Comparison: 2 Baruch and the Book of Revelation

The previous post shows a great way to find interpretive background to the Book of Revelation. Along the same lines I would like to show a comparison I made between the Book of Revelation and 2 Baruch, a Jewish apocalyptic text written about the same time. Why is this important? Because it establishes a trend in Jewish theology that may have been used as a backdrop for the Book of Revelation itself.

I believe that the similarities presented here are more than just coincidences. There are too many for that. It must be that a common theology prevailed among Jews of this period (Second Temple Judaism) and this same theological background could hold important clues to rightly interpreting the Book of Revelation.

As to the first similarity: It is interesting that the Book of Revelation is written (in Greek) to a group of Churches in Anatolia (Asia Minor) rather than to the church of Jerusalem (which was destroyed by this time but would still have made a great symbolic Church head). And though the Church of Jerusalem was gone there still would have been a strongly "Jewish" Church council present in Antioch to which such an epistle (of this nature) might have been better suited. However, I believe John is showing us to whom he is intending to write, much like the epistle of 2 Baruch. Specifically he is writing to the Church scattered among "the nations".  Seven individual churches rather than one unified "world" church. Each with its own strengths and faults, each with its own angel (messenger) directing it.

Hope this is helpful.