The apocalypse of Abraham.
Counted among the pseudepigrapha.
Attributed author(s).
Abraham.
Text(s) available.
Pseudepigrapha: Apocalypse of Abraham (English only; chapters 1-32).
Prophetic Telegraph: Apocalypse of Abraham (English only; chapters 9-62).
Useful links.
Apocalypse of Abraham in the Jewish Encyclopedia.
Apocrypha in the Catholic Encyclopedia.
EJW (Peter Kirby).
The apocalypse of Abraham is counted as one of the pseudepigrapha.
Peter Kirby (Early Jewish Writings).
Peter Kirby surveys scholars writing on the apocalypse of Abraham:
Martin McNamara writes: "The apocalypse is found in chapters 9-32. In
it God narrates to Abraham the fall of man and the idolatry of Abraham's own
descendants. Thus their infidelity will bring about the judgment. The end is
said to be near. The pagan nations are soon to be punished or destroyed. The
trumpet will sound and God's elect one (the Messiah) will come to gather together
his own people and burn his enemies with fire." (Intertestamental Literature,
p. 84)
James Charlesworth writes: "Extant only in Old Slavonic manuscripts, the
Apocalypse of Abraham was edited best by N. Tikhonravov (Pamiatniki otrechennoi
russkoi literatury, St. Petersburg, 1863. Vol. 1, pp. 32-53) and translated
into English by G. H. Box, assisted by J. I. Landsman (The Apocalypse of
Abraham, London: S.P.C.K.; New York: Macmillan, 1919). This interesting
composition, which has not received the attention it deserves, probably dates
from A.D. 80-100 and was written in a Semitic language. It is an haggadic midrash
upon Genesis 15:9-17, beginning with a humorous account of Abraham's conversion
from idolatry, chapters 1-8, and concluding with the apocalypse itself, 9-32.
One of the most intriguing features is the 'Christian' interpolation in chapter
39, which is appreciably different from the Christianity of the New Testament."
(The Pseudepigrapha and Modern Research, pp. 68-69)
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