The Book of Enoch (1 Enoch, Charles translation) · 13 of 141 · tr. R.H. Charles
Page 3 (part 11)
1-10, 18, 19 as a natural sequel, where p.
xxvi [paragraph continues] Enoch summons his children to receive his parting words.
Then comes the Apocalypse of weeks, xciii.
1-10, xci.
12-17.
The original order of the text, therefore, was: xcii.
xci.
1-10, 18, 19, xciii.
1-10, xci.
12-17.
xciv.
These dislocations were the work of the editor, who put the different books of Enoch together, and added lxxx.
and lxxxi." 1 This book is concerned with the question of the final reward of the righteous and the final punishment of the wicked.
.
But a new teaching of great importance is put forth here.
Hitherto it had been taught that although much incongruity and apparent injustice were to be found on this earth owing to the suffering of the righteous and the prosperity of the wicked,.
nevertheless all things would be righted in the world to come, where the wicked would receive their deserts, and the righteous would come to their own.
In this book it is taught that retribution will overtake the wicked, and the righteous will have peace and prosperity, even on this earth, with the setting-up of the Messianic Kingdom; and that at the last there will come, with the final judgement, the destruction of the former heaven and earth, and the creation of a new heaven.
Then will follow the resurrection of the spirits of the righteous dead who will live for ever in peace and joy, while the wicked will perish everlastingly.
The important point, which is a development, is the idea of the punishment of the wicked taking place on this earth, the very scene of their unrighteous triumphs.
vi.
The Noah Fragments (vi.-xi, lvii.
7-lv.
2, ix.
lxv.-lxix.
25, cvi., cvii.).
These fragments are not of much importance; the main topics touched upon are the fall of the angels and sin among men in consequence; judgement on mankind, i.e.
the Deluge, and the preservation of Noah.
The first five chapters are generally field to be as late as any part of the whole collection; they deal with the punishment hereafter of the wicked and p.
xxvii the blessedness of the righteous.
Chapter cviii., which reads like a final word to the whole collection, touches upon the same theme.
THE IMPORTANCE OF THE BOOK FOR THE STUDY OF CHRISTIAN ORIGINS This is a subject which cannot be thoroughly appreciated without studying the book in detail, especially from its doctrinal standpoint, and seeing in how many aspects it represents the doctrine and the popular conceptions of the Jews during the two last pre-Christian centuries.
To do this here would involve a far too extended investigation; it must suffice to indicate a few of the many points which should be studied; from these it will be seen how important the book is for the study of Christian origins.
Charles says that "the influence of 1 Enoch on the New Testament has been greater than that of all the other apocryphal and pseudepigraphical books put together"; and he gives a formidable list of passages in the New Testament which "either in phraseology or idea directly depend on, or are illustrative of, passages in 1 Enoch," as well as a further list showing that various doctrines in 1 Enoch had "an undoubted share in moulding the corresponding New Testament doctrines." These passages should be studied--and they will be found to be a most interesting study--in Charles's work already referred to several times, pp.
xcv.-ciii.; and with these should be read the section on the Theology of the Book of Enoch, pp.
ciii.-cx.
Themes
◆Watchers Descentcosmology
The 1 Enoch narrative in which a class of originally-good angelic beings (the Watchers) descends, mates with women, and teaches forbidden arts — the substrate that Gnostic archons inherits and inverts: archons are born malevolent, the Watchers fall through transgression.
The text summarizes the Noah Fragments section of 1 Enoch as dealing with the fall of the angels and the consequent sin among men.
Final, collective cosmic judgment as an event in which the wicked are sentenced and the cosmos restored; distinct from psychopomp_journey (individual passage at death) and emphasising verdict where Zoroastrian frashokereti emphasises restoration.
[auto] The passage explicitly states the book is concerned with the final reward and punishment, detailing the final judgement, destruction of the old heaven and earth, and creation of a new one.