Wright on evil spirits

BIBLE AND INTERPRETATION:

The Origin of Evil Spirits in Early Jewish Literature

The pseudepigraphal book of 1 Enoch, in particular the Book of Watchers, chapters 1–36, played a key role in the developing demonology in Early Judaism and eventually the NT. 1 Enoch is described as a Midrash of Genesis 6.1-4 in which the Sons of God have sexual relations with the daughters of humanity and giant offspring are born to them. As a result of the union, the author of 1 Enoch presents an origin of evil spirits which will be taken up with the ensuing literature of the 2TP[Second Temple period] and result in a full-blown demonology by the 1st c. C.E.

See Also: The Origin of Evil Spirits (Fortress Press; Revised edition, 2015).

By Archie T. Wright
Regent University
April, 2015