The Book of Enoch in Catholic and Orthodox Bibles
The Book of Enoch is an ancient apocryphal work that was known at an early date but later lost to Western Christendom for nearly a thousand years until its rediscovery in the late 18th century [2, 9]. It is a series of revelations attributed to Enoch, the seventh from Adam, and Noah, covering various aspects of nature and life, intended to vindicate divine providence [2, 8]. The name Enoch means "dedicated" or "disciplined" [1].
While the Book of Enoch is not included in the canonical Bibles of Catholicism or Eastern Orthodoxy, it holds a unique historical and theological significance. The Epistle of Jude in the New Testament directly quotes from the Book of Enoch (Jude 1:14-15), which is the first trace of its existence in biblical literature [2, 8]. Early Christian writers freely appropriated visions from Enoch, and some scholars note parallels between the Book of Enoch and New Testament concepts such as "the Son of man sitting upon the throne of his glory," "new heaven" and "new earth," and "everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his angels" [7, 9].
Despite its influence on early Christian thought, the Book of Enoch did not become part of the official canon for most Christian traditions. The Catholic Church's list of Old Testament books, as outlined in the Catechism of the Catholic Church, includes books like Tobit, Judith, 1 and 2 Maccabees, Wisdom of Solomon, and Sirach, but not Enoch [4]. Similarly, the Eastern Orthodox tradition, as described by John of Damascus, organizes the Old Testament into "Pentateuchs" and other writings, but Enoch is not listed among them [3]. The Anglican Thirty-Nine Articles of Religion also list books considered apocryphal, such as the "rest of the Book of Esther" and "The Second Book of Esdras," but Enoch is not mentioned in this context [5, 6].
The rediscovery of the complete Ethiopic translation of the Book of Enoch in 1773 by James Bruce brought it back into scholarly attention [2]. Its absence from the canon does not diminish its historical importance for understanding the development of certain theological ideas within early Judaism and Christianity [9].
Sources
- Hitchcock's Bible Names “Hitchcock's Bible Names: Enoch — dedicated; disciplined”
- 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. ”
- 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”
- Catechism of the Catholic Church (Catholic) “Catechism of the Catholic Church, 3. the anagogical sense (Greek: anagoge, "leading"). We can view (part 2): 2 Kings, 1 and 2 Chronicles, Ezra and Nehemiah, Tobit, Judith, Esther, 1 and 2 Maccabees, Job, Psalms, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, the Song of Songs, the Wisdom of Solomon, Sirach (Ecclesiasticus), Isaiah, Jeremiah, Lamentations, Baruch, Ezekiel, Daniel, Hosea, Joel, Amos, Obadiah, Jonah, Micah, Nahum, Habakkuk, Zephaniah, Haggai, Zachariah and Malachi. The New Testament: the Gospels according to Matthew, Mark, Luke and John, the Acts of the Apostles, the Letters of St. Paul to the Romans, ”
- Thirty-Nine Articles of Religion (Anglican) “Thirty-Nine Articles of Religion (Anglican, 1571), The rest of the Book of Esther: The rest of the Book of Esther”
- Thirty-Nine Articles of Religion (Anglican) “Thirty-Nine Articles of Religion (Anglican, 1571), The Second Book of Esdras: The Second Book of Esdras”
- 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 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”