The Lord of Spirits Podcast
Episode: The Book of Jubilees
May 31, 2024
Hosts: Fr. Andrew Stephen Damick & Fr. Stephen De Young
Overview of the Episode’s Main Theme
This episode continues the podcast’s deep dive into Jewish apocryphal literature from the Second Temple period, focusing on the Book of Jubilees. The hosts explore how this key text reveals the intertwined nature of the seen and unseen spiritual worlds, its unique position within Jewish and Christian traditions, and its ongoing relevance for Orthodox Christian thought and ritual. The discussion includes Jubilees’ relationship to the Hebrew Bible, its influence on the New Testament, and what it tells us about calendars, angels, demons, and spiritual practice.
Key Discussion Points and Insights
1. Why is the Book of Jubilees Unique?
- Dual Canonical Influence: Unlike most apocryphal texts, Jubilees maintained currency in both Rabbinic Judaism and early Christianity (08:44).
- "At the point where...the Rabbinic Jewish communities and Christian communities that are separating out of Second Temple Judaism...the Book of Jubilees is being used by both." — Fr. Stephen (15:09)
- Jewish & Christian “Apocrypha”: Still referenced on Jewish scriptural websites and used in Ethiopian Christian tradition.
- Not a Replacement for Genesis: Functions as narrative commentary, knit together from oral and written traditions rather than purely original authorship (38:56).
- Integrated Traditions: Serves as a repository for traditions, interpretations, and expansions on Genesis–Exodus stories.
2. Genre and Structure
- Apocalyptic Genre (17:10): Jubilees is technically an apocalypse—meaning a vision or revelation, not “end of the world.”
- Heaven’s Eye View: The frame story is Moses on Sinai, receiving visions of all history from creation up to his day (18:50).
- “It’s sort of the heaven’s eye view.” — Fr. Andrew (18:10)
- Chronology & Calendar: Jubilees is obsessed with time, cycles, and the Enochic (364-day) calendar, linking community ritual to cosmic order (21:03, 67:51).
- Midrashic and Targumic Modes (26:31, 27:03, 31:10): Extensive parallels with Jewish traditions of expanded translation and commentary.
- “[The Targums] would even answer...obvious questions about the text sometimes…The translator would just supply the reason.” — Fr. Stephen (30:00)
3. Theological Themes & Ritual
- Time and Eternity: Distinct from “cyclical” pagan time; instead, time’s cycles (weekly, yearly, jubilee) ritually connect the community with eternal divine realities (71:58, 80:18).
- Pentecost as Central Feast (68:46): Oddly, the most prominent festival is not Passover or Yom Kippur, but Pentecost—the giving of the Torah.
- Roots of Liturgy and Ethics: Instructions, feasts, and laws are revealed as part of creation’s fabric, not arbitrary decrees (94:08).
- “These things are built into the creation…God is just revealing them.” — Fr. Stephen (94:08)
- Emphasis on Community Formation: The calendar’s cycles and observances are meant to bind a community together and shape its life (76:19, 203:06).
4. Angels, Demons, Giants, and Divine Beings
- Angels Created on the First Day (131:05): Both functional (elements, seasons) and “angels of the presence” who co-participate in God’s acts.
- Mastema—A Devil Figure and His Bargain: Mastema, a chief demon of giant descent, bargains with God to keep 10% of demons active on earth—paralleling New Testament demonic references (166:21).
- “Let’s make a deal. You can send most of them down to the abyss, but how about 10% of my boys and I get to hang out here…” — Fr. Andrew (167:20)
- God allows the demons to afflict the wicked in order to bring them to repentance—a “left hand of God” theme (168:44).
- Origin of Demons: Spirits of dead giants, not fallen angels—matching presuppositions in the Synoptic Gospels about demons (169:57).
- Spiritual Warfare / Liturgy: The Book’s “God of spirits and of all flesh” prayer is the basis for Orthodox memorial prayers (124:35).
5. Jubilees’ Influence on the New Testament
Direct Parallels & Quotes (98:24–117:13):
- St. Stephen’s Speech (Acts 7)
- Burial details, Moses’ timeline, law given by angels—all found in Jubilees, not Genesis.
- St. Paul and St. Peter References
- Preacher of righteousness (Noah), new heavens and earth, “a day is as a thousand years,” all referenced in both Jubilees and the NT.
- Galatians 3:17 matches Jubilees' chronology, not Exodus.
