The books that are added by the Catholic Bible are called the Apocrypha (hidden or concealed) and were written 100 to 200 years before Christ. These writings contain twelve additions, of which some are separate books while others are additions made to books such as Daniel, Jeremiah, and Esther. These books have never been generally accepted as part of the Old Testament canon, and were not accepted by the Catholic Church until the Council of Trent in 1546. There are numerous reasons to reject these books as canonical, the most important of which is that none of these writings are either quoted or referenced by Jesus or any of the New Testament writers. On the other hand, Jesus and the New Testament in general refers to or makes quotations from all the rest of the Old Testament. Unger’s Bible Dictionary gives the following reasons for excluding these writings:
- They abound in historical and geographical inaccuracies and anachronisms.
- They teach doctrines which are false and foster practices which are at variance with inspired Scripture.
- They resort to literary types and display an artificiality of subject matter and styling out of keeping with inspired Scripture.
- They lack the distinctive elements which give genuine Scripture their divine character, such as prophetic power and poetic and religious feeling.
As for other “lost” books or books that are referred to by inspired writings, it is important to understand that inspired writers often referred to secular writings in order to further verify their point. In so doing there is no suggestion that the writings they have referenced are inspired. On the other hand, Jesus and the apostles repeatedly verified the canon of the Old Testament. See Luke 24:44; John 10:34-35; Matthew 19:4-5 along with a host of other passages that are referred to beginning with the words, “It is written…”
Finally, it is important to note that Jesus promised that His words would never pass away (Matthew 24:35). Jesus promised the apostles that when the Holy Spirit came upon them, He would guide them into “all truth.” Nothing would be left out. Though Paul and others wrote epistles that we do not have today, these epistles were not necessary in delivering “all truth.” Further, Peter stated that the word of God would live and abide forever (I Peter 1:23-24).
Possibly related:
- A final thought that pertains to this general category
- I understand that the New Testament tells us that the Law was done away, but the Law refers only to the ceremonial laws, not the ten commandments.
- Jesus even told His disciples to pray that the siege of Jerusalem did not come on the Sabbath making it impossible to flee without breaking the Sabbath command (Matthew 24:20).