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The Conditionalist Faith of Our Fathers, vol. 1 - Contents
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    III. Syriac Baruch—Conditionalist View; Righteous Sleep Till Resurrection

    On the contrary, The Syriac Apocalypse of Baruch, or 2 Baruch for short, was a composite work, characterized by Dr. Charles as a “noble utterance. It was evidently produced by Jews of Pharisaic background, in the latter half of the first century of the Christian Era. It was consequently contemporary with the writing of earlier portions of the New Testament. 3737) Ibid., p. 470. It is likewise a pseudepigraph, sent forth as if written by Baruch, Jeremiah’s amanuensis. But its position is highly significant, definitely presenting as it does the Conditionalist view of immortality at that critical time.CFF1 687.3

    The Syriac 2 Baruch—not to be confused with the later 3 Baruch, The Greek Apocalypse of Baruch 3838) Ibid., pp. 527-541. It was written probably soon after A.D. 136.—is an apology and defense of Judaism, and affords an illuminating example of one of the paralleling schools of Jewish thought current at the time of the apostles. The book, originally written in Hebrew, was translated from the Greek into Syriac, and bears striking similarity to 2 Esdras. Observe certain characteristic positions.CFF1 687.4

    1. DEATH, SLEEP, AND RESURRECTION

    Dr. Charles calls particular attention to the fact that the writer of the Syriac Apocalypse adheres to the older Jewish view of death as a “sleep.” Here is Baruch’s statement:CFF1 688.1

    “For there have been many years like those that are desolate from the days of Abraham and Isaac and Jacob, and of all those who are like them, who sleep in the earth” (21:24). 3939) Ibid., p. 495.CFF1 688.2

    And the anticipated awakening, or resurrection, will take place, he says, only after the decreed number of persons to live on this earth is made up:CFF1 688.3

    “Because when Adam sinned and death was decreed against those who should be born, then the multitude of those who should be born was numbered, and for that number a place was prepared where the living might dwell and the dead might be guarded. Before therefore the number aforesaid is fulfilled, the creature will not live again, ... and Sheol will receive the dead” (23:4, 5). 4040) Ibid.CFF1 688.4

    And death, he holds, came through individually committed sin:CFF1 688.5

    “For though Adam first sinned and brought untimely death upon all, yet of those who were born from him each one of them has prepared for his own soul torment to come, and again each one of them has chosen for himself glories to come” (54:15). 4141) Ibid., p. 511.CFF1 688.6

    2. ESCHATOLOGICAL VIEW OF THE LAST THINGS

    Baruch’s eschatological portrayal is vivid, including of course the judgment (chap. 24). The signs of the end are enumerated (chaps. 25, 26). 4242) Ibid., p. 496. Woes will sweep over the world—commotion, wars, famines, earthquakes, terrors, the falling of fire, wickedness, and unchastity—all commingled (chap. 27). 4343) Ibid., pp. 496, 497. Distress and destruction will be worldwide, and irremedial corruption will prevail. Then Messiah will come. But certain chiliastic excesses are also portrayed—every vine to have a thousand branches; every branch producing a thousand clusters; and every cluster a thousand grapes (chap. 29). 4444) Ibid., pp. 497, 498. But it was by such fanciful portrayals that the whole concept of the millennium was brought into disrepute.CFF1 688.7

    3. RIGHTEOUS DEAD SLEEP UNTIL MESSIAH’S RETURN

    When Messiah returns, “then all who have fallen asleep in hope of Him shall rise again.” The righteous will all be gathered in a moment, and rejoice together, not grieving that one had to wait longer than the other for the full consummation. But the wicked, on the other hand, will grieve because the time of their torment and perdition has arrived (chap. 30). 4545) Ibid., p. 498.CFF1 689.1

    So here in The Syrian Baruch we find the original Conditional Immortality concept portrayed and perpetuated by Baruch. Commenting on this, Dr. Charles adds authoritatively: “This conditional immortality of man appears also in 1 Enoch lxix.11, Wisdom 1:13, 14, 2 Enoch xxx.16, 17, 4 Ezra 3:7.” 4646) Ibid., p. 477.CFF1 689.2

    It was thus one of the two concepts now current.CFF1 689.3

    It is highly significant that Baruch was not alone in this view, though of course the parallel Immortal-Soulist views had now been definitely developed by others. So contemporary schools of opposite teaching were prevalent in Judaism at this time. Let us therefore survey Baruch with greater detail and documentation.CFF1 689.4

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