Apostolic Apologetics: Deuterocanon (Apocrypha) IntroductionRegardless of "denominational" lines, the Christian Holy Bible, is at the center of Christianity. This document was created with the intention of exposing some arguments set forth regarding the Catholic Canon of Holy Scripture. This issue is of immense importance, since to know if something is supported by scripture, we first have to know what scripture is.The primary purpose of this document is a response to the false claim that Catholics added books to the Bible (specifically the Old Testament) at the Council of Trent. Quick Facts
Common ArgumentsHow can the Deuterocanon be Scripture when Jesus nor the Apostles Quote from them?Point The First:
Jesus and the Apostles both quote the deuterocanonical books, and reference them many times. View a short list of NT verses referencing the deuterocanonical books here. I'm still not convinced... Catholics added these books at the Council of Trent.
The School of Javneh/Council of Jamnia rejected the books. This means they're not scripture.
The DecreesWithin these decrees, I have marked the deuterocanonical books with * to make them easier to spot within the texts. These decrees are presented in Chronological order.The Council of Rome [ W ] (382 AD) and the The Damasine list: Pope St. Damasus I [ W ] [ CE ], in his decree (known as the "Damasine List"), declared the Canon exactly as is given and reaffirmed at the Council of Trent 1163 years later. Quoted Below. The Damasine list is as follows, Deuterocanonical books highlighted "It is likewise decreed: Now, indeed, we must treat of the divine Scriptures: what the universal Catholic Church accepts and what she must shun. The list of the Old Testament begins: Genesis, one book; Exodus, one book: Leviticus, one book; Numbers, one book; Deuteronomy, one book; Jesus Nave, one book; of Judges, one book; Ruth, one book; of Kings, four books; Paralipomenon, two books; One Hundred and Fifty Psalms, one book; of Solomon, three books: Proverbs, one book; Ecclesiastes, one book; Canticle of Canticles, one book; likewise, Wisdom*, one book; Ecclesiasticus (Sirach)*, one book; Likewise, the list of the Prophets: Isaiah, one book; Jeremias, one book; along with Cinoth, that is, his Lamentations [Baruch]*; Ezechiel, one book; Daniel, one book; Osee, one book; Amos, one book; Micheas, one book; Joel, one book; Abdias, one book; Jonas, one book; Nahum, one book; Habacuc, one book; Sophonias, one book; Aggeus, one book; Zacharias, one book; Malachias, one book. Likewise, the list of histories: Job, one book; Tobias [Tobit]*, one book; Esdras, two books*; Esther, one book; Judith*, one book; of Maccabees, two books*. Likewise, the list of the Scriptures of the New and Eternal Testament, which the holy and Catholic Church receives: of the Gospels, one book according to Matthew, one book according to Mark, one book according to Luke, one book according to John. The Epistles of the Apostle Paul, fourteen in number: one to the Romans, two to the Corinthians, one to the Ephesians, two to the Thessalonians, one to the Galatians, one to the Philippians, one to the Colossians, two to Timothy, one to Titus one to Philemon, one to the Hebrews. Likewise, one book of the Apocalypse of John. And the Acts of the Apostles, one book. Likewise, the canonical Epistles, seven in number: of the Apostle Peter, two Epistles; of the Apostle James, one Epistle; of the Apostle John, one Epistle; of the other John, a Presbyter, two Epistles; of the Apostle Jude the Zealot, one Epistle. Thus concludes the canon of the New Testament. Likewise it is decreed: After the announcement of all of these prophetic and evangelic or as well as apostolic writings which we have listed above as Scriptures, on which, by the grace of God, the Catholic Church is founded, we have considered that it ought to be announced that although all the Catholic Churches spread abroad through the world comprise but one bridal chamber of Christ, nevertheless, the holy Roman Church has been placed at the forefront not by the conciliar decisions of other Churches, but has received the primacy by the evangelic voice of our Lord and Savior, who says: "You are Peter, and upon this rock I will build My Church, and the gates of hell will not prevail against it; and I will give to you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you shall have bound on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you shall have loosed on earth shall be loosed in heaven." Council of Hippo (393 AD): Note: