Locating the present: The Periodisation of History in the Animal Apocalypse, Daniel 7, and Luke/Acts. Presented at the British New Testament Conference, Manchester, September 2014

Traditional criticisms levelled at Luke/Acts range from claims that Luke focuses on theologia gloriae at the expense of a theologia crucis, to assertions that he is apolitical (or, worse, advocates complicity with ruling authorities), or that he has removed any sense of imminence from eschatological expectations in order to address a crisis brought about by the parousia’s delay. Such criticisms have been countered in various ways. However, I argue that these concerns can also be addressed by attention to the underlying shape of history in Luke’s account. This paper suggests that the focus on resurrection, presence of the Spirit, and the spatial location of Jesus at God’s right from the time of his ascension confirms that Luke understands that a new period of history has begun through Jesus’ resurrection. It argues that Luke’s understanding of history, as periodised, planned, and approaching a telos, is reminiscent of the understanding found in apocalypses. This builds on C. Kavin Rowe’s insight that Luke is “apocalyptic”1 but, through a systematic treatment of history in apocalypses, attempts a comparison that illuminates what this might mean in terms of Luke’s theological account of history. In this paper I consider two apocalypses with historical reviews, 1 Enoch’s Animal Apocalypse and Daniel 7, identifying the temporal placement of key events in these histories. The location of the historical present is of particular interest, as a period of affliction of the righteous and enlightenment for a select group, which stands on the cusp of decisive divine action that will lead ultimately to restoration of the righteous. In comparing the schema of history in these texts to the understanding of key events of history in Luke/Acts, I note that Luke presumes a similar pattern, though with one crucial difference: the resurrection of Jesus is presented as the basis for assurance that the ultimate period has already begun.