Why Is The Book Of Jubilees Not In The Bible?
The Book of Jubilees is an ancient Jewish text that claims to be a revelation given to Moses on Mount Sinai. It covers many of the events found in Genesis and Exodus, often giving additional details not found in the biblical accounts.
However, the Book of Jubilees is not considered canonical by Jews or most Christians, so why is this the case?
If you’re short on time, here’s a quick answer: The Book of Jubilees was likely written in the 2nd century BCE and contains some ideas that conflicted with rabbinic Judaism at the time. As a result, it was not included in most versions of the Hebrew Bible or accepted as scripture by early Christian leaders compiling the New Testament.
Origin and History of the Book of Jubilees
When and where the Book of Jubilees was written
The Book of Jubilees is considered to have been written in the 2nd century BCE, likely between 161-140 BCE. Most scholars believe it was composed in Hebrew and originally from the Land of Israel. The earliest known fragments of Jubilees were found among the Dead Sea Scrolls at Qumran, dating to around 100 BCE.
This indicates the text was in circulation at that time and was considered authoritative enough to be copied and preserved by the Qumran community. Though the specific origins are debated, Jubilees reflects ideas and themes common in Second Temple Judaism.
Ideas and themes found in the Book of Jubilees
The Book of Jubilees covers many of the events found in Genesis and Exodus, often expanding the biblical accounts. Some key themes and ideas in Jubilees include:
- A focus on keeping the Sabbath and following the Jewish calendar of festivals and holidays.
- Emphasis on maintaining ritual purity and avoiding intermarriage.
- Elaborate angelology, with angels playing a significant role.
- Interest in Enoch and events surrounding the Great Flood.
- Recounting Israel’s early history and covenant relationship with God.
The book reflects a time of great concern for Jewish identity and interpretation of the Torah, as Hellenistic culture spread through the Middle East.
Early acceptance and later rejection of the text
In its early centuries, the Book of Jubilees was quite popular and widely read. Early church fathers like Justin Martyr and Epiphanius mention Jubilees, indicating it was studied alongside the Old Testament books. The Qumran sectarians treated it as Scripture.
However, as rabbinic Judaism took shape, Jubilees fell out of favor. Rabbinic lists of biblical books excluded it, and Jubilees was relegated to obscurity. Some key reasons it was likely rejected include:
- Jubilees was written in Hebrew outside of the land of Israel, unlike other accepted biblical books.
- Claims of Mosaic authorship were dubious.
- Jubilees has some controversial theological ideas, like strict observance of the Jewish calendar.
- It contains many details not found in the Pentateuch accounts.
While the Book of Jubilees remained important to the Ethiopian church, it was lost and ignored through the Middle Ages until rediscovered in the late 1700s. Today it provides useful historical insights into the Second Temple era, though not considered Scripture by Jews or most Christians.
Doctrinal Differences With Mainstream Judaism
Differing religious calendar and feast dates
The Book of Jubilees follows a solar calendar of 364 days per year, rather than the lunar calendar used in mainstream Judaism. This leads to differences in key religious feast dates between the Book of Jubilees and mainstream Judaism.
For example, the Book of Jubilees celebrates Shavuot in the middle of the third month, while mainstream Judaism celebrates it on the 6th and 7th of the third month based on the lunar calendar.
The Book of Jubilees also gives the feast of Weeks a prominent place, referring to it as the “Feast of the First Fruits of the Wheat Harvest.” In Jubilees, this feast occurs 50 days after the Sabbath during Passover week, tying it directly to the Exodus.
By contrast, mainstream Judaism sees Shavuot as commemorating the giving of the Torah rather than linking it to the Exodus timeline.
Ideas about angels, demons, and the afterlife
The Book of Jubilees contains extensive angelology, dividing angels into classes and orders. It states that God created all angels on the first day. This differs from mainstream Judaism, which focuses less on the origins and taxonomy of angels.
Jubilees also references fallen angels mating with human women – an idea not emphasized in mainstream Judaism.
Additionally, Jubilees depicts fairly developed ideas about Sheol as an afterlife destination for human spirits. The author states that human spirits descend to Sheol after death and will experience reward or punishment.
By contrast, mainstream Judaism in the Second Temple period had limited conception about the afterlife and what happens to souls after death.
Emphasis on separating Jews from Gentiles
A core theme in the Book of Jubilees is its strict emphasis on separating Jews from Gentiles. The author stresses that Jews should not intermarry with or adopt the customs of Gentiles. In some passages, Gentiles are painted negatively as inherently immoral compared to Jews.
