Bible Verse Lookup
Relation to Apocalyptic.
Some scholars regard the visions of Proto-Zechariah as proto-apocalyptic because their literary form is similar to that of the later apocalypses such as the second half of Daniel (‘Apocalyptic Literature’, OCB): they are clearly revelatory literature (‘Revelation’, OCB). A contrary school of thought says that Proto-Zechariah does not have the dramatic and calamitous eschatological content normally associated with apocalyptic. Rather, 9–14 has the better claim to be proto-apocalyptic because it does have this type of content, especially in ch. 14 . The background of controversy detectable in 9–14 is the seedbed of this type of thinking on the part of disadvantaged groups in a situation of political crisis. Clearly in this debate the framing and handling of definitions is very important. Each school of thought has perhaps detected one of the origins of apocalyptic (North 1972 ), but it has many origins. A third origin, studied more recently (Larkin 1994; Tigchelaar 1996 ), is in the learned, interpretative tradition which underlies both halves of Zechariah. There are numerous allusions to older parts of the prophetic tradition, particularly Jeremiah, Ezekiel, and Isaiah, and some allusions to the Pentateuch and Psalms; familiarity is also shown with Ugaritic literature (‘Ugarit’, OCB).
