Andrews University Digital Commons @ Andrews University Dissertations Graduate Research 2018 The Origins And Antecedents Of Joachim Of Fiore's (1135-1202) Historical-Continuous Method Of Prophetic Interpretation Dojcin Zivadinovic Andrews University, zivadino@andrews.edu Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalcommons.edu/dissertations Part of the Religious Thought, Theology and Philosophy of Religion Commons Recommended Citation Zivadinovic, Dojcin, "The Origins And Antecedents Of Joachim Of Fiore's (1135-1202) Historical- Continuous Method Of Prophetic Interpretation" (2018).edu/dissertations/1656 This Dissertation is brought to you for free and open access by the Graduate Research at Digital Commons @ Andrews University. It has been accepted for inclusion in Dissertations by an authorized administrator of Digital Commons @ Andrews University. For more information, please contact repository@andrews. ABSTRACT THE ORIGINS AND ANTECEDENTS OF JOACHIM OF FIORE’S (1135-1202) HISTORICAL-CONTINUOUS METHOD OF PROPHETIC INTERPRETATION by Dojčin Živadinović Adviser: P.
Gerard Damsteegt ABSTRACT OF GRADUATE STUDENT RESEARCH Dissertation Andrews University Seventh-day Adventist Theological Seminary Title: THE ORIGINS AND THE ANTECEDENTS OF JOACHIM OF FIORE’S (1135-1202) HISTORICAL-CONTINUOUS METHOD OF PROPHETIC INTERPRETATION Name of researcher: Dojčin Živadinović Name and degree of faculty adviser: P. Gerard Damsteegt, Th.D Date completed: December 2017 Problem In an age of biblical idealism dominated with allegorical hermeneutics, the works of Joachim of Fiore (1135-1202) created a shift in biblical exegesis, directly impacting the development of both Catholic and Protestant eschatology. Although a clear interest has been expressed concerning the influence of Joachim of Fiore on the eschatology of the late Middle Ages, very few scholars have attempted to explore the antecedents of Joachim’s ideas, specifically his historical-continuous interpretation of Daniel and Revelation and the application of the year-day principle. The purpose of this study is to explore the origins of Joachim’s eschatological views and to suggest the sources or literary traditions that might have influenced him in developing a systematically historical scheme for interpreting the book of Revelation.
Method This dissertation attempts to highlight and evaluate similarities between Joachim’s biblical historicism and early medieval and Early Church eschatological sources. This is achieved in two steps. The first step is to accurately depict Joachim’s method of prophetic interpretation. The second step is to systematically compare Joachim’s method of interpretation with the sources antecedent and contemporary to Joachim.
Included is an analysis and evaluation of commentaries on Revelation from the Latin, Byzantine, and Near-Eastern Christian sources, as well an examination of sources from the medieval Jewish tradition. Results The analysis of the eschatological commentaries antecedent to Joachim of Fiore reveals that besides a number of unique features, Joachim’s hermeneutical framework primarily combines: (1) the historical periodization of Church history characteristic of the expositors in the Latin High Middle Ages, in the early Byzantine period, and Near- Eastern Christian exegesis, (2) Latin medieval tradition of Revelation exegesis dominated by the recapitulation principle and, (3) a Near-Eastern Christian (Armenian, Syrian, and Coptic) and Jewish system of prophetic interpretation using the “year-day” principle, coupled with the expectation of the future Sabbatical period, sometimes referred to as the millennium. Conclusions Joachim’s system of interpretation does not have a direct antecedent but instead has several sources. The historicist method of biblical interpretation, although rare in early Latin Middle Ages, appears to revive in the High Middle Ages.
Biblical historicism was s particularly prominent approach to the book of Revelation in the Byzantine and Near-Eastern Christian tradition. Potentially surprising are several similarities between Joachim and Near-Eastern Christian expositors. This seems to be a neglected area in the field of Joachite studies, as very few contemporary scholars have linked Joachim’s historical-chronological ideas with the Near-Eastern commentaries of the book of Revelation. © Copyright by Dojčin Živadinović 2017 All Rights Reserved Andrews University Seventh-day Adventist Theological Seminary THE ORIGINS AND ANTECEDENTS OF JOACHIM OF FIORE’S (1135-1202) HISTORICAL-CONTINUOUS METHOD OF PROPHETIC INTERPRETATION A Dissertation Presented in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree Doctor of Philosophy by Dojčin Živadinović THE ORIGINS AND ANTECEDENTS OF JOACHIM OF FIORE’S (1135-1202) HISTORICAL-CONTINUOUS METHOD OF PROPHETIC INTERPRETATION A dissertation presented in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree Doctor of Philosophy by Dojčin Živadinović APPROVAL BY THE COMMITTEE: ______________________________ ________________________________ Faculty Adviser, Director of PhD/ThD Religion Program P.
