Enoch's Gospel Exclusion from the Biblical Canon

The Book of Enoch, an ancient Jewish religious work, is not included in the biblical canon of most Christian traditions, though it is quoted in the New Testament Epistle of Jude ^[7]. This exclusion has been a subject of discussion and varying perspectives throughout Christian history.

The canonical Epistle of Jude explicitly references Enoch, stating, "Enoch also, the seventh from Adam, prophesied of these, saying, Behold, the Lord cometh with ten thousands of his saints, to execute judgment upon all" (Jude 1:14-15) ^[7]. This quotation is found in the Book of Enoch ^[7]. Tertullian, an early Church Father, acknowledged the Scripture of Enoch, noting that some did not receive it because it was not admitted into the Jewish canon ^[3]. He argued that if Noah, who survived the deluge, could preserve ancient writings, then the Book of Enoch could have survived as well ^[3]. Tertullian further suggested that the Jews might have disavowed it because it speaks of Christ, similar to other scriptures they rejected ^[4]. He believed that "every scripture suitable for edification is divinely inspired" and that nothing belonging to Christians should be rejected ^[4]. Augustine, another influential Church Father, also recognized Enoch as a prophet, noting that the canonical epistle of Jude refers to him ^[5].

Despite these early Christian references and endorsements, the Book of Enoch gradually fell out of favor in Western Christendom and was largely forgotten for nearly a thousand years ^[9]. It was not included in the Jewish canon, which influenced its reception in Christian circles ^[3]. Charles Hodge, one theologian, emphasized that the canon of the Old Testament for Christians is determined by ascertaining what books were sanctioned by Christ and his Apostles ^[2]. The absence of the Book of Enoch from the Old Testament canon recognized by Jesus and the apostles is a significant factor in its exclusion from the Protestant canon.

The Book of Enoch contains various theological concepts that resonate with New Testament themes, such as the "Son of man sitting upon the throne of his glory," the "new heaven" and "new earth," and "everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his angels" ^[6]. Some scholars suggest that primitive Christianity freely appropriated visions from Enoch as material for constructive dogmas ^[9]. Archbishop Richard Laurence, who translated an Ethiopic manuscript of the Book of Enoch, recognized that its visions preceded the teaching of Jesus, providing insight into Jewish opinions on the Messiah before Christ's birth ^[10].

However, the book's pseudonymous nature also raised concerns. The idea that a pseudonymous book could be accepted as the genuine production of an antediluvian prophet encouraged skepticism regarding the dates and authorship of ancient Hebrew literature ^[8]. While some argue that its internal evidence, in terms of denouncing iniquity and commending righteousness, is comparable to the Old Testament prophets, this did not secure its place in the canon ^[8].

John Calvin, a leading figure in the Reformation, commented on the biblical figure of Enoch, noting his translation by God as an example of immortality ^[1]. Calvin believed this event was designed to elevate the minds of saints with faith before death, mitigating the dread of death by showing that a better life awaited them ^[1]. His commentary focuses on the canonical account of Enoch in Genesis rather than the extra-canonical Book of Enoch ^[1].

Sources

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 (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”
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”
Introduction “1 Enoch (Book of Enoch), Introduction, section 2: inspiration of the Holy Spirit. Tertullian adds, “But as Enoch has spoken in the same scripture of the Lord, and ‘every scripture suitable for edification is divinely inspired,’ let us reject nothing which belongs to us. It may now seem to have been disavowed by the Jews like all other scripture which speaks of Christ—a fact which should cause us no surprise, as they were not to receive him, even when personally addressed by himself.” These views Tertullian confirms by appealing to the testimony of the Apostle Jude.[4] The Book of Enoch was the”
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”
Introduction “1 Enoch (Book of Enoch), Introduction, section 21: Testament. Biblical analysts may question obscure traces of evangelical diction in apostolic Fathers; but what candid and impartial inquirer can doubt the Enochian origin of the “Son of man sitting upon the throne of his glory”—the “new heaven” and the “new earth;” the “many habitations” of the elect, and “the everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his angels”? We have merely collated some of the most striking instances of parallel passages in the Book of Enoch and in the New Testament. Our readers can supplement our labours through their”
Introduction “1 Enoch (Book of Enoch), Introduction, section 1: The Book of Enoch the Prophet THE BOOK OF ENOCH THE PROPHET TRANSLATED FROM AN ETHIOPIC MS. IN THE BODLEIAN LIBRARY BY THE LATE RICHARD LAURENCE, LL.D. ARCHBISHOP OF CASHEL THE TEXT NOW CORRECTED FROM HIS LATEST NOTES WITH AN INTRODUCTION BY THE AUTHOR OF “THE EVOLUTION OF CHRISTIANITY” LONDON KEGAN PAUL, TRENCH & CO., 1, PATERNOSTER SQUARE 1883 (_The rights of translation and of reproduction are reserved._) INTRODUCTION. In the Authorized Version of the Epistle of Jude, we read the following words:— “Enoch also, the seventh from Adam, prophesi”
Introduction “1 Enoch (Book of Enoch), Introduction, section 22: a pseudonymous book was accepted in the locality of its recent composition as the genuine production of an antediluvian prophet, necessarily encourages scepticism as to the dates and authorship of all ancient Hebrew literature. It cannot be said that internal evidence attests the superiority of the Old Testament to the Book of Enoch; for no Hebrew prophet is more eloquent than its author in denouncing iniquity, commending righteousness, and inviting all men to place implicit trust in the final vindication of Divine justice. Internal evidence i”
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”
Introduction “1 Enoch (Book of Enoch), Introduction, section 8: to the nature and character of the Messiah, as it repeatedly does so refer, credible proof of what were the Jewish opinions upon those points before the birth of Christ; and consequently before the possible predominance of the Christian creed.” Archbishop Laurence thus clearly recognized that the visions of Enoch preceded the teaching of Jesus; but it was not given to him, or to his generation, to see how deeply his conclusions affected the supernatural claims of Christianity. Turning to the contents of the Book of Enoch, the first six chapters”

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