Hidden Books of Antiquity: Understanding the Ancient Texts
TRUTH CARRIERS ACADEMY
Youth Edition (Ages 12-17)
Did you know there are ancient books that aren't in your Bible but are quoted BY the Bible? One of these is the Book of Enoch - and Jude directly quotes it!
In this workbook, you'll explore:
Goal: Learn to think critically about ancient texts without rejecting them completely or accepting them uncritically.
Student Name:
Date Started:
The word apocrypha comes from Greek and means "." These are ancient Jewish and Christian writings that exist OUTSIDE the normal Bible.
"Not in the Bible" does NOT mean "worthless" or "demonic." Many apocryphal books contain historical value and help us understand how ancient believers thought!
| Tradition | Old Testament Books | Includes Enoch? |
|---|---|---|
| Protestant | 39 books | No |
| Roman Catholic | 46 books | No |
| Ethiopian Orthodox | 81 books total! | YES - fully canonical! |
The Orthodox Church has kept the Book of Enoch as Scripture for over 1,500 years!
1. "Apocrypha" means:
○ A) Evil
○ B) Hidden
○ C) Lost
○ D) Forbidden
2. Which church includes Enoch as canonical Scripture?
○ A) Roman Catholic
○ B) Protestant
○ C) Ethiopian Orthodox
○ D) None
What does "apocrypha" mean? Which church includes Enoch as Scripture?
Enoch was the generation from Adam. While everyone else in Genesis 5 "died," Enoch's record is different - Elohim simply "took him"!
In all of Scripture, only two people were taken to heaven without dying:
The Bible says Enoch " with Elohim." This phrase means he had an incredibly close relationship with the Creator - so close that Elohim took him directly to heaven!
1. Enoch was the ___ generation from Adam:
○ A) Third
○ B) Fifth
○ C) Seventh
○ D) Tenth
2. What happened to Enoch?
○ A) He died like everyone else
○ B) Elohim took him without death
○ C) He disappeared
○ D) The Bible doesn't say
1. Many people in the Bible never died. ○ True ○ False
2. Enoch walked with Elohim. ○ True ○ False
What makes Enoch unique? Write Genesis 5:24 from memory.
"And Enoch walked with Elohim: and he was not; for Elohim took him."
1 Enoch is divided into five major sections written over several centuries:
| Section | Chapters | Content |
|---|---|---|
| Book of the Watchers | 1-36 | Fallen angels, Nephilim, judgment |
| Parables (Similitudes) | 37-71 | Messianic prophecies, "Son of Man" |
| Astronomical Book | 72-82 | Solar calendar, heavenly lights |
| Book of Dream Visions | 83-90 | Symbolic history of Israel |
| Epistle of Enoch | 91-108 | Warnings, prophecies, blessings |
The complete Book of Enoch survived in the language (Ethiopian), preserved by the Ethiopian Orthodox Church. Parts were also found in the Dead Sea Scrolls (in Aramaic)!
300-100 BCE: Most of 1 Enoch written in Aramaic
~400 CE: Enoch excluded from Western Christian canon
~500 CE: Ethiopian Church preserves Enoch as Scripture
1947-1956: Dead Sea Scrolls discovered with Enoch fragments!
1. The complete Book of Enoch survived in:
○ A) Hebrew
○ B) Greek
○ C) Ge'ez (Ethiopian)
○ D) Latin
2. The Book of Watchers teaches about:
○ A) Creation story
○ B) Fallen angels and Nephilim
○ C) Moses and the Exodus
○ D) David and Goliath
Name the 5 sections of 1 Enoch.
עִירִין (Irim) = "Watchers" - from the root meaning "to be awake, watchful"
Used in Daniel 4:13, 17, 23 for angelic beings
According to 1 Enoch, a group of 200 angels called "Watchers" made a terrible decision. They:
Yes! Look at these New Testament passages:
"Tartarus" (Greek) is used ONLY in 2 Peter 2:4 - nowhere else in Scripture! In Greek mythology, Tartarus was the deepest pit. Peter uses this word for where the fallen angels are imprisoned - just like 1 Enoch describes!
