This 1996 study reconstructs the apocalyptic eschatology in Matthew's Gospel so that we may understand his time and concerns. Sociological analysis of apocalypticism in Judaism and early Christianity shows that such a comprehensive world view, which emphasized the final judgement and its aftermath within a dualistic and deterministic framework, was adopted by minority of sectarian groups undergoing a situation of great crisis. The Matthean community, after the first Jewish war against Rome, came into conflict with Judaism, gentiles and the larger Christian movement. Matthew's distinctive and often vengeful vision must be set against both his acute need to enhance his community's sense of itself and his pastoral concern. Dr Sim offers for the first time in English an extended and comprehensive comparison of Matthew's outlook with contemporary eschatological literature.

This study reconstructs the apocalyptic eschatology in Matthew's Gospel so we may understand his time and concerns. Sociological analysis of apocalypticism in Judaism and early Christianity shows that such a world view is adopted by a minority group in a time of great crisis. Matthew's distinctive and often vengeful vision must be set against his community's conflict with Judaism, Gentiles and the larger Christian movement and his acute need to enhance his community's sense of identity and out of pastoral concern.

The contemporary study of Jewish apocalypticism today recognizes the wealth and diversity of ancient traditions concerned with the “unveiling” of heavenly matters‒‒understood to involve revealed wisdom, the revealed resolution of time, and revealed cosmology‒‒in marked contrast to an earlier focus on eschatology as such. The shift in focus has had a more direct impact on the study of ancient “pseudepigraphic” literature, however, than in New Testament studies, where the narrower focus on eschatological expectation remains dominant. In this Companion, an international team of scholars draws out the implications of the newest scholarship for the variety of New Testament writings. Each entry presses the boundaries of current discussion regarding the nature of apocalypticism in application to a particular New Testament author. The cumulative effect is to reveal, as never before, early Christianity, its Christology, cosmology, and eschatology, as expressions of tendencies in Second Temple Judaism.

The final book of the Bible, Revelation prophesies the ultimate judgement of mankind in a series of allegorical visions, grisly images and numerological predictions. According to these, empires will fall, the "Beast" will be destroyed and Christ will rule a new Jerusalem. With an introduction by Will Self.

In this highly accessible discussion, Bart Ehrman examines the most recent textual and archaeological sources for the life of Jesus, along with the history of first-century Palestine, drawing a fascinating portrait of the man and his teachings. Ehrman shows us what historians have long known about the Gospels and the man who stands behind them. Through a careful evaluation of the New Testament (and other surviving sources, including the more recently discovered Gospels of Thomas and Peter), Ehrman proposes that Jesus can be best understood as an apocalyptic prophet--a man convinced that the world would end dramatically within the lifetime of his apostles and that a new kingdom would be created on earth. According to Ehrman, Jesus' belief in a coming apocalypse and his expectation of an utter reversal in the world's social organization not only underscores the radicalism of his teachings but also sheds light on both the appeal of his message to society's outcasts and the threat he posed to Jerusalem's established leadership.

John's Gospel has traditionally been regarded as the least apocalyptic document in the New Testament. This exciting new collection redresses the balance by exploring the ways in which the apocalyptic literature of Second Temple Judaism has contributed to the theology and outlook of John's Gospel. Given that John, like the Jewish apocalyptic texts, is primarily concerned with the theme of revelation, the contributors examine how apocalyptic ideas can help to explain the Johannine portrayal of Jesus as the messenger sent from heaven to reveal the divine mysteries, as well as the Gospel's presentation of the activity of the Spirit, its understanding of evil, and the intended effects of this 'apocalypse in reverse' on its readers and hearers. The highly distinguished contributors include, John Ashton, Christopher Rowland, April DeConick, Judith Lieu and Jorg Frey.

Hank Hanegraaff reveals the code to Revelation. Breaking the code of the book of Revelation has become an international obsession. The result, according to Hank Hanegraaff, has been rampant misreading of Scripture, bad theology, and even bad politics and foreign policy. Hanegraaff argues that the key to understanding the last book of the Bible is the other sixty-five books of the Bible — not current events or recent history and certainly not any complicated charts. The Apocalypse Code offers sane answers to some very controversial questions: What does it mean to take the book of Revelation (and the rest of the Bible) literally? Who are the “Antichrist” and the “Great Whore of Babylon,” and what is the real meaning of “666”? How does our view of the end times change the way we think about the crisis in the Middle East? Are two-thirds of all Jews really headed for an apocalyptic holocaust? The Apocalypse Code is a call to understand what the Bible really says about the end times and why how we understand it matters so much in today’s world. “Provocative and passionate, this fascinating book is a must-read for everyone who’s interested in end-times controversies.” — Lee Strobel, Author, The Case for the Real Jesus “ This book is a withering and unrelenting critique of the positions of apocalyptic enthusiasts — Tim LaHaye. Every fan of the Left Behind series should read this book. The fog will clear, and common sense will return to our reading of the Bible.” — Gary M. Burge, Professor of New Testament, Wheaton College and Graduate School.