Abomination of desolation
"Abomination of desolation"[a] is a phrase from the Book of Daniel describing the pagan sacrifices with which the 2nd century BC Greek king Antiochus IV Epiphanes replaced the twice-daily offering in the Jewish temple, or alternatively the altar on which such offerings were made.[1]
In the 1st century AD it was taken up by the authors of the gospels in the context of the Roman destruction of Jerusalem and the temple in the year 70,[2] with the Gospel of Mark placing the "abomination of desolation" into a speech by Jesus concerning the Second Coming.[3] It is widely accepted that Mark was the source used by the authors of the Gospel of Matthew and of Luke for their parallel passages,[4] with Matthew 24:15–16[5] adding a reference to Daniel[6] and Luke 21:20–21[7] giving a description of the Roman armies ("But when you see Jerusalem surrounded by armies..."); in all three it is likely that the authors had in mind a future eschatological (i.e., end-time) event, and perhaps the activities of some antichrist.[8]
Book of Daniel
Chapters 1–6 of the
One of the more popular older views was to see in the "abomination" a contemptuous deformation (or
New Testament
In 63 BCE, the Romans captured Jerusalem and Judea became an outpost of the Roman Empire, but in 66 CE the Jews rose in revolt against the Romans as their ancestors had once done against Antiochus.[23] The resulting First Jewish–Roman War ended in 70 CE when the legions of the Roman general Titus surrounded and eventually captured Jerusalem;[24] the city and the temple were razed to the ground, and the only habitation on the site until the first third of the next century was a Roman military camp.[25] It was against this background that the gospels were written, Mark around 70 AD and Matthew and Luke around 80–85.[26][27] It is almost certain that none of the authors were eyewitnesses to the life of Jesus,[28] and that Mark was the source used by the authors of Matthew and Luke for their "abomination of desolation" passages.[4]
Chapter 13 of the Gospel of Mark is a speech of Jesus concerning the return of the
The majority of scholars believe that Mark was the source used by the authors of Matthew and Luke for their "abomination of desolation" passages.[4] Matthew 24:15–16[34] follows Mark 13:14 closely: "So when you see the abomination of desolation spoken of by the prophet Daniel, standing in the holy place (let the reader understand), then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains"; but unlike Mark, Matthew uses a neutral participle instead of a masculine one, and explicitly identifies Daniel as the text's prophetic source.[6] Luke 21:20–21 drops the "abomination" entirely: "But when you see Jerusalem surrounded by armies, then know that its desolation has come near. Then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains, and let those who are inside the city depart, and let not those who are out in the country enter it."[35] In all three it is likely that the authors had in mind a future eschatological (i.e., end-time) event, and perhaps the activities of some antichrist.[35]
See also
- Related Daniel 12, Matthew 24, Mark 13
- Abomination (Judaism)
- Apocalypticism
- Mount of Temptation
- Judgment day
- Prophecy of Seventy Weeks
- Summary of Christian eschatological differences
Notes
- Latin: abominatio desolationis
- ^ Other candidates have included the Zealots who occupied the temple and slaughtered the priests in 67–68 CE, and the Roman armies, the eagle standards to which they offered sacrifices.
References
- ^ Lust 2001, p. 682.
- ^ Ryken, Wilhoit & Longman 2010, p. 3.
- ^ a b Schroter 2010, p. 291.
- ^ a b c Reddish 2011, p. 29.
- ^ Matthew 24:15–16
- ^ a b Davies & Allison 1988, p. 345.
- ^ Luke 21:20–21
- ^ Davies & Allison 1988, pp. 345–46.
- ^ Seow 2003, pp. 7–8.
- ^ Lust 2001, pp. 671–72.
- ^ Collins 2013, p. 87.
- ^ Seow 2003, p. 8–9.
- ^ Collins 2013, pp. 85–87.
- ^ a b Lust 2001, pp. 674.
- ^ Lust 2001, pp. 677–78.
- ^ Porteous 1965, p. 143.
- ^ Goldstein 1976, pp. 144–151.
- ^ a b c Collins 1993, p. 358.