Gerard Damsteegt Thomas Shepherd Associate Professor of Church History ______________________________ _______________________________ John Reeve Dean, Theological Seminary Chair, Department of Church History Jirí Moskala ______________________________ John V. Matthews Professor of Religious Education ______________________________ _______________________________ E. Randolph Daniel Date approved Professor Emeritus of Church History University of Kentucky TABLE OF CONTENTS LIST OF TABLES. viii LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS.
1 Background of the Problem. 4 Scope and Delimitations. 5 Introduction to the Literature. RELIGIOUS AND SOCIAL CONTEXT SURROUNDING JOACHIM AND HIS WORKS.
9 The Norman Kingdom. 10 Normans and the Church. 11 Culture and Religion in the Norman Kingdom. 14 Joachim’s Early Life.
15 Joachim and Eastern Christianity. 16 Joachim and Judaism. 17 Pilgrimage to Palestine. 19 Joachim and Monastic Life.
23 Rise of the Cistercians. 23 Joachim in the Monastery. 25 Rise to Prominence. 27 Joachim’s Method of Bible Study.
28 Joachim and the Papacy. 31 Joachim Visits the Pope. 33 Joachim and the Crusades. 38 Joachim’s Order of Fiore.
40 Joachim’s Death and Fame. 43 iii Minor Works. THE ESCHATOLOGY OF JOACHIM OF FIORE. 49 Joachim and the Typology of “Concords”.
50 The Theory of Three Status. 52 Joachim’s Interpretation of the Book of Revelation. 55 The Seven Churches. 56 The Seven Seals.
60 The First Four Seals (AD 1-752). 61 The Fifth Seal. 62 The Sixth Seal (AD 1200-1260). 68 The Seven Trumpets.
70 The First Four Trumpets (AD 1-752). 70 The Fifth Trumpet (AD 752-1200). 71 The Sixth Trumpet (AD 1200-1260). 73 The Angel with the “Little Scroll” (Rev 10).
74 The “Measuring of the Temple” (Rev 11:1-2). 75 The Two Witnesses. 76 The Seventh Trumpet (AD 1260 -?). 79 Revelation 12−The Dragon and the Woman.
81 The First Four Heads of the Dragon (AD 1-752). 82 The Fifth Head (AD 762-1200). 84 The Sixth Head (AD 1200-1260). 87 The Seventh Head−The Antichrist (AS 1260 -?).
89 The Union of the Sixth and the Seventh Heads. 90 Revelation 13−The Two Beasts. 92 The Beast with the “Deadly Wound” (Rev 13:1-10). 92 The Beast Coming Out of the Earth (Rev 13:11).
93 Double Adversaries at Each Stage of History. 95 The Image and the Mark of the Beast. 96 The “Eternal Gospel” and the “Fall of Babylon”. 97 The 144,000 and the “Eternal Gospel”.
97 The Fall of Babylon (Revelation 14:8; 17:15-17, and 18:1-21. 99 The Vision of the Harvest (Revelation 14:14-20). 101 The Seven Vials (Revelation 16-18). 102 The Millennium, Second Advent and Eternity.
105 The Second Advent (Rev 19). 105 Millennium or the “Age of the Spirit”. 106 Conversion of the Jews. 109 The “Final Antichrist,” After the Millennium.
111 Summary and Implications. JOACHIM AND THE EARLY CHURCH ESCHATOLOGY. 121 Ante-Nicene Fathers. 123 Irenaeus of Lyons.
135 Origen of Alexandria. 139 Victorinus of Pettau. 147 Ante-Nicene Fathers and the Year-Day Principle. 149 Post-Nicene Fathers.
153 Athanasius and Hillary of Poitiers. 154 Cyril of Jerusalem. 158 Ambrose of Milan. 167 Augustine of Hippo.
169 Opposing Augustine’s Amillennialism. 175 Theodoret of Cyrrhus. 176 Post-Nicene Fathers and the Year-Day Principle. 177 Summary and Implications.
180 Joachim and the Early Church Eschatology. 180 The Year-Day Principle in the Early Church. JOACHIM AND MEDIEVAL ESCHATOLOGY IN THE LATIN WEST. 186 Early Latin Commentaries on the Book of Revelation.
188 Caesarius of Arles. 203 Minor Idealist Commentaries. 206 The Venerable Bede. 206 v Beatus of Liebana.
210 Iberian Apocalyptic Views (9th-11th century). 214 Haymo of Auxerre. 215 Berengaud of Ferriere. 220 The Crisis of the Year 1000.
