Jewish mystical experience in the early Christian era as background to understanding Colossians
The threat against which Colossians warns the local church consisted in the reaction of a Jewish group of ascetic-mystics who claimed to have experienced heavenly journeys and the angelic liturgy as it is known from a number of apocalypses. This group reacted to the missionary approach of the congre...
Main Author: | |
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Format: | Electronic Article |
Language: | English |
Check availability: | HBZ Gateway |
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Fernleihe: | Fernleihe für die Fachinformationsdienste |
Published: |
NTWSA
1998
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In: |
Neotestamentica
Year: 1998, Volume: 32, Issue: 1, Pages: 161-189 |
Further subjects: | B
Theology
B Mysticism B Apocalypticism B Colossians B Judaism B Christianity B Ascetism |
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Summary: | The threat against which Colossians warns the local church consisted in the reaction of a Jewish group of ascetic-mystics who claimed to have experienced heavenly journeys and the angelic liturgy as it is known from a number of apocalypses. This group reacted to the missionary approach of the congregation, resulting in a disposition of uncertainty in certain members of the congregation occasioned by contact with the opposing group's teachings. A brief introduction details the problem areas, followed by an overview of some suggested solutions to the problem of the opponents. The term 'early Jewish mysticism' is explained with reference to apocalyptic material, after which the problem of the opponents is viewed in the context of the letter. This is followed by an attempt to read various contexts in Colossians in view of pertinent tangent points between the letter and the Similitudes of Enoch, such as the christology, the soteriology and the cosmology of Colossians. The question arises as to whether the Similitudes could have been the 'book' of the opponents. |
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ISSN: | 2518-4628 |
Contains: | Enthalten in: Neotestamentica
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Persistent identifiers: | DOI: 10.10520/AJA2548356_420 |