The Book of Enoch
by ADMIN ·
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Pertanyaan:
Bagaimana proses kanonisasi pada Kitab Enoch, yang pada akhirnya diputuskan bukan bagian dari kanon perjanjian lama?
Apa penyebab Kitab Enoch tidak dimuat dalam kanon? Apa yang dituliskan dalam buku tersebut yang membuat ajaran kitab tersebut tidak berdasarkan pada ajaran Gereja?
Lantas mengapa surat Yudas dalam perjanjian lama mengutip kitab Enoch? Dan apabila Surat Yudas yang dimasukkan dalam Alkitab Perjanjian Baru mengutip sesuatu kitab lain, bukankah sudah terbukti bahwa kitab yang dikutip itu adalah benar berdasarkan ajaran Gereja?
Jawaban:
Berikut penjelasan ringkas, dan teologis tentang Kitab Enoch dan alasan mengapa kitab ini tidak masuk dalam Kanon Perjanjian Lama (PL) menurut tradisi Yahudi dan sebagian besar gereja.
Apa itu Kitab Enoch?
Kitab Enoch (atau 1 Enoch) adalah karya Yahudi kuno yang termasuk dalam kelompok literatur apokaliptik. Kitab ini:
- ditulis antara abad ke-3 SM – abad ke-1 M,
- berisi visi, nubuat, dan cerita tentang malaikat, kejatuhan para “Watchers”, akhir zaman, dan penghakiman,
- dikaitkan secara tradisional dengan Henokh, tokoh dalam Kejadian 5:21–24 yang “diangkat oleh Allah”.
Kitab Enoch bukan satu kitab melainkan kumpulan bagian, seperti:
- Book of the Watchers
- Book of Parables
- Astronomical Book
- Dream Visions
- Epistle of Enoch
Mengapa Kitab Enoch tidak masuk dalam kanon PL?
Kitab Enoch tidak diakui sebagai kitab kanonik dalam Yudaisme maupun mayoritas tradisi Kristen (kecuali Gereja Ortodoks Ethiopia). Berikut alasan utamanya:
- Tidak termasuk dalam Kanon Yahudi (Tanakh)
Kanon PL berasal dari tradisi Yahudi. Namun orang Yahudi tidak pernah memasukkan Enoch dalam daftar kitab suci mereka.
Alasannya:
- Tidak ada bukti bahwa Kitab Enoch digunakan di Bait Suci atau oleh komunitas Yahudi arus utama.
- Banyak isinya dianggap apokaliptik spekulatif, bukan Torah atau tulisan nabi.
- Bahasa aslinya hilang; tidak masuk tradisi resmi rabi.
➡ Karena PL Kristen mengikuti kanon Yahudi, Kitab Enoch juga otomatis tidak ikut masuk.
- Otoritasnya dipertanyakan sejak awal gereja
Meskipun beberapa bapa gereja awal (seperti Tertullian) mengutipnya secara positif, konsensus gereja kemudian menolak kitab ini karena:
- Tidak diketahui siapa penulis aslinya
(Henokh sendiri tidak mungkin menulis karena hidup sebelum air bah). - Banyak bagian tampak ditulis oleh berbagai penulis selama ratusan tahun.
- Terdapat ajaran dan kosmologi yang dianggap tidak selaras dengan kitab PL lainnya.
- Gaya dan isi yang sangat apokaliptik
Isi Kitab Enoch penuh dengan:
- rincian malaikat, tingkatan surga,
- spekulasi tentang raksasa (Nephilim),
- kalender astronomi 364 hari,
- mitologi yang tidak ditemukan dalam PL.
Bagi para rabi dan kemudian para teolog Kristen, ini dianggap terlalu spekulatif dan tidak cocok sebagai kitab kanon.
- Tidak digunakan secara luas dalam liturgi gereja awal.
Salah satu syarat kitab kanonik adalah penggunaan umum dalam ibadah jemaat.
Kitab Enoch tidak pernah dipakai secara konsisten di seluruh gereja.
Satu-satunya yang menganggapnya kanonik adalah:
✔ Gereja Ortodoks Tewahedo Ethiopia
Karena tradisi mereka mempertahankan versi Ge’ez yang lengkap.
- Kriteria kanon tidak terpenuhi.
Beberapa kriteria kanonisasi:
- Apostolisitas / hubungan dengan nabi
- Konsistensi teologi
- Penerimaan luas di komunitas iman
- Penggunaan dalam liturgi
Kitab Enoch gagal pada kreteria kanon ini.
Apakah Kitab Enoch disebut dalam Alkitab?
Ya. Yudas 14–15 mengutip 1 Enoch 1:9.
Namun, “dikutip” bukan berarti otomatis “kanonik”.
Tujuan surat Yudas adalah menguatkan iman jemaat Kristen Yahudi dan non Yahudi untuk tetap kuat dan tegar di tengah berbagai penganiayaan, penderitaan, banyaknya ajaran palsu dll. Untuk menguatkan jemaat Kristen yang sedang teraniaya, maka Yudas mengutip tradisi Yahudi ekstra-kanonik::
- Mendorong jemaat tetap kuat seperti Henokh yang hidup di jaman sangat sulit tetapi tetap bergaul dengan TUHAN (Yudas 14-15)
- Jangan menghujat dan mencaci maki dengan mereka yang menganiaya atau bersungut-sungut, bertanya mengapa dan mengapa. Yudas mengutip malaikat saja tidak menghujat dan mencaci maki iblis perihal jenazah Musa. (Yudas 9)
Maka dalam berbagai kesulitan dan penderitaan tetaplah seperti Henokh dan malaikat Mikhael dan jangan seperti Israel yang tidak percaya (Yud. 5), malaikat yang jatuh (Yud. 6), dan Sodom dan Gomora (Yud. 7).
