Jude 14–15 comprises one of many New Testomony’s extra eyebrow-raising strains. Jude delivers a prophecy with wording that carefully resembles 1 Enoch, a e-book that isn’t within the Bible. What are we to make of this?
On this episode of What within the Phrase?, Kirk E. Miller welcomes Wes Huff to unpack why Jude’s Enoch citation issues, what we will responsibly say about its origins, and the way understanding Second Temple Jewish literature can truly make clear Jude’s pastoral level relatively than distract from it.
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Episode visitor: Wesley Huff
Wesley Huff was born in Multan, Pakistan, and spent a portion of his childhood within the Center East. He’s at the moment the Vice President for Apologetics Canada and has been a visitor on a wide range of the world’s prime public platforms. He has participated in quite a few public dialogues, debates, and interfaith occasions on problems with perception and faith throughout the globe.
He holds a BA in sociology from York College, a masters of theological research from Tyndale College, and is at the moment doing a PhD in New Testomony on the College of Toronto’s Wycliffe Faculty.
Episode synopsis
Jude’s use of 1 Enoch & why it’s puzzling
Jude’s wording seems to be a direct reference to 1 Enoch, a group of Jewish writings attributed to Enoch however broadly understood to not have been written by the pre-flood Enoch (Gen 5:21–24). In reality, Wes notes that Jude’s reference is the one “arguably unambiguous” citation in his letter: not only a thematic echo or allusion, however a transparent illustration of a recognizable supply.
This prompts a sequence of questions:
- Is Jude quoting 1 Enoch or simply alluding to an Enochian custom?
- How did first-century Jews and early Christians view Enochian literature, and the way may this inform Jude’s enchantment to it right here?
- If he’s quoting it, is Jude treating 1 Enoch as Scripture? In different phrases, does this indicate that Jude thinks 1 Enoch is impressed and even canonical?
- And if 1 Enoch isn’t canonical, does Jude’s use of it create issues for Jude’s personal authority and canonicity?
- Additional, did Jude consider the historic Enoch truly spoke these phrases, when actually we all know them to be pseudepigraphal? And, in that case, does this imply Jude was in error right here?
What do we all know concerning the e-book of 1 Enoch?
What we name 1 Enoch is definitely a compiled quantity of various items of literature that seemingly circulated independently and had been later gathered right into a single doc. Wes outlines its main sections and their generally proposed dates, emphasizing that the gathering spans centuries and displays themes typical of the intertestamental interval (the time between the Previous and New Testaments).
Importantly, the one full surviving copy of 1 Enoch exists in a later Ethiopic (Geʽez) manuscript custom, whereas fragments seem in Greek, Coptic, Latin, and Aramaic, together with some from the Lifeless Sea Scrolls. This underscores that Enochian materials wasn’t obscure. It circulated broadly sufficient to go away manuscript traces in a number of contexts.
Understanding pseudepigraphical writings
To make sense of why Jude may reference this sort of supply, we have to perceive some fundamentals of pseudepigraphical writings.
These had been writings attributed to well-known biblical figures (like Adam, Abraham, Moses, Baruch, Ezra, Enoch, and many others.), though not written by them and composed a lot later. These texts flourished through the intertestamental interval and sometimes belong to the style of apocalyptic literature, which is characterised by symbolic visions, cosmic battle, decisive divine intervention, and judgment with end-time hopes. In brief, apocalyptic literature was continuously about God making all issues proper in the long run. The Essenes, a bunch of sectarian Jews in Qumran who broke away from the non secular institution of Jerusalem and are liable for lots of the Lifeless Sea Scrolls, produced many of those writings.
First Enoch suits inside this physique of literature as a pseudepigraphical work with many apocalyptic themes.
Is Jude truly quoting 1 Enoch?
The mainstream scholarly view is that Jude is quoting 1 Enoch, particularly 1:9.
Nevertheless, Jude is writing in Greek, and this explicit part of 1 Enoch is Aramaic. So both Jude would have used a Greek translation of this portion of 1 Enoch, which we now not possess, or he translated the Aramaic into Greek for his viewers. So there are some minor variations between Jude’s wording and the model of 1 Enoch 1:9 that we possess.
