Book of Enoch: Errors and Problems

[KiwiChristian]

The Book of Enoch uses unfamiliar terminology, referring to the "Lord of Spirits" and the "Head of Days." These terms are foreign to the Word of God. The messiah is NOT directly mentioned. The ambiguous mention of what may or may not be the Lord Jesus in the Book of Enoch, is eerily reminiscent of Freemasonry (who worship the "Great Architect" ...an undefined, ambiguous, universal god).  This is the false god of New Age. It is worthy to note that Christ's deity is not evidenced in the Book of Enoch. 

It appears that many statements in the Book of Enoch were taken from the Bible, and then built around with mumbo-jumbo. Many terms from the Biblical Book of Revelation are quoted in the Book of Enoch; but without any sense or reason (in sharp contrast to the Bible). All 66 Books of the Word of God perfectly intertwine with each other, presenting a clear prophetic picture. The Book of Enoch doesn't offer anything of doctrinal value, because it's bizarre teachings stand alone (i.e., unable to be supported with Scriptures).  Some defenders of the Book of Enoch contend that Jesus often quoted from the Book of Enoch. Prove it! 

Every Scripture Jesus ever quoted is found in the Old Testament, without any reference to a Book of Enoch. The strongest argument in favor of the Book of Enoch is found in Jude 1:14, "And Enoch also, the seventh from Adam, prophesied of these, saying, Behold, the Lord cometh with ten thousands of his saints." Since this quote is NOT found in the Old Testament, some scholars have used this fact in an attempt to legitimize the entire Book of Enoch. We read in chapter 1:9 of the Book of Enoch...

And behold! He cometh with ten thousands of His holy ones To execute judgment upon all, And to destroy all the ungodly: And to convict all flesh Of all the works of their ungodliness which they have ungodly committed, And of all the hard things which ungodly sinners have spoken against Him.

However, there is no Biblical record of a "Book of Enoch." There is NO doubt that Enoch made these statements as Jude 1:14 confirms; but that doesn't necessarily mean that he authored the entire Book of Enoch (or ANY of it for that matter). It's a question of who copied who? And remember, the Author of the Bible is GOD; not men... "For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost" (2nd Peter 1:21). To elevate the Book of Enoch to the level of God's Word is dangerous, unless it is truly God's Word! If Enoch did write the Book of Enoch, it raises the natural question of whether or not the work was inspired by God? The King James translators,48 scholarly men skilled in the Hebrew and Greek languages, DIDN'T! Many godly men today write good books; but they are still flawed human beings, prone to sin, who aren't always doctrinally correct in every area. It would be a great evil to recognize their writings as EQUAL with God's Word (the Bible). 

Jesus condemned following the TRADITIONS of men over the commandments of God (Mark 7:6-13). Even king David warned against trusting men rather than God (Psalm 118:8). This is why Seventh-Day Adventists are a false religion, because they elevate the writings of Ellen G. White as EQUAL with the Bible. Scientologists do the same, by elevating the writings of Ron Hubbard as EQUAL with the Bible. Catholics are woefully guilty of elevating the teaching of the Vatican, fabricated over the centuries, as EQUAL with God's Word. Regardless of whether Enoch wrote the Book of Enoch or not, it is abundantly clear to the Biblically-sound believer that it is NOT inspired by God. It is also possible that Enoch's preaching was exploited and deliberately misconstrued after his death. The FACT of the matter is that the Book of Enoch is clearly a watered-down, heretical, manuscript filled with mumbo-jumbo. Unlike the Bible, the Book of Enoch doesn't appear to be going anywhere.

The Book of Enoch is a square peg which just doesn't fit anywhere. The wording is vague—a popular method of deception which Satan uses! Listen to the average televangelist these days and you'll get a watered-down sermonette; but hear no clear Gospel presentation. The occult is all about confusing people, which is why so many otherwise decent men join such a Satanic organization as Freemasonry. Benny Hinn's website appears to present the basic Gospel; but he is a known Catholic, who believes good works are necessary for salvation. 

[Guest shiloh357]

9 minutes ago, Jude1:3 said:

Yes you are wrong. It Does Glorify God.

And yet, it doesn't present the Gospel or anything that inspired Scripture presents as it glorifies God.   Scripture glorifies God because it speaks to God's redemptive nature, it manifests His character and preaches the true Gospel.   Enoch doesn't.  That is why it is not included as Scripture.

If you knew the Scriptures, you would know the difference.

