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The Book of Enoch (1 Enoch, Charles translation) · 65 of 141 · tr. R.H. Charles

Chapter XLVI

XLVI. The Head of Days and the Son of Man . CHAPTER XLVI. 1. And there I saw One who had a head of days, And His head was white like wool, And with Him was another being whose countenance had the appearance of a man, And his face was full of graciousness, like one of the holy angels. 2. And I asked the angel who went with me and showed me all the hidden things, concerning that Son of Man, who he was, and whence he was, (and) p. 64 why he went with the Head of Days? And he answered and said unto me: This is the son of Man who hath righteousness, With whom dwelleth righteousness, And who revealeth all the treasures of that which is hidden, Because the Lord of Spirits hath chosen him, And whose lot hath the pre-eminence before the Lord of Spirits in uprightness for ever. 4, And this Son of Man whom thou hast seen Shall †raise up† the kings and the mighty from their seats, [ And the strong from their thrones ] And shall loosen the reins of the strong, And break the teeth of the sinners. 5. [ And he shall put down the kings from their thrones and kingdoms ] Because they do not extol and praise Him, Nor humbly acknowledge whence the kingdom was bestowed upon them. 6. And he shall put down the countenance of the strong, And shall fill them with shame. And darkness shall be their dwelling, And worms shall be their bed, And they shall have no hope of rising from their beds, Because they do not extol the name of the Lord of Spirits. 7. And these are they who †judge† the stars of heaven, [ And raise their hands against the Most High ] , †And tread upon the earth and dwell upon it†. And all their deeds manifest unrighteousness, And their power rests upon their riches, p. 65 And their faith is in the †gods† which they have made with their hands, And they deny the name of the Lord of Spirits, 8. And they persecute the houses of His congregations, And the faithful who hang upon the name of the Lord of Spirits.
Themes
◆Archonscosmology

Malevolent planetary rulers or demiurgic powers that govern the material world and obstruct the soul's ascent.

The passage mentions those who 'judge the stars of heaven' and raise hands against the Most High, echoing the concept of malevolent cosmic rulers.

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◆Cosmic Dualismtheology

Ontological opposition between two primal principles (light/darkness, truth/lie, spirit/matter) as the fundamental structure of reality.

A sharp distinction is drawn between the righteous (dwelling with righteousness) and sinners (dwelling in darkness with worms).

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◆Divine Hiddennesstheology

The supreme God's radical concealment beyond ordinary knowledge or perception; the Hidden Father.

The Son of Man reveals 'treasures of that which is hidden,' implying a state of divine concealment prior to revelation.

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◆Divine Providencetheology

Pronoia — the doctrine that the divine actively orders the unfolding of the cosmos and human affairs toward intelligible ends, against pure chance or blind necessity.

The text emphasizes that the kingdom was bestowed by God and the Son of Man was chosen by the Lord of Spirits.

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◆Hidden Sayingssoteriology

Esoteric teachings reserved for those ready to receive them; outer meaning conceals an inner liberating truth.

The Son of Man is described as the one who 'revealeth all the treasures of that which is hidden,' indicating esoteric revelation.

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◆Living Godtheology

The divine conceived as active, present, and dynamic—not an abstract principle but a personal responsive reality.

The Lord of Spirits is portrayed as an active agent who chooses, bestows kingdoms, and judges the wicked.

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◆Pneumatic Electsoteriology

A spiritual elite who possess the divine spark and are predestined for salvation, contrasted with psychic (faithful) and hylic (material) persons.

A distinction is made between the 'faithful who hang upon the name' and those who persecute them, implying a spiritual elite.

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◆Renunciation Of Wealthethics

The spiritual danger of attachment to material possessions; wealth as a spiritual obstacle.

The condemned kings are criticized because their power rests upon their riches rather than acknowledging God.

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◆Sacred Namestheology

Divine names or formulas that carry ontological power, used in prayer, liturgy, or magical practice.

Salvation and judgment are contingent upon extolling and acknowledging the 'name of the Lord of Spirits.'

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◇Anthropomorphismtheology

Attributing human characteristics, emotions, or form to the divine; embodied divine imagery.

