Should we read the Book of Enoch? It seems to be growing popularity. And does it tell us the truth about the Nephilim?

1 Enoch was written (in its various sections) around 300-100 BC, with parts perhaps even penned in the 1st century AD. 2 Enoch, also called The Book of the Secrets of Enoch, probably dates to the first century AD.

Although no Christian group considers 1 and 2 Enoch to be scripture, apart from the Ethiopians and Eritreans (for whom 1 Enoch is part of their Old Testament), of course we may read these books. They do shed considerable light on Judaism around the time of Christ. As for the Nephilim (giants) in 1 Enoch, they are 1000s of feet tall. Entertaining mythology—and readers are intrigued by the air of mystery so attractive to those looking for hidden (or alternative) history. 2 Enoch describes multiple heavens—Enoch meets God and speaks with him face-to-face in the 10th heaven—as well as battles between angels and devils.

What I find most informative are the passages in 1 Enoch about the "Son of Man"—Jesus' preferred term for himself, potentially less inflammatory than "Messiah," as we read in the gospels. Although he was indeed Messiah, and did not reject this designation, he preferred "Son of Man." Of course Jesus was not merely a "son of man" (a human being), nor was he only a "son of man" (prophet) like Ezekiel. Not was he Enoch—who is identified with this figure in 1 Enoch 71:14.

In 1 Enoch:

  1. The Son of Man is a pre-existent heavenly figure. He is revealed to the righteous at the end of days (48:2-3; 62:7).
  2. Wisdom came from heaven to dwell with the sons of men but found no place—and so returned to heaven (42:1-2).
  3. Wisdom resides in the person of the Chosen One, the Son of Man (48:1-3; 49:1-3). See 1 Cor 1:30 and Proverbs 8.
  4. The Son of Man is the Chosen One and the Anointed One, with authority both to rule and to judge (48:10; 52:4). See Matt 28:19.
  5. The Son of Man will judge the wicked and the nations, sitting on a throne of glory in order to execute divine justice (62:3-5; 69:27). He vindicates the righteous and judges their oppressors (62:9-11).
  6. The Son of Man is given eternal kingship, with dominion over all nations (62:5-7). This theme is very strong in the book of Revelation.
  7. Son of Man is a light to the Gentiles and brings salvation and light to the righteous (48:4-7). See Isa 49:6.

Thus we see that the term "Son of Man" was heavily loaded. Nevertheless, in 1 Enoch it only sheds some light on Jesus Christ. It contains no passion account, nor atoning death, nor resurrection.

Adapted from Peter Manwiller, “The Son of Man and the ‘Today’ of Salvation: A Lukan Christology” (Journal of the Evangelical Theological Society, Vol. 69, No. 2), 299-300.

There are other references to 1 Enoch at this website. For example, see "Surprise 6: 1 Enoch in the New Testament".

  • * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
  • Further:
  • "Jesus described 'the Son of Man' in Luke 21:27, as 'coming in a cloud with power and great glory,' directly echoing the imagery of Daniel 7:13-14. Luke also compared Jesus's ascension on a cloud with his future return in the same way (Acts 1:9-11). In Daniel's vision, one 'like a son of man' came with the clouds to the Ancient of Days and was given dominion over an everlasting kingdom over "all peoples, nations, and languages" to be served (7:14, 27). The Aramaic word for "service" (nba) is used elsewhere in the book of Daniel only in the context of worshiping a deity (3:12, 14, 17, 18, 28; 6:16, 20), and in the Aramaic portion of Ezra (7:24). The pre-Christian Old Greek translation of 7:13-14 describes 'one as a son of man' coming 'as the Ancient of Days' explicitly sharing in the divine identity? Daniel's portrayal of the figure 'like a son of man' developed into the messianic definite tide 'the Son of Man,' as used in the Gospels." —Manwiller, 289