The Book of Parables

Chapter 37

1 The second vision which he saw, the vision of wisdom which Enoch, the son of Jared, the son of Mahalalel, the son of Cainan, the son of Enos, the son of Seth, the son of Adam, saw.⁠ 2 And this is the beginning of the words of wisdom which I raised my voice to speak and say to those who dwell on earth: Hear, you men of old time,⁠ and see, you who come after, the words of the Holy One which I will speak before the Lord of Spirits. 3 It would be better to declare them only to the men of old time, but even from those who come after, we will not withhold the beginning of wisdom. 4 Until this day, such wisdom has never been given by the Lord of Spirits as I have received according to my insight, according to the good pleasure of the Lord of Spirits by whom the lot of eternal life has been given to me. 5 Now three parables were imparted to me, and I raised my voice and recounted them to those who dwell on the earth.

Texts in conversation

Compare Proverbs 1:7 and 1 Enoch 37:2

Hebrew Bible · Pseudepigrapha, Apocalypses

Summary

1 Enoch 37 echoes Proverbs by linking wisdom with reverence and instruction, but places wisdom in a heavenly realm revealed only to the righteous. Proverbs treats wisdom as available through learning, and 1 Enoch shifts it to revealed knowledge.

Passages

Proverbs 1:7

Hebrew Bible

5 (Let the wise also hear and gain instruction, and let the discerning acquire guidance!) 6 To discern the meaning of a proverb and a parable, the sayings of the wise and their riddles. 7 Fearing the Lord is the beginning of discernment, but fools have despised wisdom and moral instruction. 8 Listen, my child, to the instruction from your father, and do not forsake the teaching from your mother. 9 For they will be like an elegant garland on your head, and like pendants around your neck.

600–201 BCE (scholarly estimate) Read in Proverbs

1 Enoch 37:2

Pseudepigrapha, Apocalypses

1 The second vision which he saw, the vision of wisdom which Enoch, the son of Jared, the son of Mahalalel, the son of Cainan, the son of Enos, the son of Seth, the son of Adam, saw. 2 And this is the beginning of the words of wisdom which I raised my voice to speak and say to those who dwell on earth: Hear, you men of old time, and see, you who come after, the words of the Holy One which I will speak before the Lord of Spirits. 3 It would be better to declare them only to the men of old time, but even from those who come after, we will not withhold the beginning of wisdom.

300 BCE – 100 CE (scholarly estimate) Read in 1 Enoch

References

"... But of course, no mere human exegesis can replace divine revelation. Wisdom is hidden with God, inaccessible to human search and understanding (especially Job 28; Psalm 51:8); he alone can dispense (Proverbs 1:7; 2:6; 20:27; Job 11:5; 12:22, etc.). Although this theme is only fully elaborated in the post-canonical writings, Psalm 119:18 already hints at an important implication ... 'To speak of apocalyptic, therefore, is to concentrate on the theme of the direct communication of the heavenly mysteries in all their diversity.' While this statement may be something of a caricature, it renders due account of the extraordinary apocalyptic interest in divine 'mysteries' and their revelation. For these writers, 'mysteries' subsist in heaven at present but a glimpse of their reality and relevance can be disclosed to select visionaries who pass on this information to the faithful few (the 'wise', i.e. the righteous) to encourage them in waiting for the impending deliverance (1 Enoch 1:1-9, 37:1-5, etc.). At present the divine wisdom is known only through such revealed mysteries, since her abode is in heaven (1 Enoch 42:1-3; 48:1, 49:1). Old Testament antecedents notwithstanding, this notion of heavenly mysteries appears to have become popular only in the wake of early apocalyptic documents like Daniel and 1 Enoch ..."

Markus N. A. Bockmuehl, Revelation and Mystery in Ancient Judaism and Pauline Christianity, Wissenschaftliche Untersuchungen zum Neuen Testament 2. Reihe 36 (Tübingen: Mohr Siebeck, 1990), 14, 32.

References are not endorsements of their contents. Read each reference in full to understand its author's intentions in using these texts.

The Book of Parables

1 Enoch108 chapters

Compare Proverbs 1:7 and 1 Enoch 37:2

Summary

Passages

Proverbs 1:7

1 Enoch 37:2

References

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