[auto] Divine beings are explicitly described with human features: the Head of Days has a head white like wool, and the Son of Man has a countenance like a man.

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◇Eschatological Judgmentsoteriology

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 centrally depicts the Son of Man executing final judgment on kings and sinners, sentencing them to darkness and shame.

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Related passages · 15 parallels
◆christian_mysticism|Pseudo-Dionysius: The Divine Names|Chapter 1, Section 1i
“1 . as “God of Gods” and “Lord of Lords”, 108 108 Ps. cxxxvi. 2, 3 . and “Holy of Holies,” 109 109 Isa. vi. 3 . as “Eternal,” 110 110 Deut. xxxiii. 27 . as “Existent” 111 111 Ex. iii. 14 . and as “Creator of Ages,” 112 112 Gen.…”
Both passages describe a divine figure with multiple attributes and roles, emphasizing righteousness and divine authority. The 'Son of Man' in Passage A and the 'Ancient of Days' in Passage B share similarities in their depiction as exalted, righteous, and central to divine judgment and creation.
◆egyptian|The Egyptian Book of the Dead (Papyrus of Ani)|Chapter 19 (part 8)
“, who are these gods?] Mestha, Hapi[1] Tuamautef, and Qebhsennuf. (83) "Homage to you, O ye lords of right and truth, and ye holy ones who [stand] behind Osiris, who utterly do away with (84) sins and crime, and [ye] who are in the followi…”
Both passages describe divine beings who judge and punish the unrighteous. They share a theme of divine justice and the role of specific divine figures in maintaining cosmic order and righteousness.
◆egyptian|The Egyptian Book of the Dead (Papyrus of Ani)|Chapter 33 (part 1)
“PLATE XXVI. underworld fear me, and they (17) fight for me [in their habitations]. I, in very truth I am a shining one and a dweller in light, who hath been created and who hath come into being (18) from the body of the god. I am one of…”
Both passages describe a divine or exalted figure who possesses great authority and is associated with light and righteousness. They also share themes of divine creation and the subjugation of lesser beings or forces.
◆egyptian|The Egyptian Book of the Dead (Papyrus of Ani)|Chapter 37 (part 1)
“PLATES XXXI. AND XXXII. Vignettes: The Hall of Double Right and Truth, wherein Ani has to address severally the forty-two gods, who are seated in a row in the middle of the, hall. At each end is a door that on the right is called "Neb-Ma…”
Both passages describe a judgment scene where the deceased or righteous individual is evaluated based on their moral conduct. In Passage A, Ani confesses his innocence before the gods, while in Passage B, the Son of Man judges the kings and the mighty for their unrighteousness. Both emphasize moral accountability and divine justice.
◆egyptian|The Egyptian Heaven and Hell|Chapter 4 (part 9)
“Entrance to the Boat of Millions of Years was likewise obtained by the knowledge of magical words and formulae, and of the secret names of the great gods, but the food on which lived the beatified souls who succeeded in securing a place in…”
Both passages describe a divine being associated with the afterlife and the judgment of souls. In Passage A, the beatified souls subsist on the emanations of the god Ra, while in Passage B, the Son of Man judges the kings and the mighty. Both texts emphasize the role of divine beings in the afterlife and the transformation or judgment of the souls of the deceased.
◆egyptian|The Egyptian Heaven and Hell|Chapter 25 (part 3)
“Considered from this point of view, the Four Tuats only contain Ten Divisions, or Hours, which corresponded roughly with the Ten GATES of the Kingdom of Osiris, as set forth in many copies of the p. 180 [paragraph continues] Theban Recensi…”
Both passages describe a divine judgment scene where a deity (Osiris in Passage A and the Son of Man in Passage B) judges souls or individuals. They share the theme of reward and punishment based on righteousness, though they come from different mystical traditions.
◆gnosticism|Gospel of Philip|Section 1b
“TRUTH MADE NAMES Truth made names in the world, and without them we can’t think. Truth is one and is many, teaching one thing through the many. RULERS The rulers wanted to fool us, since they saw we were connected with the good. They too…”
Both passages discuss a divine figure (Christ in Passage A and the Son of Man in Passage B) who has a special relationship with the divine and plays a role in judgment and salvation. They share themes of righteousness, divine selection, and the contrast between the righteous and the unrighteous.
