What Is 1 Enoch and Why Does Jude Quote It?

Reposted from The Gospel Coalition

By Matthew Harmon

When we turn the page from the end of the Old Testament to the beginning of the New Testament, we often fail to realize that a single page turn hides about a 400-year period. A lot happened during those centuries, including the writing and compiling of literature that reflected on the events and promises found in the Old Testament.

A whole body of literature, often referred to as Second Temple Jewish literature, arose that helped form the larger theological culture of the Jewish people into which Jesus was born. These writings provide an important background for understanding what different Jewish groups believed during the New Testament period.

One of the more significant Jewish writings from this period is what we refer to today as 1 Enoch. It’s actually a compilation of five independent works written between the fourth century BC and the first century AD. The central character is Enoch, who never died; instead, “Enoch walked with God, and he was not, for God took him” (Gen. 5:24).

Because of his mysterious departure from earth, Enoch became a legendary figure in ancient Jewish tradition. Over time, a rich body of literature grew up around him. The book of 1 Enoch centers on the heavenly visions Enoch experienced when he was taken into heaven. Angelic beings (referred to as “Watchers”) reveal future events within God’s plan for human history and, in particular, his people.

What makes 1 Enoch especially interesting is that the epistle of Jude quotes from it. In a section describing false teachers, Jude writes:

It was also about these that Enoch, the seventh from Adam, prophesied, saying, ‘Behold, the Lord comes with ten thousands of his holy ones, to execute judgment on all and to convict all the ungodly of all their deeds of ungodliness that they have committed in such an ungodly way, and of all the harsh things that ungodly sinners have spoken against him.’” (Jude 1:14–15; italicized words are from 1 Enoch)

At first glance, it can be unsettling that Jude quotes from a Jewish text that isn’t in the Old Testament. But a closer look at 1 Enoch and how the biblical authors use nonbiblical writings builds our confidence in Scripture and provides a glimpse into the world of the biblical authors.

What Is 1 Enoch?

The section of 1 Enoch that Jude quotes from is known as the Book of Watchers (1 Enoch 1–36), which focuses on the fall of rebellious angels, their role in promoting evil among humanity, and God’s plan to judge both these rebellious angels and wicked humanity.

The passage Jude draws from opens with the author recounting a vision of God descending from heaven to execute judgment on all the earth (1 Enoch 1:1–9). His coming brings cosmic destruction and the declaration of judgment. Those deemed righteous or elect will enjoy peace, mercy, and blessing (vv. 2–8), while the wicked (angelic and human alike) face destruction as the consequence of their rebellion against God (v. 9). Jude appears to draw on this final verse.

Believe it or not, Jude citing 1 Enoch is not the only example of a biblical author using nonbiblical writings. For example, Jude’s earlier reference to angels abandoning their proper dwelling and being judged (1:6) likely reflects an interpretation of Genesis 6:1–4 found in Jewish writings, including 1 Enoch 6–21. Jude 1:9 also refers to the angel Michael and Satan arguing over possession of Moses’s body, an event not described in Scripture but likely drawn from a document known as the Testament of Moses. So what are we to make of biblical authors using these nonbiblical Jewish texts?

Continue reading at TGC