Grace Thompson
The Catholic Bible contains seven books that are not found in Protestant Bibles. These books are called the deuterocanonical books by Catholics and the apocryphal books by Protestants. The deuterocanonical books include Baruch, Tobit, Judith, 1 and 2 Maccabees, Wisdom (or Wisdom of Solomon), and Sirach (or Ecclesiasticus). The debate surrounding these books centres around whether they should be considered part of the Bible's canon or not.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Number of extra books | 7 |
| What Catholics call them | Deuterocanonical, literally "second canon" |
| What Protestants call them | Apocryphal, literally "hidden" |
| Examples | Baruch, Tobit, Judith, 1 and 2 Maccabees, Wisdom (or Wisdom of Solomon), and Sirach (or Ecclesiasticus) |
| Reason for their inclusion | They were included in the Septuagint, a third-century B.C. Greek translation of the Old Testament |
| Removal | The influential Protestant Reformer Martin Luther deleted them |
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What You'll Learn
The seven extra books in Catholic Bibles
The deuterocanonical books were included in early Greek manuscripts of the Old Testament, such as the Codex Sinaiticus and Codex Alexandrinus. Regional church councils at Hippo in 393 and Carthage in 397 and 419 endorsed these books as Scripture, and they were considered part of the Bible by the fourth century. However, during the Protestant Reformation, Martin Luther removed these books from Protestant Bibles because they included passages that contradicted his teachings, such as the practice of praying for the dead and the doctrine of purgatory.
The deuterocanonical books have been a part of Catholic tradition and are considered Scripture by the Catholic Church. They provide additional context and depth to the Bible and were used by the apostles and the generations that followed them. While there are differences in the number of books included in Catholic and Protestant Bibles, both denominations share many important doctrines and practices, such as the belief in the Trinity and the fall of humanity into sin.
The debate surrounding the seven extra books in Catholic Bibles centres around questions of canonicity and the authority of Scripture. While Catholics consider the deuterocanonical books to be part of the Bible, Protestants generally reject them as non-inspired and contradictory to other Scripture. However, it is worth noting that early Protestant Bibles, such as the Geneva Bible and the King James Bible, did include these books, and they were also present in the Latin Vulgate, a Latin translation of the Bible from the second century.
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Protestants refer to these as the 'Apocrypha'
The Catholic Church refers to a set of books as deuterocanonical (literally, "second canon"), which are added to its canon later than the other books in its Old Testament canon. These books are considered to be of equal authority to the other books in the Old Testament canon. Protestants, on the other hand, refer to these deuterocanonical books as the Apocrypha. The Apocrypha consists of eleven or twelve books, depending on how they are divided, that the Roman Catholic Church adds to the Old Testament.
The Apocrypha includes books such as Baruch, Tobit, Judith, 1 and 2 Maccabees, Wisdom (or the Wisdom of Solomon), and Sirach (or Ecclesiasticus). These books were included in the Septuagint, a third-century B.C. Greek translation of the Old Testament that served as the Scripture of the apostles and subsequent generations. The deuterocanonical books include passages that support the practice of offering prayers and sacrifices for the dead and, by extension, the doctrine of purgatory.
Protestants reject the Apocrypha as Holy Scripture for several reasons. Firstly, they argue that the Apocrypha contains doctrines and practices that are contrary to what is taught in Scripture. For example, the Apocrypha includes verses that support the Roman Catholic doctrine of justification by human works and not faith alone, such as "For almsgiving saves from death and purges away every sin. Those who give alms will enjoy a full life" (Tobit 12:9). Secondly, Protestants argue that the Apocrypha should not be considered authoritative because no New Testament writer ever refers to them as such. While quotes from accepted books are usually introduced with the phrase "It is written," or quoted to prove a point, the New Testament writers never quote the Apocrypha in this way, and no book of the Apocrypha is mentioned by name in the New Testament.
The influential Protestant Reformer Martin Luther played a significant role in the removal of the deuterocanonical books from Protestant Bibles. Luther rejected the doctrine of purgatory and denied the authority of any books that included passages supporting this doctrine. While some Protestants, such as Lutherans and Anglicans, retained the books as Christian intertestamental readings and included them in a separate section of the Bible called "Apocrypha", they maintained that no doctrine should be based on these books.
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Catholics call them 'Deuterocanonical'
Catholics refer to the extra books in their Bible as deuterocanonical books, or second canon books. The word deuterocanonical comes from the Greek word "deuteros", meaning "second", and "kanon", meaning "rule" or "standard". These books were not part of the original Hebrew Bible but were added later by the Catholic Church.
The deuterocanonical books include Baruch, Tobit, Judith, 1 and 2 Maccabees, Wisdom (or Wisdom of Solomon), and Sirach (or Ecclesiasticus). They were included in the Septuagint, a third-century B.C. Greek translation of the Old Testament that was used by the apostles and early Christians. The earliest Greek manuscripts of the Old Testament, such as the Codex Sinaiticus (fourth century) and Codex Alexandrinus (c. 450), also included these books.
