Texts in Conversation
The Christian theologian Irenaeus draws on the narrative of 1 Enoch, where angels descended from heaven and sinned by taking human wives along with teaching secret and forbidden practices, using it as an authoritative source to explain the origins of evil.
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1 Enoch 8:1
Pseudepigrapha
1 And Azâzal taught men to make swords, knives, shields, and breastplates, and revealed to them the metals of the earth and how to work with them, as well as how to make bracelets, ornaments, and the use antimony, beautifying the eyelids, along with all kinds of precious stones and various dyes. 2 Widespread wickedness arose, and they engaged in fornication, were led astray, and corrupted all their ways. Semjâzâ taught spells and the cutting of roots, Armârôs taught how to break spells, Barâqîjâl taught astrology, Kôkabîal taught about the constellations, Ezêqêal taught about the clouds, Araqiêal taught the signs of the earth, Shamsiêal taught the signs of the sun, and Sariêal taught the course of the moon. And as men died, they cried out, and their cries ascended to heaven.
Date: 200-50 B.C.E. (based on scholarly estimates)
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Irenaeus Demonstration of the Apostolic Preaching 18
Early Christian
18 And for a very long while wickedness extended and spread, and reached and laid hold upon the whole race of mankind, until a very small seed of righteousness remained among them and illicit unions took place upon the earth, since angels were united with the daughters of the race of mankind; and they bore to them sons who for their exceeding greatness were called giants. And the angels brought as presents to their wives teachings of wickedness, in that they brought them the virtues of roots and herbs, dyeing in colors and cosmetics, the discovery of rare substances, love-potions, aversions, amours, concupiscence, constraints of love, spells of bewitchment, and all sorcery and idolatry hateful to God; by the entry of which things into the world evil extended and spread, while righteousness was diminished and enfeebled.
Date: 175-190 C.E. (based on scholarly estimates)
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Notes and References
"... Irenaeus exhibits his familiarity with the angel story in several passages of his Against Heresies. The following were cited above in the first part of the chapter: 1.10.1; 1.15.6; 4.16.2; and 4.36.4. He also mentions it in 'In Demonstration of the Apostolic Preaching' 18 ..."
VanderKam, James C.
The Jewish Apocalyptic Heritage in Early Christianity
(p. 66) Fortress Press, 1993
* The use of references are not endorsements of their contents. Please read the entirety of the provided reference(s) to understand the author's full intentions regarding the use of these texts.
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