How does the book of 1 Enoch contribute to our understanding of the Millennium?

[eschaton]

There are several places in 1 Enoch that sound similar to Revelation 20. Here are a few passages.

18:12. And beyond that abyss I saw a place which had no firmament of the heaven above, and no firmly founded earth beneath it: there was no water upon it, and no birds, but it was a waste and horrible place. 13. I saw there seven stars like great burning mountains, and to me, when I inquired regarding them, 14. The angel said: 'This place is the end of heaven and earth: this has become a prison for the stars and the host of heaven. 21:6. These are of the number of the stars of heaven, which have transgressed the commandment of the Lord, and are bound here till ten thousand years, the time entailed by their sins, are consummated.' 21:10 'This place is the prison of the angels, and here they will be imprisoned for ever.'

It appears that 1 Enoch is alluded to in the NT.

cf. Mat 25:41, 1 Pe 3:19-20, 2 Pet 2:4, Jud 1:6

Enoch mentions the abyss and imprisoned angels that rebelled, similar to the way Satan is imprisoned in the bottomless pit (9:1,2,11 11:7 17:8 20:1,3). Seven stars and seven mountains are mentioned in Enoch (cf. Rev 1:16,20 2:1 3:1 8:8 17:9). Rather than 1000, 10000 years are mentioned. Should this imagery affect our understanding of the millennium, considering Enoch is mentioned in the NT? Should the seven mountains be considered seven Roman emperors (Rev 17:9)?

[Faber]

The fact that 1 Enoch is cited in the New Testament is not a stamp of approval on its Divine Inspiration.

Consider this: Paul cites text from the Assumption of Moses; twice he quotes Epimenides' Ode to Zeus. His references to Jannes & Jambres (2 Timothy 3:8) is from an apocryphal book, according to Origen.

Other books are cited in the Old Testament which no longer exist. Book of Jasher (or Upright; 2 Samuel 1:18); Book of the Wars of the Lord (Numbers 21:14-15), etc.

Do I believe the archangel Michael disputed with Satan over the body of Moses? Do I believe that three hundred angels had sex with women and produced giant offspring thousands of feet tall? No. I think Jude and Paul were citing these stories in the same manner that preachers today cite Pilgrim's Progress or those multitude of glurge stories.

[KingsGambit]

The fact that 1 Enoch is cited in the New Testament is not a stamp of approval on its Divine Inspiration.

Consider this: Paul cites text from the Assumption of Moses; twice he quotes Epimenides' Ode to Zeus. His references to Jannes & Jambres (2 Timothy 3:8) is from an apocryphal book, according to Origen.

Other books are cited in the Old Testament which no longer exist. Book of Jasher (or Upright; 2 Samuel 1:18); Book of the Wars of the Lord (Numbers 21:14-15), etc.

Do I believe the archangel Michael disputed with Satan over the body of Moses? Do I believe that three hundred angels had sex with women and produced giant offspring thousands of feet tall? No. I think Jude and Paul were citing these stories in the same manner that preachers today cite Pilgrim's Progress or those multitude of glurge stories.

Right. I have seen the argument previously advanced on TWeb that this quotation proves that Enoch was the actual author of the book, but this is a totally untenable position; the book appeared three or four centuries before Christ.

[One Bad Pig]

There are several places in 1 Enoch that sound similar to Revelation 20. Here are a few passages.



It appears that 1 Enoch is alluded to in the NT.

cf. Mat 25:41, 1 Pe 3:19-20, 2 Pet 2:4, Jud 1:6

Enoch mentions the abyss and imprisoned angels that rebelled, similar to the way Satan is imprisoned in the bottomless pit (9:1,2,11 11:7 17:8 20:1,3). Seven stars and seven mountains are mentioned in Enoch (cf. Rev 1:16,20 2:1 3:1 8:8 17:9). Rather than 1000, 10000 years are mentioned. Should this imagery affect our understanding of the millennium, considering Enoch is mentioned in the NT? Should the seven mountains be considered seven Roman emperors (Rev 17:9)?

If it's a source of the imagery used, it should absolutely be used to assist in understanding what has been canonized. It would be foolish to limit one's study to the words quoted. When Jesus quoted the opening lines of Psalm 22 on the cross, he was certainly not intending those listening to only pick up on the words quoted.

[rogue06]

The fact that 1 Enoch is cited in the New Testament is not a stamp of approval on its Divine Inspiration.

Consider this: Paul cites text from the Assumption of Moses; twice he quotes Epimenides' Ode to Zeus. His references to Jannes & Jambres (2 Timothy 3:8) is from an apocryphal book, according to Origen.

Other books are cited in the Old Testament which no longer exist. Book of Jasher (or Upright; 2 Samuel 1:18); Book of the Wars of the Lord (Numbers 21:14-15), etc.

Do I believe the archangel Michael disputed with Satan over the body of Moses? Do I believe that three hundred angels had sex with women and produced giant offspring thousands of feet tall? No. I think Jude and Paul were citing these stories in the same manner that preachers today cite Pilgrim's Progress or those multitude of glurge stories.

Further in I Chronicles 29:29 the Book of Samuel the Seer, Book of Nathan the Prophet, and the Book of Gad the Seer are all cited.

Likewise, on Mars' Hill Paul quotes the Greek poet Aratus' Phaenomena in Acts 17:28, Menander's Thais in I Corinthians 15:33 and, in Titus 1:12, "One of the Cretans, a prophet of their own" (identified as Epimenides by Clement of Alexandria in his Stromata). Further when Paul refers to kicking against the pricks or goads in Acts 26:14 that term comes from Aeschylus' Agamemnon.

Obviously that doesn't mean Christians should therefore consider Phaenomena, Thais, Agamemnon and whichever of Epimenides' works are divinely inspired

[eschaton]

questions

If I understand the comments, we shouldn't limit our consideration to the verses quoted, and 1 Enoch isn't necessarily inspired. Okay. Does the similar imagery and ideas in the NT mean anything? If no then I don't understand why. If yes, then what?
BTW, thanks for the comments.

[Rushing Jaws]

If I understand the comments, we shouldn't limit our consideration to the verses quoted, and 1 Enoch isn't necessarily inspired. Okay. Does the similar imagery and ideas in the NT mean anything? If no then I don't understand why. If yes, then what?
BTW, thanks for the comments.