The present realization of eschatological salvation in the odes of solomon

Chapter Summary

The Odes of Solomon are of crucial importance for the history of early Christian theology because of the strong emphasis which they place on realized eschatology. The precise meaning and significance of this phenomenon, however, is dependent on whether or not the original setting of the Odes can be determined. This chapter reconstructs the original cultic setting of the Odes. It considers the conception of eschatological salvation found in the Odes. The Odes appear to be prophetic or charismatic hymns of praise and thanksgiving which were of central importance in the worship services of Christian communities in Syria. To a large extent the Odes of Solomon share the conceptual world of the Fourth Gospel and the Letters of Ignatius. The Jewish Christian character of the Odes of Solomon may be clearly established through an investigation of the ways in which the Odist and his community conceptualized eschatological salvation.

Keywords: charismatic hymns; Christian communities; eschatological salvation; Fourth Gospel; Odes of Solomon