Bøe, Sverre. Gog and Magog: Ezekiel 38-39 as Pre-text for Revelation 19:17-21 and 20:7-10. Wissenschaftliche Untersuchungen zum Neuen Testament, 2nd Series, 135. Tübingen: J.C.B. Mohr (Paul Siebeck), 2001. XVI + 449 pp.
This dissertation is a rev. ed. of a dissertation submitted to The Norwegian Lutheran School of Theology (Det teologiske Menighetsfakultet) Oslo, Norway and published in the series Studiebibliotek for Bibel og Misjon, 5 (Oslo: Biblia/Fjellhaug Skoler, 1999). It was defended for the major doctorate (dr.theol.) at September 25th, 1999 at the Norwegian Lutheran School of Theology.
The book consists of five chapters. The first defines the task, surveys the history of research, discusses methodological issues, and, finally, some introductory issues as regards Revelation.
Chapters 2 and 3 analyse the Gog and Magog traditions in the OT outside of Ezekiel and in Ezekiel 38–39, respectively.
Chapter 4 surveys references to Gog and Magog in other primarily ancient literature from before c. AD 100. Later literature is treated in three excursuses.
Chapter 5 analyses John’s use of the Gog and Magog-traditions in Revelation 19:11–21:8.
A summary, bibliography and indices concludes the dissertation.
The most original part of the thesis is Chapter 4, while Chapter 5 is disappointingly weak on theological discussions as regards the relevance of his study for the overall interpretation of Revelation and for the understanding of Rev 20:1-10. There are, nevertheless, many useful observations in this thesis.
Reviews (more here):
- Kyle Abot, in: Review of Biblical Literature (2003) (direct link here)
- Ian boxall, in: Journal of Theological Studies 54/1 (2003): 265ff
- Heinz Giesen, in: Theologie der Gegenwart 46/2 (2003): 140ff
- Michael Barram, in: Review of Biblical Literature (2004) (direct link here)
- Karl-F. Pohlmann, in: Theologische Rundschau 71 (2006): 61ff
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