Comments on: Repost: The Old Testament Canon: The Least You Need to Know

By: Darrell Pursiful

Darrell Pursiful — Mon, 15 Jun 2009 20:46:29 +0000

Quite right, Michael. The books accepted in the current Roman Catholic canon are definitely accepted by most Christians–Catholic, Orthodox, Anglican, etc. I didn’t intend to imply otherwise.

By: Michael Carden

Michael Carden — Mon, 15 Jun 2009 11:58:24 +0000

“Furthermore, what about books like 1 Maccabees that may rightly be regarded as part of the Christian “Old Testament” (at least for some)”

Actually, at least for most, as 1 (& 2) Maccabees is part of the biblical canons of the Roman, Eastern Orthodox and Oriental Orthodox communions

“By order of the king, it was originally illegal to produce a King James Bible that did not include these books. Furthermore, the King James Apocrypha included not only the materials found in the Catholic Deuterocanon but also 1-2 Esdras. In other words, the original King James Bible had more books in it than the Bible your Catholic friends are using today!”

Actually the books of the Anglican and Lutheran Apocrypha were part of the standard mediaeval Western Latin Bible. The post-Reformation Latine Vulgate still retains tests such as 1 & 2 Esdras, Psalm 151, and Prayer of Manasseh in an appendix (along with Epistle to the Laodiceans). In other words this appendix forms a Roman Catholic Apocrypha collection but the appendix is not included Roman Catholic Bible translations unfortunately.THe original Douay Rheims Bible did include the four OLd testament Apocrypha texts in an appewndix to its Old Testament. See my blog posts http://michaelcardensjottings.blogspot.com/2009/04/on-roman-catholic-apocrypha.html

http://michaelcardensjottings.blogspot.com/2009/04/more-on-roman-catholic-apocrypha.html

By: Darrell Pursiful

Darrell Pursiful — Mon, 15 Jun 2009 11:51:11 +0000

Welcome, HS. I’m glad you found this helpful.

mikelioso, I don’t mind you posting this if a link back here is included.

By: Hebrew Student

Hebrew Student — Wed, 10 Jun 2009 19:02:13 +0000

Thanks for your post about the Hebrew Bible (Tanakh), and especially the fact that what you call the canon of Scriptures will probably offend someone. Many websites have the same problem – they might appeal to a wider audience such as both Christians and Jews, but could offend one group if they call part of the Scriptures with the “wrong” name.

By: mikelioso

mikelioso — Wed, 10 Jun 2009 16:54:01 +0000

Thanks for posting this! Too many put to much emphasis on the text of their Bibles as the highest authority. Given the uncertainty though the years as to what should go in and what shouldn’t, it’s hard to put absolute faith in in a work that may or may not be the complete word of God. I personally believe that the living Holy Spirit still trumps written text. I think the original apostles would think it strange that a book written by someone who never met Jesus would have more authority than their own recollections. By the way, may I post this on my own blog site? Good information is worth spreading to as many people as possible.