Authenticity and Canon Status of Book of Enoch

The Book of Enoch is an ancient apocryphal work, the existence of which is first evidenced in the Epistle of Jude (Jude 1:14-15) ^[3]. This book was largely lost to Western Christendom for nearly a thousand years until three complete Ethiopic manuscripts were brought from Egypt in 1773 by James Bruce ^{[3, 12]}. In its current form, the book presents a series of revelations attributed to Enoch and Noah, covering various aspects of nature and life, intended to vindicate divine providence ^[3].

The question of its authenticity and canonical status has been a subject of debate across Christian traditions. The term "canon" refers to the collection of books recognized as the original and authoritative written rule for Christian faith and practice ^[1]. These books are considered to contain the authoritative rule of faith and practice, a standard of doctrine and duty, whose authority does not arise from ecclesiastical decree but from their inherent nature as divine revelation ^[2].

Early Christian writers held differing views on the Book of Enoch. Tertullian, a second-century Church Father, acknowledged the "Scripture of Enoch" and its content regarding angels, noting that some rejected it because it was not part of the Jewish canon ^[4]. He countered the argument that it could not have survived the deluge by pointing out that Noah, a survivor, would have preserved it ^[4]. Augustine of Hippo, writing in City of God, also referenced Enoch, noting that the canonical Epistle of Jude cites him ^[9]. However, Augustine also discussed the ecclesiastical canon's exclusion of certain ancient writings, suggesting that their great antiquity could lead to the insertion of false things ^[9].

In contrast, the Book of Enoch is not included in the Old Testament canon recognized by most Protestant traditions. Reformed theologians like Charles Hodge emphasize that the Christian canon of the Old Testament is determined by ascertaining which books were sanctioned by Christ and his Apostles ^[6]. John Calvin, while acknowledging Enoch's translation as an example of immortality, does not include the Book of Enoch in his discussions of canonical scripture ^{[7, 11]}. The Westminster Confession of Faith, a Reformed confessional document, states that the authority of the Holy Scripture depends wholly upon God and is not to be added to by new revelations or traditions of men ^[10].

The Eastern Orthodox tradition, as articulated by John of Damascus, lists the canonical books of the Old Testament, which include the Pentateuch, Joshua, Judges, Kings, Chronicles, Ezra, Nehemiah, Esther, Job, Psalms, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, Song of Songs, Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, Daniel, and the twelve minor prophets, but does not include the Book of Enoch ^[8].

Despite its exclusion from most canons, the Book of Enoch's influence on early Christian thought is undeniable, particularly through its quotation in the Epistle of Jude ^{[5, 12]}. The Holy Spirit, through Jude, is understood by some to have sealed the truth of the specific prophecy cited, even if the book itself is not considered canonical ^[5]. The prophecy in Jude 1:14-15, concerning the Lord's coming with ten thousands of His saints to execute judgment, is presented in a Hebrew poetic parallelism, which some scholars consider to be the oldest extant example of such ^[13].

