A question about 4 Ezra

[Anthony16]

By the way, welcome to CF and to TAW.



I don't have answers. All I can say is that I'm reminded of the book of Enoch, which is not canon for us but is for I think the Ethiopians. It has to be understood a certain way as well - to take some of it literally would be problematic.

I'm not sure if it's case that we need a certain understanding first to read this. But it sounds like that could be the case.

But the book is canon at least to the Georgian Orthodox Church which is a part of the Eastern Orthodox Church right?

 

[~Anastasia~]

We make a distinction between the Archangel Michael and the Lord Jesus Christ.

 

[~Anastasia~]

But the book is canon at least to the Georgian Orthodox Church which is a part of the Eastern Orthodox Church right?

Yes they are canonical in communion with us. I'm sorry - that wasn't what I meant. Please forgive me for the confusion.

I just meant - like Enoch is not included in the canon for us, I think it takes a particular understanding of the writings and that might be part of the reason why it's not accepted everywhere.

Revelation had a similar difficulty in the Church for a long time, for several reasons, including that.

 

[Anthony16]

Yes they are canonical in communion with us. I'm sorry - that wasn't what I meant. Please forgive me for the confusion.

I just meant - like Enoch is not included in the canon for us, I think it takes a particular understanding of the writings and that might be part of the reason why it's not accepted everywhere.

Revelation had a similar difficulty in the Church for a long time, for several reasons, including that.

Yeah that’s probably why. It is a very hard book to tackle more so then even Revelation. I wonder if a Orthodox Christian has done a commentary or a detailed article on it.

 

[~Anastasia~]

Yeah that’s probably why. It is a very hard book to tackle more so then even Revelation. I wonder if a Orthodox Christian has done a commentary or a detailed article on it.

I haven't found any.

I've found books written that wrongly place it in and out of different canons. But so far no Orthodox commentary. Maybe there is one but not in English.

 

[buzuxi02]

Without researching deeper, there seems to be two names which are conflated as the same angel. That is Uriel and Phanuel. There are many legends and traditions about these Angels and many of the attributes for them are similiar to the pre-incarnate Christ. For example Jacob recognizes the angel he was wrestling with as God himself. Many Jews through the centuries recognized this angel to be Phanuel/Uriel (Genesis 32:29-30).
Some view him as an angel of judgement because of Ezra iv and this associated Uriel as the angel (destroyer) that passed judgement upon the Egyptians but spared the Hebrews in Exodus 12:23. Isaiah 63:9 is another reference that some ancient jewish lore associated with referring to Uriel.