What Is The Book Of Enoch
The Book of Enoch is an ancient Jewish religious work, attributed to Enoch, the great-grandfather of Noah. It is considered part of the pseudepigraphal writings, because it is not included in the Hebrew Bible. The Book of Enoch is considered apocryphal by most Christian denominations, but is still considered part of the Ethiopian Orthodox Church’s canon.
The Book of Enoch is divided into five sections, sections which contain various visionary accounts. Many of these visions speak of the Watchers, a group of fallen angels sent by God to watch and guide humanity. The Watchers are said to have married human wives and bore offspring, the Nephilim, who are mentioned in Gen 6:4 of the bible.
Reception of The Book of Enoch
For centuries, the Book of Enoch was lost and forgotten, until in 1773, James Bruce brought three copies of the book from Ethiopia. In the 1890s, R.H. Charles published the first English translation of the Book of Enoch.
Despite the newfound fame that the Book of Enoch had attained, it was still not accepted as canon, as theologians argued against it. At the Council of Jamnia in 90 A.D, it was decided that the sephardim, otherwise known as the Jewish canon, was to contain only those books found in all three parts of the Old Testament, which would exclude the Book of Enoch. This decision has since been accepted by most Christian denominations.
Arguments Against The Book of Enoch
Some of the main arguments that have been raised against the canonization of the Book of Enoch include the book’s questionable authorship, style, and doctrine.
Regarding authorship, some have argued that the actual author is uncertain and unknown, as it is said to have been written by Enoch, great grandfather of Noah, who lived in the 5th or 6th century B.C. Some theories argue that the book was actually written much closer to the time of Jesus Christ and was attributed to Enoch in order to lend it some more credibility.
In terms of style, some theologians argue that the book is too different from other Jewish scriptures to be accepted as part of the Old Testament. The Book of Enoch is not as poetic nor as formal as other canonical books, as it is composed mostly of visions and dream-like revelations rather than structured accounts.
Finally, the Book of Enoch is sometimes accused of containing false doctrine. It is argued that it espouses ideas which contradict scripture, such as the idea that the souls of the wicked will suffer the torments of hell for eternity. This differs greatly form some accounts found in the Bible which suggest that the punishment of the wicked will only be suffered for a finite period of time.
Arguments In Favor Of The Book of Enoch
Although many theologians have been skeptical of the acception of the Book of Enoch, others have argued in its favor.
In terms of authorship, some scholars argue that the Book of Enoch could indeed have been written around the time of Enoch and that it was only attributed to him much later. To back this up, some have pointed to the fact that the details found in chapters 7-36 align quite closely with the 7th century B.C.
In terms of style, some point out that the syntax and structure of the Book of Enoch match very closely with certain parts of scripture, such as Ezekiel, Isaiah, and Psalms.
Finally, in terms of doctrine, some scholars have argued that certain ideas such as the idea of a finite punishment being suffered by the wicked in hell can be found in the Book of Enoch. This shows that the book could had incorporated known Jewish ideas of the time in order to make it more acceptable to its readers.
Relation To The Bible
Despite its rich history and potential divine origin, the Book of Enoch is not included in the Bible. While writers such as Charles and Bruce had hoped that it would eventually be accepted as part of the sephardim, in the end it was not.
Nevertheless, the Book of Enoch does still have a great deal of presence in the scriptures. Not only does it share similarities with certain parts of scripture in terms of syntax and structure, it also contains many echoes of Old Testament and New Testament teachings.
It is generally assumed, however, that the Book of Enoch is not the work of any single author, but is instead composed of many different texts, written by various authors over the course of many different centuries.
Implications
The fact that the Book of Enoch is not included in the Bible has important implications, as it implies that certain passages of scripture which share resemblances with the Book of Enoch are also not part of the traditional canon.
For example, in Gen 6:4, there is a passing mention of the “Nephilim”, supernatural figures who were supposedly born of the union between humans and angels. This is a prominent theme in the Book of Enoch, which leads many to believe that there are parts of scripture which are merely echoes and recollections of the Book of Enoch, rather than actual truths found in the bible.
Contemporary Significance
Despite the fact that the Book of Enoch is not accepted as canon, it still retains a great amount of popularity today. To this day, it is still studied and discussed by scholars and theologians alike.
The book has also been credited with providing us with a much more detailed understanding of ancient Judaic belief, as well as Biblical culture. Many of the ideas found in the book have been used in various forms of literature, to explain or comment on the state of humanity and its dealings with divine authority.
Finally, certain books and passages of the Bible have also been attributed to the Book of Enoch, such as the Book of Jude and the Book of Revelation. These books share certain ideas and teachings that are also found in the Book of Enoch.
Conclusion of The Book of Enoch
Regardless of whether or not it is considered part of the bible, the Book of Enoch remains an important part of Judaic and Christian history. It provides us with insight on ancient Judaic beliefs, and is the source of much discussion and debate among scholars and theologians.
Its importance lies in the way it impacts how we view scripture, as it can potentially explain certain elements of the Bible that do not quite make sense. It can also provide us with a better understanding of how these ideas evolved over the centuries, and how ideas from the Book of Enoch still appear in the Bible today.
