The contributions in this volume are focused on the historical origins, religious provenance, and social function of ancient Jewish and Christian apocalyptic literature, including so-called ‘Gnostic’ writings. Although it is disputed whether there was a genre of ‘apocalyptic literature,’ it is obvious that numerous texts from ancient Judaism, early Christianity, and other religious milieus share a specific view of history and the world to come. Many of these writings are presented in form of a heavenly (divine) revelation, mediated through an otherworldly figure (like an angel) to an elected human being who discloses this revelation to his recipients in written form. In different strands of early Judaism, ancient Christianity as well as in Gnosticism, Manichaeism, and Islam, apocalyptic writings played an important role from early on and were produced also in later centuries. One of the most characteristic features of these texts is their specific interpretation of history, based on the knowledge about the upper, divine realm and the world to come. Against this background the volume deals with a wide range of apocalyptic texts from different periods and various religious backgrounds.

The contributions in this volume are focused on the historical origins, religious provenance, and social function of ancient Jewish and Christian apocalyptic literature, including so-called ‘Gnostic’ writings. Although it is disputed whether there was a genre of ‘apocalyptic literature,’ it is obvious that numerous texts from ancient Judaism, early Christianity, and other religious milieus share a specific view of history and the world to come. Many of these writings are presented in form of a heavenly (divine) revelation, mediated through an otherworldly figure (like an angel) to an elected human being who discloses this revelation to his recipients in written form. In different strands of early Judaism, ancient Christianity as well as in Gnosticism, Manichaeism, and Islam, apocalyptic writings played an important role from early on and were produced also in later centuries. One of the most characteristic features of these texts is their specific interpretation of history, based on the knowledge about the upper, divine realm and the world to come.

Against this background the volume deals with a wide range of apocalyptic texts from different periods and various religious backgrounds.

The contributions in this volume are focused on the historical origins, religious provenance, and social function of ancient Jewish and Christian apocalyptic literature, including so-called ‘Gnostic’ writings. Although it is disputed whether there was a genre of ‘apocalyptic literature,’ it is obvious that numerous texts from ancient Judaism, early Christianity, and other religious milieus share a specific view of history and the world to come. Many of these writings are presented in form of a heavenly (divine) revelation, mediated through an otherworldly figure (like an angel) to an elected human being who discloses this revelation to his recipients in written form. In different strands of early Judaism, ancient Christianity as well as in Gnosticism, Manichaeism, and Islam, apocalyptic writings played an important role from early on and were produced also in later centuries. One of the most characteristic features of these texts is their specific interpretation of history, based on the knowledge about the upper, divine realm and the world to come.

Against this background the volume deals with a wide range of apocalyptic texts from different periods and various religious backgrounds.

Die Annäherung an den historischen Jesus ist eine faszinierende Aufgabe, die zahlreiche interpretative Möglichkeiten offen hält. Eine allgemeine Ansicht ist schwer zu finden, und sowohl methodologische Einsicht als auch wissenschaftlicher Austausch sind dazu nötig. Wie die vielfältigen neutestamentlichen Schriften zeigen, scheint es fast unmöglich, die Figur des Rabbis von Nazareth, seine Tätigkeit und Identität wirklich zu verstehen. Somit kann das Leben Jesu als eine Reise gesehen werden, die unübliche Entwicklungen und eine bestimmte Perspektive widerspiegelt: die Beziehung zwischen ihm und Gott, dem Vater. Armand Puig i Tàrrech scheut keine schwierigen Themen wie Jesu Geburt und Familie, die normalerweise nicht im third quest behandelt werden. Zudem findet der Leser weitere Schlüsselfragen, die für die historische Jesusforschung von Bedeutung sind: die Taufe; die Frage, ob er ein Mystiker war und die Traditionen, die er initiierte.

Was geschah in den letzten Jahren des Paulus? Ging er noch nach Spanien? Wie und warum starb er? Waren seine Pläne in Erfüllung gegangen oder enttäuscht worden? Wie können wir die spärlichen Quellen deuten? Und wie lassen sich diese Fragen aus den sozialen, historischen und rechtlichen Kontexten im Leben des Paulus erhellen? Zur neuen Erörterung dieser zentralen Fragen hat eine Gruppe international ausgewiesener Wissenschaftler ihre Kenntnisse und Perspektiven zu den römischen, jüdischen und frühchristlichen Kontexten in denen Paulus lebte und starb, zusammengetragen. In einer neuen Diskussion der wesentlichen Quellen werden neue Fragen und Hypothesen entwickelt, die für alle relevant sind, die mehr über die letzten und traumatischen Jahre des Paulus wissen wollen.