[Justin Adams]

Let us read Enoch if we want to. A lot of your reasoning is circular anyway.

Thanks.

[Guest shiloh357]

2 minutes ago, Justin Adams said:

Let us read Enoch if we want to. A lot of your reasoning is circular anyway.

Thanks.

No, it is not circular at all.

[Jude1:3]

2 hours ago, KiwiChristian said:

and the fourth, who is set over the repentance unto hope of those who inherit eternal life, is named Phanuel.’ 
 

The Bible never mentions an angel named Phanuel, let alone an angel who is set over the repentance of those who inherit eternal life. 

 

You know that Michael is set over Israel right ?

“At that time Michael shall stand up,
The great prince who stands watch over the sons of your people;
And there shall be a time of trouble,
Such as never was since there was a nation,
Even to that time.
And at that time your people shall be delivered,
Every one who is found written in the book.

• Daniel 12:1

 

 

It's Not saying that Phanuel is the mediator between God and man. It's saying that He presides over repentance and the hope of those who will inherit eternal life.

The Laurence Version says this:

The second is he who presides over every suffering and every affliction of the sons of men, the holy Raphael. The third, who presides over all that is powerful, is Gabriel. And the fourth, who presides over repentance, and the hope of those who will inherit eternal life, is Phanuel. These are the four angels of the most high God, and their four voices, which at that time I heard.

•1 Enoch 40:9

http://reluctant-messenger.com/1enoch01-60.htm#Chapter40

Edited September 20, 2017 by Jude1:3

[Justin Adams]

"The people who take the book of Enoch seriously don't promote the glory of God."

NICE.

After reading these various, "humble points of view", I am in no doubt that many will want to NOW check out the Book(s) of Enoch.

[Jude1:3]

24 minutes ago, shiloh357 said:

And yet, it doesn't present the Gospel

It's a Pre Christian book that many many times refers to The Son of Man and makes references to Him being Worshipped and the Gentiles being saved in His Name:

 

And from henceforth there shall be nothing corruptible;
For that Son of Man has appeared,
And has seated himself on the throne of his glory,
And all evil shall pass away before his face,
And the word of that Son of Man shall go forth
And be strong before the Lord of Spirits.

• Enoch 69:29

 

And at that hour that Son of Man was named
In the presence of the Lord of Spirits,
And his name before the Head of Days.

Yea, before the sun and the signs were created,
Before the stars of the heaven were made,
His name was named before the Lord of Spirits.

He shall be a staff to the righteous whereon to stay themselves and not fall,
And he shall be the light of the Gentiles,
And the hope of those who are troubled of heart.

All who dwell on earth shall fall down and worship before him,
And will praise and bless and celebrate with song the Lord of Spirits.

And for this reason hath he been chosen and hidden before Him,
Before the creation of the world and for evermore.

And the wisdom of the Lord of Spirits hath revealed him to the holy and righteous;
For he hath preserved the lot of the righteous,
Because they have hated and despised this world of unrighteousness,
And have hated all its works and ways in the name of the Lord of Spirits:
For in his name they are saved,
And according to his good pleasure hath it been in regard to their life.

• 1 Enoch.48.2-6

 

 

[Jude1:3]

4 minutes ago, Justin Adams said:

"The people who take the book of Enoch seriously don't promote the glory of God."

NICE.

After reading these various, "humble points of view", I am in no doubt that many will want to NOW check out the Book(s) of Enoch.

 

To be Clear I'm referring just to 1 Enoch.

 I have no idea about 2nd and 3rd Enoch.

[Justin Adams]