- Revelation contains phrases (kingdom and priests; angels of thunder/lightning) from Jubilees.
6. Canon, Apocrypha, and the Christian Reader
- How Should We Approach Jubilees?
- Not canonical for most Orthodox but sits in the family of traditions that shaped the scriptural worldview.
- Should be read as “at home” literature, not in the liturgy — a source of context, habit of mind, patterns of thought, and a “taste” for how to interpret the spiritual realities behind scripture (197:14–201:15).
7. Practical and Pastoral Reflections
- Ritual Shapes Reality: The cycles of feasts, fasts, and liturgies are not “added extras” but formative for the human being and the church.
- “What separated the Christians from all of them is that the Christians feast.” — Fr. Stephen (205:08)
- Formation, Not Mere Information: The way to know God is not to learn data, but to structure life by the patterns that bring us into his presence (161:17).
- “I am faithful so that I will understand.” — St. Augustine via Fr. Stephen (163:44)
Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments
“The Book of Jubilees is being used by both [Rabbinic Judaism and Christianity] … Which, again, is really unique for any of these texts.” (15:09)
“These things are built into the creation…and God is just revealing them…This is revelation of what really is—not commandments given over a morally neutral field.” (94:08)
“What separated the Christians from all of [the heretics] is that the Christians feast. … Giving thanks to God for his creation and his world.” (205:08)
“Angels are created...on the first day … and the angels get assignments.” (138:42)
“Let your grace be lifted up upon my sons and do not let the evil spirits rule over them … let them not rule over the spirits of the living, because you alone know their judgment.” — The prayer of Noah, Jubilees, echoed in the Orthodox memorial prayer (174:52)
Timestamps for Important Segments
- 01:58 – Intro to Jubilees, its accessibility, comparison to other apocrypha
- 05:18 – Jewish and Christian preservation of the book
- 11:52 – Jubilees’ unique status within Rabbinic tradition
- 17:10 – Apocalypse as revelation, not end-times; frame story of Moses
- 21:03 – The Enochic 364-day calendar and its polemical implications
- 26:31 – Rabbinic commentary styles (Targum, Midrash) and parallels
- 68:46 – Structure: cycles of time, focus on Pentecost
- 94:08 – Spiritual reality revealed in the Torah
- 98:24 – New Testament references to Jubilees
- 120:06 – Galatians' years problem (“430 years”) solved by Jubilees
- 124:35 – Echoes of Orthodox liturgy: “God of spirits and of all flesh”
- 166:21 – Mastema the devil/giant, origin of demons
- 174:52 – Prayer of Noah: prototype for prayers against demons
- 197:14 – On reading apocrypha: forming habits, not collecting data
- 201:17 – Final reflections: being formed by cycles, ritual, and community
Episode Flow & Additional Highlights
The Hosts’ Style & Humor
- Fr. Stephen and Fr. Andrew frequently banter, mixing pop culture references (X-Men, pumpkin spice lattes, black metal, comic books) with deep theological insight—making the subject approachable and sometimes hilarious (01:43, 84:20, 142:48).
- They embrace good-natured teasing about pop-calendars and calendars in general (75:41–79:16).
Memorable Caller Moments
- Listeners call in (141:33–153:02), raising questions about ritual, spiritual realities, and the relevance of pagan practice. The hosts respond with pastoral insight, explaining that ritual—whatever the context—shapes one’s spiritual trajectory and that apocryphal texts like Jubilees help Christians re-enchant their world, not replace the canon.
Conclusion: Why Does Jubilees Matter?
Jubilees isn’t just an ancient curiosity or a collection of wild legends. It is a window into the patterns and logic of early Jewish and Christian spiritual geography. Reading it broadens one’s sense of how the Scriptures were interpreted during their formative periods, why rhythms and feasts matter, and how Christianity inherited ways to see and inhabit the world as spiritually charged and purposeful.
Final word from Fr. Stephen:
“It happens through these simple things of how do I structure my week...And the eternal realities of God become more and more part of our life every cycle...All building to that day when...those eternal realities...become the realities in which we live our eternal life.” (208:06)
Recommended for Listeners Who Want To:
- Deepen scriptural and apocryphal literacy
- See practical implications of Orthodox tradition
- Connect cosmic cycles with spiritual discipline
- Re-enchant their worldview with Christ at the center
This summary reflects the full sweep and tone of the episode, offering an accessible entry-point for those interested in how ancient texts like Jubilees continue to shape Orthodox Christian imagination and practice.