Value And Authority Of Book Of Enoch

The Book of Enoch is an ancient apocryphal work that purports to contain revelations given to Enoch and Noah, covering various aspects of nature and life, and aiming to vindicate divine Providence ^[1]. Though known in antiquity, it was lost to Western Christendom for nearly a thousand years until its rediscovery in the late 18th century when James Bruce brought three Ethiopic manuscripts back from Egypt in 1773 ^{[1, 4]}.

The primary biblical reference to Enoch's prophecy appears in the Epistle of Jude, which quotes Enoch, "the seventh from Adam," prophesying about the Lord coming with ten thousands of His saints to execute judgment (Jude 1:14-15) ^{[1, 9]}. This direct quotation from Jude has led to discussions about the book's authority. Tertullian, an early Church Father, argued for its divine inspiration, stating that "every scripture suitable for edification is divinely inspired" and that the Jews' rejection of it, like other scriptures speaking of Christ, should not surprise Christians ^[2]. He supported his view by appealing to Jude's testimony ^[2].

However, the Book of Enoch is not included in the canon of sacred scripture for most Christian traditions. While early Christianity freely appropriated its visions for constructive dogmas, the book eventually fell into oblivion in the West ^[4]. The Jamieson, Fausset & Brown Commentary on Jude suggests that while the Holy Spirit, through Jude, sealed the truth of the specific prophecy quoted, the book itself might have derived this tradition, as Jude also did, from a common source ^[6]. Some scholars even propose that the Book of Enoch copied from Jude rather than the other way around ^[6].

Despite its non-canonical status, the Book of Enoch significantly influenced early Jewish and Christian thought. It contains numerous concepts and phrases that parallel those found in the New Testament. For instance, themes such as "the Son of man sitting upon the throne of his glory," the "new heaven" and "new earth," the "many habitations" of the elect, and "the everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his angels" are found in both Enoch and the New Testament ^[7]. These parallels suggest that the authors of the New Testament were familiar with Enochian concepts, even if they did not consider the entire book to be divinely inspired scripture ^[7].

Archbishop Richard Laurence, who translated the Ethiopic text into English, recognized that the visions in the Book of Enoch preceded the teachings of Jesus ^{[3, 9]}. He noted that the book provides credible proof of Jewish opinions regarding the Messiah before Christ's birth ^[3]. This pre-Christian origin is further supported by scholarly analysis suggesting the book was written by a Jew residing in Palestine, likely around the time of the Parthian invasion of Syria in 54 B.C. ^[11]. The author, believing himself inspired in a post-prophetic age, used the name of Enoch to authenticate his enthusiastic forecasts of the Messianic kingdom ^[8].

The book's contents include a wide range of topics, from the fall of angels and their offspring (the Nephilim) to detailed eschatological visions of judgment and the coming kingdom of God ^[1]. It also touches on moral exhortations, such as warnings against pride and the fleeting nature of wealth ^[10]. While some traditions, like Catholicism, disregard its contents because it is not in their sacred canon, its historical and theological significance as a window into intertestamental Jewish thought and its influence on early Christian language remain notable ^[5].

Sources

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. ”
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”
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”
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 27: to favour a merely human system which anticipated the Trinitarian theosophy of alleged revelation: is it not possible that further delay in presenting the world with the Ethiopic text of Enoch, may suggest to adverse critics, that Oxford neglects the Hebrew patriarch for the same reason that Rome slighted the Athenian philosopher? Archbishop Laurence’s translation, now however, places the Book of Enoch within the reach of all English readers. Catholics may disregard its contents, as it is not found in the sacred Canon of their infallible Churc”
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 ”
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 24: earth,—a superstition still further confirmed by universal belief in miracles, wrought, not merely by the Supreme, but by subordinate powers, whether good or evil. Thus far we learn that the Book of Enoch was published before the Christian era by some great Unknown of Semitic race, who, believing himself to be inspired in a post-prophetic age, borrowed the name of an antediluvian patriarch to authenticate his own enthusiastic forecast of the Messianic kingdom. And as the contents of his marvellous Book enter freely into the composition of the ”
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 112: will not be permanent, but shall suddenly ascend from you, because you have obtained it all iniquitously; to extreme malediction shall you be delivered up. 9. And now I swear to you, ye crafty, as well as simple ones; that you, often contemplating the earth, you _who are_ men, clothe yourselves more elegantly[262] than married women, and both together more so than unmarried ones, everywhere _arraying yourselves_ in majesty, in magnificence, in authority, and in silver: but gold, purple, honour, and wealth, like water, flow away. 10. Erudition”
Introduction “1 Enoch (Book of Enoch), Introduction, section 6: this language with the invasion of Syria by the Parthians in the year 54 B.C., and their defeat of Anthony eighteen years later, “when the credit of the Parthian arms was at the highest; and it is probable that about the same period, or at least not long after, the Book of Enoch was written.” The question now naturally arises, How was this work of fiction accepted within so short a period, as the genuine production of the patriarch Enoch? The Archbishop answers by showing, through internal evidence, that the book was written by a Jew residing a”

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