While mainstream Judaism certainly saw value in maintaining a distinct Jewish identity and customs, Jubilees takes this further with a polemical edge against Gentiles. Its severe stance on avoiding intermarriage and contacts with Gentiles exceeds what is found in the Mishnah and Talmud.
This suggests the Jubilees author was reacting against perceived threats of assimilation into the dominant Hellenistic culture.
Rejection by Christian Church Fathers
Belief that only the Pentateuch was given to Moses
The early Christian Church Fathers largely rejected the Book of Jubilees based on the belief that only the first five books of the Bible (Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy) were divinely inspired and given to Moses on Mount Sinai (Encyclopaedia Britannica).
This view was popularized by Josephus in the 1st century AD and became the predominant position of Christian leaders going forward.
Since the Book of Jubilees claimed to record revelations given to Moses, which expanded considerably beyond the Pentateuch, it was considered a fraudulent work by many Church Fathers including Jerome, Rufinus, Epiphanius, and Augustine.
Some even argued Jubilees was inspired by an evil spirit meant to deceive readers.
Contradictions with the Gospels and letters of Paul
In addition to issues related to Mosaic authorship, the Book of Jubilees was rejected due its contradictions with New Testament texts. For example, Jubilees differs on significant dates such as the date of Jesus’s death as well as chronological details related to the life of Abraham.
The book also contradicted Paul’s teachings that Christians are freed from Jewish law. Jubilees emphasizes strict adherence to Jewish holy days, rituals purity laws, and sacrifices. These teachings clashed with Paul’s message of salvation by grace rather than works of the law.
Reliance on Greek Septuagint by early Church
The fact that Jubilees was not included in the Septuagint, the early Greek translation of the Old Testament favoured by the Church, also contributed to it being rejected as scripture. The Septuagint was considered reliable and its canon of inspired works was widely upheld in early Christianity.
Since Jubilees was missing from the Septuagint, it held less weight than Jewish scriptures found there, like 1 Enoch or the Book of Tobit. So omission from this key manuscript was detrimental to Jubilees claim to canonicity in Christian circles.
Modern Christian Perspectives on the Book of Jubilees
Acceptance in the Ethiopian Orthodox Church canon
The Book of Jubilees is considered canonical scripture by the Ethiopian Orthodox Church, having been included in their Bible for over 2000 years. This is likely due to the book’s supposed author being from an Ethiopian Jewish community.
The themes and messages resonated with early African Christians, leading to its favorable status in the Church. Sources suggest the book profoundly shaped their doctrines on sin, repentance, and ethics. Several writings by Ethiopian Church scholars over the centuries reference Jubilees frequently.
Overall, the book holds an authoritative position within the Ethiopian Orthodox faith.
Interest to modern scholars studying the intertestamental period
Modern religious researchers analyzing the centuries between the Old and New Testament have taken great interest in Jubilees for historical context. Dated to the mid-2nd century BCE, it provides a theological narrative bridging God’s covenant with Israel and the Gospel accounts.
Insights into sectarian debates and power shifts give clues into early Jewish thought and politics. Its unique solar calendar framework and celebration of biblical feasts also reveal important cultic practices.
Scholars reference Jubilees over 125 times across thousands of contemporary academic papers and books when reconstructing the biblical timeline. Clearly, it offers invaluable source material despite doubts over canonical status.
Analysis for insights into biblical interpretation
Beyond historical value, biblical scholars also study the Book of Jubilees as a demonstration of early scriptural exegesis. The author creates an elaborate retelling by expanding stories, adding speeches and details seen to be missing from the Pentateuch accounts.
These commentary features illustrate how texts were analyzed and explained to convey meanings. For example, attributing Mastema giving the Israelites over to Canaanite pagans provides an origin for their idolatry which is not explicit in the Exodus or Judges narratives.
Drawing these speculative inferences gives model practices for rabbis and scholars interpreting scripture. As an early form of Midrash, the book’s hermeneutics offer key contextualizations of the biblical worldview.
Conclusion
While fascinating to scholars today, the Book of Jubilees faced too much doctrinal resistance in early Judaism and Christianity to be widely accepted as scripture. Core differences on religious practices, demonology, and theology led rabbis and Church fathers to reject Jubilees as canonical.
Still, pieces of the text aid our understanding of how Jews and Christians have interpreted Genesis and Exodus over the millennia.