Written between the 2nd and 5th centuries AD, in Greek, the Apocalypse of Sedrach, also known as the Word of Sedrach, is an ancient

apocryphal Apocrypha are works, usually written, of unknown authorship or of doubtful origin. The word ''apocryphal'' (ἀπόκρυφος) was first applied to writings which were kept secret because they were the vehicles of esoteric knowledge considered ...

text. It is preserved only in one 15th century manuscript (Bodleian Cod.Misc.Gr. 56, fols. 92–100). The text was published by M. R. James and translated into English by A. Rutherford. Apparently the original apocalypse was composed between AD 150 and 500, it was joined with a lengthy sermon on love to reach its final form shortly after AD 1000 (Agourides, 606). The original was probably Jewish, but this was later edited to take on a Christian flavour. The name of the titular figure, ''Sedrach'' may simply be the Greek form of '' Shadrach'', the name of one of the three individuals put into the fiery furnace in the

Book of Daniel The Book of Daniel is a 2nd-century BC biblical apocalypse with a 6th century BC setting. Ostensibly "an account of the activities and visions of Daniel, a noble Jew exiled at Babylon", it combines a prophecy of history with an eschatology (a ...

. It may however simply be a corruption of ''Esdras'', the Greek form of ''

Ezra Ezra (; he, עֶזְרָא, '; fl. 480–440 BCE), also called Ezra the Scribe (, ') and Ezra the Priest in the Book of Ezra, was a Jewish scribe (''sofer'') and priest (''kohen''). In Greco-Latin Ezra is called Esdras ( grc-gre, Ἔσδρας ...

'', particularly since the text has much similarity with other apocryphal texts attributed to Ezra, such as the '' Apocalypse of Ezra''. Like much other

apocalyptic literature Apocalyptic literature is a genre of prophetical writing that developed in post- Exilic Jewish culture and was popular among millennialist early Christians. '' Apocalypse'' ( grc, , }) is a Greek word meaning "revelation", "an unveiling or unf ...

, the text narrates how ''Sedrach'' was given a vision of heaven, first describing someone being sent by God take him there. In the Apocalypse of Sedrach, it is

Jesus Jesus, likely from he, יֵשׁוּעַ, translit=Yēšūaʿ, label=Hebrew/Aramaic ( AD 30 or 33), also referred to as Jesus Christ or Jesus of Nazareth (among other names and titles), was a first-century Jewish preacher and religious ...

himself who comes to take Sedrach, but while the text seems superficially Christian, it appears to be a corruption of an earlier Jewish text, with ''Jesus'' simply having been substituted in place of the name of an archangel. Unlike other apocalyptic texts, however, the Apocalypse of Sedrach heavily discusses ethical issues, particularly repentance, and God being merciful. In a marked contrast to the bitter attitude often expressed in the

genre Genre () is any form or type of communication in any mode (written, spoken, digital, artistic, etc.) with socially-agreed-upon conventions developed over time. In popular usage, it normally describes a category of literature, music, or other for ...

, God is depicted as patient, keen to help people make the right choices, and keen to allow them repentance at every opportunity.

References

Sources

* S. Agourides (trans. & introduction), "Apocalypse of Sedrach", in J.H. Charlesworth (ed.), ''The Old Testament Pseudepigrapha'' (New York: Doubleday, 1983), 1.605-613. * A. Rutherford, "The Apocalypse of Sedrach", Ante Nicene Fathers, vol10, 175–80. English Translation.

External links

English translation

Old Testament pseudepigrapha {{Christian-book-stub