What is the Fourth Book of Esdras?

The Fourth Book of Esdras is an apocryphal or deuterocanonical text, meaning it is included in some Christian biblical canons but not in the Hebrew Bible or Protestant Old Testament. It is a significant piece of Jewish apocalyptic literature, written in the late 1st century AD, featuring visions and revelations about the end times.

Is 4 Esdras in the Bible?

4 Esdras is not found in the Hebrew Bible or most Protestant Bibles. It is considered deuterocanonical and appears in the appendix of the Latin Vulgate and in the Eastern Orthodox and Ethiopian Biblical canons, often under the name 2 Esdras.

What is the main theme of 4 Esdras?

The central theme is theodicy—addressing the problem of evil and suffering, particularly in light of the destruction of the Jerusalem Temple. The book consists of seven visions where the scribe Ezra questions God about Israel's plight and receives revelations about divine justice and the coming messianic age (see 4 Esdras 3-14).

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EncyclopediaEsdras, Fourth Book of

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Esdras, Fourth Book of

Esdras, Fourth Book of See APOCALYPTIC LITERATURE, sec. II, i, 5. ⇒See also the McClintock and Strong Biblical Cyclopedia.

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