Why Stay Away from the Book of Enoch

The Book of Enoch has intrigued researchers, religious scholars, and other eager readers for more than 2000 years. Many call it “1 Enoch,” because there are other historic writings labeled after the patriarch. Lots of other people refer to it as “Ethiopic Enoch” since the only full version of it exists in the Ethiopian language. Whatever you choose to call the book, it’s among the most widely known rejected records in Jewish and Christian history.

The speculation over the Book of Enoch is mainly owing to the biblical figure named in its title. Genesis contains an amazing detail of Enoch in chapter five, which takes into account a legacy that discusses his incredible faith. According to the narrative, Enoch “walked” in communion with his God (5:22, 24a). It also discloses that Enoch never biologically died, but instead, “God took him” (5:24b, ESV).

In the contemporary age, the Book of Enoch has attracted the interest of science-fiction aficionados because of the extraordinary storylines and beings in the book, such as the Watchers and also conspiracy theorists who think conservative Judaism and the Christian church have wrongfully dismissed its doctrines.

Here’s 5 reasons why you should Stay Away from the Book of Enoch:

The Enoch that Genesis 5 discusses is not the author of the book

Historians and academics reach a consensus that the Book of Enoch is a collection of texts from multiple authors. The oldest parts of the book, according to scholars, can be traced to 300 B.C. The earliest portions are dated to 100 A.D. [1] Therefore, the creation of the book took place between three and four thousand years after the life of the historic figure Enoch.

The book’s authors claimed that the Enoch referenced in Genesis 5 was the author, however it is clear that this is not the case. The authors chose Enoch’s name because they believed it would draw a huge audience that they hoped to persuade to agree with their position on a specific social issue involving priesthood marriage.

The Book of Enoch’s fame doesn’t mean God inspired it

A lot of people have considered the Book of Enoch captivating prior to the birth of Jesus Christ. For instance, the book was found in the Dead Sea Scrolls, which were written millennia before Christ. The caves at Qumran, in which people discovered the scrolls stored 11 fragments of the book. But nonetheless, their appearance doesn’t insinuate its inspiration, as many non-biblical texts were found in the scrolls.

The Book of Enoch continues to pique people’s interest even more than 2,000 years later. People recognize several of the creatures and events it identifies in pop culture. For example, the Nephilim are explored in science-fiction tv show like The X-Files and computer games like Payday 2. Likewise, the Watchers, are associated with new science-fiction books like James Rollins’ The Bone Labyrinth.

In contrast to some conspiracy theories, the Christian church did not choose which writings God inspired and which ones he did not. The process of selection wasn’t driven by a desire to strengthen the church’s position of authority or the political system of the Roman Empire. Rather, representatives unearthed what books God inspired and catalogued them to produce the Bible.

Because the Book of Enoch does not show the hallmarks of inspiration, no historical school of the Christian church has added it to their Bible. Initially, a few early church leaders supported utilizing the book in churches, primarily because Jude made reference to it. Some later reversed their decision after studying more about it.

Enoch’s aim is inconsistent with what the Bible says.

The Book of Enoch was written by a variety of people, all of whom had specific motives. However, scholars generally believe that it isn’t aimed to educating readers about the biblical God, the patriarch named in Genesis 5, or to assist them in applying biblical truth to their own lives.

The first segment of the text, which contains 36 chapters, is titled The Book Watchers. Some scholars think that this chapter serves to back up a specific perspective on priestly marriage, which was a contentious subject in the Jewish community some 300 years before Christ.

At the era, some Jews believed that priests must only wed the virgin daughters of other clerics. Advocates suspected that limiting marriage to a tiny minority of holy servants would maintain the purity of the office. Others believed it was acceptable for priests to marry people outside of that limited group.

According to certain theories, the writer of the Book of Watchers section favored the idea that priests should wed other priests’ daughters. Instead of going after his opponents directly, he criticizes the Watchers for engaging in immoral unions and sexual activities.

Jude’s quote from Enoch doesn’t imply the book is inspired

New Testament researcher Thomas Schreiner opines, “We do not need to conclude, however, that the entire book is part of the canon of Scripture. Jude most likely quoted a passage from 1 Enoch that he believed to be a true prophesy. Perhaps he made reference to Enoch because his detractors admired the writing, and in doing so, he turned their own weapons against them.”

The New Testament influenced Enoch, not vice versa

Some argue that the Book of Enoch should be treated as inspired since a number of its teachings correspond with those found in the New Testament.

Examples of this erroneous way of thinking can be found in Wikipedia’s overview of the book. For instance, one argues, “There is little doubt that 1 Enoch was influential in molding New Testament doctrines about the Messiah, the Son of Man, the messianic kingdom, demonology, the resurrection, and eschatology.”

The authors who made this assertion and similar ones misrepresented its significance. That viewpoint has been thrown into doubt continually and increasingly recently, according to one expert, particularly in light of the Qumran fragments’ discovery.

FAQ

Is the Book of Enoch Full of Secrets?

The Book of Enoch is heavily symbolic and tough to read. And thus, you might need assistance from a theologian to understand the text.

Who in the Bible didn’t die before entering heaven?

The Bible claims that Enoch and Elijah were taken up into heaven while they were still alive and not physically died.

What religion accepts the Book of Enoch?

Enoch was initially welcomed by the Christian Church but was eventually removed from the bible. Its continued existence is owing to the obsession of marginal and apostate Christian communities, such as the Manichaeans, with its polytheistic blending of Iranian, Greek, Chaldean, and Egyptian elements.