Enoch (Ancestor of Noah)
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Enoch (ancestor of Noah) From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Jump to: navigation, search Saint Enoch the Patriarch God took Enoch, as in Genesis 5:24: "And Enoch walked with God: then he was no more; for God took him." (KJV) illustration from the 1728 Figures de la Bible; illustrated by Gerard Hoet Antediluvian Patriarch Armenian Apostolic Church Honored in Armenian Catholic Church Islam Feast July 30 Modern Tiberian Ḥă ōḵ; Arabic: ʼIdrīs) is a character that ,חֲנֹוְך :Enoch (Hebrew appears in the Book of Genesis and a figure in the Generations of Adam. Enoch is described as the greatx4 grandson of Adam (through Seth) (Genesis 5:3-18), the son of Jared, the father of Methuselah, and the great-grandfather of Noah. The text reads—uniquely in the Generations— that Enoch "walked with God: and he was not; for God took him", (Genesis 5:22-29) and in Hebrews 11: 5 (KJV) it says "By faith Enoch was translated that he should not see death; and was not found, because God had translated him: for before his translation he had this testimony, that he pleased God." suggesting he did not experience the mortal death ascribed to Adam's other descendants and that he is still alive to this very day. Despite the brief descriptions of him, Enoch is one of the main two focal points for much of the 1st millennium BC Jewish mysticism, notably in the Book of Enoch. Additionally, Enoch is important in some Christian denominations: He is commemorated as one of the Holy Forefathers in the Calendar of Saints of the Armenian Apostolic Church and the Armenian Catholic Church on the second Thursday after the Feast of the Transfiguration. He also features in the Latter Day Saint movement. Enoch is also the oldest of the pre-Flood Patriarchs. It is explained that he is immortal and did not die at 365. Contents 1 Enoch in the Book of Genesis 2 Enoch in Judaism o 2.1 The Books of Enoch o 2.2 Enoch in classical Rabbinical literature 3 Enoch in Christianity o 3.1 New Testament o 3.2 Early Christianity o 3.3 Medieval and Reformation o 3.4 Modern Christianity o 3.5 In LDS theology 4 Enoch in Islam 5 See also 6 References 7 External links Enoch in the Book of Genesis Enoch appears in Genesis as the seventh of the ten pre-Deluge Patriarchs. Genesis claims that each of the pre-Flood Patriarchs lives for several centuries, has a son, lives more centuries, and then dies. The exception is Enoch, who does not experience death "for God took him." Furthermore, Genesis 5:22-29 states that Enoch lived 365 years which is extremely short in the context of his peers. Enoch in Judaism The brief account of Enoch in Genesis 5 ends with the note that he "was not" and that "God took him." The question of what became of Enoch puzzled later generations. The 3rd century translators who produced the Greek Septuagint rendered the phrase "God took him" with the Greek verb metatithemi (μετατίθημι)[1] meaning moving from one place to another.[2] The Sirach 44:16, from about the same period, states that "Enoch pleased God and was translated into paradise that he may give repentance to the nations." The Greek word used here for paradise, 'paradeisos' (παραδεισος), was derived from an ancient Persian word meaning "enclosed garden"), and was used in the Septuagint to describe the Garden of Eden. Later, however, the term became synonymous for heaven, as is the case here. The Books of Enoch Three extensive apocryphal works are attributed to Enoch: 1st Book of Enoch, or simply the Book of Enoch, an apocryphal book in the Ethiopic Bible that is usually dated between the third century BC and the first century AD. 2nd Book of Enoch, an apocryphal book in the Old Slavonic Bible usually dated to the first century AD. 3rd Book of Enoch, a Kabbalistic Rabbinic text in Hebrew usually dated to the fifth century AD. These recount how Enoch is taken up to Heaven and is appointed guardian of all the celestial treasures, chief of the archangels, and the immediate attendant on God's throne. He is subsequently taught all secrets and mysteries and, with all the angels at his back, fulfils of his own accord whatever comes out of the mouth of God, executing His decrees. Much esoteric literature like the 3rd Book of Enoch identifies Enoch as the Metatron, the angel which communicates God's word. In consequence, Enoch was seen, by this literature, and the Rabbinic kabbala of Jewish mysticism, as having been the one which communicated God's revelation to Moses, in particular, the dictator of the Book of Jubilees. Enoch in classical Rabbinical literature In classical Rabbinical literature, there are divergent opinions of Enoch. After Christianity and Judaism had separated, the prevailing view regarding Enoch was that of Targum Pseudo- Jonathan, which thought of Enoch as a pious man, taken to Heaven, and receiving the title of Safra rabba (Great scribe). However, while Christianity was separating from Judaism, the Jewish view of Enoch was he was the only pious man of his time and was taken away before he would become corrupted.