Encyclopedia of sacred theology - pagina 559

Chap.

II]

THE FORMS OF INSPIRATION

§ 84.

535

prophecy consist of single aphoristical predictions. Undoubtedly in the main prophecy offers the unveiling of that ivhich is to come provided it is viewed from the point where the prophet stood and lived, so that very often he himself is real

active in the process

The apocalyptic

which

reflects itself in his Oracle.

an exception to tliis, which exception, however, accentuates the more sharply the The Apocalypse indicated character of common prophecy. does not move from the prophet to the horizon, but leaves between him and the horizon nothing but a vacuum, in order suddenly to cause a vision to appear on that horizon, which is A veil is pushed aside, which to him surprising and strange. mostly consists of this, that " the heavens were opened," and

when

the veil

is

vision only forms

a scene reveals itself to the eyes of

lifted,

the seer which moves from the heavens toward him. the Apocalypse unveils the end, and

by

is

its

Hence,

very nature

when its meaning is merely symbolic. It upon the assumption that the end is not born from the means, but that, on the contrary, the end is first determined, and that this end postulates the means by which to realize Hence, it is far more severely theological than common it. eschatological, even rests

prophecy, since

it

tory, but abruptly sel is

what

is

takes no pains to join itself to

shows

itself

really essential.

human

his-

on the horizon.

From

God's counthat counsel God shows

immediately this or the other part, and for this reason the forms and images of apocalyptic vision are described with so

The purpose in hand is to show the seer a from that in which he actually lives, a realwhich surely is analogous to his own life, but as under

great difficulty.

different reality ity

the antithesis of the butterfly and the caterpillar. the form of the butterfly be lines pillar

borrowed from the

made more

caterpillar, to

but not a butterfly ?

This

is

How

could

or less clear in out-

one

who knows

a cater-

the problem which every

The forms and images, therefore, what the prophet knows, but are arranged in such different combinations and connections as to produce The appearance of Christ a drama that is entirely abnormal. in His glory on Patmos is truly the brilliancy of the butterapocalyptical vision faces. are

composed

of

Deze tekst is geautomatiseerd gemaakt en kan nog fouten bevatten. Digibron werkt voortdurend aan correctie. Klik voor het origineel door naar de pdf. Voor opmerkingen, vragen, informatie: contact.

Op Digibron -en alle daarin opgenomen content- is het databankrecht van toepassing. Gebruiksvoorwaarden. Data protection law applies to Digibron and the content of this database. Terms of use.

Printen