What is the book of Enoch? Why it is not in the Bible?

The Book of Enoch

The first Book of Enoch, also known as the Ethiopic Book of Enoch, is a pseudepigraphal work that is not included in any canon of scripture. The only complete version available today is an Ethiopic translation of a prior Greek translation, which was formed in Palestine from the original Hebrew or Aramaic texts.

I Enoch is a compilation of several separate works, most of which are apocalyptic in nature. Its oldest section is the “Apocalypse of Weeks,” which was recorded shortly before the Maccabean uprising of 167 BC. Other components, particularly those related to astronomical and cosmological speculations, are difficult to date. Due to its perspectives on messianism, celibacy, and the state of the soul after death, some sections of I Enoch may have originated from the Essene community of Jews at Qumran.

However, no fragments of the longest portion of the work (chapters 37-71) were discovered among the Qumran writings. This has led scholars to believe that this part was likely composed in the 2nd century AD by a Jewish Christian who sought to propagate his own eschatological ideas under the authority of Enoch, attaching his writings to the four older apocryphal Enoch texts. Fragments of similar writings were found at Qumran, such as the Testaments of the Twelve Patriarchs, a pseudepigraphical work containing the dying commands of the twelve sons of Jacob, dated to the 2nd century AD.

The fragments of the Book of Enoch were brought to Europe by James Bruce in the late 18th century and were translated into English in the 19th century. Interestingly, no scholar believes that this book was genuinely authored by Enoch.

Enoch in the Bible

According to the Bible, Enoch, the great-grandfather of Noah, was the son of Jared (Genesis 5:18). He lived seven generations after Adam (Genesis 5:1-24) and was a holy man who walked closely with God. The Bible states that he did not die; instead, it says the Lord “took him away” (Genesis 5:24; Hebrews 11:5). Thus, he is one of the two individuals taken up to heaven without dying, the other being Elijah (2 Kings 2:1-18).

The Book of Enoch is referenced in Jude: “Enoch, the seventh from Adam, prophesied about these men: ‘See, the Lord is coming with thousands upon thousands of his holy ones to judge everyone, and to convict all the ungodly of all the ungodly acts they have done in the ungodly way, and of all the harsh words ungodly sinners have spoken against him’” (Jude 14-15). However, this quote does not confirm that the Book of Enoch we have today is the same as the one referenced, nor does it imply that it was inspired or written by Enoch himself. The following sections will clarify why.

Not Part of the Bible

While it is clear that Enoch made the statements found in Jude 1:14, this does not mean he authored the entire book or any of its parts. The Book of Enoch was not accepted into the canon of Holy Scripture due to flawed doctrines that do not align with Biblical truths. Here are some of the errors it contains:

One claim in the Book of Enoch is that a demon named Gadreel led Eve astray, introducing weaponry to humanity. However, the Bible states that it was the angel Satan who used the serpent to deceive Eve in the Garden of Eden (Ezekiel 28:13).

Additionally, the Book of Enoch narrates how 200 angels, known as Watchers, rebelled against heaven. These fallen angels descended to earth, married human women, and fathered the Nephilim, described as giants measuring 450 feet tall (chapter 7:12-15).

These fallen angels asked Enoch to intercede on their behalf with God after He announced their final judgment. However, this teaching is not supported by scripture. Jesus clearly stated that angels do not marry, as seen in Mark 12:25: “For when they shall rise from the dead, they neither marry, nor are given in marriage; but are as the angels which are in heaven.”

Moreover, the first chapter of the Book of Enoch, which claims to have been written before the flood, describes the existence of summer and winter. However, the Bible indicates that seasons were established after the flood: “And in the second month, on the seven and twentieth day of the month, was the earth dried… While the earth remaineth, seedtime and harvest, and cold and heat, and summer and winter, and day and night shall not cease” (Genesis 8:14 & 22). Before the flood, the earth was watered solely by dew (Genesis 2:6).

The Outline of the Book

The Book of Enoch discusses the origins of demons and the Nephilim, the fallen angels, and the necessity of the Genesis flood. It also provides prophetic insights into the thousand-year reign of the Messiah. The book is divided into five major sections:

1. The Book of the Watchers – angels and demons (1 Enoch 1-36).
2. The Book of Parables of Enoch (1 Enoch 37-71), also known as the Similitudes of Enoch.
3. The Astronomical Book (1 Enoch 72-82), also referred to as the Book of the Heavenly Luminaries or Book of Luminaries.
4. The Book of Dream Visions (1 Enoch 83-90), also called the Book of Dreams.
5. The Epistle of Enoch (1 Enoch 91-108).

The first part of the Book of Enoch presents the fall of the “Watchers,” who were angels that fathered the Nephilim. The remainder of the book details Enoch’s revelations and his journeys to heaven through visions and dreams.

The book also includes “The Apocalypse of Weeks,” which briefly recounts human history in a series of weeks. Additionally, it contains excerpts from the Book of Noah, a non-extant Old Testament pseudepigraphal work attributed to Noah. Most scholars believe that these five sections were originally independent writings later compiled into what is now known as 1 Enoch.

You can read the Book of Enoch online.

The Book of the Secrets of Enoch

The Book of the Secrets of Enoch is another pseudepigraphal fragment. This book was part of a collection of early manuscripts recently discovered in Russia and Serbia. It has been preserved only in Slavonic. Not much is known about its origin, except that it was written during the early Christian era. Its final editor was Greek, and it was composed in Egypt.

The Book of Enoch has been examined and tested by biblical scholars, who concluded that it was neither inspired nor authored by Enoch. Consequently, this book was excluded from the Holy Canon. It appears that the book was written by someone else after the flood. Most Christian churches do not include the Book of Enoch in the Bible. However, despite the evidence against its inspiration, some early Christian groups, such as the Ethiopian Orthodox Church, still accept sections or all of 1 Enoch as inspired.