Jude 1:14

Doesn’t Jude cite the uninspired Book of Enoch as divinely authoritative?

PROBLEM: Jude quotes The Book of Enoch, saying, “Now Enoch, the seventh from Adam, prophesied about these men also, saying, `Behold, the Lord comes with ten thousands of His saints’ ” (v. 14). However, Enoch is not an inspired book but is considered pseudepigraphal (a false writing) by the Christian church.

SOLUTION: First, it is not certain that Jude is actually citing the Book of Enoch. He may simply be mentioning an event which is also found in this uninspired book. It is noteworthy that Jude does not affirm that Enoch wrote this statement. He simply records that “Enoch said ” (v. 14). Jude may have been using a valid oral tradition and not the Book of Enoch.

Further, the Apostle Paul cites truths from pagan poets (Acts 17:28; 1 Corinthians 15:33; Titus 1:12) without implying that these books are inspired. Indeed, even Balaam’s donkey uttered a truth (Numbers 22:28). The inspiration of the Book of Jude does not guarantee whatever else is said in an uninspired source it cites—it only guarantees the truth it cites.

Finally, the external evidence for Jude is extensive from the time of Irenaeus (ca. A.D. 170) onward. It is in the Bodmer papyri (P72) ofA.D. 250, and traces of it are found even earlier in the Dicache (2:7) which probably dates from the second century. So there is evidence for the authenticity of the Book of Jude which is not diminished by this allusion to what Enoch said. The existence of Enoch and his communication with God is a fact established elsewhere, both in the OT (Genesis 5:24) and NT (Hebrews 11:5).