II. THE BOOK OF ENOCH.

THE BOOK OF ENOCH IS often referred to, but it is hardly so well known in fact as it ought to be, except to quite a small class of students. And indeed it is an odd and in some ways a not very attractive conglomeration. It is best therefore to begin at once with the prime reason that gives the book interest to us, and this is, its influence on the Christian Movement. ‘Wandering Stars’, we read in the Canonical Epistle of Jude, ‘to these Enoch also, the seventh from Adam, prophesied, saying “Behold, the Lord came with ten thousands of His Holy ones to execute judgement upon all, and to convict all the ungodly of all their works of ungodliness which they have ungodly wrought, and of all the hard things which ungodly sinners have spoken against Him”.’ This is a definite quotation which cannot be gainsaid. As a matter of fact, the words quoted are the last sentence of the opening paragraph of the Book of Enoch. It is no mere illustration, no coincidence of ideas. ‘ Enoch’ is quoted by name as inspired prophecy. This famous passage is very far from being the only trace of the influence of Enoch upon the New Testament, but it is the clearest and the best known. It is the best starting-point for our discussion of the book.

One thing may be noted at the outset. S. Jerome, in his account of Jude inDe Viris Illustribus, says that inasmuch as in the Epistle a testimony is quoted from ‘ Enoch’ an apocryphal Book, it is rejected by most. This unfavourable verdict has curiously persisted almost to our days in a different form. In the nineteenth century not so much stress was laid on canonicity as on date and authorship. Part of the reason that led some distinguis