Jude 1 Footnotes

5-7 The sin most strongly connected with Sodom and Gomorrah is homosexuality, which Paul describes as unnatural (Rm 1:26-27, see note). Along with his mention of the punishment of angels who flouted God’s created order, Jude uses what happened in Sodom and Gomorrah as an example of the judgment that falls on those who reject God’s authority.

9,14-15 Jude alluded to traditions found in pseudepigraphal works (The Assumption of Moses and/or The Testament of Moses) in recounting a dispute over the burial of Moses in v. 9. And in vv. 14-15, he cited a text from the pseudepigraphal 1 Enoch. (A pseudepigraphical work is one written under the name of another—in these cases, Moses and Enoch.) The citation from 1 Enoch proves more difficult because Jude actually quoted from the book and claimed that “Enoch … prophesied” (v. 14).

Some think Jude actually quoted the historical Enoch, a man who was taken up to heaven before death (Gn 5:23-24). It is difficult to see, though, how Jude could have cited an actual oral tradition from the historical Enoch since the book of 1 Enoch was in circulation in Jude’s day and was well known in Jewish circles. Jude almost certainly derived the citation from the book of 1 Enoch, and the latter is clearly pseudepigraphical. We would be faced with having to say that Jude knew that this specific quotation from 1 Enoch derived from the historical Enoch. It is better to conclude that Jude quoted the pseudepigraphical 1 Enoch and that he also believed that the portion he quoted represents God’s truth. Jude’s wording does not demand that he thought he had an authentic oracle from the historical Enoch.

There is no reason to conclude, however, that the entire book should be part of the canon of Scripture (see Augustine, City of God 15.23). Jude probably cited a part of 1 Enoch that he considered a genuine prophecy. Perhaps he referred to Enoch because the adversaries treasured the work, and therefore he used their ammunition against them. It is possible that the false teachers rejected Christian tradition about Christ’s coming and hence Jude cited Enoch’s prophecy. Indeed, the content of the prophecy is not remarkable, assuring the readers that the Lord will truly judge the ungodly.

Importantly, citing a quotation from another source does not indicate that the entire work is inspired—even if the saying itself is true. For instance, Paul quoted Aratus (Phaenomena 5) in Ac 17:28, and he surely did not intend to teach that the entire work is inspired Scripture. Similarly, he quoted Epimenides in Ti 1:12, without any notion that he accepted the truth of the whole work.

Some might think that the citation here is different because Jude said Enoch “prophesied.” The verb prophesy is sometimes used to designate canonical Scripture (Mt 15:7; 1Pt 1:10). But the verb is also used to say that a certain utterance or saying is from God. For example, Caiaphas prophesied regarding the fate of Jesus, even though he was an unbeliever (Jn 11:51). Zechariah prophesied when the Spirit filled him at John the Baptist’s birth (Lk 1:67). Women prophesied when the believing church gathered (1Co 11:4-5; cp. Ac 19:6; Rv 11:3). A prophecy may derive from God and still not be a part of canonical Scripture. We cannot necessarily draw the conclusion from the words “Enoch . . . prophesied” that the work was considered to be Scripture. It would have been more telling if Jude had used the phrase “It is written” with reference to 1 Enoch. Jude simply drew from a part of the work that he considered true.

We know the Qumran community valued 1 Enoch but did not include the book in its canon. Nor do any major Christian groups today consider 1 Enoch to be inspired Scripture. Jude cited it for its truth, but he did not claim inspiration for the entire work.