The Oldest Apocalyptic Text: Who Wrote the First Apocalypse?

Who was the first apocalypticist to write an apocalypse?

1) John, the author of Revelation
2) The author of Daniel
3) The author of The Shepherd of Hermas
4) The author of the Apocalypse of Peter

Answer:

The first apocalypticist to write an apocalypse is the author of Daniel, as this text predates other Christian apocalyptic writings such as the Book of Revelation, The Shepherd of Hermas, and the Apocalypse of Peter.

Explanation: The first apocalypticist to write an apocalypse is believed to be the author of Daniel. The Book of Daniel contains apocalyptic visions and is one of the earliest examples of apocalyptic literature, dating back to the 2nd century BCE. Apocalyptic literature typically describes the disclosure or revelation of divine mysteries, prophesies a radical transformation of the world, and is often characterized by visions of the end times and the coming kingdom of God.

While the Book of Revelation, attributed to John, is another example of apocalyptic writing in the Christian tradition, it was written later than Daniel. Similarly, other texts like The Shepherd of Hermas and the Apocalypse of Peter are also key works of apocalyptic literature but are not as early as the Book of Daniel.

The theme of visions of heaven, earth, or the underworld guided by a heavenly being can also be found in Jewish influenced works, including 1 Enoch and the Apocalypse of Abraham, and it continued into later Christian writings, such as the Apocalypse of Peter and the Apocalypse of Paul.