◆gnosticism|Pistis Sophia|Document FIRSTe
“And having come, coming unto the World I came unto the midst of the Rulers of the Sphere, I was the likeness of Gabriel the angel of the Aeons, and knew me not the Rulers of the Aeons. But they were thinking that I am Gabriel the angel. I…”
Both passages describe a divine or semi-divine figure interacting with the world and humanity, emphasizing themes of revelation, righteousness, and divine intervention. They share a mystical and eschatological tone, focusing on the role of a special being in the divine plan.
◆gnosticism|Pistis Sophia|Document FIRST‘
“The truth also is the power which (is) in Elisabet, namely Iohannes, this who came, he preached of the way of the truth, namely thee: who preached before thee. And again the mercy with the truth which met one another, are thou my Lord who…”
Both passages describe a divine or semi-divine figure associated with righteousness and truth, interacting with humanity. They share themes of revelation and divine intervention, though they come from different mystical traditions.
◆gnosticism|Pistis Sophia|Document SECONDg
“And I, the First Mystery, I stood upon it, and I took away all the powers which (are) in it, and I destroyed all its matter, that seed from it should not rise up from this hour. But these while the First Mystery is saying unto the disciple…”
Both passages describe a divine figure who provides protection and salvation to those who trust in them. They share themes of divine intervention, protection from evil, and the exaltation of the righteous, reflecting a conceptual parallel in their mystical traditions.
5 more
◆gnosticism|Pistis Sophia|Document SECOND‘
“Now therefore whenever I should finish distributing to you the Distribution of the Universe, I shall give to you and I shall say unto you the great mysteries of the three lots of my kingdom, namely, the heads of the mysteries which I shall…”
Both passages deal with mystical revelations and the nature of divine beings and their realms. They share themes of hidden knowledge, the purification of spiritual entities, and the ultimate judgment or ordering of the cosmos, though they come from different religious traditions.
◆gnosticism|Pistis Sophia|Document SECOND“
“This is the answer of the words after which ye seek. Now therefore also, Andreas, yet art thou being in unbelief and with ignorance? But whenever ye should come out of the body and go unto the Height, and arrive at the Place of the Rulers…”
Both passages describe a divine or exalted figure who has authority over other beings and who will judge or humble the proud and unrighteous. They also emphasize the righteousness and purity of this figure and those associated with them.
◆gnosticism|Pistis Sophia|Document FOURTHi
“Stood (up) Jesus in front of the Oblation: he put the disciples behind him, all being wrapped in garment of linen, with the ticket of the name of the Father of the Treasury of the Light in their hands. He cried out thus, saying, Hear me, m…”
Both passages describe a divine figure (Jesus in Passage A and the Son of Man in Passage B) who intercedes for humanity, seeking forgiveness and righteousness. They share themes of divine intervention, forgiveness of sins, and the establishment of a righteous kingdom.
◆gnosticism|Pistis Sophia|Document FOURTHj
“This is the baptism of the First Oblation which guideth in unto the Place of the truth, and in [335 ] unto the Place of the Light. After these (things) also said they his disciples, Rabbei reveal to us the mystery of the Light of thy Fathe…”
Both passages describe mystical revelations and divine figures with transformative powers. They share themes of divine light, righteousness, and the ultimate dissolution of evil forces, though they come from different religious traditions.
◆neoplatonism|Iamblichus: On the Mysteries|Chapter IIIa
“Let us, however, now proceed to the appearances of the Gods and their perpetual attendants, and show what the difference is in their appearance. For you inquire, “ by what indication the presence of a God, or an angel, or an archangel, or…”
Both passages discuss the appearances and characteristics of divine or celestial beings. Iamblichus describes the different appearances of gods, angels, and other entities based on their essences, while the passage from the Book of Enoch describes the appearance and role of the Son of Man and the Head of Days. Both texts explore the hierarchy and nature of spiritual beings.