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TheGreek Apocalypse of Ezra, also known as theWord and Revelation of Esdras, is apseudepigraphal work written in the name of the biblical scribeEzra. It survived in only two Greek copies and is dated between the 2nd century and the 9th century AD.
According toR. H. Charles, the text of theGreek Apocalypse of Ezra was influenced by the book of2 Esdras. The extant version of theGreek Apocalypse is thought to have undergone extensive reworking, if not having been totally written by, Christian editors, mentioning the Apostles Paul and John, King Herod, etc.
Like muchapocalyptic literature, the Apocalypse of Ezra portrays its author as being granted visions ofHeaven and of theGehenna of fire,[1] where the punishments meted out tosinners are witnessed in detail. Ezra is first described as visiting Heaven, where Ezra raises a question oftheodicy — he asksGod why humans were given the ability to sin. Although God argues that humans are to blame if they do sin, due to their havingfree will, the text has Ezra respond that ultimately thefall of man must be up to God, particularly since God created bothEve and the Serpent and the forbidden tree. Ezra goes on to accuse God of having an appalling idea of justice, to which God does not respond, even when Ezrapetitions on behalf of sinners. After his petitions and argument with God, Ezra is shown a vision of the tortures in the Gehenna of fire, as well as theAntichrist. Finally, when Ezra protests that no one is without sin and hence none will escape such torture, God reveals that he endured the cross in order to save mankind, forgive those who believe, and vanquish death.
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