Canonical Criteria: The early church established criteria for including books in the Bible, such as apostolic authorship, widespread acceptance, and consistency with other scripture. The Book of Enoch did not meet these criteria to the same extent as other texts. Jewish Canon: The Jewish canon, or Tanakh, was largely solidified by the time of Jesus, and the Book of Enoch was not included. Since Christianity inherited the Hebrew Scriptures, this influenced the Christian Old Testament. Content and Themes: Some early church leaders and councils viewed the content and themes of the Book of Enoch as divergent from the accepted teachings and theology of the canonical books. Its detailed descriptions of angelology and cosmology were seen as speculative. Historical Acceptance: While the Book of Enoch was popular and influential in certain Jewish and early Christian communities (e.g., the Ethiopian Orthodox Church includes it in their canon), it did not achieve widespread acceptance across the broader Christian community. Influential figures such as Augustine and Jerome did not recognize it as canonical. Council Decisions: Various church councils, such as the Council of Laodicea (363-364 AD) and the later Councils of Carthage (397 and 419 AD), played roles in defining the canon of Scripture. The Book of Enoch was not included in these canonical lists. Manuscript Evidence: While fragments of the Book of Enoch were found among the Dead Sea Scrolls, indicating its use and importance in some Jewish sects, the lack of complete manuscripts in the Hebrew language and its preservation primarily in Ge'ez (Ethiopian) limited its acceptance. In summary, the exclusion of the Book of Enoch from the Bible resulted from a combination of historical, theological, and ecclesiastical decisions made over centuries.
😮why did they leave the book of Enoch out of the Bible
a lot of reasons.
Canonical Criteria: The early church established criteria for including books in the Bible, such as apostolic authorship, widespread acceptance, and consistency with other scripture. The Book of Enoch did not meet these criteria to the same extent as other texts.
Jewish Canon: The Jewish canon, or Tanakh, was largely solidified by the time of Jesus, and the Book of Enoch was not included. Since Christianity inherited the Hebrew Scriptures, this influenced the Christian Old Testament.
Content and Themes: Some early church leaders and councils viewed the content and themes of the Book of Enoch as divergent from the accepted teachings and theology of the canonical books. Its detailed descriptions of angelology and cosmology were seen as speculative.
Historical Acceptance: While the Book of Enoch was popular and influential in certain Jewish and early Christian communities (e.g., the Ethiopian Orthodox Church includes it in their canon), it did not achieve widespread acceptance across the broader Christian community. Influential figures such as Augustine and Jerome did not recognize it as canonical.
Council Decisions: Various church councils, such as the Council of Laodicea (363-364 AD) and the later Councils of Carthage (397 and 419 AD), played roles in defining the canon of Scripture. The Book of Enoch was not included in these canonical lists.
Manuscript Evidence: While fragments of the Book of Enoch were found among the Dead Sea Scrolls, indicating its use and importance in some Jewish sects, the lack of complete manuscripts in the Hebrew language and its preservation primarily in Ge'ez (Ethiopian) limited its acceptance.
In summary, the exclusion of the Book of Enoch from the Bible resulted from a combination of historical, theological, and ecclesiastical decisions made over centuries.
id be curious to read it though, im not against it or anything