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David Cielontko. The Visions of Enoch the Prophet: On the Function of the Book of Parables (De Gruyter, 2026)

Abstract

The book seeks to explain the function of the Parables of Enoch in their ancient context. The Parables of Enoch offer the response of an anonymous author to the perceived crisis and the related question of why the righteous are being persecuted and why there is no indication that God is on their side. The solution to these problems is gradually revealed through the series of Enoch’s visions in the form of the eschatological reversal of fates. This reversal of fates is presented as God’s plan, which was already established before the creation of the world. It is interwoven with various motives and strategies to ensure its plausibility, intended to convince the addressees of an unequivocal promise of hope and assurance of God’s care and concern. Although the idea of an eschatological reversal of fates between the wicked and the righteous may seem trivial, the Parables strive for plausibility, using a very complex tapestry of different ideas and traditions to weave a complex symbolic universe that testifies to God's righteous plan. The book thus offers important insight into an early Jewish use of apocalyptic imagination.