Thus, some students contend Jude is almost certainly not quoting the textual type of 1 Enoch 1:9 that we possess at this time. As a substitute, Jude could also be drawing from a broader Enochian custom, presumably an oral or literary stream that sits behind each Jude’s phrasing and a later compiled type of 1 Enoch.
Was 1 Enoch thought of canonical?
How would these in Jude’s day have seen 1 Enoch? Particularly, did they consider it derived from the historic Enoch of Genesis, and did they revere it as Scripture?
Based on Wes, there wasn’t a hegemony amongst Jewish teams, however the normative Jewish place was that Enoch was not Scripture. Likewise, early Christian canon lists don’t embrace Enoch, though many commend it as “helpful.” The acknowledged books amongst Jews belonged to the Tanakh: the Torah (the 5 books of Moses), the Nevi’im (the Prophets), and the Ketuvim (the Writings), which equate to the thirty-nine books of the Protestant Previous Testomony. Nevertheless, some Jewish non secular teams held to a hierarchy, seeing the later writings as worthwhile however the Torah as superior.
Nonetheless, some communities—particularly the Qumran neighborhood related to the Lifeless Sea Scrolls—appear to have valued sure non-canonical texts extremely. Thus, for some, books like 1 Enoch held some standing as worthwhile and useful even when that standing didn’t equal canonical Scripture.
“Apocrypha” has turn into a catch-all time period for these writings exterior of accepted canon. This, after all, doesn’t imply such works are essentially dangerous or heretical. Reasonably, we must always strategy akin to books traditionally informative. They provide us a window into what completely different Jewish communities debated, anticipated, feared, and hoped for within the centuries main as much as Jesus and the apostles.
Does Jude’s attribution of prophecy to Enoch problem inerrancy?
If Jude calls this “prophecy” and attributes it to Enoch, after we know the e-book of 1 Enoch wasn’t truly written by Enoch, does that expose a mistake or error in Jude’s writings? On the contrary, Wes counters that we must always let the proof of Scripture inform our doctrine of Scripture.
Wes observes that the New Testomony sometimes references exterior sources to speak successfully inside their cultural second with out thereby canonizing these sources. For instance, Paul makes use of non-biblical writers, akin to wider Greco-Roman sources. These citations may be rhetorical and pastoral with out implying an endorsement of your entire worldview or corpus behind the citation. Likewise, Jude can deal with a selected assertion from 1 Enoch as true and helpful for his argument with out thereby implying your entire Enochian corpus is genuine or impressed Scripture.
Jude was amongst a bunch of New Testomony writings that had questions on its canonicity, whether or not it needs to be thought of genuine Scripture. However so far as Wes is conscious, dialogue round Jude’s canonicity was not on account of its Enochian reference. Reasonably, it was largely because of the church’s need to determine its chain of custody in order that it may very well be authentically traced again to Jude.
Why does Jude use Enochian materials within the first place?
So why does Jude use 1 Enoch, anyway?
Based on Wes, Jude’s enchantment to Enochian custom capabilities inside his bigger polemic in opposition to ungodliness, false educating, and speculative distractions. Wes observes Jude’s repeated emphasis on ungodliness and judgment and the broader New Testomony warnings in opposition to “myths and countless genealogies” (e.g., 1 Tim 1:4; Titus 3:9). Wes maintains that Jude addresses a neighborhood atmosphere the place speculative traditions—particularly round angels, cosmic battle, and Genesis 6—had been leveraged in ways in which minimized human duty.
Thus, Jude’s use of 1 Enoch is strategic: He deploys a practice his viewers is aware of and respects, utilizing it to sharpen the warning that the actual disaster shouldn’t be on account of angelic impurity, which might place it exterior of human accountability. Reasonably, sin and evil stem from human insurrection.
Sensible steerage for lecturers & preachers
Lastly, how ought to somebody train Jude 14–15 with out both ignoring questions associated to its use of 1 Enoch or letting these points eclipse Jude’s precise level?
