The Sword of the Messiah 45 62,3 to the kings and the powerful (large landowners), the Enochic community of the righteous (38,1) might have perceived itself as persecuted (47,1-2) by the Romans and perhaps the impious Herodian dynasty (29). The main concern in the Similitudes is the fate of the righteous and the wicked, as the opening of the first parable reveals (38,1-2) (30). Hence, the Similitudes also depicts a sifting between the righteous and the wicked: the righteous, i.e., those who reject this world and who have faith in God and his messiah, will dwell in heaven and on a transformed earth (e.g., 39,4-7; 41,2; 43,4; 45,3-5; 48,7; 51,5; 58,1-6; 60,6), but the wicked, i.e., those who have denied God and his messiah, will be punished and go to Sheol (e.g., 38,2; 41,2; 45,1-2.6; 46,4-8; 48,10; 53,2-5; 54,1-10; 56,5-8; 60,6; 67,8-13; 69,27-28). The Enochic community seems to be a narrower group than the entire Jewish people, which is indicated by phrases such as “the community of the righteous/holy” (38,1; 62,8) and “the house(s) of his congregation” (46,8; 53,6), as well as by the collective terms “the righteous/chosen/holy” which may point to a consciousness of community (31). The Enochic community will be liberated from the wicked, especially the kings and the mighty and rich landlords, i.e., the ruling/upper class, by a messianic figure who will neutralize or annihilate their power and wealth (46,4-7; 48,8; 53,5; 62,1-13; 63,1-12) (32). This messianic figure is called “Son of Man”, “Elect One” (cf. Isa 42,1), “Righteous One” or “Messiah” (33), is endowed with the Spirit of wisdom, knowledge, might and righteousness (49,3; 62,2; cf. Isa —————— 81-108 (Minneapolis 2001) 7, 63. Contra an early date (94-64 B.C.E.) (R.H. CHARLES, “1 Enoch”, APOT [ed. R.H. CHARLES] [Oxford 1913] II, 171) and a late date (70-135 C.E.) (M.A. KNIBB, “The Date of the Parables of Enoch: A Critical Review”, NTS 25 [1979] 345-359). We used M.A. Knibb’s translation, based on the Ethiopic text (“1 Enoch”, The Apocryphal Old Testament [ed. H.F.D. SPARKS] [Oxford 1984] 169-319). (29) Cf. COLLINS, Imagination, 191; CHARLESWORTH, “Messianology”, 40. (30) Cf. MURPHY, World, 262; COLLINS, Imagination, 179-181. (31) COLLINS, Imagination, 182, 191; ELLIOTT, Survivors, 496-500; NICKELSBURG, 1 Enoch, 64. (32) Cf. ELLIOTT, Survivors, 495-502; NICKELSBURG, 1 Enoch, 47, 63. (33) These epithets refer to the same individual (J.C. VANDERKAM, “Righteous One, Messiah, Chosen One, and Son of Man in 1 Enoch 37-71”, The Messiah. Developments in Earliest Judaism and Christianity [ed. J.H. CHARLESWORTH] [Minneapolis 1992] 169-191; COLLINS, Imagination, 183-184).