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

Sect. IV] Chapier XC. 28-37 215
had taken me up before], and the hand of that ram also seizing
hold of me, they took me up and set me down in the midst
of those sheep f before the judgement took placef. 32. And
those sheep were all white, and their wool was abundant and
clean. 33. And all that had been destroyed and dispersed,
and all the beasts of the field, and all the birds of the heaven,
assembled in that house, and the Lord of the sheep rejoiced with
great joy because they were all good and had returned to His
house. 34. And I saw till they laid down that sword, which
had been given to the sheep, and they brought it back into the
house, and it was sealed before the presence of the Lord, and all
the sheep were invited into that house, but it held them not.
35. And the eyes of them all were opened, and they saw the
good, and there was not one among them that did not see.
36. And I saw that that house was large and broad and
very full.
37. And I saw that a white bull was born, with large horns,
were clothed in white ; see 87'> '.
That ram. Same word as used in
vv. 10, 11. This ram is the sheep
saved in 89'' from its enemies and
brought up to live with Enoch. Para-
dise is only the temporary abode of
Enoch and Elijah. Before the
judgement took place. These words
are most confusing. If they are
genuine it is hard to restore them
to their place satisfactorily. 32.
The righteousness of the members of
the kingdom is expressed by the white-
ness and cleanliness of the wool of the
sheep ; and the large measure of their
righteousness by the abundance of the
wool ; cf. Is. V> 4' 60". 33. The
rigliteous dead will rise to share in
the kingdom ; cf. 51* (note). Like-
wise the dispersed of Israel will be
gathered into it ; cf. Mic. i'l '. He-
Joioed: cf. Is. 623-" 65". 34.
The aword wherewith Israel had crushed
its enemies is sealed and preserved as a
memorial. Into the house (g). mqt,
/3 ' into His house '. Were invited
((/). Other MSS. ' were enclosed '. It
held them not: cf. Is. 49"-2i Zeoh.
2* W>. 37. A white bull, i.e.
the Messiah. We have here the Mes-
siah coming forth from the bosom of
the community. He is a man only,
but yet a glorified man ; for he is de-
scribed as a white bull to mark his
superiority to the rest of the community
of the righteous who are symbolized by
sheep. So far as he is a man only, he may
be regarded as the prophetic Messiah
as opposed to the apocalyptic Messiah
of the Parables; and yet he is not really
the prophetic Messiah ; for he has
absolutely no function to perform, as
he does not appear till the world's
history is finally closed. Accordingly
his presence here must be accounted
for through literary reminiscence, and
the Messiah-hope must be regarded as
practically dead at this period. The
nation, in fact, felt no need of such
a personality so long as they had such