The Book of Enoch was ultimately excluded from the biblical canon due to a combination of theological, historical, and political factors. Early Jewish and Christian scholars questioned its authenticity because it was written relatively late (around 300–100 BCE) and did not align with the traditional Mosaic timeline of inspired scripture. Additionally, while the text was revered in certain Jewish mystical circles, it was never included in the Hebrew Bible (Tanakh), and the Council of Jamnia (90 CE) explicitly rejected it. Early Christian leaders like Augustine and Jerome also dismissed it as non-canonical, further solidifying its exclusion from mainstream scripture.
The book’s controversial content played a major role in its removal. It delves into forbidden topics, such as fallen angels (the Watchers) interbreeding with humans to create the Nephilim—a narrative that complicated traditional interpretations of Genesis. Enoch’s detailed descriptions of celestial secrets, apocalyptic visions, and a pre-flood advanced civilization were seen as too esoteric and potentially destabilizing to orthodox teachings. By the 4th century, as the Church sought to standardize doctrine, texts like Enoch were suppressed to prevent alternative spiritual movements from gaining influence. Only the Ethiopian Orthodox Church preserved it as sacred scripture, while the rest of Christianity largely forgot it—until the Dead Sea Scrolls rediscovery in 1947 reignited debates over its lost wisdom. Whether deemed too radical or too revelatory, the Book of Enoch remains one of the most intriguing “forbidden” texts of biblical history.
Here is a link to the Books of Enoch for those who have an interest
https://archive.org/details/AllTheBooksOfEnochenoch1Enoch2Enoch3/mode/1up
PDF: https://dn790008.ca.archive.org/0/items/AllTheBooksOfEnochenoch1Enoch2Enoch3/AllBooksOfEnoch.pdf
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The Book of Enoch-- Explained in 2 Minutes
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