There has been a renewed interest in the Book of Enoch as people sincerely grapple to understand the origins of the evil we see today, the nature of angels and demons, and the end times.
The Book of Enoch is an ancient Hebrew apocalyptic religious text and contains stories of the origins of the demons and Nephilim The book is consistent with the fall of “the watchers”, or angels, as referenced in Genesis 6:1-2: “The sons of God saw that the daughters of men were fair and took them as wives.” It includes
Even though these elements may be consistent with some references in the Bible, this does not necessarily mean it is inspired Scripture.
Wes Huff (my favorite historian, theologian and Bible scholar) discusses what is hidden in the Book of Enoch.
18 very fascinating minutes.
What is most commonly known as ‘the Book of Enoch’ is only the first book. The entire text is actually a collection of three different books. 2 and 3 Enoch are much shorter and thought to have been written later, at a different time. Copies of the earliest sections of the first book of Enoch were found among the Dead Sea Scrolls at Qumran, indicating that while they are not a part of the Biblical Canon, they were used as historical books for teaching and learning.
In fact, it is referenced by Jude, the half-brother of Jesus, in Jude 14-15.
Because only sections of 1 Enoch were found in the Dead Sea Scrolls, there is debate on when the Book of Enoch was written and who the author is. Some think it was written between 200-300 BC, which would be after the book of Malachi, and before the New Testament. Others believe the first Book of Enoch was written much earlier by the patriarch whose name it bears, Enoch, who was the father of Methuselah and the great-grandfather of Noah. Because it is a compilation of several separate works, there could be several different authors over a time span of many years.
Why Was the Book of Enoch Not Included in the Biblical Canon?
The Book of Enoch is not recognized as the inspired Word of God or a part of the Biblical Canon. The word canon, in classical Greek, means straight rod or ruler and refers to any officially recognized collection of authoritative writings for a religion or group. To be included in the Canon of Scripture, a book has to fit into certain parameters set by early church leaders.
“These books were largely decided on by virtue of three factors: their divine qualities, reception by the churches, and connection to an apostle,” writes Michael J. Kruger at The Gospel Coalition.
There were a variety of reasons for a book to be rejected as a part of the Canon. Some of those include shifts in tone that don’t fit the style and narrative of the book and could have been added later. The extra stories of Esther are a clear example of this one. Another reason is the lack of manuscript evidence.
The Biblical Canon was ratified by the third Council of Carthage around 397 A.D, and the Book of Enoch was not included as a part of the Canon. While some parts of the Book of Enoch contain value, at some point, the book diverges from a biblical view, and the early church did not consider it consistent with other books of scripture. Therefore, it was not included in the Biblical Canon, or what we know to be the Holy Bible today.
Did Early Christians Read and Quote the Book of Enoch?
Early Christians did read and quote the Book of Enoch. As mentioned before, it is referenced in the Book of Jude, and it appears the early church was familiar with teachings from the book. In fact, Tertullian and Origen, both early Christian writers, wrote about it, so we can confidently say it was well known within the early church.
We can also assuredly say that while it’s clear the Book of Enoch was not a part of the Biblical Canon, it was used as a historical book for teaching and learning because copies of the earliest sections of 1 Enoch were found among the Dead Sea Scrolls. The early church would have been familiar with the teachings and understood them. In fact, some of its contents, especially that of Noah in book three, could have been legendary for early Christians.
While the early church would have known it as a historical and literary book, they would not have recognized it as sound theological teaching, and we shouldn’t either.
5 Key Themes In the Book
• The Fall of the Watchers: The book recounts how a group of angels, known as the Watchers, descended to Earth and took human wives, producing hybrid offspring called the Nephilim. This act of disobedience led to their imprisonment and the corruption of humanity.
• The Divine Judgment: Enoch witnesses a divine judgment against the Watchers and the Nephilim, which ultimately culminates in the Great Flood.
• The Celestial Realms: The book provides detailed descriptions of the heavenly realms, including the different levels of heaven and the celestial bodies that inhabit them.
• The Coming of the Messiah: Enoch prophesies about the coming of a righteous figure, often identified with the Messiah, who will bring about a new era of peace and justice.
• The Afterlife: The book explores the concept of the afterlife, describing the rewards of the righteous and the punishment of the wicked. (source)
Which Churches Still Recognize the Book Today?
Today, the Ethiopian Orthodox Church is the only Church that considers the book of Enoch to be scripture, and makes that recognition because of its appearance in Jude, but no other major denomination considers it to be inspired Scripture.
The Book of Enoch is identified in the Pseudepigrapha, which is a large collection of Jewish writings not included in the Biblical Canon, and they are generally considered to have been written between the Old Testament and the New Testament.
Pseudepigrapha comes from the Greek word pseudo, which means false, and ephigraphein, which means to inscribe or write falsely. This doesn’t mean these are false teachings, only that they are not a part of the Biblical Canon.
These are not to be confused with the books of the Apocrypha (Greek for “secret”), which are generally recognized by the Roman Catholic Church, the Eastern Orthodox Church, and a few other groups as scripture, but not by the Protestant church.
What Does the Bible Say about Extra-Biblical Writings?
While extra-biblical writings can offer valuable insights and context, they are not divinely inspired and should be read with discernment, serving as a tool to understand Scripture, not replace it.
2 Timothy 3:16 states, “All Scripture is God-breathed and useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting, and training in righteousness…”
John offers a warning in Revelation to those who add or subtract from the Inspired Word of God. Revelation 22:18-19 states, “If anyone adds anything to them, God will add to that person the plagues described in this scroll. And if anyone takes words away from this scroll of prophecy, God will take away from that person any share in the tree of life and in the Holy City, which are described in this scroll.”
Ultimately, the Holy Bible is the final authority for believers and should always be used as the final “ruler” by which we interpret other texts.
Conclusion: Is It Okay for Christians to Read the Book of Enoch?
Yes, it is okay for Christians to read the Book of Enoch, as long as it is read within the context of historical documents, and not as the inspired Word of God. Christians should read it with a discerning heart, understanding it is not authoritative or doctrinal.
The world has always had a large number of ideas, religions, and agendas, from early in the Old Testament to today. A Christian’s job is to read the Holy Bible as the ultimate standard and use other teachings as a way to discern the differences between the inspired Word of God and other religious books.
In fact, Christians read countless other books that are not a part of the Canon, and the Book of Enoch should be treated the same. It is another book to add to your tools to understand and speak intelligently with others.
Remember, the Book of Enoch was read by the early Church and known well enough to be referenced by Jude, and therefore, Christians can read it as we read other books—with discernment.
To learn more about the spiritual foundations of our current place in history, economics, politics, science and prophecy (and why Jesus said ‘the Last Days would be like the days of Noah’), I decided to get and read Rob Skiba’s book Babylon Rising.
There will be fascinating times ahead as the earth prepares for the coming of our Savior.
“The secret things belong to the Lord our God, but the things revealed belong to us and to our children forever, that we may follow all the words of this law.” ~Deuteronomy 29:29
“For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places.” ~Ephesians 6:12
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