Sources

Smith's Bible Dictionary “Smith's Bible Dictionary: Canon Of Scripture, The — may be generally described as the "collection of books which form the original and authoritative written rule of the faith and practice of the Christian Church," i.e. the Old and New Testaments. The word canon, in classical Greek, is properly a straight rod, "a rule" in the widest sense, and especially in the phrases "the rule of the Church," "the rule of faith," "the rule of truth," The first direct application of the term canon to the Scriptures seems to be in the verses of Amphilochius (cir. 380 A.D.), where the word indicates the rule by ”
Easton's Bible Dictionary “Easton's Bible Dictionary: Canon — This word is derived from a Hebrew and Greek word denoting a reed or cane. Hence it means something straight, or something to keep straight; and hence also a rule, or something ruled or measured. It came to be applied to the Scriptures, to denote that they contained the authoritative rule of faith and practice, the standard of doctrine and duty. A book is said to be of canonical authority when it has a right to take a place with the other books which contain a revelation of the Divine will. Such a right does not arise from any ecclesiastical authority, but fr”
Smith's Bible Dictionary “Smith's Bible Dictionary: Enoch, The Book Of — The first trance of the existence of this work is found in the Epistle of (Jude 1:14,15) An apocryphal book called Enoch was known at a very early date, but was lost sight of until 1773, when Bruce brought with him on his return from Egypt three MSS. containing the complete Ethiopic translation. In its present shape the book consists of a series of revelations supposed to have been given to Enoch and Noah, which extend to the most varied aspects of nature and life. And are designed to offer a comprehensive vindication of the action of Providence. ”
Schaff ANF/NPNF (Patristic) “ANF Vol 4: Tertullian IV, Minucius Felix, Commodian, Origen — CHAP. III.--CONCERNING THE GENUINENESS OF "THE PROPHECY OF ENOCH."[11]: I am aware that the Scripture of Enoch,[12] which has assigned this order (of action) to angels, is not received by some, because it is not admitted into the Jewish canon either. I suppose they did not think that, having been published before the deluge, it could have safely survived that world-wide calamity, the abolisher of all things. If that is the reason (for rejecting it), let them recall to their memory that Noah, the survivor of the deluge, was the great”
Jude (Presbyterian) “Jamieson, Fausset & Brown on Jude 1:14: See Introduction on the source whence Jude derived this prophecy of Enoch. The Holy Spirit, by Jude, has sealed the truth of this much of the matter contained in the book of Enoch, though probably that book, as well as Jude, derived it from tradition (compare Note, see on Jde 1:9). There are reasons given by some for thinking the book of Enoch copied from Jude rather than vice versa. It is striking how, from the first, prophecy hastened towards its consummation. The earliest prophecies of the Redeemer dwell on His second coming in glory, rather than His ”
CCEL (Reformed (Old Princeton)) “Charles Hodge, Systematic Theology, Vol. 1, section 40: Word of God. When we refer to the Bible as 153 of divine authority, we refer to it as a volume and recognize all the writings which it contains as given by the inspiration of the Spirit. In like manner when Christ or his Apostles quote the “Scriptures,” or the “law and the prophets,” and speak of the volume then so called, they give their sanction to the divine authority of all the books which that volume contained. All, therefore, that is necessary to determine for Christians the canon of the Old Testament, is to ascertain what books wer”
CCEL (Reformed) “Calvin, Commentary on Genesis, Vol. 1 (Gen 1-23), section 9.8: him away, as we read was also done with respect to Elijah. Since, in the translation of Enoch, an example of immortality was exhibited; there is no doubt that God designed to elevate the minds of his saints with certain faith before their death; and to mitigate, by this consolation, the dread which they might entertain of death, seeing they would know that a better life was elsewhere laid up for them. It is, however, remarkable that Adam himself was deprived of this support of faith and of comfort. For since that terrible judgment ”
CCEL (Eastern Orthodox) “John of Damascus, An Exact Exposition of the Orthodox Faith, section 93: collected together in four Pentateuchs and two others remain over, to form thus the canonical books. Five of them are of the Law, viz. Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy. This which is the code of the Law, constitutes the first Pentateuch. Then comes another Pentateuch, the so-called Grapheia 2529 2529 Writings . , or as they are called by some, the Hagiographa, which are the following: Jesus the Son of Nave 2530 2530 Joshua the Son of Nun . , Judges along with Ruth, first and second Kings, which are one boo”
Schaff ANF/NPNF (Patristic) “NPNF1 Vol 2: Augustine — City of God, Christian Doctrine — CHAP.38.--THAT THE ECCLESIASTICAL CANON HAS NOT ADMITTED CERTAIN WRITINGS ON ACCOUNT OF THEIR TOO GREAT ANTIQUITY, LEST THROUGH THEM FALSE THINGS SHOULD BE INSERTED INSTEAD OF TRUE. (part 1): If I may recall far more ancient times, our patriarch Noah was certainly even before that great deluge, and I might not undeservedly call him a prophet, forasmuch as the ark he made, in which he escaped with his family, was itself a prophecy of our times.(2) What of Enoch, the seventh from Adam? Does not the canonical epistle of the Apostle Jude d”
CCEL (Reformed (Old Princeton)) “Charles Hodge, Systematic Theology, Vol. 1, section 40: down in Scripture, or by good and necessary consequence may be deduced from Scripture; unto which nothing at any time is to be added whether by new revelations of the Spirit or traditions of men. 107 107 Ibid. § 7. All things in Scripture are not alike plain in themselves, nor alike clear unto all; yet those things which are necessary to be known, believed, and observed, for salvation, are so clearly propounded and opened in some place of Scripture or other, that not only the learned, but the unlearned, in a due use of the ordinary means,”
CCEL (Reformed) “John Calvin, Institutes of the Christian Religion, section 24: 74 CHAPTER 8. THE CREDIBILITY OF SCRIPTURE SUFFICIENTLY PROVED IN SO FAR AS NATURAL REASON ADMITS. This chapter consists of four parts. The first contains certain general proofs which may be easily gathered out of the writings both of the Old and New Testament—viz. the arrangement of the sacred volume, its dignity, truth, simplicity, efficacy, and majesty, sec. 1, 2. The second part contains special proofs taken from the Old Testament—viz. the antiquity of the books of Moses, their authority, his miracles and prophecies, sec. 3-7; ”
Introduction “1 Enoch (Book of Enoch), Introduction, section 3: the Book of Enoch as a Divine revelation. When primitive Christianity had freely appropriated the visions of Enoch as the materials of constructive dogmas, this remarkable book gradually sank into oblivion, disappeared out of Western Christendom, and was eventually forgotten by a Church, which unconsciously perpetuated its teaching as the miraculous revelations of Christianity. The Book of Enoch, unknown to Europe for nearly a thousand years, except through the fragments preserved by Georgius Syncellus (circa 792, A.D.), was at length discovere”
Jude (Presbyterian) “Jamieson, Fausset & Brown on Jude 1:15: This verse and the beginning of Enoch's prophecy is composed in Hebrew poetic parallelism, the oldest specimen extant. Some think Lamech's speech, which is also in poetic parallelism, was composed in mockery of Enoch's prophecy: as Enoch foretold Jehovah's coming to judgment, so Lamech presumes on impunity in polygamy and murder (just as Cain the murderer seemed to escape with impunity). convince--convict. hard speeches--such as are noticed in Jde 1:8, Jde 1:10, Jde 1:16; Mal 3:13-14; contrast Rom 16:17. ungodly sinners--not merely sinners, but pro”

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