The core of the Enochian material are the sins of the Watchers—against God and man; literally one family attacking, abusing, and misusing a lower and more vulnerable family as well as the Creator of both families. It is this core set of ideas that shaped the intertestamental period and the first and second century Church of Jesus Christ!
1 And it came to pass when the children of men had multiplied that in those days were born unto them beautiful and comely daughters. 2 And the angels, the children of the heaven, saw and lusted after them, and said to one another: "Come, let us choose us wives from among the children of men and beget us children."
3 And Semjaza, who was their leader, said unto them: "I fear ye will not indeed agree to do this deed, and I alone shall have to pay the penalty of a great sin." 4 And they all answered him and said: "Let us all swear an oath, and all bind ourselves by mutual imprecations not to abandon this plan but to do this thing." 5 Then sware they all together and bound themselves by mutual imprecations upon it."
Chapter 2
OVERVIEW
1. Assertion: Jewish writers in the 2nd Temple period understood the story of the sins of the Watchers as written in the book of 1 Enoch.
Summary: The document calls for exploring the understanding of the tale of Watchers' sins by Jewish authors during the Second Temple period, as observed in the 1 Enoch.
2. Assertion: Challenges to profoundly held beliefs often lead to cognitive dissonance--mental discomfort due to belief versus reality dichotomy.
Summary: The document asserts that dilemmas force us into a state of cognitive dissonance—psychological unrest brought about by the conflict between our convictions and observations.
3. Assertion: Understanding cognitive dissonance and recognizing its symptoms can help change responses to belief challenges, fostering open-mindedness.
Summary: The statement suggests that being aware of cognitive dissonance and recognizing its symptoms within oneself can help address these responses more efficiently when our beliefs are challenged.
4. Assertion: The Enoch book is an overview, segmented into various sections.
Summary: The document provides a broad review of the Enoch book, with its various subdivisions such as Book of the Watchers, Book of Parables, Book of Luminaries, and others.
5. Assertion: The tale of Watchers' sins, as presented in the book of Enoch, is an expanded version of Genesis 6:1-4.
Summary: The text suggests that the chapters 6-16 of 1 Enoch, describing the sins of the Watchers, expand upon the story told in Genesis 6:1-4.
6. Assertion: The story of the sins of the Watchers considerably influenced the Second Temple period Jews and first-century Christians.
Summary: The document notes that the Watchers' sins' tale had a significant impact on the Jews of the Second Temple period and the Christians in the first century.
7. Assertion: The story of the Watchers underlies numerous passages in the New Testament.
Summary: The text reveals how the narrative of Watchers' sins subtly influences many passages from the New Testament.
8. Assertion: Jewish writings from the Second Temple era heavily reference the supernatural tale of the Watchers’ sins.
Summary: The document highlights that the Jewish texts from the Second Temple period frequently reference the supernatural story of the sins of the Watchers.
9. Assertion: Intertestamental Jewish writing stands as a rebuttal against the Mesopotamian tales of the Apkallu.
Summary: The document looks into how intertestamental Jewish writings serve as counterarguments and polemics against the Mesopotamian narratives of the Apkallu.
KEY 04-1: Looking into how Jewish writers of the 2nd Temple Period understood the story of the sins of the Watchers in 1 Enoch.
- Why is this important?
- Why is this a stumbling block for most Christians?
- What can be done to overcome it?
When faced with challenges to deeply held beliefs, we are often found in a place of cognitive dissonance—that is—mental discomfort or stress due to what we believe versus what we see. Such challenges cause us pain, which triggers "fright-or-flight" responses; we are automatically dismissive or mocking of the challenging facts or we become combative. Perhaps a key to overcoming this is to first be presented with an understanding of cognitive dissonance such that a person will recognize the symptoms within themselves. Seeing the mechanism at work may serve to aid them in responding to challenges of their beliefs with an "open mind" instead of "closed" ("fright-or-flight").
KEY 04-2: A broad overview of Enoch; including each section.
- Book of the Watchers (1-36)
- Book of Parables (37-71)
- Book of the Luminaries (72-82)
- Book of Dreams (83-90)
- Apocalypse of Weeks (91:11-17)
- Epistle of Enoch (91:1-10; 92-105)
- Birth of Noah (106-107)
- Another Chapter of Enoch
KEY 04-3: Overview of the sins of the Watchers.
- 1 Enoch 6-16 is the expansion of Genesis 6:1-4.
- Reprint/reading of 1 Enoch 6-8
- Summation 1 Enoch 9: Lament and demands of Michael, Sariel, Raphael, Gabriel to the Most High.
- Gods response: Judgment through Flood and message to Noah.
- 1 Enoch 10-11: Description of the archangels doing as commanded; summarization of scholar Kvanvig.
- Sins of the Watchers Summary: summarization by scholar Annette Yoshiko—violation of domains and mingling or mixing of heavenly beings with human beings resulting in Nephilim and extreme depravity, sin, violence, and abuse.
- REMINDER: Sins of the Watchers highly informed Second Temple and first century Jews (and Christians).
- NOTE: The Watcher story lurks behind all sorts of New Testament passages. Demonstrating this fact is the purpose of this book!
- Presentation of solid evidence that early second and third century church fathers greatly steeped in the supernatural story of the sins of the Watchers: Testament of Solomon, Pseudo-Clementine Homilies, Tertullian's Apology, Commodianus Instructions, Irenaeus, et al.
- Early Jewish writings (Second Temple era): 1 Enoch (Book of the Watchers); Animal Apocalypse; Noahic Appendix; Book of Giants; Jubilees; Damascus Documents; Ben Sira; Wisdom of Solomon; 3 Maccabees; 3 Baruch; other DSS fragments (Genesis Apocryphon; Ages of Creation; Exhortation based on the Flood; Incantation; Songs of the Sage; Apocryphal Psalms).
KEY 04-4: Looking forward to the Mesopotamian stories of the Apkallu and how intertestamental Jewish writing is a rebuttal and polemic against them—perhaps a written retelling of the oral history passed down through the centuries since Enoch.