Who was Enoch, and why is he significant in Jude 1:14? Identity and Name Enoch (Hebrew חֲנוֹךְ, ḥănōḵ, “dedicated”) is the seventh patriarch from Adam (Genesis 5:1-24). According to Ussher’s chronology he was born A.M. 622 (c. 3382 BC) and lived 365 years. His line runs Adam–Seth–Enosh–Kenan–Mahalalel–Jared–Enoch–Methuselah—placing him squarely in the antediluvian world that Jude calls “the first world” later destroyed by the Flood (2 Peter 3:6). Biblical Data 1. Genesis 5:22-24 : “And after he had become the father of Methuselah, Enoch walked with God 300 years… Enoch walked with God, and then he was no more, because God had taken him away.” 2. Hebrews 11:5 : “By faith Enoch was taken up so that he did not see death… for before he was taken, he was commended as one who pleased God.” 3. Jude 1:14-15 : “Enoch, the seventh from Adam, also prophesied about them: ‘Look! The Lord is coming with His myriads of holy ones to execute judgment on everyone…’ ” Unique Translation—A Preview of Resurrection Enoch and Elijah are the only two Old Testament figures said to be taken bodily into God’s presence without dying. This “translation” anticipates Christ’s resurrection and the promised catching-away of living believers (1 Thessalonians 4:17). Early church fathers (e.g., Irenaeus, Against Heresies 5.5.1) read Enoch’s departure as proof of life after death and God’s power to preserve a remnant. Moral Example: “Walking with God” The Hebrew idiom describes continuous covenant fellowship. In behavioral science terms it models an integrated life—cognition, affect, and volition harmonized toward God. Jude selects Enoch as a foil to the immoral infiltrators plaguing his readers; where false teachers “defile the flesh” (v. 8), Enoch pursued intimacy with the Creator. “Seventh from Adam”—Historical Anchoring Jude’s counting matches the Masoretic and Septuagint genealogies and stresses real chronology. In manuscript terms, Papyrus 72 (3rd–4th c.) and Codex Vaticanus agree on this phrase, indicating textual stability. The numerical title also distinguishes him from Cain’s son Enoch (Genesis 4:17). Prophecy Quoted in Jude Jude cites a short oracle preserved in the pseudepigraphal book 1 Enoch 1:9. Copies of 1 Enoch in Aramaic and Hebrew found among the Dead Sea Scrolls (4Q201-204, 4Q212) confirm that this prophecy circulated centuries before Christ, refuting claims of later Christian fabrication. While 1 Enoch is not canonical, the Spirit-inspired Jude authenticates this specific section—much as Paul quotes pagan poets (Acts 17:28) without endorsing their entire corpus. Content of the Prophecy “The Lord is coming”—Enoch’s words contain the earliest explicit reference to the Parousia. He foresees: • A visible, personal coming of YHWH. • Accompaniment of “myriads” of holy ones—echoed in Daniel 7:10 and Revelation 19:14. • Universal judgment, especially upon ungodly speech (“harsh words,” Jude 1:15), showing that evil is both behavior and worldview. Theological Significance 1. Eschatology: Enoch links pre-Flood history with the ultimate Day of the Lord, demonstrating Scripture’s unified storyline. 2. Christology: Jude’s use implicitly identifies the “Lord” of Enoch’s prophecy with Jesus, affirming His deity. 3. Soteriology: Enoch’s translation illustrates salvation by faith (Hebrews 11:5-6) prior to Mosaic law, supporting the doctrine that justification has always been grace-based. 4. Sanctification: His life validates that intimate fellowship with God is possible in a corrupt culture. Archaeological and Extra-Biblical Corroboration • Qumran copies of 1 Enoch date to c. 200 BC, predating Jude by two centuries. • The Gezer Calendar (10th c. BC) and pre-Flood antediluvian king lists from Mesopotamia (e.g., Sumerian King List) show cultural memory of extraordinarily long-lived patriarchs, aligning with Genesis 5 longevity records. • Egyptian Old Kingdom’s Palermo Stone lists reigns totaling hundreds of years before a “flood,” supporting an ancient global catastrophe consistent with Enoch’s era. Practical Application 1. Walk with God: Regular communion—Scripture, prayer, obedience. 2. Expect His return: Enoch’s prophecy urges readiness. 3. Proclaim truth: Like Enoch, believers should warn and persuade in love (2 Corinthians 5:11). Summary Enoch is the pre-Flood patriarch who walked with God, was taken to heaven without dying, and delivered a Spirit-inspired prophecy about the Lord’s final judgment—quoted verbatim in Jude 1:14-15. His life and words bridge primeval history with eschatological hope, affirming Scriptural unity, God’s redemptive plan, and the certainty that the risen Christ will return to judge and to save. |
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