Apocalypse of Abraham

The Apocalypse of Abraham is an apocalypse of Jewish origin that was probably composed between 80-100 AD. It has survived only in Old Slavonic recensions. The first English translation appeared in the Improvement Era in 1898,cite journal | author=G. Nathanael Bonwetsch | authorlink=Gottlieb Nathaniel Bonwetsch| title="The Book of the Revelation of Abraham," trans. Edward H. Anderson and R. T. Haag | journal=Improvement Era | year=1898 | month=August | issue=1 | pages= 705–14, 793–806 | quotes=no] and another notable English translation was produced by G. H. Box and J. I. Landsman some twenty years later.cite book |title="The Apocolypse of Abraham |last=Box |first=G. H. |coauthors=J. I. Landsman |year=1918 |publisher=Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge |location=London]

Content

Its title does not fully explain its contents, for about one-third of it might more appropriately be called "The Legend of Abraham", as this contains an account of Abraham's conversion from polytheism to henotheism quite apart from the apocalypse which follows. The work is notable for its presentation of Judaism and non-Judaism being diametrically opposed, and its strong iconoclasm.

The apocalyptic section begins with Abraham's sacrifice to God, as recounted in the bible, except that instead of birds of prey appearing and consuming the sacrifice, it is Azazel who does so. The angel Iaoel, who has been guiding Abraham and has taught him a song consisting entirely of describing God with flattering epithets and adjectives, then consigns Azazel to the underworld, and takes Abraham to heaven to witness a vision of the Temple in Jerusalem. In the vision, activity at the Temple is seen to degrade into idol-worship, and as a result, the LORD lifts his protection of the Temple, and it is destroyed by foreigners. The Temple is then shown to be restored at a future date.

Date of composition

The relative age of these works can be determined by comparing the legend of Abraham as contained in the Apocalypse with those in the Talmud and in the Book of Jubilees. The legend of the raven in Jubilees (11:18) and the account of the conversion of Abraham in his boyhood are still unknown to the Apocalypse, while the legend of the fire of the Chaldees is found there still in its incipient stage. The mockery of the idol Barisat is more extended in the Midrash than in the Apocalypse; also the condemnation of Terah as an idolater, as related in the Apocalypse, discloses the older Haggadah (Genesis Rashi 39:7), whereas the Book of Jubilees presents the later one (compare Genesis Rashi 30:4, 39:7, where Terah is treated quite mildly). As the Book of Jubilees can not have been written later than 70 (it treats the temple as still existing, and is unaware of its destruction in 70AD), it can be dated prior to this.

Azazel

In the Apocalypse of Abraham, Azazel is portrayed as an unclean bird which came down upon the sacrifice which Abraham, the Biblical patriarch, prepared. This is in reference to Genesis 15:11 "Birds of prey came down upon the carcasses, and Abram drove them away".:"And the unclean bird spoke to me and said, 'What are you doing, Abraham, on the holy heights, where no one eats or drinks, nor is there upon them food for men. But these all will be consumed by fire and ascend to the height, they will destroy you.' And it came to pass when I saw the bird speaking I said this to the angel: 'What is this, my lord?' And he said, 'This is disgrace, this is Azazel!' And he said to him, 'Shame on you Azazel! For Abraham's portion is in heaven, and yours is on earth, for you have selected here, (and) become enamored of the dwelling place of your blemish. Therefore the Eternal Ruler, the Mighty One, has given you a dwelling on earth. Through you the all-evil spirit [is] a liar, and through you (are) wrath and trials on the generations of men who live impiously". — Apocalypse of Abraham 13:4-9

The Apocalypse of Abraham also associates Azazel with Hell. Abraham says to him "May you be the firebrand of the furnace of the earth! Go, Azazel, into the untrodden parts of the earth. For your heritage is over those who are with you" (14:5-6) There is also the idea that God's heritage (the created world) is largely under the dominion of evil. It is "shared with Azazel" (20:5) Azazel is also identified with the serpent which tempted Eve. His form is described as a dragon with "hands and feet like a man's, on his back six wings on the right and six on the left." (23:7)

Who does "a man" refer to?

The Apocalypse of Abraham is concerned with the future of the Jewish nation, Israel. In chapter 29 an ambiguous character known simply as “a man” appears. The text tells us that some worship this man, while others revile him. He is worshipped even by Azazel. Apparently, the man has the task of offering some kind of remisission for the heathens in the end of days.

According to Jacob Licht (Professor of Biblical Studies, Tel-Aviv University,) this work is a Jewish text, although not one that represents mainstream rabbinic Jewish thought. Licht writes::"The most obvious and perhaps the correct explanation of this passage is to declare it a late Christian interpolation, yet “the man” does not fit the medieval Christian concept of Jesus. His function is not clearly messianic. This problematic passage therefore may have originated in some Judeo-Christian sect, which saw Jesus as precursor of the Messiah, or it may be Jewish, badly rewritten by an early Christian editor Perhaps it reflects a Jewish view of Jesus as an apostle to the heathen, an explanation which would make it unique, and indeed startling."

References