Being a Christian who was raised by pastors, I have been reading the Bible since I was 7 years old. I discovered the Book of Enoch (1 Enoch) when I began pursuing religious studies.
This is an apocalyptic text that explains the origin of Nephilim and demons, why the flood in the times of Noah was necessary, why some angels fell from Heaven, and a prophecy of the 1000 years of Messianic reign.
Despite giving an account of the same events as the Book of Genesis, I learned that most Christian and Jewish bodies do not consider the Book of Enoch a canonical scripture.
This led me to the question, is reading the book of Enoch a sin?
In this article, I will shed light on whether the Bible and the Church endorse the book of Enoch. Join me in this exploration and discover whether Catholics read the book of Enoch and if Christians should read it.
You will also learn why traditional Christians rejected the book of Enoch and if God inspires this book.
Keep reading to discover whether Jesus read the book of Enoch, where in the Bible it references the book of Enoch, and why 1 Enoch is not in the Bible.
Before you proceed, below is a video on the same topic covered on our Youtube channel:
Does the Bible endorse the book of Enoch?
The Bible does not endorse 1 Enoch. 1 Enoch is not included in the Greek (Catholic) and protestant (Hebrew) Bibles. This renders it uninspired; therefore.
Christians cannot use the book as a source of divine inspiration. Although the Bible does not endorse the book of Enoch, it is referenced in a text included in the Bible; the book has been referenced in Jude 1:14-15, “Enoch, the seventh from Adam, prophesied about them: ‘See, the Lord is coming with thousands upon thousands of his holy ones to judge everyone, and to convict all of them of all the ungodly acts they have committed in their ungodliness, and of all the defiant words ungodly sinners have spoken against him.'”
The book’s authorship is disputed, with most scholars believing Enoch, Noah’s great-grandfather, did not write it.
This leaves most Christians confused because if a text is uninspired, why should it be included in the Bible?
The answer to this question is simple, although the book is considered uninspired, it contains essential and truthful facts that must be considered.
This is why Christian bodies allow their followers to read the book.
Does the Church endorse the book of Enoch?
The Church does not endorse the book of Enoch. This book was part of the Holy Scriptures until around the 4th century when it was excluded from all Christian Bibles except those used by the Eritrean and Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Churches.
The book was excluded from the canon of Holy Scriptures because it teaches flawed doctrines that do not align with biblical truths.
For instance, while the Bible states that Satan used a serpent to deceive Eve, this book states that Eve was led astray by a demon named Gadreel.
By doing so, the book of Enoch contradicts the Genesis story of what happened in the Garden of Eden. Also, the first chapter of this book claims that winter and summer existed before the Great flood.
However, according to the Bible, these seasons came after the floods. However, the Church does not forbid followers from reading this book.
However, they are urged to read the book with wisdom because although it contains some important information and truths, it contains flawed doctrines that contract teachings from other books in the Bible.
Do Catholics read the book of Enoch?
Catholics do not read the book of Enoch. Although any Catholic believer can read the book, it is not included in the Catholic Bible.
The book of Enoch was removed from Bibles used by most churches, including the Catholic Church, in the 4th century because it teaches flawed doctrines.
As stated above, one of the flawed doctrines found in the book of Enoch is that Eve was deceived by a demon named Gadreel.
This contradicts the Genesis account of the events in the Garden of Eden. Genesis states that Satan used a serpent to deceive Eve into eating the forbidden fruit.
Should Christians read the book of Enoch?
Christians are free to read the book of Enoch because it contains some essential and truthful facts that cannot be dismissed.
However, Christian bodies caution their believers to read the book with wisdom because some doctrines are flawed.
Why was the book of Enoch rejected by traditional Christians?
The main reason why ancient Christians rejected the book of Enoch is that they believed that God did not inspire the book. Some of the doctrines found in the book contradict the teachings of the other Holy Scriptures.
For instance, as I stated in 1 Enoch, a demon named Gadreel deceived Eve. This contradicts the Genesis account on the same that states that Satan used a serpent to deceive Eve.
Jews did not include 1 Enoch in their Bible (Hebrew Bible). This contributed to its removal from the Catholic and Protestant Bibles.
Also, the book’s authors attributed its authorship to popular prophets and patriarchs to give it more authority. For this reason, the book was removed from the list of books that made up the canonical Scripture (ancient Christian Bible).
Is the book of Enoch inspired by God?
Most Christian churches state that God did not inspire the book of Enoch, which is why it is not included in all Bibles except those used in the Eritrean and Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Churches.
It does not demonstrate marks of being inspired by God because it contradicts the teachings of most other books in the Bible.
For this reason, most Christian bodies urge those who read the book to do so with wisdom. They are told to read it as they would an exciting piece of literature or novel.
Did Jesus read the book of Enoch?
Jesus did not read the book of Enoch, as some people believe. The claim is that Jesus quoted the book of Enoch in Mathew 22:29-30 that states, “Jesus replied, You are in error because you do not know the Scriptures or the power of God. At the resurrection people will neither marry nor be given in marriage; they will be like the angels in heaven.”
However, while making this comment, Jesus made a new revelation, as He did throughout His ministry.
Where in the Bible does it reference the book of Enoch?
The book has been referenced in Jude 1:14-15, “And Enoch also, the seventh from Adam, prophesied of these, saying, Behold, the Lord cometh with ten thousands of his saints, To execute judgment upon all, and to convince all that are ungodly among them of all their ungodly deeds which they have ungodly committed, and of all their hard speeches which ungodly sinners have spoken against him.”
However, it is essential to note that the authorship of this book has been disputed. Many christians do not believe that the book was authored by Enoch the Patriarch (Noah’s great-grandfather) as most people believe.
Why is the book of Enoch not in the Bible?
Enoch is not part of the Holy Scriptures because traditional Christians believed God did not inspire it. Some of the doctrines the book teaches contradict the teachings found in most other books in the Bible.
Also, the authenticity of the book is in doubt. Scholars believe that although Enoch authored part of the book, the other part was written by other authors or was changed over time.
As a devout Christian, I have always been passionate about the Christian faith. This inspired me to pursue a degree in Religious studies and a Masters in Theology in college. I have also been privileged to teach 4 Christian courses in a college and university. Since I am dedicated to spreading the word of God, I am actively involved in the Church. Additionally, I share his word online and cover diverse topics on the Christian faith through my platform. You can read more about me on the about us page.
not only does Jude reference it directly, but the book is the backdrop for most of the epistle. The apostle Jude did not write the epistle. If the writer of Jude were an apostle of Jesus Christ he would have condemned the trash. The Petrine letters have the same problem with second Peter heavily copying Jude. There is trash pseudepigrapha in the NT.