Bible Canon Q & A
Q. I have hit a small difficulty in understanding a part of the Bible. Enoch is mentioned in Genesis 5:21-24, Hebrews 11:5, and Jude 14. It's the Jude reference that gets me.
I understand that Enoch lived 65 years, walked with God for 300 more years and then ceased (as in God took him up). What I don't understand is the reference in Jude when he talks about Enoch's Judgment Day revelation (in verse 14). In my Life Application Study Bible, the footnotes refer to a "Book of Enoch"... what's with that?
A. The Book of Enoch is a book written between the Old and New Testaments. Probable date of writing was between 150-80 B.C. Copies of the Book of Enoch have been found among the Dead Sea scrolls. If this date is accurate, obviously the Book of Enoch was not written by the real Enoch who lived before the flood.
Your question raises the whole issue of what books are inspired by God and what books are not. There are many other Jewish writings from this time period which are like the book of Enoch, such as the books of Maccabees, The Wisdom of Solomon, Judith, Tobit, etc. These books give supposed prophesies, visions, and history of the Jewish people between the Testaments. Protestants usually call these books the Apocrypha (Greek, apokruphos = "hidden") and do not consider them inspired writings...
However, it's not just Protestants that think the book of Enoch is suspect. The Roman Catholic Church doesn't consider the book inspired either. The Roman church does include books in their Bible that Protestants don't, but Enoch is not one of them. So this is not an issue that divides Roman Catholics and Protestants...
Jude's quotation of the book of Enoch does not mean that Jude considered it inspired... Jude simply uses a passage from the book of Enoch to prove his point about the coming judgment of wicked men.
Now back to Jude's quotation from the Book of Enoch. Jude's quotation of the book of Enoch does not mean that Jude considered it inspired. The book of Enoch was a well respected writing among some of the Jews in New Testament times. Even though it was not inspired, it contains some truth (and some falsehood - like angels marrying humans) like most books. Jude simply uses a passage from the book of Enoch to prove his point about the coming judgment of wicked men. It would be similar to me appealing to a book by some famous author: "Even Tim LaHaye in the Left Behind series talks about the judgment of wicked men when he says...".
Other New Testament quotations from, or allusions to, non-Biblical works include Paul's quotations of Aratus (Acts 17:28), Menander (1 Corinthians 15:33) and Epimenides (Titus 1:12). Such usage in no way suggest that the quotations, or the books from which they were taken, are divinely inspired. It only means that the Biblical author found the quotations to be helpful confirmation, clarification, or illustration.
This excerpt is a direct quote from the online resource, Frankly Answered Questions - FAQs.
Related
The Biblical Archaeology Society discusses the content of fragments of Enoch 1 which were found at Qumran among the Dead Sea Scrolls. For more on the Bible Canon, see "How Were the Books of the Bible Chosen?" by Chrysalis.
Take a moment to visit this week's Christian Carnival at Jennifer's great blog, Diary of 1.
Up Next—Humor: Bible Bloopers
Are you as certain of the coming judgment of God as Jude was?
Photo: zachstern (Flickr)
Q. I have hit a small difficulty in understanding a part of the Bible. Enoch is mentioned in Genesis 5:21-24, Hebrews 11:5, and Jude 14. It's the Jude reference that gets me.
I understand that Enoch lived 65 years, walked with God for 300 more years and then ceased (as in God took him up). What I don't understand is the reference in Jude when he talks about Enoch's Judgment Day revelation (in verse 14). In my Life Application Study Bible, the footnotes refer to a "Book of Enoch"... what's with that?
A. The Book of Enoch is a book written between the Old and New Testaments. Probable date of writing was between 150-80 B.C. Copies of the Book of Enoch have been found among the Dead Sea scrolls. If this date is accurate, obviously the Book of Enoch was not written by the real Enoch who lived before the flood.
Your question raises the whole issue of what books are inspired by God and what books are not. There are many other Jewish writings from this time period which are like the book of Enoch, such as the books of Maccabees, The Wisdom of Solomon, Judith, Tobit, etc. These books give supposed prophesies, visions, and history of the Jewish people between the Testaments. Protestants usually call these books the Apocrypha (Greek, apokruphos = "hidden") and do not consider them inspired writings...
However, it's not just Protestants that think the book of Enoch is suspect. The Roman Catholic Church doesn't consider the book inspired either. The Roman church does include books in their Bible that Protestants don't, but Enoch is not one of them. So this is not an issue that divides Roman Catholics and Protestants...
Jude's quotation of the book of Enoch does not mean that Jude considered it inspired... Jude simply uses a passage from the book of Enoch to prove his point about the coming judgment of wicked men.
Now back to Jude's quotation from the Book of Enoch. Jude's quotation of the book of Enoch does not mean that Jude considered it inspired. The book of Enoch was a well respected writing among some of the Jews in New Testament times. Even though it was not inspired, it contains some truth (and some falsehood - like angels marrying humans) like most books. Jude simply uses a passage from the book of Enoch to prove his point about the coming judgment of wicked men. It would be similar to me appealing to a book by some famous author: "Even Tim LaHaye in the Left Behind series talks about the judgment of wicked men when he says...".
Other New Testament quotations from, or allusions to, non-Biblical works include Paul's quotations of Aratus (Acts 17:28), Menander (1 Corinthians 15:33) and Epimenides (Titus 1:12). Such usage in no way suggest that the quotations, or the books from which they were taken, are divinely inspired. It only means that the Biblical author found the quotations to be helpful confirmation, clarification, or illustration.
This excerpt is a direct quote from the online resource, Frankly Answered Questions - FAQs.
Related
The Biblical Archaeology Society discusses the content of fragments of Enoch 1 which were found at Qumran among the Dead Sea Scrolls. For more on the Bible Canon, see "How Were the Books of the Bible Chosen?" by Chrysalis.Take a moment to visit this week's Christian Carnival at Jennifer's great blog, Diary of 1.
Up Next—Humor: Bible Bloopers
Are you as certain of the coming judgment of God as Jude was?Photo: zachstern (Flickr)
![[image]](http://mowser.com/img?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.christianwomenonline.net%2Fcwo_chicklet.jpg)
8 comments:
Thanks for Christian Carnival link! The extra-biblical writings are so interesting, and even if not canonized, I think they have value as points of reference.
I will return to think later... right now my Mom is up and I need to tend to her.
But... I do believe judgment is inevitable... sin must serve its sentence.
Very thought provoking stuff! ...as always. The book of enoch is online if anyone wants to look it up, as is the apocrypha. Thanks e-mom!
Jennifer Absolutely, I agree with you.
Connie Marie: I love your Mom! Yes, judgment is certainly a given.
Christie: Hey, thanks for stopping by! And thanks for the heads up regarding the online resources.
I do believe in the coming Judgment and we are to always be ready.
Hugs,
Lori
Great stuff hee e-Mom as always. As far as the judgement questions. Yikes... for sure judgement is inevitable... I hold out hope for many to come to Christ before that day.
Love you. Have a great wwekend. Hugs~
Interesting stuff.
Yes judgment is coming-the Bible tells us so.
Much love,
Angela
Lori: Yes: we are always to be ready. :~D
Lynn: You're an evangelist then! You're so full of hope for the lost. :~D
Angela: I'm glad you place your faith in what the Bible teaches.
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