The writers of the New Covenant valued these ancient Jewish works so highly that they are quoted in Bibles.
Perhaps you have wondered about the origins of some of the "curious" information in Jude. If so, you will be
interested to learn that "Jude explicitly quotes Enoch and introduces the quotation with the formula `Enoch,
the seventh from Adam, prophesied, saying' " - found in Jude 14-15 (H. F. D. Sparks, Editor, The Apocryphal
Old Testament. (Oxford University Press, Oxford, 1990), p.169.)
Jude also refers to the obscure text of ―The Assumption of Moses‖. The discussion arose about the body of
Moses and the archangel Michael disputed with the devil, but "dared not bring against him a reviling
accusation, but said, `the Lord rebuke you!'" (Jude 9). "More details about this dispute may be gleaned from
other Fathers, some of whom explicitly name the Assumption as their source‖. (Ibid. p. 602.).
Early Church Fathers were not in complete agreement as to what should be included in the canon. Many of
the writings which were important to the Jews (both Jewish Christians as well as the Rabbinic Jews) were
also important to the original non-Jewish Christians. Some were so important that they were viewed as
potential candidates for inclusion into the Old Covenant. Sources as important to the early Church as
Tertullian (late 2nd century) and Origen (mid 3rd century) accepted Enoch. St. Augustine (early 5th century)
"admitted that Enoch had written `not a little' by divine inspiration‖. (Ibid., p. 170. Quotation taken from
Augustine's Civ. Dei, xv. 23, xviii. 38).
DOES PAUL WARN US FROM DEPARTING FROM OUR HEBRAIC ROOTS?
(17) ―And if some of the branches were broken off, and you, being a wild olive tree, were grafted in
among them, and with them became a partaker of the root and fatness of the olive tree, do not boast
against the branches.
(18) But if you do boast, remember that you do not support the root, but the root supports you (Church)".
(Rom 11:17-18, NKJ)These were the exact words of the epistle written to the Roman believers, warning them of the infiltration of
Roman paganism, of dead works, and of how they ought not to be haughty but to fear, and to remember the
Hebraic roots. He further prophesied, ―that blindness in part has happened to Israel until the fullness of the
Gentiles (Israel in the nations) has come in" (Rom 11:25, NKJ).
But alas, the Church fell right into this very pitfall and plight of bringing in the Replacement Theology, a
deception declaring that the Jews were rebellious and their roots were backward and had to be done away
with, REPLACED with the new "spiritual Israelites – the Christians". But they did not know the Hebrew roots,
and therefore interpreted the Scriptures from the pagan Greco-Roman culture that they were raised in. This
was where the Church, in her haughtiness, departed from her Hebrew roots, its understanding of holiness
and righteousness that began to bring into the Church pagan teachings and practices that were packaged
into the Gospel wherever it went. And much still remains to this day.
The Jews were persecuted by the Christians for crucifying Y‘shua, and the Hebrew roots were replaced with
pagan practices. Why was the Hebrew roots inadvertently replaced? Because the ways of the Patriarchs
were always abominations to the Greek and Roman cultures and will always be, as long as the world is still
under that influence. Y‘shua and grace are now preached, not against the backdrop of the Hebrew culture,
but according to paganistic Greco-Roman culture and interpretations, that has its roots all the way back to
Babylon. Thus the next prophecy of Paul came to pass, "For I know this, that after my departure savage
wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock" (Acts 20:29, NKJ).
You will be surprised that early church Fathers of Christianity, like Augustine and Origen, were among those
who persecuted the Jews severely. Much of their theology remains deeply-rooted in modern Christianity
despite awakenings in this century to recognise the Jews. Why God allowed the Church to sink so deep into
the heathen mire, nobody can give a satisfactory answer—considering the mass blindness and terrible
devastation of the spiritual dark ages that followed. But one thing we do know, Christians have to get out of
it: "And I heard another voice from heaven saying, "Come out of her, my people, lest you share in her sins,
and lest you receive of her plagues" (Rev 18:4 NKJ).