Drachenkampf und Sonnenfrau

The mythical element is described in a unique manner in the Apocalypse of John. However all previous exegetical attempts by researchers to explain reverting to widespread myths by using literary criticism or attributing these to certain sources have failed. Thus, in the author's opinion, the concept of the myth, which was established a long time ago, has to be reconsidered from the standpoint of hermeneutics. One of the significant preliminary criteria in this regard is the reception aesthetics approach, which attributes a decisive heuristic function to the history of reception of the apocalyptic text. Using chapter 12 as an example, Michael Koch shows how the Apocalypse of John is »mythical« and demonstrates the significance of this phenomenon for the structure of the book and for its influence on the reader. This means that the myth can be given a new meaning without being demythologized too quickly.