11.02.2014 Views

The Books of Enoch, Aramaic Fragments of Qumran Cave 4

The Books of Enoch, Aramaic Fragments of Qumran Cave 4

The Books of Enoch, Aramaic Fragments of Qumran Cave 4

SHOW MORE
SHOW LESS

You also want an ePaper? Increase the reach of your titles

YUMPU automatically turns print PDFs into web optimized ePapers that Google loves.

THE ROMAN AND BYZANTINE PERIODS 103<br />

^ <strong>The</strong> virgin who is the sister <strong>of</strong> <strong>Enoch</strong> and who predicts the future for him is certainly<br />

Sibyl (Crum); see above pp. 96-7. In fol. 8^ z and 6'' i it seems to be a question <strong>of</strong> the birth<br />

<strong>of</strong> Sibyl and <strong>of</strong> her knowledge <strong>of</strong> Greek.<br />

« <strong>The</strong> pronoun refers to the Trinity, *the three invisible names' <strong>of</strong> fol. 5.<br />

f <strong>Enoch</strong> fulfils the function <strong>of</strong> celestial scribe who records the actions <strong>of</strong> men; cf. Jub. 4: 23.<br />

On a fresco in the monastery <strong>of</strong> the Abba Jeremiah we find <strong>Enoch</strong>, flanked by two saints,<br />

carrying a scroll inscribed with the title *the book <strong>of</strong> life' (n-^iDCoxiie jutniond.); on<br />

another fresco, <strong>Enoch</strong>, the bearer <strong>of</strong> an inscribed scroll, and the Abba Jeremiah flank the<br />

Virgin with Child and with the archangels Michael and Gabriel.^ A wooden tablet with<br />

the legend <strong>of</strong> Christ and the vine (seventh to eighth centuries) contains the following invocation:<br />

*Sun, do not set; Moon, do not rise; <strong>Enoch</strong> the scribe (eiKox n€ic

Hooray! Your file is uploaded and ready to be published.

Saved successfully!

Ooh no, something went wrong!