = SYMBOL/METAPHOR FOR GOD• KINGDOM OF GOD HAS COME TO YOU = GOD IS NOW

AMONG YOU• JESUS PORTRAYS GOD AS BEING NEAR• THROUGH JESUS AND HIS TEACHINGS, GOD HAS

ENTERED INTO HISTORY

SO…. WHAT IS THE POINT?

• GODS ARRIVAL IS NO LONGER FILLED WITH DOOM BUT FILLED WITH ….LOVE• ALL PEOPLE ESPECIALLY THE SICK, SINNERS, AND OUTCASTS EXPERIENCED GENEROSITY• JESUS STARTS THE KINGDOM OF GOD IN HUMAN HISTORY (WITHOUT EARTHQUAKES, WARS, FIRES, DISASTER)

THE CHURCH AND THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN

• THE CHURCH = PEOPLE WHO FOLLOW JESUS ACCEPT GOD’S OFFERING OF SALVATION• THE CHURCH = “FIRST FRUITS” OR “FIRST RESULTS”; COMMUNITY WHERE KINGDOM OF GOD IS AT WORK

IN SUMMARY

• THROUGH JESUS, GOD’S KINGDOM HAS COME AND IS PRESENT IN HISTORY• GOD’S KINGDOM CONTINUES TO BREAK INTO HISTORY THROUGH THE HOLY SPIRIT IN THE LIVES OF THE JUST• GOD’S KINGDOM WILL COME IN FULLNESS WHEN JESUS RETURNS AT THE END OF TIME