As I was doing errands yesterday, a thought suddenly swept over me: Jesus never corrected anyone concerning their beliefs, views, stories, or worldview that included material from Enoch and other Second Temple extra-biblical texts. Once you accept Enoch as being a critical part of what Second Temple era Jews believed and depended on—and—once you accept the same for the first century and early church, then you must see that Jesus never stood in the way. On the contrary—He worked with it.
No-knock Enoch
For all of the fighting, bickering, debating, arguing, and bantering over Enoch in the last 2,000 years—I cannot find any reference to Jesus tossing such books out. I cannot find the disciples, Apostles, or other early church fathers doing likewise. It's not there. The arguments against this material was concocted by men 350+ years after Jesus! So—what does that tell you?
Please realize—if 1 Enoch (and other material) was penned from scratch and a source we have lost track of, then please tell me why no one complained about it, argued against it, and tried to have it removed from religious society and circles for 700 years? There are 400 years prior to Jesus and then 300 after. Not a peep from anyone that I am aware of (speak up or forever hold your peace). And even if there were dissenters, they were the minority—clearly.
Did they hold it as scripture? I don't know for sure. It seems some did and some held it as just really important—perhaps even critical. But the lack of clear opposition against the so-called pseudepigrapha (including our own Lord and Savior) is a massive tell in this card game.
Now—what I really want to hear are the arguments against my assertion. Truly. Say on!