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the-book-of-enoch-r-h-charles - Fallen Angels

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civ The Book <strong>of</strong> Enoch<br />

or 37-71, marriage could no longer be considered as a part <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong><br />

Messianic blessedness. Again^ whereas <strong>the</strong> Essenes objected to<br />

animal sacrifice, no such objection is taken ei<strong>the</strong>r in 1 or 2 Enoch<br />

In <strong>the</strong> former in 89°" <strong>the</strong> temple sacrifices are referred to with<br />

complete approval in <strong>the</strong> words ' and <strong>the</strong>y <strong>of</strong>fered a full table<br />

before Him '. In 89" <strong>the</strong> sacrifices are said to be ' polluted ', but<br />

no condemnation <strong>of</strong> sacrifice in itself is here implied. The writer<br />

uses no stronger words than Mai. 1'', 'Ye <strong>of</strong>fer polluted bread<br />

upon Mine altar.' In 2 Enoch 59^"^ <strong>the</strong> spiritual value <strong>of</strong><br />

animal sacrifice is clearly expressed. Fur<strong>the</strong>rmore, not a word is<br />

said on behalf <strong>of</strong> certain characteristic beliefs <strong>of</strong> Essenism—such<br />

as <strong>the</strong> necessity <strong>of</strong> bathing before meals and at o<strong>the</strong>r times, <strong>the</strong><br />

duty <strong>of</strong> having all things in common and <strong>of</strong> having common<br />

meals, <strong>the</strong> rejection <strong>of</strong> anointing <strong>the</strong> body, <strong>the</strong> claim that all<br />

were free and that none should be slaves.<br />

The teaching <strong>of</strong> our <strong>book</strong>s on <strong>the</strong> chief doctrines <strong>of</strong> Judaism<br />

will now be given under <strong>the</strong> following heads.<br />

Origin <strong>of</strong> evil. Moral evil is not brought into causal connexion<br />

with <strong>the</strong> transgression <strong>of</strong> Adam save in one passage, i. e. 69^'<br />

(Book <strong>of</strong> Noah), where it is stated that man was created originally<br />

righteous and immortal, but that death got power over him<br />

through sin.i This thought is not worked out or even touched<br />

upon in <strong>the</strong> o<strong>the</strong>r sections. Throughout 6-36 moral evil is<br />

traced to <strong>the</strong> lust <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> Watchers 6-7, 15, and <strong>the</strong> revelations<br />

<strong>of</strong> Azazel 9^ 10^. The origin <strong>of</strong> evil is thus carried back into<br />

<strong>the</strong> spiritual world. But even when <strong>the</strong> Watchers were judged<br />

and imprisoned and <strong>the</strong>ir children destroyed, <strong>the</strong> evil set in<br />

movement by <strong>the</strong>m was not at an end; for <strong>the</strong> disembodied<br />

spirits <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong>ir children became demons 15*' ^' ^^ 16^ (cf. 99'),<br />

who were to work moral ruin on <strong>the</strong> earth without hindrance<br />

till <strong>the</strong> final judgement 16^. 6-36, here, develops <strong>the</strong> view<br />

propounded in Gen. 6^"^ that evil originated in <strong>the</strong> angelic world :<br />

and <strong>the</strong> same view is implied in 83-90. The origin <strong>of</strong> evil is<br />

' In this same source C9« it is said that <strong>the</strong> Satan Ga-lreel seduced Eve : cf.<br />

4 Mace. 18' "

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