Free Republic
Browse · Search
Religion
Topics · Post Article

To: boatbums
Thanks for the reply. I find it very interesting that the MAIN reasons why some accept the Apocryphal books is that they have a few verses in them that seem to speak of prayers for the dead. This is then used to develop the doctrines of both indulgences and Purgatory - things definitely NOT taught in the rest of the commonly accepted books of the Bible.

Negative. The main reason why the Deuterocanonicals (there is no Apocrypha) are including the canon of Scripture is that they were in the Septuagint. This is the Greek language Bible used by Christ and the Apostles, and indeed by most of the Jewish world.

2,406 posted on 09/09/2011 5:58:46 PM PDT by MarkBsnr (I would not believe in the Gospel, if the authority of the Catholic Church did not move me to do so.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2382 | View Replies ]


To: MarkBsnr
Negative. The main reason why the Deuterocanonicals (there is no Apocrypha) are including the canon of Scripture is that they were in the Septuagint. This is the Greek language Bible used by Christ and the Apostles, and indeed by most of the Jewish world.

You are aware, aren't you, that the Apocryphal books were NOT accepted in the same way that the other inspired Scriptures were? The ECFs agreed that the revealed word of God was authoritative and was so because they were God-breathed and inerrant. Thomas Aquinas, in agreeing with Augustine, confessed of the books of Scripture, ‘I firmly believe that none of their authors have erred in composing them’ and refers to Scripture as ‘unfailing truth'. Jerome did not accept the Apocryphal books as inspired, but translated them into Latin to be included in the Vulgate only after pressure. The writings were considered useful for the purposes of edification and for reading in the churches but were not authoritative for the establishment of doctrine. They were not to be considered as the infallible word of God and having the status as canonical and he was not alone in this view. Nowhere do these books ever state they are God's word, unlike most of the Old Testament books. They were unequivocally rejected as canonical by the Jews. Many contain errors so they cannot be revelation from God.

From http://www.christiantruth.com/articles/Apocryphapart2.html:

He (Jerome) and Origen are the only fathers considered to be true biblical scholars in the early Church, and Jerome, alone among all the fathers, is considered to be a Hebrew scholar. Given the many errors in translation found in the Septuagint, Jerome undertook to provide a fresh translation directly from the Hebrew for the Latin Church. He received a great deal of criticism because many felt, in undertaking this translation, he was casting aspersion upon the Septuagint which they considered inspired. His translation became known as the Latin Vulgate and became the standard Bible translation used by the Western Church throughout the medieval ages and the post-Tridentine Roman Catholic Church. Jerome lived in Palestine and consulted with the Jews. As a result he refused to translate the Apocrypha because the books were not part of the Hebrew canon. His position was that of Rufinus and Athanasius. He made it clear that the Church of his day did not grant canonical status to the writings of the Apocrypha as being inspired. While commenting on the Wisdom of Solomon and Ecclesiasticus, Jerome made these statements about the books of Judith, Tobit and Maccabees:

As, then, the Church reads Judith, Tobit, and the books of Maccabees, but does not admit them among the canonical Scriptures, so let it also read these two Volumes (Wisdom of Solomon and Ecclesiasticus) for the edification of the people, not to give authority to doctrines of the Church (emphasis mine)

So, I know we could go back and forth on this subject, but I really have better fish to fry (we had fish tonight with a yummy pineapple salsa). You have the right to believe what you want about this subject, of course, but I will not be convinced that these extra-biblical works will ever share the same place in the faith as those with which we all agree.

2,482 posted on 09/09/2011 11:24:15 PM PDT by boatbums ( God is ready to assume full responsibility for the life wholly yielded to Him.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2406 | View Replies ]

Free Republic
Browse · Search
Religion
Topics · Post Article


FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson