The Catholic Bible … … Is It Different?

What is the Bible? The “Bible” is the book (Latin, biblia) that is made up of the books (Greek, ta biblia) The Bible is a library of 66 books written over a period of 1,500 years by nearly 40 authors

What is the Bible? The 39 books of the Old Testament took about 1,000 years to write (1400 to 400 B.C.) The 27 books of the New Testament took about 50 years to write (A.D. 45 to 95)

What Books Make Up the Bible? The “Canon” of Scripture “Canon” (Gr. kanon) = reed; sometimes used for a measuring rod; a standard or rule (Gal. 6:16)

What Books Make Up the Bible? “Canon” of scripture = first used by Athanasius (4th Century) for a list or index of books received as Holy Scripture; those books regarded as having divine authority and which comprise our Bible The formation of the “canon” was a gradual process

How Did Books Make It Into the Canon of Scripture? “Canon” was determined by a book’s inherent authority A book was first found to be authoritative (1 Cor. 14:37), then canonical

How Did Books Make It Into the Canon of Scripture? No church council by its decrees can make a book authoritative; no church council made the “canon” of scripture Authoritative books were collected and identified and placed into the “canon”

The Hebrew Old Testament The Hebrew Canon contained three divisions: (1) the Law, (2) the Prophets and (3) the Writings [totaling 24 books] Jesus used a body of Old Testament scriptures (Lk. 24:25,44; Matt. 23:35; see 2 Chron. 24:20-21)

The Hebrew Old Testament Josephus, well-known writer of the 1st century, speaks of 22 books of Old Testament scripture (Judges and Ruth combined, Jeremiah and Lamentations combined)

The Hebrew Old Testament Hebrew OT (24 Books) The Law Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy The Prophets Joshua, Judges, Samuel, Kings, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, Isaiah, the Twelve The Writings Psalms, Job, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, S. of S., Ruth, Lamentations, Daniel, Esther, Ezra-Nehemiah, Chronicles Old Testament (39 Books) Joshua, Judges, Ruth, 1 & 2 Samuel, 1 & 2 Kings, 1 & 2 Chronicles, Ezra, Nehemiah, Esther, Job, Psalms, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, S. of S., Isaiah, Jeremiah, Lamentations, Ezekiel, Daniel, Hosea, Joel, Amos, Obadiah, Jonah, Micah, Nahum, Habakkuk, Zephaniah, Haggai, Zechariah, Malachi Josephus (22 Books) Joshua, Judges-Ruth, Samuel, Kings, Jeremiah-Lamentations, Ezekiel, Isaiah, the Twelve Psalms, Job, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, S. of S., Daniel, Esther, Ezra-Nehemiah, Chronicles

The Hebrew Old Testament In A.D. 70, Jerusalem and the Temple was destroyed; in A.D. 90, rabbis gathered at the Council of Jamnia to set the limits of the Old Testament canon; they selected the 39 books of our Old Testament, divided into the Law, the Prophets and the Writings

What is the Apocrypha? The Catholic Bible contains 7 books in the Old Testament in addition to the 39 books (called “Deuterocanonicals”) “Apocrypha” (Gr. apokryphos) = concealed; hidden things (see Mk. 4:22; Lk. 8:17; Col. 2:3); then something “esoteric;” then, a non- canonical book; a term first used by Jerome and Cyril (4th Century)

What is the Apocrypha? The “apocryphal” books were written in Hebrew and Aramaic, in Palestine, c. 200 B.C. to A.D. 100

What is the Apocrypha? “When talking about Bible translations, the questions Catholics often ask are: Why do we have 73 books in the Bible, no more no less? And why don’t Catholic and Protestant Bibles contain the same number of inspired books? These questions raise the problem of the biblical canon. Originally, a canon (from the Greek kanon) meant a rod or stick that one used to measure length, and hence a criterion or standard.” “Catholics and Protestants accept the same 27 inspired books as making up the New Testament. But when we turn to the Old Testament, some significant differences emerge.”

What is the Apocrypha? “The decision finally determining the exact number of books accepted as inspired Scripture for Catholics was not made until the Council of Trent in 1546. The Council fathers accepted 46 Old Testament books, following what appeared to them as a firm tradition of the Church from ancient times. The leaders of the Protestant Reformation, on the other hand, rejected some books agreed upon at Trent.” “The seven disputed books are: Tobit, Judith, Wisdom, Sirach, Baruch and 1 and 2 Maccabees. There are also some sections of Esther and Daniel not considered inspired Scriptures by Protestants …”

What is the Apocrypha? “… Protestants call these seven books the apocryphal books. Catholics, however, call these same disputed books deuterocanonical.” “Fortunately, today, modern translations of the Bible are published in Catholic editions. These translations will include an imprimatur (assurance of a Catholic bishop that the text is in line with Catholic teaching) and the seven deuterocanonical books.” (“The Bible: How the Many Versions Came About,” by Arthur E. Zannoni, Catholic Update, Feb. 9, 1999)

18 Apocryphal Books of the OT 1. Tobit 2. Judith 3. Wisdom of Solomon 4. Ecclesiasticus or Sirach 5. First Maccabees 6. Second Maccabees 7. Baruch 8. Letter of Jeremiah 9. Esther (Additions) 10. Prayer of Azariah and the Song of the Three Hebrew Children 11. Susanna 12. Bel and the Dragon 13. First Esdras 14. Second Esdras 15. Prayer of Manasseh 16. Third Maccabees 17. Fourth Maccabees 18. Psalm 151

Apocryphal Books of the Old Testament (Classified) Historical: 1 Esdras, 1 & 2 Maccabees Legendary: Tobit, Judith, Esther (Additions), Prayer of Azariah & Song of the Three, Susanna, Bel and the Dragon

Apocryphal Books of the Old Testament (Classified) Prophetic: Baruch, Letter of Jeremiah, Prayer of Manasseh, 2 Esdras Ethical: Ecclesiasticus (Sirach), Wisdom of Solomon

Apocryphal Books of the Old Testament (Summarized) First Esdras (c. 150 – 100 B.C.) – tells of the restoration of Jews after the Babylonian captivity; legendary material added Second Esdras (c. A.D. 100) – an apocalyptic work containing seven visions

Apocryphal Books of the Old Testament (Summarized) Tobit (c. 200 B.C.) – a short novel about a religious Israelite named “Tobit,” strongly Pharisaic in tone, emphasizing traditions Judith (c. 150 B.C.) – tells of the heroic actions of a Jewish widow named “Judith”

Apocryphal Books of the Old Testament (Summarized) Additions to Esther (c. 140 - 130 B.C.) – additional material to the story of Esther including long prayers and letters written by Artaxerxes Wisdom of Solomon (c. A.D. 40) – written to keep Jews from falling in skepticism, materialism and idolatry

Apocryphal Books of the Old Testament (Summarized) Ecclesiasticus or Wisdom of Sirach (c. 132 B.C.) – shows a high level of religious wisdom like Proverbs Baruch (c. A.D. 100) – supposedly written by Baruch, the scribe of Jeremiah (582 B.C.)

Apocryphal Books of the Old Testament (Summarized) Song of the Three Hebrew Children – a song of praise similar to Psalm 148; follows Daniel 3:23 in the LXX and the Vulgate Susanna – the “13th Chapter” of Daniel; tells of the wife of a leading Jew in Babylon named “Susanna” who was put on trial for her life

Apocryphal Books of the Old Testament (Summarized) Bel and the Dragon – the “14th Chapter” of Daniel; contains two stories showing the folly of idolatry Prayer of Manasseh (c. 150 B.C.) – the supposed prayer of Manasseh based upon 2 Chronicles 33:11-19

Apocryphal Books of the Old Testament (Summarized) First Maccabees (c. 50 B.C.) – describes the exploits of three Maccabean brothers (Judas, Jonathan and Simon) against Syrian oppression Second Maccabees (c. 50 B.C.) – not a sequel, but a parallel account, treating only the victories of Judas

Why are the Apocryphal Books Accepted by Some? The NT allegedly refers to them (Heb. 11:33-38; 1 Macc. 2:31,59- 60; 5:1-7,21,28ff; 2 Macc. 5:27; 6:18ff; 7:1-23; 10:6) The “Alexandrian Canon” contains the Apocrypha; they appear in later editions of the Greek Septuagint (LXX), c. 4th Century

Why are the Apocryphal Books Accepted by Some? Some early “Church Fathers” quoted and used the Apocrypha (Augustine, c. 4th Cent.) Catholic Church “tradition”