Pengutipan tradisi Yahudi-kanonik ini tidak menjadikan kitab Henokh itu kanonik, tetapi hanya sebagai penekanan bahwa Henoch dan Musa hidup di jaman yang sangat sulit menerapkan iman tetapi mereka bisa bertahan untuk tetap bergaul dengan TUHAN.
Contoh lain adalah Rasul Paulus mengutip filsuf Yunani (Kis 17:28), tetapi tulisan mereka bukan kitab suci.
Kesimpulan
Kitab Enoch adalah karya apokaliptik Yahudi yang tidak masuk dalam kanon PL karena:
- Tidak pernah menjadi bagian kanon Yahudi.
- Penulis dan otoritasnya tidak jelas.
- Isi apokaliptik yang spekulatif.
- Tidak digunakan luas oleh gereja awal.
Tetap saja, walau tidak masuk kanon PL, kitab Enoch penting untuk studi sejarah dan teologi, terutama untuk memahami konteks pemikiran Yahudi pada zaman Yesus.
Question:
How did the canonization process of the Book of Enoch unfold, and why was it ultimately decided that it is not part of the Old Testament canon?
What caused the Book of Enoch not to be included in the canon? What is written in the book that makes its teachings not based on the teachings of the Church?
Why then does the Epistle of Jude in the Old Testament quote the Book of Enoch? And if the Epistle of Jude, which is included in the New Testament Bible, quotes another book, does that not prove that the quoted book is true according to the teachings of the Church?
Answer:
Below is a brief and theological explanation of the Book of Enoch and the reasons why it was not included in the Old Testament (OT) Canon according to Jewish tradition and most churches.
What is the Book of Enoch?
The Book of Enoch (or 1 Enoch) is an ancient Jewish work that belongs to the group of apocalyptic literature. This book:
- was written between the 3rd century BC – 1st century AD,
- contains visions, prophecies, and stories about angels, the fall of the “Watchers,” the end times, and judgment,
- is traditionally associated with Enoch, the figure in Genesis 5:21–24 who was “taken by God.”
The Book of Enoch is not a single book but a collection of sections, such as:
- Book of the Watchers
- Book of Parables
- Astronomical Book
- Dream Visions
- Epistle of Enoch
Why is the Book of Enoch not included in the OT canon?
The Book of Enoch is not recognized as canonical in Judaism nor in the majority of Christian traditions (except the Ethiopian Orthodox Church). The main reasons are as follows:
- Not included in the Jewish Canon (Tanakh)
The OT canon comes from Jewish tradition. However, the Jews never included Enoch in their list of sacred books.
The reasons include:
- There is no evidence that the Book of Enoch was used in the Temple or by mainstream Jewish communities.
- Much of its content was considered speculative apocalyptic material rather than Torah or prophetic writings.
- Its original language was lost and it was not part of the official rabbinic tradition.
➡ Since the Christian OT follows the Jewish canon, the Book of Enoch was likewise not included.
2. Its authority was questioned from the early church period
Although some early church fathers (such as Tertullian) quoted it positively, the later church consensus rejected this book because:
- The true author is unknown (Enoch himself could not have written it since he lived before the Flood).
- Many parts appear to have been written by different authors over several centuries.
- There are teachings and cosmology considered not fully aligned with other OT books.
3. Highly apocalyptic style and content
The Book of Enoch contains:
- detailed descriptions of angels and levels of heaven,
- speculation about giants (Nephilim),
- a 364-day astronomical calendar,
- mythological elements not found in the OT.
For the rabbis and later Christian theologians, these were seen as overly speculative and unsuitable for inclusion in the canon.
4. Not widely used in early church liturgy
One requirement for a book to be canonical was widespread use in congregational worship.
The Book of Enoch was never consistently used throughout the universal church.
The only church that considers it canonical is:
✔ The Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church
Because their tradition preserved a complete Ge’ez version.
5. Canonical criteria were not fulfilled
Some criteria for canonization include:
- Apostolicity / connection with a prophet
- Theological consistency
- Wide acceptance within the faith community
- Use in liturgy
The Book of Enoch did not meet these canonical criteria.
Is the Book of Enoch mentioned in the Bible?
Yes. Jude 14–15 quotes 1 Enoch 1:9.
However, being “quoted” does not automatically mean “canonical.”
The purpose of the Epistle of Jude was to strengthen the faith of Jewish and Gentile Christians to remain firm amid persecution, suffering, and false teachings. To encourage persecuted believers, Jude quoted extra-canonical Jewish traditions:
- Encouraging the congregation to remain steadfast like Enoch, who lived in very difficult times yet continued to walk with the LORD (Jude 14–15)
- Not to slander or revile those who persecute or grumble, asking “why and why.” Jude cites even an angel who did not slander the devil regarding the body of Moses (Jude 9).
Thus, in various hardships and sufferings, believers are urged to be like Enoch and the archangel Michael, and not like Israel who did not believe (Jude 5), the fallen angels (Jude 6), and Sodom and Gomorrah (Jude 7).
Quoting extra-canonical Jewish tradition does not make the Book of Enoch canonical, but serves as emphasis that Enoch and Moses lived in very difficult times in practicing their faith, yet they endured and continued to walk with the LORD.
Another example is the Apostle Paul quoting Greek philosophers (Acts 17:28), yet their writings are not Scripture.
Conclusion
The Book of Enoch is a Jewish apocalyptic work that was not included in the OT canon because:
- It was never part of the Jewish canon.
- Its authorship and authority are unclear.
- Its apocalyptic content is speculative.
- It was not widely used by the early church.
Even though it is not part of the OT canon, the Book of Enoch remains important for historical and theological study, especially for understanding the context of Jewish thought in the time of Jesus.