The contributions in this volume are focused on the historical origins, religious provenance, and social function of ancient Jewish and Christian apocalyptic literature, including so-called ‘Gnostic’ writings. Although it is disputed whether there was a genre of ‘apocalyptic literature,’ it is obvious that numerous texts from ancient Judaism, early Christianity, and other religious milieus share a specific view of history and the world to come. Many of these writings are presented in form of a heavenly (divine) revelation, mediated through an otherworldly figure (like an angel) to an elected human being who discloses this revelation to his recipients in written form. In different strands of early Judaism, ancient Christianity as well as in Gnosticism, Manichaeism, and Islam, apocalyptic writings played an important role from early on and were produced also in later centuries. One of the most characteristic features of these texts is their specific interpretation of history, based on the knowledge about the upper, divine realm and the world to come. Against this background the volume deals with a wide range of apocalyptic texts from different periods and various religious backgrounds.

The contributions in this volume are focused on the historical origins, religious provenance, and social function of ancient Jewish and Christian apocalyptic literature, including so-called ‘Gnostic’ writings. Although it is disputed whether there was a genre of ‘apocalyptic literature,’ it is obvious that numerous texts from ancient Judaism, early Christianity, and other religious milieus share a specific view of history and the world to come. Many of these writings are presented in form of a heavenly (divine) revelation, mediated through an otherworldly figure (like an angel) to an elected human being who discloses this revelation to his recipients in written form. In different strands of early Judaism, ancient Christianity as well as in Gnosticism, Manichaeism, and Islam, apocalyptic writings played an important role from early on and were produced also in later centuries. One of the most characteristic features of these texts is their specific interpretation of history, based on the knowledge about the upper, divine realm and the world to come.

Against this background the volume deals with a wide range of apocalyptic texts from different periods and various religious backgrounds.

The contributions in this volume are focused on the historical origins, religious provenance, and social function of ancient Jewish and Christian apocalyptic literature, including so-called ‘Gnostic’ writings. Although it is disputed whether there was a genre of ‘apocalyptic literature,’ it is obvious that numerous texts from ancient Judaism, early Christianity, and other religious milieus share a specific view of history and the world to come. Many of these writings are presented in form of a heavenly (divine) revelation, mediated through an otherworldly figure (like an angel) to an elected human being who discloses this revelation to his recipients in written form. In different strands of early Judaism, ancient Christianity as well as in Gnosticism, Manichaeism, and Islam, apocalyptic writings played an important role from early on and were produced also in later centuries. One of the most characteristic features of these texts is their specific interpretation of history, based on the knowledge about the upper, divine realm and the world to come.

Against this background the volume deals with a wide range of apocalyptic texts from different periods and various religious backgrounds.

Die Annäherung an den historischen Jesus ist eine faszinierende Aufgabe, die zahlreiche interpretative Möglichkeiten offen hält. Eine allgemeine Ansicht ist schwer zu finden, und sowohl methodologische Einsicht als auch wissenschaftlicher Austausch sind dazu nötig. Wie die vielfältigen neutestamentlichen Schriften zeigen, scheint es fast unmöglich, die Figur des Rabbis von Nazareth, seine Tätigkeit und Identität wirklich zu verstehen. Somit kann das Leben Jesu als eine Reise gesehen werden, die unübliche Entwicklungen und eine bestimmte Perspektive widerspiegelt: die Beziehung zwischen ihm und Gott, dem Vater. Armand Puig i Tàrrech scheut keine schwierigen Themen wie Jesu Geburt und Familie, die normalerweise nicht im third quest behandelt werden. Zudem findet der Leser weitere Schlüsselfragen, die für die historische Jesusforschung von Bedeutung sind: die Taufe; die Frage, ob er ein Mystiker war und die Traditionen, die er initiierte.

Was geschah in den letzten Jahren des Paulus? Ging er noch nach Spanien? Wie und warum starb er? Waren seine Pläne in Erfüllung gegangen oder enttäuscht worden? Wie können wir die spärlichen Quellen deuten? Und wie lassen sich diese Fragen aus den sozialen, historischen und rechtlichen Kontexten im Leben des Paulus erhellen? Zur neuen Erörterung dieser zentralen Fragen hat eine Gruppe international ausgewiesener Wissenschaftler ihre Kenntnisse und Perspektiven zu den römischen, jüdischen und frühchristlichen Kontexten in denen Paulus lebte und starb, zusammengetragen. In einer neuen Diskussion der wesentlichen Quellen werden neue Fragen und Hypothesen entwickelt, die für alle relevant sind, die mehr über die letzten und traumatischen Jahre des Paulus wissen wollen.