1. The "Watchers" in Hebrew is:
○ A) Nephilim
○ B) Irim
○ C) Seraphim
○ D) Cherubim
2. The children of the Watchers and human women were called:
○ A) Giants/Nephilim
○ B) Angels
○ C) Prophets
○ D) Elohim
1. Jude mentions angels who left their proper place. ○ True ○ False
2. Peter says the fallen angels are in Tartarus. ○ True ○ False
What did the Watchers do according to 1 Enoch? How does Jude 1:6 confirm this?
Jude, writing under inspiration of the Ruach HaKodesh (Holy Spirit), directly from 1 Enoch 1:9!
Not necessarily! The Apostle Paul also quoted Greek poets (Acts 17:28), but that doesn't make their entire works Scripture. However, Jude's quote IS significant because he calls Enoch a "" - one who speaks for Yahuah!
1. Jude quotes from:
○ A) Book of Jasher
○ B) 1 Enoch 1:9
○ C) Book of Jubilees
○ D) Dead Sea Scrolls
2. Jude calls Enoch's words a:
○ A) Story
○ B) Legend
○ C) Prophecy
○ D) Opinion
Why is Jude 1:14-15 so important for understanding the Book of Enoch?
Explain to someone how Jude quotes from the Book of Enoch.
Person taught: Date:
The Bible itself references the Book of twice (Joshua 10:13, 2 Samuel 1:18). This proves such a book existed!
The modern "Book of Jasher" available today may NOT be the original book referenced in Scripture. It was first published in the 1600s and 1800s. Treat with careful discernment!
Called the "Little Genesis," Jubilees retells the stories from Genesis through Exodus with additional details. It emphasizes the importance of the calendar and keeping Yahuah's feasts. Found in the Dead Sea Scrolls!
In 1947, ancient scrolls were discovered near the Dead Sea in Israel. These included:
This proved that 1 Enoch was genuinely ancient and highly valued by Jews before Yahusha's time!
1. The Book of Jasher is mentioned in:
○ A) Genesis and Exodus
○ B) Joshua and 2 Samuel
○ C) Matthew and Mark
○ D) Revelation only
2. The Dead Sea Scrolls were discovered in:
○ A) 1847
○ B) 1947
○ C) 2007
○ D) 1777
Name three things found in the Dead Sea Scrolls.
The word "canon" means " rod" - a standard of measurement. Early believers used several criteria to determine which books belonged in Scripture:
In the Western church (~400 CE), leaders like Jerome and Augustine excluded Enoch because:
The Ethiopian Church disagreed! They kept Enoch as canonical Scripture, believing it preserved genuine ancient traditions. Remember: "excluded" doesn't automatically mean "false."
1. "Canon" means:
○ A) Ancient book
○ B) Measuring rod/standard
○ C) Holy writing
○ D) Hidden text
2. One criterion for canonicity was:
○ A) How old the book was
○ B) Apostolic authority
○ C) How long the book was
○ D) What language it was in
List 3 criteria used to determine if a book was canonical.
Neither wholesale acceptance nor complete rejection is wise. Here's a balanced approach:
Use apocryphal books to:
Do NOT use them to:
1. The best approach to apocryphal books is:
○ A) Accept everything as Scripture
○ B) Reject everything as demonic
○ C) Test and discern with Scripture as the standard
○ D) Ignore them completely
2. 1 Thessalonians 5:21 says to:
○ A) Reject all new information
○ B) Test all things
○ C) Accept everything
○ D) Only read the Bible
What are 2 good uses and 2 bad uses of apocryphal books?
"Test all things; hold fast what is good."
Fill-ins: hidden, Ethiopian
MC: 1-B, 2-C
Fill-ins: seventh, walked
MC: 1-C, 2-B | T/F: 1-False (only 2), 2-True
Fill-in: Ge'ez/Ethiopian
MC: 1-C, 2-B
Fill-in: Nephilim
MC: 1-B, 2-A | T/F: 1-True, 2-True
Fill-ins: quotes, prophet
MC: 1-B, 2-C
Fill-ins: Jasher, solar
MC: 1-B, 2-B
Fill-in: measuring
MC: 1-B, 2-B
MC: 1-C, 2-B
Truth Carriers Academy - Youth Edition
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