2 Baruch

Abstract

The Syriac Apocalypse of Baruch is a Jewish work of the late lst century ce. It is also called 2 Baruch to distinguish it from the apocryphal Book of Baruch, or the First Book of Baruch. Even thought 2 Baruch is set during the aftermath of the Babylonian destruction of Jerusalem in the 6th century bce, it was actually written following the Roman destruction of Jerusalem in the year 70 ce. The book’s protagonist is Baruch, Jeremiah’s scribe and supporter. Scarcely developed as a figure in the Bible, Baruch is here transformed and has become a prophet in his own right, the successor to the biblical Jeremiah, who carries the message of Jeremiah further. Two Baruch presents itself as a sequel to the book of Jeremiah. Much of the language and theology that is distinctly Jeremianic reappears in 2 Baruch. The work is structured around a long dialogue between God and Baruch about the meaning of the destruction of Jerusalem. Embedded in the dialogue are a number of subgenres: laments, public declarations, symbolic dream visions, and an epistle to the exiles in the last ten chapters of the book. The actual author of 2 Baruch is unknown. Deeply affected by the destruction of Jerusalem and of the temple, the author seeks in writing the book to develop an apocalyptic program for post-70 ce Judaism, broadly conceived. At the center of this program stands the promise of the imminent arrival of a new age. The damage inflicted by the Romans is so monumental that healing can come about only by means of divine intervention. God will soon break in and bring about a new reality. In the meantime, the author calls on the readers to be obedient to the Torah, much like Moses had called on Israel to follow the commandments long before Baruch, so that Israel gains entry into the promised world. Two Baruch combines the Deuteronomic call to choose life with the promise of life in the world to come.