Although Hippo is largely lost, we have this, Hippo's Canon XXXVI (36), preserved by Carthage IV, Canon 24 (419 AD). Read more hippo and Carthage here and here. "[It has been decided] that besides the canonical scriptures nothing be read in church under the name of divine Scripture. But the canonical scriptures are as follows: Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy, Joshua the Son of Nun, Judges, Ruth, the Kings, four books, the Chronicles, two books, Job, the Psalter, the five books of Solomon [Proverbs, Ecclesiastes (Sirach)*, Song of Songs, Wisdom*, and a portion of the Psalms], the twelve books of the prophets, Isaiah, Jeremiah [Includes Baruch]*, Daniel, Ezekiel, Tobit*, Judith*, Esther, Ezra, two books [1,2 Esdras] *, Maccabees, two books* . . ." Third Council of Carthage (397 AD): Note: Canon 47 Latin: Item placuit ut praeter Scripturas canonicas nihil in ecclesia legatur sub nomine divinarum Scripturarum. Sunt autem Canonicae Scripturae hae: Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numeri, Deuteronomium, Jesus Naue, Judicum, Ruth, Regnorum libri quator, Paralipomenon libri duo, Job, Psalterium Davidicum, Salomonis libri quinque, libri duodecim prophetarum, Jesaias, Jeremias, Ezechiel, Daniel, Tobias, Judith, Esther, Esdrae libri duo, Machabaeorum libri duo. Novi autem Testamenti, evangeliorum libri quator, Actuum Apostolorum liber unus, Epistolae Pauli Apostoli xiii., ejusdem ad Hebraeos una, Petri apostoli duae, Johannes tres, Jacobi i., Judae i., Apocalipsis Johannis liber unus. Hoc etiam fratri et consacerdoti nostro Bonifatio, vel aliis earum partium Episcopis, pro confirmando isto canone innotescat, quia a patribus ista accepimus in ecclesia legenda. Liceat autem legi passiones martyrum cum anniversarii eorum dies celebrantur. English: It was also determined that besides the Canonical Scriptures nothing be read in the Church under the title of divine Scriptures. The Canonical Scriptures are these: Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy, Joshua the son of Nun, Judges, Ruth, four books of Kings, two books of Paraleipomena [1,2 Chronicles], Job, the Psalter, five books of Solomon [Includes Wisdom and Sirach]*, the books of the twelve prophets, Isaiah, Jeremiah [Includes Baruch]*, Ezechiel, Daniel, Tobit*, Judith*, Esther, two books of Esdras*, two books of the Maccabees*. Of the New Testament: four books of the Gospels, one book of the Acts of the Apostles, thirteen Epistles of the Apostle Paul, one epistle of the same [writer] to the Hebrews, two Epistles of the Apostle Peter, three of John, one of James, one of Jude, one book of the Apocalypse of John. Let this be made known also to our brother and fellow-priest Boniface, or to other bishops of those parts, for the purpose of confirming that Canon. because we have received from our fathers that those books must be read in the Church. Let it also be allowed that the Passions of Martyrs be read when their festivals are kept. Pope Innocent I, Letters 7, (408 AD) Latin text taken from Epistolae Et Decreta, Epistola VI, Cap VII. Download that here (PDF Format). Latin: CAP. VI. 12. De his etiam requisivit dilectio tua, qui interveniente repudio, alii se matrimonio copularunt. Quos in utraque parte adulteros esse manifestum est. Qui vero vel uxore vivente, quamvis dissociatum videatur esse conjugium, ad aliam copulam festinarunt, neque possunt adulteri non videri, intantum, ut etiam hae personae, quibus tales conjunctae sunt, etiam ipsae adulterium commisisse videantur, secundum illud quod legimus in Evangelio: Qui dimiserit uxorem suam, et duxerit aliam, [d] moechatur; similiter et qui dimissam duxerit, moechatur [0501A] (Matth. XIX, 9). Et ideo omnes a communione fidelium abstinendos. De parentibus autem, aut de propinquis eorum nihil tale statui potest, nisi incentores illiciti consortii fuisse detegantur. English: "A brief addition shows what books really are received in the canon. These are the things of which you desired to be informed verbally: of Moses, five books, that is, of Genesis, of Exodus, of Leviticus, of Numbers, of Deuteronomy, and Joshua, of Judges, one book, of Kings, four books, and also Ruth, of the prophets, sixteen books [Includes Baruch]*, of Solomon, five books [Includes Wisdom and Sirach]*, the Psalms. Likewise of the histories, Job, one book, of Tobit*, one book, Esther, one, Judith*, one, of the Maccabees, two*, of Esdras, two*, Paralipomenon , two books [1,2 Chronicles] . . ." Fourth Council of Carthage (419 AD): Note: Canon XXIV (24). The