Scripture was written for you, however to not you. So right here, as we perceive who Jude is writing to, we’re higher capable of perceive why that is written for us. Specifically, understanding Jude’s first-century context, particularly the literature of Second Temple Judaism, helps us interpret what Jude is doing and the way it could land along with his first viewers, and by extension, what it means for us at this time. And when educating this passage to others, we can assist them see the worth of this background context, as nicely.
Wes explains, “The Jewish custom in 1 Enoch, and notably within the e-book of the Watchers, which is the part that’s being referenced, are exactly these countless genealogies of angels, which couldn’t be confirmed and concerned speculating about Genesis 6:1–4.” So we, likewise, ought to “keep away from countless myths, conspiracies which might be unhelpful” and, as a substitute, give attention to what issues: “constructing yourselves up in your most holy religion and praying within the Holy Spirit, maintain yourselves within the love of God, ready for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ that results in everlasting life” (Jude 20–21).
As Kirk explains, when educating it may be vital to handle points your viewers could also be confused about, like Jude’s use of 1 Enoch. On the identical time, it’s vital to not get derailed and let such issues eclipse the precise message of the textual content, on this case Jude’s exhortation. Ideally, lecturers will wish to pull in background issues to the extent that they illuminate one’s exegesis and exposition with out getting so hung up on them that they overshadow the burden of a passage.
Logos values considerate and fascinating discussions on vital biblical subjects. Nevertheless, the views and interpretations offered on this episode are these of the people talking and don’t essentially mirror the official place of Logos. We acknowledge that Christians might maintain completely different views on this passage, and we welcome numerous engagement and respectful dialogue.
Tell us what you assume
What do you make of Jude’s use of 1 Enoch? Be a part of us within the Phrase by Phrase group to share your ideas.
Wes Huff’s beneficial sources for additional examine
Hermeneia: 1 Enoch 1: A Commentary on the E-book of 1 Enoch, Chapters 1–36; 81–108 (Herm)
Sources on Jude
Associated content material
Jude 14–15 comprises one of many New Testomony’s extra eyebrow-raising strains. Jude delivers a prophecy with wording that carefully resembles 1 Enoch, a e-book that isn’t within the Bible. What are we to make of this?
On this episode of What within the Phrase?, Kirk E. Miller welcomes Wes Huff to unpack why Jude’s Enoch citation issues, what we will responsibly say about its origins, and the way understanding Second Temple Jewish literature can truly make clear Jude’s pastoral level relatively than distract from it.
Observe the present on YouTube, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and extra.
Join with us
Prepared to extend biblical literacy? Like and share. To go the additional mile, go away us a evaluate in your most popular platform. See all of our episodes.
Subscribe to get future episodes. (Bonus: We’ll ship you a reduction to make use of in your first buy.)
Thanks for subscribing to Phrase by Phrase!
Use code WORDBYWORD to avoid wasting 10% in your first order.
WORDBYWORD
Copy code
Episode visitor: Wesley Huff
Wesley Huff was born in Multan, Pakistan, and spent a portion of his childhood within the Center East. He’s at the moment the Vice President for Apologetics Canada and has been a visitor on a wide range of the world’s prime public platforms. He has participated in quite a few public dialogues, debates, and interfaith occasions on problems with perception and faith throughout the globe.
He holds a BA in sociology from York College, a masters of theological research from Tyndale College, and is at the moment doing a PhD in New Testomony on the College of Toronto’s Wycliffe Faculty.
Episode synopsis
Jude’s use of 1 Enoch & why it’s puzzling
Jude’s wording seems to be a direct reference to 1 Enoch, a group of Jewish writings attributed to Enoch however broadly understood to not have been written by the pre-flood Enoch (Gen 5:21–24). In reality, Wes notes that Jude’s reference is the one “arguably unambiguous” citation in his letter: not only a thematic echo or allusion, however a transparent illustration of a recognizable supply.
This prompts a sequence of questions:
- Is Jude quoting 1 Enoch or simply alluding to an Enochian custom?
- How did first-century Jews and early Christians view Enochian literature, and the way may this inform Jude’s enchantment to it right here?
- If he’s quoting it, is Jude treating 1 Enoch as Scripture? In different phrases, does this indicate that Jude thinks 1 Enoch is impressed and even canonical?
