II Maccabees 12: 44-45
“For if he were not expecting that those who had fallen would rise again, it would have been superfluous and foolish to pray for the dead. But if he was looking to the splendid reward that is laid up for those who fall asleep in godliness, it was a holy and pious thought. Therefore he made atonement for the dead, that they might be delivered from their sin.”
In other words, it was in the Bible - until Protestants dropped it from their canon of scripture.
The saddest part is not that you most likely didn’t know about the verse, but that it was most likely prejudice
that kept you from knowing about the verse.
Well, hello again, Vladimir.
Truth be told, I knew about 2 Maccabees. I also knew it was the only place that Catholics could turn to for support.
The fact that in the Old Testament canon, as recognized by the Old Testament church, i.e. the Hebrew Bible, and in the New Testament, there is nothing about burial rites seems not to have left any impression on some. To me - and to many, many, many others it leaves quite an impression. Silence has no echo. I cannot hear what has not been said. To put it more plainly, where God has chosen to be silent, I do not see where it is our prerogative to do differently. God, I am sure, knows what He has said and not said.
Other doctrines are found throughout the Testaments and, usually, in several different places, New Testament doctrines often prefigured or foreshadowed in the Old. This is one that has no support elsewhere. Therefore I find it hard to believe that this is in any way important, since it is not so echoed throughout the Scriptures. I also know that, psychologically/emotionally, this is a useful thing to pull out of one’s pocket in a time of grief when the grieving parties have little or no evidence of faith on the part of the departed. But in that case, what is the purpose of the doctrine, to console on the basis of sure and certain knowledge or console on the basis of wishful thinking and convenience?
If you are looking to turn this into the debate about the deutero-canonical books, I am not particularly interested to participate.