224 Expositors Contemporary to Joachim. 226 Anselm of Laon. 226 The “Glossa Ordinaria”. 227 Richard of Saint Victor.
230 Bruno of Segni. 232 Rupert of Deutz. 236 Anselm of Havelberg. 240 Gerhoh of Reichersber vs.
Guibert of Nogent. 241 Summary and Implications. THE EASTERN AND NEAR EASTERN COMMENTATORS. 251 Major Byzantine Commentators.
252 Andrew of Caesarea. 256 Arethas of Caesarea. 260 Minor Byzantine Commentaries. 262 Didascale of Jacob.
263 Near-Eastern Christian Commentaries. 266 Apocalypse of Pseudo-Athanasius. 267 Anonymous Syriac Commentary on Apocalypse. 268 Dionysius Bar Salibi.
272 Nerses of Lambron. 274 Bulus al-Bushi and the Coptic Tradition. 277 Jewish Expositors Prior to Joachim. 281 Summary and Implications.
SUMMARY, CONCLUSION, AND IMPACT. 292 Implications of Joachim’s Hermeneutics. 298 Biblical Historicism Prior to Joachim. 311 Historicism and the Modern Christian Thought.
322 Viability of Biblical Historicism for Today. 331 vii LIST OF TABLES 1. The Seven Churches. The Seven Seals.
The Seven Trumpets. The Seven Heads of the Dragon. The Seven Plagues. The Last Three Enemies of the Church.
Comprehensive View of Joachim’s Interpretation. Seven Seals in the Early and High Latin Middle Ages. Seven Trumpets in the Early and High Latin Middle Ages. The Seven Kings in the Early and High Latin Middle Ages.
The Seven Seals in the Eastern Christian Tradition Compared to Joachim. Predominant Hermeneutics of Expositors Before Joachim. 304 viii LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS ANF Ante-Nicene Fathers, 10 vols. Peabody: Hendrickson Publication, 1994.
CCSL Corpus Christianorum Series Latina. Turnhaut, Belgium: Brepols, 1954-? DSS Joachim of Fiore. De Septem Sigilis. Edited by Marjorie Reeves and Beatrice Hirsch-Reich.
Recherche en théologie ancienne et médiévale 21 (1954): 239-247. DUT Joachim of Fiore. De Ultimis Tribulationibus. Edited by Randolph E.
Daniel, “Abbot Joachim of Fiore” The De Ultimis Tribulationibus” in Prophecy and Millenarianism: Essays in Honour of Marjorie Reeves. Edited by Ann Williams, 165-89. London, UK: Longman, 1980. EA Joachim of Fiore.
Expositio in Apocalypsim. Reprint, Frankfurt: Minerva, 1964. LC (D) Joachim of Fiore. Liber Concordiae Novi ac Veteris Testamenti.
Translated by Randolph E. Philadelphia: The American Philosophical Society, 1983. LC (V) Joachim of Fiore. Liber Concordiae Novi ac Veteris Testamenti.
Venice, Italy: De Lucre, 1519. Reprint, Frankfurt, Germany: Minerva, 1964. LF Joachim of Fiore. Edited by Luca Tondelli, Marjorie Reeves, and Beatrice Hirsch-Reich.
Il Libro delle Figure dell' Abate Gioacchino da Fiore, volume 2. Turin, Italy: Società editrice internazionale 1953. NPNF Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers. Vita Beati Joachim Abbatis (c.
Edited by Herbert Grundmann, “Zur Biographie Joachims von Fiore und Rainers von Ponza.” Deutsches Archiv für Erforschung des Mittelalters 16 (1960): 528-538. VBJS Luca de Cosenza. Virtutum Beati Joachimi Synopsis (ca. Edited by Herbert Grundmann.
“Zur Biographie Joachims von Fiore und Rainers von Ponza.” Deutsches Archiv für Erforschung des Mittelalters 16 (1960): 539-544. ix CHAPTER 1 INTRODUCTION A Cistercian abbot from Calabria in southern Italy, Joachim of Fiore (AD 1135- 1202), is considered to be one of the most important apocalyptic expositors of the Middle Ages.1 Often associated with the development of the historical-continuous2 method of the interpretation of apocalyptic prophecies, Joachim’s writings3 contributed heavily to the overturn of the medieval idealistic interpretations of the book of Revelation, a tradition that had dominated Latin Christianity since the time of Augustine (AD 354-430).4 1 Bernard McGinn, Visions of the End: Apocalyptic Traditions in the Middle Ages (New York, NY: Colombia University, 1979), 126; Antonio Crocco, Gioacchino da Fiore: la più singolare ed affascinante figura del medioevo cristiano (Naples, Italy: Empireo, 1960). 2 Biblical historicism, also known as historical-continuous or historical-chronological method of prophetic interpretation, portrays apocalyptic passages of the book of Daniel and Revelation of John as chronological and successive periods and events of world and church history.