The Inspiration and Interpretation of Scripture: What the Early Church Can Teach Us. By Michael Graves. Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans, 2014. 
It is not surprising that a book such as this one should come from the hand of Graves, who authored two notable volumes on Jerome that include a new translation of Jerome's Commentary on Jeremiah (2012). By contrast this monograph casts a wider net seeking to capture a broader overview of how the early Church Fathers in general understood and interpreted biblical texts as the inspired word of God. 
G.'s study begins with the premise that patristic authors accepted the historicity or the literal truth of Scripture, but that this acceptance was far from uncritical, and it was informed by methods of interpretation that were "very much at home within the cultural context of the Greco-Roman world" (9). Building on this premise, G. explores 20 "entailments" or axioms that flow from the patristic approach built into five concise chapters. Indeed, this book's economy in content and organization is one of its strongest characteristics. Each of the five chapters begins with a set of related axioms derived from a reading of the Church Fathers--for example, that Scripture is useful for instruction and has multiple senses, or speaks in riddles and enigmas that are then illuminated by a study of selected passages from the Fathers. Origen, Jerome, and Augustine figure most prominently, but G. presents many other passages from lesser-known patristic authors. He also draws on insights from contemporary non-Christian texts by authors such as Philo, Josephus, and later rabbinic writers, as well as the Qur'an, to demonstrate the dependence of the Fathers on widely accepted principles of literary interpretation. 
Of course, any student of the Fathers is well aware that they do not all speak with one voice, especially on the issue of the divine inspiration of biblical texts and even less so on the correct method of interpreting these texts as the inspired word of God. Moreover, much of what the Fathers have written about Scripture would prove foreign to modern readers. G. concedes both of these points, agreeing that there is diversity in the patristic biblical interpretation, and that not all the material gleaned from the Fathers' exegetical writings has equal value for contemporary biblical scholarship. Still, the exercise brings valuable insight for the modern interpreter, in part because some of the issues that bedeviled ancient scholarship remain unresolved. So, for example, the early exegetes were way ahead of modern literary critics of the Bible in recognizing that Scripture often employs modes of expression that are sometimes puzzling and cannot be clarified by adherence to a simple historical or literal interpretation. As such, interpreters must move beyond the literal sense to "theological interpretation," admitting that "the message of Scripture is not always equivalent to the intention of its human writer" (135). 
However, it is also true to say that patristic exegetes often resorted to interpretive methods that would not win many adherents today. Returning to the example cited above, the early church, when confronted with puzzling modes of expression in biblical texts, saw such "riddles and enigmas" as opportunities to seek "deeper meanings" through allegorical elucidation. While some of the later Fathers did recognize the "marvelous sublimity" of the Bible (79), many failed to fully appreciate the general artistry or specific literary strategies employed by the authors. This approach was not unique to the early church. G. points out that in Greco-Roman literary circles, allegorical interpretations of mythological or legendary compositions were common. Even Homer's epics were allegorized to uncover deeper, metaphysical connotations. 
In conclusion, one could agree with G. that surveying the Fathers' views of biblical inspiration and the "entailments" thereof highlights the timeless value of a "rich and complex reading of Scripture," which in turn "underscores the element of subjectivity involved in interpretation" (147). The Fathers' unique insights and collective wisdom demonstrate that, while every generation of the church reads Scripture as an authoritative revelation from God, such readings are governed by the culture of the day. As a window onto the vibrancy and diversity of biblical interpretation in the early church, this book will benefit the scholar and casual reader alike. 

https://www.thefreelibrary.com/The+Inspiration+and+Interpretation+of+Scripture%3a+What+the+Early...-a0405678115

[Guest shiloh357]

2 hours ago, Jude1:3 said:

It's a Pre Christian book that many many times refers to The Son of Man and makes references to Him being Worshipped and the Gentiles being saved in His Name:

 

And from henceforth there shall be nothing corruptible;
For that Son of Man has appeared,
And has seated himself on the throne of his glory,
And all evil shall pass away before his face,
And the word of that Son of Man shall go forth
And be strong before the Lord of Spirits.

• Enoch 69:29

 

And at that hour that Son of Man was named
In the presence of the Lord of Spirits,
And his name before the Head of Days.

Yea, before the sun and the signs were created,
Before the stars of the heaven were made,
His name was named before the Lord of Spirits.

He shall be a staff to the righteous whereon to stay themselves and not fall,
And he shall be the light of the Gentiles,
And the hope of those who are troubled of heart.

All who dwell on earth shall fall down and worship before him,
And will praise and bless and celebrate with song the Lord of Spirits.

And for this reason hath he been chosen and hidden before Him,
Before the creation of the world and for evermore.

And the wisdom of the Lord of Spirits hath revealed him to the holy and righteous;
For he hath preserved the lot of the righteous,
Because they have hated and despised this world of unrighteousness,
And have hated all its works and ways in the name of the Lord of Spirits:
For in his name they are saved,
And according to his good pleasure hath it been in regard to their life.

• 1 Enoch.48.2-6

 

 

And all that proves is that part of it is pre-Christian and parts of it are not.  Most of it was likely written by the Essenes.  It certainly was not written by Enoch and it should not be treated as inspired or as supplemental to Scripture.    It has none of the hallmarks of inspired Scripture.  And it still does not present the gospel.