Why Are the Apocryphal Books Rejected? There is no evidence that they were accepted by Jesus or his apostles 35 of the 39 books of the OT are quoted in the NT, but not one Apocryphal book is quoted

Why Are the Apocryphal Books Rejected? They were not included in the Hebrew Canon of the Old Testament by ancient Jews as inspired scripture (Jamnia, A.D. 90)

Why Are the Apocryphal Books Rejected? They were not accepted by early Jewish (Philo of Alexandria and Josephus) and “Christian” (Origin, Iraneus, Tertullian, Anthanasius, Rufinus) writers

Why Are the Apocryphal Books Rejected? They do not carry the qualities of inspiration Admit of no inspiration (Prologue to Sirach, 1 Macc. 4:46; 9:27; 14:41; 2 Macc. 2:23; 15:38) Portions are legendary and fictitious

Why Are the Apocryphal Books Rejected? Contain errors (history, chronology, geography) Contradict the other books of the Bible, and contradict themselves

Why Are the Apocryphal Books Rejected? The Bible Creation from nothing (Heb. 11:3) Baruch in Egypt (Jer. 43:6,7; 52:12-13) Soul formed at conception (Psa. 139) Not released from sin after death (Lk. 16) Nebuchadnezzr, king of Babylon (Dan. 4:4-6) Vs. The Apocrypha Creation from formless matter (Wis. 11:17) Baruch in Babylon (Bar. 1:1) Pre-existence of the soul (Wis. 8:19-20) Prayers for dead sinners (2 Macc. 12:40-45) Nebuchadnezzar, king of Assyria (Judith 4:1)

Why Are the Apocryphal Books Rejected? Vs. The Bible Blood of Jesus atones for sin (Heb. 9:26) Suicide not exonerated (Ac. 1:25) Holy Spirit drives out demons (Mt. 12:28) Murder condemned (Gen. 34) Lying condemned (Eph. 4:28) The Apocrypha Good deeds atone for sin (Tobit 4:9-11) Suicide exonerated (2 Macc. 14:41-43) Potions drive out demons (Tobit 6:7) Murder commended (Judith 9:2-9) Lying commended (Judith 9:10-13)

Why Are the Apocryphal Books Rejected? Antiochus cut to pieces in the temple (2 Macc. 1:13-16) Vs. The Apocrypha Antiochus fell sick in the mountains (2 Macc. 9:19-29)

Why Are the Apocryphal Books Rejected? They were pronounced authoritative by the Roman Catholic Church on April 8, 1546 by the Fourth Session of the Council of Trent, even though earlier Catholic officials spoke out against them as scripture

Apocryphal Books of the Old Testament Some of their teaching is unbiblical (heretical) Some of their teaching is extrabiblical (fanciful) Much of their teaching is subbiblical (immoral)

Apocryphal Books of the Old Testament Most of the their teaching is postbiblical (inter-testamental) All of their teaching is nonbiblical (not received by Jesus or the Apostles)

Apocryphal Books of the Old Testament The Apocrypha have some historical value, but not doctrinal value; they are historical, but not the inspired, authoritative Word of God

Apocryphal Books of the Old Testament The Apocryphal books were appended to almost all English bibles up to 1827, then removed altogether among many bibles after that; they appear in some current non-Catholic bibles (NRSV, NEB, etc.)

“My Words Will Not Pass Away” Matthew 24:35 Jesus’ words are divine words (2 Tim. 3:16-17; 2 Pet. 1:19-21) Jesus’ words are the apostles’ words (Jn. 16:14-15; 1 Cor. 14:37; 1 Thess. 2:13)

“My Words Will Not Pass Away” Matthew 24:35 Divine providence has been working down through the centuries to fulfill this promise (Psalm 12:6; Isa. 40:6-8; 1 Pet. 1:23-25)

“My Words Will Not Pass Away” Matthew 24:35 God’s word was preserved at the end of OT history (Neh. 8:1-3; see Deut. 6:1-3; 10:1-5; Josh. 24:25- 28; 1 Sam. 10:25; Dan. 9:1-2; Ezra 7:6,10)

“My Words Will Not Pass Away” Matthew 24:35 God’s word was preserved at the end of NT history (2 Pet. 3:15-16) God’s word will be preserved to the end of our present history!