"Enoch" in the Bible was a godly man who one day "walked with God" and was no more. He was whisked away to heaven or someplace else unidentified in scripture. This sets up the problem currently faced. Humanity wants answers. If they can't find them, they will make them up. New philosophies and believes will twist and shape them to conform to support their views.
Most of the writings in these classifications share common themes drawn from mysticism, Kabbalism, paganism, and only give a tip of the hat to the continuity of the books accepted as sacred canon. They are also usually of more recent authorship.
The work called "The Book of Enoch" is an interesting study because there are three works. Scholars have broken them into three parts for study and textual analysis. My source for these notes is James C. Charlesworth and his Old Testament Pseudepigrapha: Apocalyptic Literature and Testaments (Henrickson, 1983, vol. 1).
1) Ethiopian Apocalypse of Enoch, or Enoch I. This work scholars have dated to 2nd century B.C.E. to 1st century C.E. Some scholars will go so far as say it was written before the 3rd century C.E.
This work contains a detailed recap of events of the "Sons of God" which some scholars indicate should better read "associates of God", also called "Watchers" and the "daughters of men" who interbred and produced the "giants" or "Nephilim."
The idea that the Nephilim are demonic or evil spirits is found in this source.
Notes: The Book of Jude and a letter of Paul both mention what is believed to be some document about Enoch. It contains information not found in the accepted canon but is found in Enoch I. It's dating allows for it to have been known and used by the early church writers and people.
It is known that the Jewish texts included many works not accepted by the early church (the Maccabees, Judith, and many more). These were probably, in the so-called silent period of the 400 years of the intertestamental period, read and taught in Jewish schools and in rabbinic training. Jewish faith had a different measuring stick for worthy or useful reading. They understood the purpose of story as a means of generating thought, building logical skills, and reinforcing faith practices or traditions.
The western based Christian church developed an unhealthy adherence to strict logic that outcast imaginative thought and "storytelling" to arenas of untruth to be avoided. Thus, the rationalism of the west became as dogmatic as the most fundamentalist or literalist of our own era.
2) Slavonic Apocalypse of Enoch, or Enoch II. This work has been dated the last part of the 1st C.E. to the 8th century C.E. Scholars indicate it reveals many Middle Ages based beliefs and was translated from the Greek.
3) Hebrew Apocalypse of Enoch, or Enoch III. This work is dated from the 5th century C.E. to the 6th century, with some scholars arguing its contents indicate it was written or added to as late as the 12th century C.E. This one differs in many ways, it was written in Hebrew, it features some confusing content regarding the sanctuary, and the use of a Latin-based name/term "Metranon." This term many scholars believe was based on the Latin and would not have been easily accessible to Hebrew language writers before the 5-6th centuries C.E. Enoch III draws heavily on the original Greek of Enoch II, and this suggests a dating of 9th to 10th centuries C.E.
The vast amount of information on ENOCH is being produced by AI, those who are illiterate of ancient writings, their languages, and the scholarly study conducted. Every small view or opinion - no matter how extreme, incorrect, or crazy- has been given an equal voice in this social media world. The need for criteria, evaluations, and knowledge will help safeguard a leap into insanity.
Josephus wrote that by the time of Jesus most Old Testament works had been settled as to their inclusion or exclusion. Both Jewish and Christian scholars used similar criteria in determining what when into the accepted canons.
These included a common acceptance that they were divinely inspired and authoritative for faith and practice; that they were widely accepted and used in worship and teaching; and that they were consistent with the mission and message of God’s people (as revealed by the rest of scriptures).
The Book of Enoch I , might have something to say based on its age and use by the first century writers of the New Testament. The others are clearly very late additions working in response to growing mysticism and pagan rediscoveries of the middle ages.