The deuterocanonical books were considered authoritative by the Catholic Church and were included in the Vulgate, the official Latin version of the Bible ratified by the Council of Trent. Regional church councils at Hippo in 393 and Carthage in 397 and 419 endorsed these books as Scripture, and they were widely accepted by early Christians.
Protestants, on the other hand, refer to these books as the Apocrypha, or hidden books. During the Protestant Reformation, Martin Luther rejected the deuterocanonical books because they included passages that supported practices and doctrines that he disagreed with, such as the doctrine of purgatory. Luther denied their place in the Protestant canon, and modern Protestants generally follow his stance.
The debate over the inclusion of these books in the Bible centres around whether they were added by the Catholic Church or removed by Protestants. Catholics argue that the Old Testament canon was not closed at the time of Christ and that the deuterocanonical books were always considered authoritative. Protestants, however, believe that these books were added later and are not part of the original Old Testament Scripture.
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Martin Luther removed them from Protestant Bibles
The influential Protestant reformer Martin Luther is credited with removing seven books from the Protestant Bible. These books are known as the deuterocanonical books, which include Baruch, Tobit, Judith, 1 and 2 Maccabees, Wisdom (or Wisdom of Solomon), and Sirach (or Ecclesiasticus). Catholics, on the other hand, refer to these books as the apocryphal books, meaning "hidden" or "unknown".
Luther's motivation for removing these books was rooted in his belief that Scripture should be the sole authority for Christian faith. When scriptural texts contradicted his teachings, he questioned the authority of the books containing them. Specifically, the deuterocanonical books included passages supporting the practice of prayers and sacrifices for the dead, which was contrary to Lutheran doctrine. By removing these books, Luther could deny the doctrine of purgatory.
Luther's actions were not without controversy, and he has been accused of attempting to edit out parts of Scripture that conflicted with his interpretation of Christianity. He also challenged the canon of Scripture, relegating four New Testament books to an appendix and denying their divine inspiration. However, it is important to note that Luther's alterations to the New Testament were not adopted by Protestant movements.
The debate surrounding the inclusion or exclusion of certain books in the Bible is not new. The early church and Jewish people during the time of Jesus also debated the inspiration of these books. The Protestant Bible, which emerged following the Reformation, was built upon a foundation laid by the Jewish people and the early church over 1500 years earlier.
In conclusion, Martin Luther's removal of seven deuterocanonical books from the Protestant Bible was influenced by his theological beliefs and desire to shape the Christian faith according to his interpretation. His actions contributed to the ongoing discussion and debate surrounding the canon of Scripture.
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The books include Baruch, Tobit, Judith, and Maccabees
The deuterocanonical books, or the "second canon", are certain books and passages considered canonical by the Catholic Church, Eastern Orthodox Church, Oriental Orthodox Church, and the Church of the East. These books are not found in the Jewish Bible or in Protestant Bibles. The deuterocanonical books include Baruch, Tobit, Judith, and Maccabees.
Baruch, also known as the Letter of Jeremiah, is included in the Catholic canon. The book claims to have been written in the 6th century BCE by Baruch, an associate and secretary of the prophet Jeremiah. However, many scholars believe it was written in the 2nd or 1st centuries BCE, and that the Letter of Jeremiah is slightly older, dating back to the 3rd century BCE.
Tobit is a book of historical fiction set in the 6th century BCE. It is included in the Catholic and Orthodox canons. The book tells the story of God sending the angel Raphael to help two families experiencing problems in Assyria and Media in the late 8th and 7th centuries BCE.
Judith is a book of historical fiction written during the Maccabean period (mid-2nd century BCE). It is included in the Catholic and Orthodox canons. The book emphasizes prayer and reliance on God in Israel's battles against its enemies, with Judith as the hero who saves Israel through her carefully planned actions.
Maccabees include 1 Maccabees and 2 Maccabees, which are independent, partly overlapping narratives covering the same characters and events from different perspectives. 1 Maccabees focuses on the military and political aspects, while 2 Maccabees emphasizes the religious dimensions, paying more attention to the temple of Jerusalem. The books are included in the Catholic and Orthodox canons and are considered important accounts of the period of Second Temple Judaism before Roman occupation.
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Frequently asked questions
The extra books found in Catholic Bibles are called the deuterocanonical books, which means "secondary canon". They are also referred to as the apocrypha or apocryphal books, which means "hidden".
There are seven extra books in the Catholic Bible that are not found in Protestant Bibles.
The seven extra books in the Catholic Bible are Tobit, Judith, 1 and 2 Maccabees, Wisdom (or Wisdom of Solomon), Baruch, and Sirach (or Ecclesiasticus).
The extra books were included in the Septuagint, a third-century B.C. Greek translation of the Old Testament that served as the Scripture of the apostles. They were considered Scripture by regional Church councils at Hippo in 393 and Carthage in 397 and 419. However, during the Protestant Reformation, Martin Luther removed these books from Protestant Bibles as they included passages that supported practices and doctrines that he rejected.
![Apocrypha-KJV [B-KJ-CAM-POR RED]](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/31JTRP4JjYL._AC_UL320_.jpg)
