The Watchers in Jewish and Christian Traditions:

6 ‘Because of the Angels’: Paul and the Enochic Traditions

6 ‘Because of the Angels’: Paul and the Enochic Traditions Scott M. Lewis, S.J. Paul’s injunction in 1 Corinthians 11:10 that women should be veiled during worship “because of the angels” is one of the most puzzling and obscure passages in the New Testament. In what sense should “angels” be understood? Is the angelic presence a positive or negative phenomenon? Why should human dress and comportment be of any concern to angels? One possibility, noted even in antiquity, is that Paul’s warning resonates with elements of the Enochic traditions concerning the primeval angelic interference in human affairs. The themes from the Watchers traditions that would be most relevant to a study of the Pauline corpus are (1) the transgression of the cosmic boundaries by the Watchers in the form of intercourse with human women and the generation of hybrid offspring; and (2) the disclosure of heavenly and forbidden knowledge to humans (1 En. 7:1 and 12:4).1 The story of the “sons of God” and their misadventures with the “daughters of men” in Gen. 6:1-42 is paralleled by detailed accounts of the Watchers or fallen angels in 1 En. 6–19 as well as Jub. 4:21-22 and 7:21. The reference in Gen. 6 does not speak of any enticement on the part of the daughters of men, nor does it make an explicitly negative judgment of the progeny of the unions 1. George W.E. Nickelsburg and James C. VanderKam, 1 Enoch: The Hermeneia Translation (Minneapolis: Fortress Press, 2012), 24, 31. These themes are well articulated in 1 En. 7. In addition to the angelic-human miscegenation, the gigantic offspring sin against non-human creatures as well as engaging in cannibalism and the drinking of blood. The earth itself finally brings accusation against them. See also Karina Martin Hogan’s essay “The Watchers Traditions in the Book of the Watchers and the Animal Apocalypse” in this volume. 2. ‫האלהים‬ ‫;בני‬ LXX οἱ υἱοι τοῦ θεοῦ. 81 or link them with the violence and wickedness that follows. It is not entirely clear that the Nephilim were totally destroyed.3 There are well-known echoes of the tradition of the Watchers found in Jude 6 and 2 Pet. 2:4.4 The same tradition is recounted in Jubilees, especially in Jub. 4:22 and 7:21, but with a slight variation in that the emphasis is placed on the sexual transgression. The Watchers were authorized to impart some knowledge to humankind but far exceeded their mandate.5 Author and Audience Paul’s authorship of 1 Corinthians has never been seriously challenged and it stands among the seven undisputed letters. Most scholars place the composition of 1 Cor. to the mid-50s with some minor variation. The years 55–57 ce represent a modern consensus in terms of dating this letter.6 Paul addresses the Corinthian community directly—it is not a general theological treatise but a pastoral missive dealing with very distinct and concrete community issues. He seeks to call them to unity and concord (1:11) because of the fractiousness and competition that has seriously damaged the community. He will deal with issues of authority, sexual morality, marriage, sacrificial meat, eschatology, and, most importantly for us, worship and liturgy. Chapters 11 and 14 focus on the Lord’s Supper, prophecy, spiritual gifts, and prayer, especially the corrosive effects of competition, quarrelling, and moral laxity. In 1 Cor. 11:2-16, Paul engages in a long and rather obtuse discussion of head coverings and the necessity for women to be veiled during worship, and that is the focus of our discussion. 3. Loren T. Stuckenbruck, “The ‘Angels’ and ‘Giants’ of Genesis 6:1-4 in Second and Third Century bce Jewish Interpretation: Reflections on the Posture of Early Apocalyptic Traditions” DSD 7 (2000): 354–377, esp. 363. 4. See Eric Mason’s essay “Watchers Traditions in the Catholic Epistles” in this volume. 5. O.S. Wintermute, “Jubilees,” OTP 2:35–142. Jub. 4:21-22 relates that the flood came upon the earth as punishment. The Watchers exceeded their authority and fornicated with women, resulting in the Giants. Eventually human minds became filled with vanity and evil, resulting in much injustice and bloodshed. The spilled blood is the final and principal reason for the blotting out of the earth. On the Watchers tradition in Jubilees, see the contribution by John Endres in this volume. 6. A date of late 56 to early 57 ce is given by...