The Cultic Setting of Realized Eschatology in Early Christianity

252 Pages·027.05 MB·English

by  David Edward Aune

THE CULTIC SETTING
OF REALIZED ESCHATOLOGY
IN EARLY CHRISTIANITY
SUPPLEMENTS TO
NOVUM TESTAMENTUM
EDITORIAL BOARD
W. C. VAN UNNIK, PRESlDENT
P. BRATSIOTIS-K. W. CLARK-H. CLAVIER-J. W. DOEVE-J. DORESSE
C. W. DUGMORE-J. DUPONT-A. GEYSER-W. GROSSOUW
A. F. J. KLIJN-PR. H. MENOUD-Bo REICKE-K. H. RENGSTORFF
E. STAUFFER
VOLUME XXVIII
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LEIDEN
E. J. BRILL
1972
THE CULTIC SETTING
OF REALIZED ESCHATOLOGY
IN EARLY CHRISTIANITY
BY
DAVIDEDWARDAUNE
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LEIDEN
E. J. BRILL
1972
Copyright 1972 by E. I. Brill, Leiden, Nether/ands
All rights reserved. No part of Ihis book may be reprodllced or
trans/ated in any form, by print, photoprint, microfilm, microfiche
or any other means withollt written permission from the pllblisher
PRINTED IN THE NETHERLANDS
TOMARY LOU

TABLE OF CONTENTS
PREFACE ..•.. IX
I. INTRODUCTION I
The Phenomenon of "Realized" Eschatology in Early
Christianity. . . . . I
Statement of the Thesis 8
Major Ways of Conceptualizing Eschatological Salvation
as a Realized Phenomenon in Early Christian Experi-
ence. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 11
Applica~ion of the Thesis to a Controlled Typological
Grouping of Interrelated Texts . . . . . . . . .. 23
II. THE PRESENT REALIZATION OF ESCHATOLOGICAL SALVATION
IN THE QUMRAN COMMUNITY . . . • 29
Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . 29
The Thesis of Heinz-Wolfgang Kuhn. 31
Realized Eschatology and the Paradise Motif 37
Conclusions. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42
IH. THE PRESENT REALIZATION OF ESCHATOLOGICAL SAL-
VATION IN THE FOURTH GOSPEL. 45
Introduction to the Problem . . 45
The Communal Setting and Socio-Religious Environ-
ment out öf Which the Fourth Gospel Arose . . .. 65
The Character of the Realized Eschatology of the Fourth
Gospel. . 102
Conclusions. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 133
IV. THE PRESENT REALIZATION OF ESCHATOLOGICAL SAL-
VATION IN THE LETTERS OF IGNATIUS 136
Introduction to the Problem . . . . 136
Ignatius' Conception of the Gospel. . 139
Modes of Appropriating the Benefits of Salvation 142
The Nature and Significance of Eschatological Salvation 152
Conclusions. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 164
VIII TABLE OF CONTENTS
V. THE PRESENT REALIZATION OF ESCHATOLOGICAL SAL
VATION IN THE ODES OF SOLOMON . . . . . . . . . . 166
Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . I66
The Cultic Setting of the Odes . . . . . . . . . 174
The Cultic Setting of Eschatological Salvation in the
Odes. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 184
Conclusions. . . . . . . . 193
VI. THE PRESENT REALIZATION OF ESCHATOLOGICAL SAL
VATION IN THE THOUGHT OF MARCION OF SINOPE . . 195
Introduction . 195
The Nature of Salvation According to Marcion . . . . 197
Marcion's Conception of Future Eschatological Existence 202
The Present Appropriation of Future Eschatological
Existence . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2II
Ascetic Motivations in Early Syrian Christianity and
Marcion . 215
Conclusions. . . . . . . . . . . . 219
SUMMARY. 220
Indices .. 226
PREFACE
This study was originally accepted as a Ph.D. dissertation by the
Department of New Testament and Early Christian Literature of
the University of Chicago. The original scope of the project was far
more ambitious than that presented between the covers of this
monograph. Comprehensive treatments of J esus and Paul were en
visioned as weIl as a foray into the published Coptic-Gnostic materials
from Nag Hammadi. The limited scope of the present study has
proven to be a much more eminently manageable block of material,
and I am greatly indebted to Professor Robert M. Grant for in
valuable guidance and advice as research on this subject was in
progress. Let not the charge that I may be e:~ ()VUXOC; "öv ).,O€ VTOC
yp&<pwv be laid at his door. I would also like to express my appre
ciation to Professors Allen P. Wikgren and Norman Perrin for
their helpfulness in reading and advising this study in various stages
of its development. Special thanks are due to Professor Otto Betz
who offered many helpful suggestion on that section of the study
devoted to the Qumran Community.
The publication of this monograph was in part made possible by a
grant from the John XXIII Institute of Chicago, Illinois. I am es
pecially grateful to Miss Claudette Dwyer for her interest in this
project on behalf of the Institute, and to Miss Mary Lederer its
Acting Director. Dr. Harry A. Marmion, president of St. Xavier
College, provided valuable counsel and support during the initial
stages of this publishing venture. A final word of appreciation is due
to the one who first introduced me to the historical-critical method
of New Testament research, Professor A. Berkeley Mickelsen, my
former teacher and fellow layman in the Baptist General Conference.
St. Xavier College DAVID E. AUNE
Chicago, Illinois