JEFF TURNER

The short epistle of Jude contains a curious feature. It quotes directly from the ancient text known as 1 Enoch, a book that was never included in the canon of scripture. This raises a fair question about why an inspired biblical writer would reference material outside the official Bible.

The explanation lies in the nature of how scripture sometimes draws on familiar surrounding literature to make a point. The book of Enoch had circulated widely among Jewish communities and contained a statement that happened to be accurate regarding Enoch’s prophetic ministry concerning judgment. The Holy Spirit, inspiring Jude as he wrote, simply made use of this recognizable and true statement to strengthen the argument being made, without thereby endorsing the entire book of Enoch as divinely inspired scripture.

This is not unprecedented. The apostle Paul similarly quoted secular Cretan poets in his letter to Titus because the quotation served his purpose. Such moments reveal scripture’s honesty, drawing naturally from familiar sources whenever those sources happen to state something true.

One of them, a prophet of their own, said, “Cretans are always liars, evil beasts, lazy gluttons.” This testimony is true. For this reason reprimand them severely so that they may be sound in the faith,

Titus 1:12-13