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So why is it you are fighting against the judgement of those who were merely instruments of the Holy Spirit and rejecting the complete versions of Daniel, Esther, and Jeremiah, and the books of Tobit, Judith, Sirach, the Wisdom of Solomon and both books of the Maccabees?

And why do they accept the NT Deuts? That is the question to ask...

I suppose someone will eventually answer "Because the Spirit told me so!"

Regards

The chart below did not transfer well but it can be read in full at "www.bible-researcher.com/canon4". Is this chart fairly accurate regarding the disputed books of the OT???.

Disputed Books of the Old Testament

The table below shows which of the disputed Old Testament books are included in Christian catalogs of canonical books up to the eighth century.

Y indicates that the book is plainly listed as Holy Scripture;

N indicates that it is placed in an inferior class of books;

M indicates that the terminology of the author may be construed as a reference to the book as Holy Scripture.

S indicates that the author does not mention the book in his catalog, which implies its rejection.

KEY Esth. - Esther/ Bar. - Baruch/ Eccl. - Ecclesiasticus/ Wisd. - Wisdom of Solomon/ Tob. - Tobit/ Jud. - Judith/ Mac. - First and Second Maccabees/

1. Greek Authors. Date Esth. Bar. Eccl. Wisd. Tob. Jud. Mac. Melito 160 S S S S S S S Origen 225 Y M S S S S N Cyril of Jerusalem 348 Y Y N N N N N Council of Laodicea 363 Y Y S S S S S Athanasius 367 N Y N N N N S Gregory of Nazianzus 380 S S S S S S S Amphilocius of Iconium 380 M S S S S S S Epiphanius 385 Y S N N S S S Stichometry of Niceph. 550 N Y N N N N N Synopsis of Sac. Scrip. 550 N S N N N N S Leontius 590 S S S S S S S List of the Sixty Books 650 N S N N N N N John of Damascus 730 Y S N N S S S

2. Syrian Greek. Date Esth. Bar. Eccl. Wisd. Tob. Jud. Mac. "Apostolic Canons" 380 Y S N S S M Y

3. Latin Authors.* Date Esth. Bar. Eccl. Wisd. Tob. Jud. Mac. Hilary of Poitiers 360 Y M S S M M S Cheltenham List 360 Y M S M Y Y Y Rufinus 380 Y M N N N N N Jerome 390 Y M N N N N N Augustine 397 Y M Y Y Y Y Y 3rd Council of Carthage 397 Y M Y Y Y Y Y Codex Claromontanus 400 Y M Y Y Y Y Y Letter of Innocent I 405 Y M Y Y Y Y Y Decree of Gelasius 550 Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Cassiodorus 560 Y M Y Y Y Y Y Isidore of Seville 625 Y M Y Y Y Y Y

* NOTE: The Latin authors often subsumed the book of Baruch under Jeremiah, and so do not name it separately

And why do they accept the NT Deuts? That is the question to ask... I suppose someone will eventually answer "Because the Spirit told me so!"

I have faith that God determined His Canon and revealed it to His Church. Obviously, not all followers have apprehended God's revelation equally. We each have our beliefs. As to the NT Deuts, apparently they were less controversial. I don't see the problems in the NT that the OT Deuts give rise to. Even though I understand that Orthodoxy did not accept Revelation until much later, I would offer the evidence that we agree on the NT. Given the split at the Reformation, it seems those books must have been pretty solid in God's Church since none were changed or removed. Further evidence is that Luther TRIED, but the laity of the church stopped him. That is the Spirit in action.