- And if 1 Enoch isn’t canonical, does Jude’s use of it create issues for Jude’s personal authority and canonicity?
- Additional, did Jude consider the historic Enoch truly spoke these phrases, when actually we all know them to be pseudepigraphal? And, in that case, does this imply Jude was in error right here?
What do we all know concerning the e-book of 1 Enoch?
What we name 1 Enoch is definitely a compiled quantity of various items of literature that seemingly circulated independently and had been later gathered right into a single doc. Wes outlines its main sections and their generally proposed dates, emphasizing that the gathering spans centuries and displays themes typical of the intertestamental interval (the time between the Previous and New Testaments).
Importantly, the one full surviving copy of 1 Enoch exists in a later Ethiopic (Geʽez) manuscript custom, whereas fragments seem in Greek, Coptic, Latin, and Aramaic, together with some from the Lifeless Sea Scrolls. This underscores that Enochian materials wasn’t obscure. It circulated broadly sufficient to go away manuscript traces in a number of contexts.
Understanding pseudepigraphical writings
To make sense of why Jude may reference this sort of supply, we have to perceive some fundamentals of pseudepigraphical writings.
These had been writings attributed to well-known biblical figures (like Adam, Abraham, Moses, Baruch, Ezra, Enoch, and many others.), though not written by them and composed a lot later. These texts flourished through the intertestamental interval and sometimes belong to the style of apocalyptic literature, which is characterised by symbolic visions, cosmic battle, decisive divine intervention, and judgment with end-time hopes. In brief, apocalyptic literature was continuously about God making all issues proper in the long run. The Essenes, a bunch of sectarian Jews in Qumran who broke away from the non secular institution of Jerusalem and are liable for lots of the Lifeless Sea Scrolls, produced many of those writings.
First Enoch suits inside this physique of literature as a pseudepigraphical work with many apocalyptic themes.
Is Jude truly quoting 1 Enoch?
The mainstream scholarly view is that Jude is quoting 1 Enoch, particularly 1:9.
Nevertheless, Jude is writing in Greek, and this explicit part of 1 Enoch is Aramaic. So both Jude would have used a Greek translation of this portion of 1 Enoch, which we now not possess, or he translated the Aramaic into Greek for his viewers. So there are some minor variations between Jude’s wording and the model of 1 Enoch 1:9 that we possess.
Thus, some students contend Jude is almost certainly not quoting the textual type of 1 Enoch 1:9 that we possess at this time. As a substitute, Jude could also be drawing from a broader Enochian custom, presumably an oral or literary stream that sits behind each Jude’s phrasing and a later compiled type of 1 Enoch.
Was 1 Enoch thought of canonical?
How would these in Jude’s day have seen 1 Enoch? Particularly, did they consider it derived from the historic Enoch of Genesis, and did they revere it as Scripture?
Based on Wes, there wasn’t a hegemony amongst Jewish teams, however the normative Jewish place was that Enoch was not Scripture. Likewise, early Christian canon lists don’t embrace Enoch, though many commend it as “helpful.” The acknowledged books amongst Jews belonged to the Tanakh: the Torah (the 5 books of Moses), the Nevi’im (the Prophets), and the Ketuvim (the Writings), which equate to the thirty-nine books of the Protestant Previous Testomony. Nevertheless, some Jewish non secular teams held to a hierarchy, seeing the later writings as worthwhile however the Torah as superior.
Nonetheless, some communities—particularly the Qumran neighborhood related to the Lifeless Sea Scrolls—appear to have valued sure non-canonical texts extremely. Thus, for some, books like 1 Enoch held some standing as worthwhile and useful even when that standing didn’t equal canonical Scripture.
“Apocrypha” has turn into a catch-all time period for these writings exterior of accepted canon. This, after all, doesn’t imply such works are essentially dangerous or heretical. Reasonably, we must always strategy akin to books traditionally informative. They provide us a window into what completely different Jewish communities debated, anticipated, feared, and hoped for within the centuries main as much as Jesus and the apostles.
Does Jude’s attribution of prophecy to Enoch problem inerrancy?
