Mythra Posted February 19, 2006 Share Posted February 19, 2006 I've briefly scanned the book of Enoch, but I haven't really studied it. Anyone familiar with it? What do you think of the following account? From this Nor is this the full story - for there is now evidence suggesting that the story of the crucifixion of Christ may have been borrowed from it. The Book of Enoch contains a remarkable final part written between 95 BC and 65 BC - describing the expectation of the coming of a Messiah. Amazingly, it even has a lament about the slaying of the 'Righteous' - written fully a century before the date assigned to the crucifixion of Christ! Based on this discovery, some scholars now hold that the story of the crucifixion of Christ, which forms the main part of the Gospels, is no more than a later concoction that combines this with the Roman execution of a Zealot rebel leader made to look like this story of the 'slaying of the Righteous' - a messianic figure! This goes to explain why the early Church fathers wanted to destroy all copies of the Book of Enoch and almost succeeded. The Jews were later made to bear the weight of this imaginary murder. In removing from the Bible and then destroying all copies of the Book of Enoch, the Christian Fathers of the third century AD sought to eliminate every trace of its influence on the Bible. Also banned was a companion work known as the Book of the Secrets of Enoch. Not a single copy of it was known for nearly fifteen centuries. A few copies have now been recovered from Russia and other eastern European countries. Dated to between 30 BC and AD 70, it is even more strongly messianic in spirit and language than the Book of Enoch. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Taphophilia Posted February 19, 2006 Share Posted February 19, 2006 I'm a little familiar with it. I haven't studied it either, just read about it. From what I know, it's not widely appreciated outside scholarship. Enoch doctrines were used by the early Chrstians. E. Isaac who translated Enoch in 1983 writes: "There is little doubt that 1 Enoch was influential in molding New Testament doctrines concerning the nature of the Messiah, the Son of Man, the messianic kingdom, demonology, the future, resurrection, final judgment, the whole eschatological theater, and symbolism. No wonder, therefore, that the book was highly regarded by many of the apostolic and Church Fathers [1986, 10]. Enoch influenced Matthew, Luke, John, Acts, Romans, and several other New Testament books. The punishment of the fallen angels described in 2 Peter seems to come directly from 1 Enoch, as does much of the imagery and even wording in Revelation. The Epistle of Jude contains the most dramatic evidence of its influence when it castigates “enemies of religion” as follows: It was to them that Enoch, the seventh in descent from Adam, directed his prophecy when he said: “I saw the Lord come with his myriads of angels, to bring all men to judgment and to convict all the godless of all the godless deeds they had committed, and of all the defiant words which godless sinners had spoken against him (Jude 14- 15).” Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Raphael Posted February 20, 2006 Share Posted February 20, 2006 I was fasinated with the Book of Enoch. Apparently, Enoch traveled in and out of heaven during his life-time and wrote several books. Talks about trees of the earth, the cycles of the sun & moon, the layers of the heavens up to #7 where rule has been set up over Chaos, and much more. I think even an Xian would enjoy it. Mythra ~ Enoch's great but, I'd really like to know what you think about ~ The Origin of the World or The Revelation of Adam to Seth. They should be on the lost books list. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
loves_learning Posted February 24, 2006 Share Posted February 24, 2006 Mythra, you're such a smart person...but I seriously wonder about some of these websites you come up with! Anyway, yes, I studied the book of Enoch, and I think that the website is mostly full of crap. But, there is no doubt that a revolutionary-type message was fairly popular circa the time of Christ. The Dead Sea Scrolls have some books about the "sons of light and the sons of darkness" battling it out at the end of time and such. So, I don't think that that BOOK necessarily influenced early christian writings...but I think they were popular themes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Onyx Posted February 24, 2006 Share Posted February 24, 2006 I've read Enoch and ALL 100 chapter of it. I can see why it was cut out. Too long. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Foxy Methoxy Posted February 24, 2006 Share Posted February 24, 2006 I've read Enoch. I thought it helped lend a little background to Old Testament mythology. I was always bothered by the fact the Enoch's story is mentioned in a couple of places in the Bible (Genesis and Jude), but his actual story is never included. As far as the book itself, I think the controversy surrounding it is a bit strange. It was evidently removed as the result of a debate about whether or not angels can manifest as flesh and blood. Why this issue made this book such a lightning rod that curses were spoken against it and scrolls were burned in an attempt to erradicate the text, I'll never understand. Another book that I think supplements understanding of Old Testament mythology nicely is The Chaldean Account of Genesis. Very dry reading with tons of footnotes. If nothing else, it will work as an effective sleep aid. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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