Posted on 06/11/2015 3:25:44 PM PDT by RoosterRedux
Jews and Christians welcome.
The Books of Enoch and Jubilees are worthy of study if only because of there fragments in the Dead Sea Scrolls.
Many Biblical scholars consider them now confirmed.
“there” s/b “their”...but of course, you know that.
Thanks. Will take a look.
This is the seminal issue of the Jewish Synagogs and the Christian churches today.
We are at war...if we cannot identify our enemy, we are doomed to failure.
On the other hand...if we can ID our enemy...with God's [G-d's] help...we will be victorious!
Thanks for posting this link. I took Dr. Kugel’s Old Testament course when I studied at Hebrew University a few years ago. He was my favorite Professor. He is a wonderful instructor. I love the breadth of his scholarship as well as the humble and genuine way he shares his knowledge. About 7 minutes into the video Dr. Kugel talks about a new book he has written, but because it is so expensive he encourages the audience to read it in the library. A genuine gentleman scholar.
were they not drowned in the flood?
They were good swimmers.
What is meant by “confirmed”? More than half of the Dead Sea Scrolls are not from the Biblical canon.
Simple minded maybe, but Eph. 6 answered that question for Christians. If Jews don’t want to buy it, then well we told them, so what else is there to do. Let them worry about whether there are Nephilim or what they are. We do know what the devil can do and when the devil is faced square on in the name of Jesus he is forced to yield.
And a real scholar.
What I meant by "confirmed" was that unlike the Book of Jasher, which was mentioned Joshua and 2 Samuel, manuscripts of the Book of Jubilees and the Book of Enoch have been confirmed by Christian and Jewish scholars (like Prof Kugel) using fragments and handwriting and use of language as accurate translations of original documents that existed in BC.
OTOH, the existing Books of Jasher (there are several translations) are thought to be medieval forgeries and not the Book mentioned in the OT.
Though the Books of Jubilees and Enoch are not in Christian canon, they were held in high esteem by many before and at the time of Christ.
In fact, the Dead Sea Scrolls found were thought to have been hidden by the Essenes who, as you know, were very strict adherents to Judaism. It has been said that many of the early Christians came from the Essenes and that even Jesus was close to them if not one of them.
Since the Catholic Church, who claims to have given us the Bible, did not include Jubilees and Enoch in the canon, the question seems settled.
Apparent, depending you who you listen to, the bloodline continued after the Flood.
Was the gene in one or more of the wives of Noah's sons or did someone stow away on the ark? Who knows.
But, after the Flood, God did have the Israelites wipe out entire tribes of giants/Rephaim (every man, woman, child, and beast) of the Hittites, Amorites, Canaanites, Perizzites, Hivites and Jebusites, etc (Deuteronomy 20:16-18).
So the cleansing continued.
There is much ancient Jewish literature, oral and written, outside the canon which was very much a part of Jewish worship since the time of Moses and even Noah. It sheds light on parts of the canon which are very brief. That's why Prof Kugel spent a big part of his career on the Book of Jubilees.
As an aside, though Prof Kugel is an Othodox Jew, he and his books are held in high regard by many Christian authorities on the Bible.
Dr Vanderkam is a favorite of Prof Kugel and is cited in this lecture on Jubilees as the leading authority.
Enoch also puts Revelations in context. Lots of cryptic wording in each. It was read by many early Christians and, I think, is quoted in thee New Testament.
Most Protestants take no account of Jewish writings after the time of Ezra. But unless they read the Apocrypha (which were included in the early editions of the KJB but omitted since about 1650) they have to depend on Josephus to, shall we say, set the stage for the coming of Jesus. How many know, for instance, the history of the Hasmonean dynasty which preceded the Herodians?
Thanks for posting this. Kugel is a fascinating scholar, and I’m now listening to the whole series of lectures.
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