Book of Enoch

  Religious scripture — by Enoch (ascribed to) (-300?)

The Book of Enoch, also known as 1 Enoch, is an ancient Hebrew apocalyptic religious text traditionally attributed to the patriarch Enoch. It contains unique material on the origins of demons and Nephilim, the reasons why some angels fell from heaven, and a prophetic exposition of the thousand-year reign of the Messiah. The oldest sections are estimated to date from 300–200 BC, with the latest part around 100 BC. The text, thought to be originally written in Aramaic or Hebrew, is found in various fragments, including the Dead Sea Scrolls. It is recognized as canonical scripture only by the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church and is generally considered non-canonical by other Jewish and Christian groups.

Manuscripts and history

The most extensive early manuscripts of the Book of Enoch are in Ge’ez, divided into two families by Robert Henry Charles in his 1906 edition. The older family α includes six manuscripts, closer to earlier Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek versions. The more recent family β consists of eleven edited texts. Additionally, manuscripts used by the Ethiopian Orthodox Church in translating deuterocanonicals from Ge’ez to Amharic are noted. The discovery of eleven Aramaic fragments in Qumran in 1948 further supports the text’s antiquity. Greek, Coptic, Latin, and Syriac versions of the text or its parts also exist, with varying degrees of completeness and correlation to the Ethiopian text.

The Book of Enoch is a complex, multi-authored work spanning from 200 BC to AD 160. It is a collection of Jewish apocalyptic traditions, with its oldest fragments dating to 200–150 BCE, suggesting its origins in the 3rd century BCE. This text differs from traditional Hebrew Bible materials, introducing unique concepts like Enochic Judaism and differing on views of evil, purity, and eschatology. The Qumran community’s interest in the Book of Enoch faded over time, and its relationship with the Essenes, especially regarding sections not found in Qumran, is debated. Rabbinic literature largely ignores Enoch, but it influenced Jewish mysticism and Christian doctrines.

Contents and structure

The Book of Enoch is divided into five major sections:

  • The Book of the Watchers (1 Enoch 1–36): This section describes the descent of the Watchers, angels who fathered the Nephilim (giants) with human women. It includes Enoch’s journeys to heaven and the subsequent judgment upon the Watchers.

  • The Book of Parables (1 Enoch 37–71): This part contains three parables concerning a future judgment and deliverance of the righteous.

  • The Astronomical Book (1 Enoch 72–82): Also known as the Book of the Heavenly Luminaries, this section details a solar and lunar calendar and the movement of celestial bodies.

  • The Book of Dream Visions (1 Enoch 83–90): This segment recounts the history of Israel in the form of a dream that Enoch has, using animals to symbolize different human groups.

  • The Epistle of Enoch (1 Enoch 91–108): This final part includes exhortations and warnings to the righteous, prophecies of doom for the wicked, and a final apocalypse.

Canonicity

The Book of Enoch was widely read during the Second Temple period, as evidenced by numerous copies found among the Dead Sea Scrolls. Today, it is considered canonical only by the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church’s Beta Israel community. The Jewish tradition, except for this group, does not accept the Book of Enoch as part of its canonical scriptures. The book’s rejection is primarily due to its inconsistencies with Torah teachings and its introduction of concepts, such as the angel Phanuel, not found in other scriptures. Additionally, its use of material from the Torah, such as midrashic interpretations, and detailed descriptions of fallen angels, contributed to its exclusion from the Hebrew canon. In Christianity, the Book of Enoch was mostly excluded from the biblical canon by the 5th century, remaining part of the scriptural tradition only in the Ethiopian and Eritrean Orthodox Churches.

See also

Topics

Religion Mythology The Tradition
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