Who is Metatron?

Etymology and Historical Context

“Metatron” does not appear in the Hebrew and Greek manuscripts of the Bible recognized across Christian history. The name emerges in later Jewish mystical and Kabbalistic literature—particularly in texts like “3 Enoch” (also called “Sefer Hekhalot”)—where Metatron is described as a prominent angelic figure. Various theories suggest the name may stem from Greek roots (e.g., “meta thronos,” meaning “beside or beyond the throne”) or from Latin (“metator,” meaning “measurer” or “one who sets boundaries”). These derivations reflect how post-biblical Jewish tradition sought to explain a supernatural mediator or heavenly scribe, but none of these ideas appear in the canonical 66 books of Scripture.

Jewish Mystical Traditions

In certain Talmudic and Kabbalistic narratives, Metatron is sometimes identified with the patriarch Enoch, who “walked with God” (Genesis 5:24) and was taken up to heaven. According to these extrabiblical sources, upon entering heaven Enoch supposedly became a transformed angelic being called Metatron. While such stories can be found in mystical writings, they do not have direct parallels in the Hebrew Scriptures or in the New Testament.

Rabbinic material occasionally credits Metatron with tasks such as guarding celestial corridors, recording merits of the faithful, and acting as a heavenly vizier. However, these beliefs stem from post-biblical developments and are not recognized in authoritative Scripture.

Absence from Canonical Scripture

No verse within the widely accepted biblical texts refers to Metatron by name or function. Despite the Bible’s frequent mention of angels—singly or in groups—the canonical accounts never delineate an archangel or angelic scribe known as Metatron. Instead, Scripture depicts angelic messengers under God’s sovereign command (e.g., Daniel 7:10) but without a specific rank or personhood called Metatron.

Consistency with Biblical Theology

Scripture upholds that God alone is the ultimate authority (Psalm 115:3) and the only One worthy of worship. When individuals in the Bible encounter angelic beings, angels decline worship that belongs to God (Revelation 19:10). The notion of any angelic being who shares or competes for divine worship contradicts the overarching biblical witness that God’s glory is unique (Isaiah 42:8).

Additionally, the New Testament affirms one mediator—the risen Christ—who stands between God and humankind: “For there is one God and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus” (1 Timothy 2:5). No extrabiblical figure, whether angelic or human, participates in that mediatorial function according to the standard biblical canon.

Connection to Enoch

According to Genesis 5:24, “Enoch walked with God, and then he was no more, because God took him away.” Hebrews 11:5 reiterates that Enoch was taken up so that he did not see death. Though extrabiblical Jewish writings attempt to fill in details—some identifying Enoch with Metatron—the Bible itself never uses this term nor ascribes to Enoch any angelic identity. In orthodox Christian and Jewish understandings of Scripture, Enoch remains a man of faith, not a divine or semidivine entity.

Use in Different Movements

Throughout recorded religious history, certain esoteric streams have popularized Metatron to explain the complexities of heaven, judgment, or angelic hierarchies. Kabbalistic writings (such as the Zohar) reference Metatron with elaborate cosmological roles. However, these positions are drawn from mystical or philosophical concepts outside the established biblical text.

Scriptural Authority and Caution

Believers who hold to the final authority of Scripture often urge caution toward doctrines founded on traditions like those found in the pseudepigrapha, Talmudic commentary, or mystical texts. Proverbs 30:5–6 counsels, “Every word of God is flawless… Do not add to His words, lest He rebuke you and prove you a liar.” Consequently, the name “Metatron” remains absent from most mainstream Christian or Jewish theological frameworks that limit authority to the Bible.

The Centrality of Christ

Whereas Metatron is presented in some writings as a lofty angelic personality, Scripture resoundingly centers all creation and worship upon the risen Christ, who is “the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of His nature” (Hebrews 1:3). The New Testament proclaims that Jesus uniquely “died for our sins according to the Scriptures…was buried, and was raised on the third day” (1 Corinthians 15:3–4). This resurrection truth, supported by numerous eyewitness accounts described in 1 Corinthians 15 and throughout the Gospels, anchors core Christian doctrine. No claim about angelic intermediaries can supersede or reshape that central message.

Conclusion

Metatron is a figure of post-biblical Jewish mysticism and does not appear in the canonical Scriptures accepted by believers across centuries. While extra-biblical texts attribute lofty titles or functions to him—sometimes connecting him to Enoch—none of this is recognized in the Hebrew Old Testament or the Greek New Testament. The biblical message focuses on the one true God who “created the heavens and the earth” (Genesis 1:1) and the singular role of the risen Christ as mediator and Savior (1 Timothy 2:5). Consequently, for those who study the Bible as the highest authority, references to Metatron remain non-canonical traditions rather than established biblical teaching.