[citation needed] According to Rashi[3] [from Genesis Rabba[4]], “Enoch was a righteous man, but he could easily be swayed to return to do evil. Therefore, the Holy One, blessed be He, hastened and took him away and caused him to die before his time. For this reason, Scripture changed [the wording] in [the account of] his demise and wrote, ‘and he was no longer’ in the world to complete his years.” Among the minor Midrashim, esoteric attributes of Enoch are expanded upon. In the Sefer Hekalot, Rabbi Ishmael is described as having visited the 7th Heaven, where he meets Enoch, who claims that earth had, in his time, been corrupted by the demons Shammazai, and Azazel, and so Enoch was taken to Heaven to prove that God was not cruel. Similar traditions are recorded in Sirach. Later elaborations of this interpretation treated Enoch as having been a pious ascetic, who, called to mix with others, preached repentance, and gathered (despite the small number of people on Earth) a vast collection of disciples, to the extent that he was proclaimed king. Under his wisdom, peace is said to have reigned on earth, to the extent that he is summoned to Heaven to rule over the sons of God. In a parallel with Elijah, in sight of a vast crowd begging him to stay, he ascends to Heaven on a horse. Enoch is often confused with Enos. However, Enos is grandson to Adam (Genesis 5:5-6), and great-great-grandfather of Enoch (Genesis 5:9-18). Enoch in Christianity Elijah and Enoch - an icon 17th cent., Historic Museum in Sanok, Poland New Testament The New Testament contains three references to Enoch. The first is a brief mention in Luke's genealogy of the ancestors of Jesus (Luke 3:37). The third mention is in the Epistle of Jude (1:14-15) where the author attributes to "Enoch, the Seventh from Adam" a passage unknown in the Old Testament. The quotation is believed by most modern scholars to be taken from 1 Enoch 1:9 which exists in Greek, in Ethiopic, as part of the Ethiopian Orthodox canon, and also in Aramaic among the Dead Sea Scrolls.[5][6] Though the same scholars recognise that 1 Enoch 1:9 itself is a midrash of the words of Moses "he came from the ten thousands of holy ones" from Deuteronomy 33:2.[7][8][9][10][11] The introductory phrase "Enoch, the Seventh from Adam" is also found in 1 Enoch (1 En. 60:8), though not in the Old Testament.[12] In the New Testament this Enoch prophesies "to"[13] ungodly men, that God shall come with His holy ones to judge and convict them (Jude 1:14-15).[14] Early Christianity Early Christianity contains various traditions concerning the "translation" of Enoch. Regarding the quotation in Jude, most of early Christianity considered it an independent quotation pre-dating the flood. Regarding the Book of Enoch itself Origen, Jerome and Augustin mention it, but as of no authority. Justin, Athenagoras, Irenaeus, Clemens Alexandrinus, Lactantius, and others borrowed an opinion out of this book of Enoch, that the angels had connection with the daughters of men, of whom they had offspring ('the giants of the past'). Tertullian, in several places, speaks of this book with esteem; and would persuade us, that it was preserved by Noah during the deluge. Medieval and Reformation According to the Figurists (a group of Jesuit missionaries mainly led by Joachim Bouvet into China at the end of the 17th and the beginning of the 18th century and based on ideas of Matteo Ricci 1552 to 1610),[15][16][17] Fu Xi in China's ancient history is actually Enoch.[18][19][20] Modern Christianity Enoch is not counted as a saint in Roman Catholic tradition, though Enoch has a saints day, July 26, in the Armenian Apostolic Church. The "St. Enoch" in the place name St. Enoch's Square, Glasgow, is a corruption from the site of a medieval chapel to Saint Teneu, the legendary mother of Saint Mungo, and unconnected with Enoch. Enoch is revered in the Ethiopian Orthodox Church, and the Enochic texts Jubilees and 1 Enoch regarded as the 13th and 14th books, respectively, of the Tewahedo Old Testament canon.[21] Most churches, including the Catholic, Greek Orthodox, and Protestant churches, do not accept the books.