Category
📚
LearningTranscript
00:00Metatron is a mysterious angel who appears only in Jewish mystical texts, particularly
00:06within the Kabbalistic tradition.
00:09But unlike most angels, Metatron is unique.
00:13He is depicted as the most powerful of all the angels, so powerful, in fact, that he
00:19has been called Little Yahweh.
00:21What's more, Metatron is believed to have once been Enoch, the great-grandfather of
00:26Noah, who was elevated to angelic status.
00:29He is the only angel who started out as a human being, and the only angel to have a
00:35geometric symbol associated with him.
00:38Interestingly, he's only mentioned in non-canonical books, books that were left out of the Bible.
00:44There's no mention of him in the Christian Old Testament or the Hebrew Bible, the Tanakh.
00:50All this has made him a mysterious and even controversial figure.
00:55In order to uncover the origins of Metatron, we must first look at the story of Enoch,
01:00a figure who is shrouded in mystery himself.
01:03Enoch is mentioned briefly in a few verses in the Bible, but his entire story is based
01:08on speculations that arise from them.
01:11Genesis 5, verse 18-24 is the main passage about Enoch in the Bible.
01:19It details his lineage as the son of Jared and the father of Methuselah, his age, and
01:25notably his righteous life.
01:27The passage concludes with the famous verse, Enoch walked faithfully with God.
01:33Then he was no more, because God took him away.
01:36This is important because it implies that Enoch didn't die, but instead was spirited
01:41away by God.
01:44We next hear of Enoch in the New Testament, in Hebrews 11, verse 5, where he's mentioned
01:49in the context of faith.
01:51The verse states, By faith Enoch was taken from this life, so that he did not experience
01:57death.
01:58He could not be found, because God had taken him away.
02:02For before he was taken, he was commended as one who pleased God.
02:06And again, his unique departure from this world is reinforced.
02:11He's mentioned one more time in the Bible, this time in Jude 1, verse 14-15, and is cited
02:18as a prophet.
02:20This isn't much to go on, and you might even forget that Enoch ever existed, if you
02:24only took the Bible into account.
02:28Which is why we have to turn to the apocryphal texts, particularly the Book of Enoch, also
02:33known as 1 Enoch.
02:34It's here that we can truly understand Mediterranean's transformation from Enoch.
02:39This ancient Jewish work, which wasn't included in the standard biblical canon, offers a more
02:44detailed account of Enoch's experiences and his spiritual journey.
02:49It describes his revelations and his visits to heaven in the form of travels, visions,
02:55and dreams.
02:56He becomes a revealer of secrets and a witness to heavenly mysteries.
03:01This text, revered in the Ethiopian Orthodox Church, but considered apocryphal in Jewish
03:06and most Christian traditions, provides the foundation for the later mystical interpretation
03:12of Enoch as Metatron.
03:14The transformation of Enoch into Metatron is more explicitly discussed in other Jewish
03:19mystical texts, such as the Babylonian Talmud and the Zohar.
03:24They describe how Enoch became the most exalted angel because of his righteousness and devotion
03:29to God.
03:30His transformation is physical, as he turns into a heavenly creature.
03:35This Enoch, whose flesh was turned to flame, his veins to fire, his eyelashes to flashes
03:41of lightning, his eyeballs to flaming torches, and whom God placed on a throne next to the
03:46throne of glory, received after this heavenly transformation the name Metatron.
03:52Metatron is said to have 36 wings, a number signifying his elevated rank among the heavenly
03:58beings.
03:59His face is portrayed as radiating intense light, which reflects his role as a bearer
04:04of divine knowledge.
04:06Additionally, Metatron is often depicted holding a quill or a scroll, symbolizing his duty
04:12as the scribe of God's decrees.
04:15Metatron, once Enoch, now embodies both the human experience and the transcendental nature
04:21of the angelic.
04:23He symbolizes the profound connection between the human and the divine in Jewish mysticism.
04:30Metatron's new role in the heavens is multifaceted.
04:34As a scribe, his duties include recording the deeds of humanity, guiding and supporting
04:40the spiritual development of souls, and governing the flow of divine energy into the physical
04:46world.
04:47He is a powerful intermediary, a bridge between the creator and creation, so much so that
04:53he's called the Lesser Yahweh.
04:57In Enoch 3, Metatron says of God, he called me, the Lesser Yahweh in the presence of his
05:03whole household in the height.
05:04As it is written, my name is in him.
05:08This title implies that Metatron has an exalted position in heaven and is exceptionally close
05:14to God.
05:15The controversy among scholars and theologians regarding Metatron's title as the Lesser
05:20Yahweh is quite natural, given its potential challenge to traditional views of the angelic
05:27hierarchy.
05:28This title raises compelling questions.
05:31If Metatron is referred to as a lesser form of Yahweh, does it imply that God is sharing
05:37his divine powers?
05:39Such an idea could appear to stretch the boundaries of monotheism.
05:42However, it's important to note that the term lesser is crucial here.
05:48It serves to clearly differentiate Metatron from the Almighty, the Greater Yahweh.
05:55In doing so, this distinction helps to uphold the fundamental Jewish principle of monotheism
06:00while simultaneously recognizing Metatron's elevated status within the divine realm.
06:07This careful balancing act reflects the intricate and nuanced nature of theological interpretation
06:13in Jewish mysticism.
06:16Another intriguing aspect associated with Metatron is the concept of Metatron's cube.
06:21We've done an entire video on this symbol, so check it out in the card above.
06:28This symbol is not directly mentioned in traditional Jewish texts, but has been adopted
06:33in various mystical and esoteric traditions.
06:37Metatron's cube is thought to represent the interconnectedness of all things in the
06:41cosmos, reflecting the belief that everything in the universe is part of a divine geometric
06:46plan.
06:47In modern esotericism, it is sometimes used as a symbol of protection, balance, and harmony,
06:54believed to act as a visual expression of the energy flows of the universe, as governed
06:59by an entity as powerful as Metatron.
07:03Metatron remains the most intriguing angel, known for his unique origins and extraordinary
07:08powers.
07:10Just as God incarnated as Jesus to walk among humans, Enoch also underwent a transformation
07:17to become Metatron, taking his place among the celestial beings.
07:22While he plays no role in canonical texts, he has inspired much esoteric speculation.
07:28If you enjoyed this video, please like it and subscribe to our channel.
07:31It helps our channel grow, so we can continue making more videos like this.
07:36Thanks for watching!