If Jude calls this “prophecy” and attributes it to Enoch, after we know the e-book of 1 Enoch wasn’t truly written by Enoch, does that expose a mistake or error in Jude’s writings? On the contrary, Wes counters that we must always let the proof of Scripture inform our doctrine of Scripture.
Wes observes that the New Testomony sometimes references exterior sources to speak successfully inside their cultural second with out thereby canonizing these sources. For instance, Paul makes use of non-biblical writers, akin to wider Greco-Roman sources. These citations may be rhetorical and pastoral with out implying an endorsement of your entire worldview or corpus behind the citation. Likewise, Jude can deal with a selected assertion from 1 Enoch as true and helpful for his argument with out thereby implying your entire Enochian corpus is genuine or impressed Scripture.
Jude was amongst a bunch of New Testomony writings that had questions on its canonicity, whether or not it needs to be thought of genuine Scripture. However so far as Wes is conscious, dialogue round Jude’s canonicity was not on account of its Enochian reference. Reasonably, it was largely because of the church’s need to determine its chain of custody in order that it may very well be authentically traced again to Jude.
Why does Jude use Enochian materials within the first place?
So why does Jude use 1 Enoch, anyway?
Based on Wes, Jude’s enchantment to Enochian custom capabilities inside his bigger polemic in opposition to ungodliness, false educating, and speculative distractions. Wes observes Jude’s repeated emphasis on ungodliness and judgment and the broader New Testomony warnings in opposition to “myths and countless genealogies” (e.g., 1 Tim 1:4; Titus 3:9). Wes maintains that Jude addresses a neighborhood atmosphere the place speculative traditions—particularly round angels, cosmic battle, and Genesis 6—had been leveraged in ways in which minimized human duty.
Thus, Jude’s use of 1 Enoch is strategic: He deploys a practice his viewers is aware of and respects, utilizing it to sharpen the warning that the actual disaster shouldn’t be on account of angelic impurity, which might place it exterior of human accountability. Reasonably, sin and evil stem from human insurrection.
Sensible steerage for lecturers & preachers
Lastly, how ought to somebody train Jude 14–15 with out both ignoring questions associated to its use of 1 Enoch or letting these points eclipse Jude’s precise level?
Scripture was written for you, however to not you. So right here, as we perceive who Jude is writing to, we’re higher capable of perceive why that is written for us. Specifically, understanding Jude’s first-century context, particularly the literature of Second Temple Judaism, helps us interpret what Jude is doing and the way it could land along with his first viewers, and by extension, what it means for us at this time. And when educating this passage to others, we can assist them see the worth of this background context, as nicely.
Wes explains, “The Jewish custom in 1 Enoch, and notably within the e-book of the Watchers, which is the part that’s being referenced, are exactly these countless genealogies of angels, which couldn’t be confirmed and concerned speculating about Genesis 6:1–4.” So we, likewise, ought to “keep away from countless myths, conspiracies which might be unhelpful” and, as a substitute, give attention to what issues: “constructing yourselves up in your most holy religion and praying within the Holy Spirit, maintain yourselves within the love of God, ready for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ that results in everlasting life” (Jude 20–21).
As Kirk explains, when educating it may be vital to handle points your viewers could also be confused about, like Jude’s use of 1 Enoch. On the identical time, it’s vital to not get derailed and let such issues eclipse the precise message of the textual content, on this case Jude’s exhortation. Ideally, lecturers will wish to pull in background issues to the extent that they illuminate one’s exegesis and exposition with out getting so hung up on them that they overshadow the burden of a passage.
Logos values considerate and fascinating discussions on vital biblical subjects. Nevertheless, the views and interpretations offered on this episode are these of the people talking and don’t essentially mirror the official place of Logos. We acknowledge that Christians might maintain completely different views on this passage, and we welcome numerous engagement and respectful dialogue.
Tell us what you assume
What do you make of Jude’s use of 1 Enoch? Be a part of us within the Phrase by Phrase group to share your ideas.
Wes Huff’s beneficial sources for additional examine
Hermeneia: 1 Enoch 1: A Commentary on the E-book of 1 Enoch, Chapters 1–36; 81–108 (Herm)
Sources on Jude
Associated content material