list has been formatted for this page. A copy of this text can be read here or here. Latin: Ut praeter Scripturas canonicas nihil in Ecclesia legatur. XXIV. Item ut praeter Scripturas canonicas nihil in Ecclesia legatur sub nomine divinarum Scripturarum. Sunt autem canonicae Scripturae, id est Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numeri, Deuteronomium, Jesu Nave, Judicum, Ruth, Regum libri 4, Paralipomenon libri 2, Job, Psalterium, Salomonis libri 5, libri 12 Prophetarum, [0191B] Isaias, Jeremias, Ezechiel, Daniel, Thobias, Judith, Esther, Esdrae libri 2, Machabaeorum libri 2; Novi Testamenti: Evangeliorum libri 4, Actuum apostolorum liber unus, Epistolae Pauli 14, Petri apostoli 2, Joannis apostoli 3, Jacobi apostoli una, Judae apostoli una, Apocalypsis Joannis liber unus. Hoc etiam fratri et consacerdoti nostro Bonifacio, vel aliis earum partium episcopis pro confirmando isto canone innotescat, quia a Patribus ista accepimus in Ecclesia legenda. English: Canon XXIV. (Greek xxvii.) That nothing be read in church besides the Canonical Scripture. Item, that besides the Canonical Scriptures nothing be read in church under the name of divine Scripture. But the Canonical Scriptures are as follows: Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy, Joshua the Son of Nun, The Judges, Ruth, The Kings, iv. books, The Chronicles, ij. books, Job. The Psalter, The Five books of Solomon [Includes Wisdom and Sirach]*, The Twelve Books of the Prophets, Isaiah, Jeremiah [Includes Baruch]*, Ezechiel, Daniel, Tobit*, Judith*, Esther, Ezra, ij. books*, Macchabees, ij. books*. The New Testament. The Gospels, iv. books, The Acts of the Apostles, j. book, The Epistles of Paul, xiv, The Epistles of Peter, the Apostle, ij, The Epistles of John the Apostle, iij, The Epistles of James the Apostle, j, The Epistle of Jude the Apostle, j, The Revelation of John, j. book. Let this be sent to our brother and fellow bishop, Boniface, and to the other bishops of those parts, that they may confirm this canon, for these are the things which we have received from our fathers to be read in church. The Council of Florence (or Basel as it is sometimes called) Session 11, February 4, 1442: Read this document online here, or download Documents of Council of Florence (PDF Format) by clicking here. Note: this PDF is in Latin. A Microsoft word format of the Latin text is available by clicking here. Notes: The Council of Florence was held over 100 years before the Council of Trent, and about 80 years before the start of the reformation. Latin: Quinque Moysi id est Genesi Exodo Levitico Numeris Deuteronomio Iosue Iudicum Ruth quatuor Regum duobus Paralipomenon Esdra Neemia Tobia Iudith Hester Iob Psalmis David Parabolis Ecclesiaste Canticis Canticorum Sapientia Ecclesiastico Isaya Ieremia Baruch Ezechiele Daniele duodecim Prophetis Minoribus id est Osee Iohele Amos Abdia Iona Michea Naum Abachuc Sophonia Ageo Zacharia Malachia duobus Machabeorum quatuor Evangeliis Mathei Marci Luce Iohannis quatuordecim Epistolis Pauli ad Romanos duabus ad Corinthios ad Galatas ad Ephesios ad Philipenses duabus ad Thesalonicenses ad Colocenses duabus ad Thimotheum ad Titum ad Philemonem ad Hebreos Petri duabus tribus Iohannis una Iacobi una Iude actibus apostolorum et apocalipsi Iohannis. English: "Most firmly it believes, professes and preaches that the one true God, Father, Son and holy Spirit, is the creator of all things that are, visible and invisible, who, when he willed it, made from his own goodness all creatures, both spiritual and corporeal, good indeed because they are made by the supreme good, but mutable because they are made from nothing, and it asserts that there is no nature of evil because every nature, in so far as it is a nature, is good. It professes that one and the same God is the author of the old and the new Testament -- that is, the law and the prophets, and the gospel -- since the saints of both testaments spoke under the inspiration of the same Spirit. It accepts and venerates their books, whose titles are as follows. Five books of Moses, namely Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy; Joshua, Judges, Ruth, four books of Kings, two of Paralipomenon, Esdras, Nehemiah, Tobit*, Judith*, Esther, Job, Psalms of David, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, Song of Songs, Wisdom*, Ecclesiasticus [Sirach]*, Isaiah, Jeremiah, Baruch*, Ezechiel, Daniel; the twelve minor prophets, namely Hosea, Joel, Amos, Obadiah, Jonah, Micah, Nahum, Habakkuk, Zephaniah, Haggai, Zechariah, Malachi; two