- ^ Lust 2001, pp. 675–682.
- ^ Lust 2001, pp. 682–687.
- ^ Waters 2016, p. 107.
- ^ Goldingay 1989, p. 263.
- ^ Boyer 2009, p. 32.
- ^ Kimondo 2018, p. 1.
- ^ Weksler-Bdolah 2019, p. 4.
- ^ Perkins 1998, p. 241.
- ^ Reddish 2011, pp. 108, 144.
- ^ Reddish 2011, p. 13.
- ^ Mark 13:14
- ^ Lane 1974, p. 466–467.
- ^ Hogeterp 2009, p. 147.
- ^ Lane 1974, p. 467.
- ^ Kimondo 2018, p. 49.
- ^ Matthew 24:15–16
- ^ a b Davies & Allison 1988, p. 345–346.
Bibliography
- Bloom, James J. (2014). The Jewish Revolts Against Rome, A.D. 66-135: A Military Analysis. McFarland. ISBN 9780786460205.
- Boyer, Paul (2009). When Time Shall Be No More: Prophecy Belief in Modern American Culture. Harvard University Press. ISBN 9780786460205.
- Collins, John J. (2013). "Daniel". In Lieb, Michael; Mason, Emma; Roberts, Jonathan (eds.). The Oxford Handbook of the Reception History of the Bible. OUP. ISBN 9780191649189.
- ISBN 9780800660406.
- Davies, Philip (2006). "Apocalyptic". In Rogerson, J. W.; Lieu, Judith M. (eds.). The Oxford Handbook of Biblical Studies. OUP. ISBN 9780199254255.
- Davies, W. D.; Allison, Dale C. (1988). Matthew. Vol. 3: 19-28. A&C Black. ISBN 9780567085184.
- Goldingay, John (1989). Watts, John D.; Watts, James W.; Metzger, Bruce M. (eds.). Daniel. Word Biblical Commentary. Vol. 30. Thomas Nelson.
- Goldstein, Jonathan A. (1976). I Maccabees. The Anchor Yale Bible. Vol. 41. Doubleday.
- Hogeterp, Albert L.A. (2009). Expectations of the End. BRILL. ISBN 978-9004171770.
- Kimondo, Stephen Simon (2018). The Gospel of Mark and the Roman-Jewish War of 66–70 CE: Jesus' Story as a Contrast to the Events of the War. Wipf and Stock. ISBN 9781532653049.
- Lane, William L. (1974). The Gospel of Mark. Eerdmans. ISBN 9780802825025.
- Lust, Johan (2001). "Cult and Sacrifice in Daniel. The Tamid and the Abomination of Desolation". In Collins, John Joseph; Flint, Peter W. (eds.). The Book of Daniel: Composition and Reception. Vol. 2. BRILL. ISBN 9004122001.
- Perkins, Pheme (1998). "The Synoptic Gospels and the Acts of the Apostles". In Barton, John (ed.). The Cambridge Companion to Biblical Interpretation. Cambridge University Press. ISBN 9780521485937.
- Porteous, Norman W. (1965). Daniel: A Commentary. The Old Testament Library. Westminster John Knox Press.
- Reddish, Mitchell G. (2011). An Introduction to The Gospels. Abingdon Press. ISBN 9781426750083.
- Ryken, Leland; Wilhoit, James C.; Longman, Tremper (2010). "Abomination". Dictionary of Biblical Imagery. InterVarsity Press. ISBN 9780830867332.
- Schroter, Jens (2010). "The Gospel of Mark". In Aune, David E. (ed.). The Blackwell Companion to The New Testament. John Wiley & Sons. ISBN 9781444318944.
- Seow, Choon Leong (2003). Daniel. Westminster John Knox Press. ISBN 9780664256753.
- Waters, B. V. (2016). "The Two Eschatological Perspectives of the Book of Daniel". Scandinavian Journal of the Old Testament. 30 (1): 91–111. .
- Weksler-Bdolah, Shlomit (2019). Aelia Capitolina – Jerusalem in the Roman Period: In Light of Archaeological Research. BRILL. ISBN 9789004417076.