quit the stage
of history, when Christianity appeared as the heir of this true
spiritual achievement. But Christianity was no less assuredly the heir
of ancient prophecy, and thus as spiritual representative of what was
true in prophecy and apocalyptic; its essential teaching was as that of
its Founder that both worlds were of God and that both should be made
God's.

(i.) Canonical:--
Apocalypse in Mark xiii. (Matthew xxiv., Luke xxi.).
2 Thessalonians ii.
Revelation.

(ii.) Extra-Canonical:--
Apocalypse of Peter.
Testament of Hezekiah.
Testament of Abraham.
Oracles of Hystaspes.
Vision of Isaiah.
Shepherd of Hermas.
5 Ezra.
6 Ezra.
Christian Sibyllines.
Apocalypses of Paul, Thomas and Stephen.
Apocalypses of Esdras, Paul, John, Peter, The Virgin, Sedrach, Daniel.
Revelations of Bartholomew.
Questions of Bartholomew.

_Apocalypse in Mark xiii._--According to the teaching of the Gospels the
second advent was to take the world by surprise. Only one passage (Mark
xiii. = Matt. xxiv. = Luke xxi.) conflicts with this view, and is
therefore suspicious. This represents the second advent as heralded by a
succession of signs which are unmistakable precursors of its appearance,
such as wars, earthquakes, famines, the destruction of Jerusalem and the
like. Our suspicion is justified by a further examination of Mark xiii.
For the words "let him that _readeth_ understand" (ver. 14) indicate
that the prediction referred to appeared first not in a spoken address
but in a written form, as was characteristic of apocalypses. Again, in
ver. 30, it is declared that this generation shall not pass away until
all these things be fulfilled, whereas in 32 we have an undoubted
declaration of Christ "Of that day or of that hour knoweth no one, not
even the angels in heaven, neither the Son, but the Father." On these
and other grounds verses 7, 8, 14-20, 24-27, 30, 31 should be removed
from their present context. Taken together they constitute a Christian
adaptation of an originally Jewish work, written A.D. 67-68, during the
troubles preceding the fall of Jerusalem. The apocalypse consists of
three Acts: Act i. consisting of verses 7, 8, enumerating the woes
heralding the parusia, Act ii. describing the actual tribulation, and
Act iii. the parusia itself. (See Wendt, _Lehre Jesu_, i. 12-21;
Charles, _Eschatology_, 325 sqq.; H.S. Holtzmann, _N. T. Theol._ 1-325
sqq. with literature there given.)

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