books of the Maccabees*; the four gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John; fourteen letters of Paul, to the Romans, two to the Corinthians, to the Galatians, to the Ephesians, to the Philippians, two to the Thessalonians, to the Colossians, two to Timothy, to Titus, to Philemon, to the Hebrews; two letters of Peter, three of John, one of James, one of Jude; Acts of the Apostles; Apocalypse of John." Quick Notes on EsdrasThe Numbering of books of Esdras depends on who's listing them. This issue can be quite confusing.1 Esdras in the Vulgate is Ezra 2 Esdras in the Vulgate is Nehemiah 3 Esdras in the Vulgate is 1 Esdras from the LXX (Septuagint) 4 Esdras in the Vulgate has no LXX counterpart. Non Canononical References and QuotationsSeveral texts are mentioned in the Tanakh (Old Testament) and New Testament, yet do not appear in the canon of scripture. Scholars consider some of these to be lost works, while others are viewed as pseudepigraphal. Some of the texts referenced and quoted in the New Testament are indeed classical pagan Greek works. In short, is has been demonstrated that:
Classical (Pagan) Greek works Quoted and referenced in the New Testament
Jerome & The Deuterocanon St. Jerome was commissioned by Pope Damasus to translate all 73 books into Latin. Pope
Damasus considered the 7 DC books to be inspired by God. It is interesting to note that the Palestinian Jews rejected the deuterocanonical books
for their version of Holy Scriptures and neither did they accept any of the New Testament.
Unfortunately, the Protestants base their Bible on this version which comes from a people who
did not accept Jesus Christ as the Messiah. In 1946, after the finding
of the dead-sea scrolls, it was discovered that these 7 DC books (the deuterocanon) were used by the Jews in
Alexandria, even in their services. This verifies that Pope Damasus was correct.
Protestants who cite Jerome for their rejection of the deuterocanon, fail to cite Jerome on his views regarding:
In addition to Jerome's use of the deuterocanonical books as scripture until his death, he is also famously known for his quote: "Ignorance of scriptures is ignorance of Christ". More Quotes from Jerome"...he who brings charges against me for relating [in my preface to the book of Daniel] the objections that the Hebrews are wont to raise against the story of Susannah [Dan. 13], the Song of the Three Children [Dan. 3:29-68, RSV-CE], and the story of Bel and the Dragon [Dan. 14], which are not found in the Hebrew volume, proves that he is just a foolish sycophant. I was not relating my own personal views, but rather the remarks that they are wont to make against us. If I did not reply to their views in my preface, in the interest of brevity, lest it seem that I was composing not a preface, but a book, I believe I added promptly the remark, for I said, 'This is not the time to discuss such matters'" (St. Jerome Against Rufinius 11:33 [A.D. 401]; emphasis added)."Does not the Scripture say: 'Burden not thyself above thy power' [Sirach 13:2]..." (Jerome, To Eustochium, Epistle 108, in NPNF2, VI:207) "Do not, my dearest brother, estimate my worth by the number of my years. Gray hairs are not wisdom; it is wisdom which is as good as gray hairs At least that is what Solomon says: 'wisdom is the gray hair unto men.’ [Wisdom 4:9]" Moses too in choosing the seventy elders is told to take those whom he knows to be elders indeed, and to select them not for their years but for their discretion (Numbers 11:16) ? And, as a boy, Daniel judges old men and in the flower of youth condemns the incontinence of age (Daniel 13:55-59, or Story of Susannah 55-59, only found in Catholic Bibles) Jerome, To Paulinus, Epistle 58, in NPNF2, VI:119) "I would cite the words of the psalmist: 'the sacrifices of God are a broken spirit,’ [Ps 51:17] and those of Ezekiel 'I prefer the repentance of a sinner rather than his death,’ [Ez 18:23] and those of Baruch, 'Arise, arise, O Jerusalem,’ [Baruch 5:5] and many other proclamations made by the trumpets of the prophets." (Jerome, To Oceanus, Epistle 77:4, in NPNF2, VI:159) Credits and Special ThanksI would like to thank Pete Holter and Will Austin for their assistance locating materials referenced in this document.External LinksFive Myths about seven booksDefending the Deuterocanonicals Refuting an Attack on the Deuterocanonicals Order "Why Catholic Bibles are Bigger" by Gary G. Michuta by clicking here. |
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