WHY DO CHRISTIANS HAVE DIFFERENT BIBLES?
Excerpted and amplified from the article "Why Do Christians Have
Different Bibles?"
TRADITIO Traditional Roman Catholic Network
E-mail: traditio@traditio.com, Web: www.traditio.com
Copyright 1994-2022 CSM. Reproduction prohibited without authorization.
Last Revised: 01/18/23
SUMMARY
Already from the fourth century the canon, or definitive list, of Sacred
Scripture, the inspired books that were authentic were set. There were
based not on the Old Testament books in Hebrew because the Jews had
substantially lost the Hebrew language when they returned from the
Babylonian Captivity in the sixth century before Christ. The version of
the Old Testament that was used by the Jews in the centuries immediately
before Christ and by the Christians of the New Testament, was known as
the Septuagint, translated into post-classical Greek in the third century
before Christ by seventy scholars (Latin: septuaginta) out of the
Great Library of Alexandria in Egypt.
Martin Luther expurgated seven entire books and parts of three others
from his "Protestant" Bible because they didn't conform to the heretical
principles of his New Religion (Protestantism) and did not suit Luther's
anti-Semitism and anti-Catholicism. Luther claimed that they celebrated
Judaism and because he wanted to justify his challenging the authority of
the Catholic Church, he expurgated them.
In fact, Luther's first German translation was missing 25 books:
Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy, Esther, Job,
Ecclesiastes, Jonah, Tobias, Judith, Wisdom, Sirach/Ecclesiasticus,
Baruch, 1 and 2 Maccabees, Matthew, Luke, John, Acts, Romans, Hebrews,
James, Jude, and Revelation.
Thus, Luther's Bible contains only 48 of the actual 73 books, or only 65
per cent of the total. The modern Protestant Bible consists of only 66
books, 39 books in the Old Testament and 27 books in the New Testament.
The original canon of Scripture, based upon the post-classical Greek
version known as the Septuagint (properly accented on the first syllable,
not the second, as it commonly heard among the uneducated), used by the
Jews of the immediate centuries before Christ and by Christ and his
Apostles contains 73 books including Tobias, Judith, Wisdom,
Sirach/Ecclesiasticus, Baruch, and 1 and 2 Maccabees.
OLD TESTAMENT
* Included in King James Version Apocrypha
+ Included in Roman Catholic Deuterocanonical Books.
Abbreviations are from Revised Standard Version--Catholic Edition.
Abbr. KJV (39) Douay (46)
____ -------- ----------
Gen Genesis
Ex Exodus
Lev Leviticus
Num Numbers
Deut Deuteronomy
Josh Joshua Josue
Judg Judges
Ruth Ruth
1 Sam 1 Samuel 1 Kings
2 Sam 2 Samuel 2 Kings
1 Kings 1 Kings 3 Kings
2 Kings 2 Kings 4 Kings
1 Chron 1 Chronicles 1 Paralipomenon
2 Chron 2 Chronicles 2 Paralipomenon
Ezra Ezra 1 Esdras
Neh Nehemiah 2 Esdras
Tob Tobit* Tobias+
Jud Judith* Judith+
Esther Esther (additions*) Esther (part of +)
Job Job
Ps Psalms
Prov Proverbs
Eccles Ecclesiastes
Song Song of Solomon Canticle of Canticles
Wis Wisdom* Wisdom+
Sir Sirach* Ecclesiasticus,
or the Wisdom of Jesus the Son of
Sirach+
Is Isaiah
Jer Jeremiah
Lam Lamentations
Bar Baruch* Baruch 1-5+
Letter of Jeremiah* Baruch 6+
Ezek Ezekiel Ezechiel
Dan Daniel Daniel
Prayer of Azariah*
& Song of the 3 Young Men*
Daniel 3 (part of)+
Susanna* Daniel 13+
Bel & the Dragon* Daniel 14+
Hos Hosea Osee
Joel Joel
Amos Amos
Obad Obadiah Abdias
Jon Jonah Jonas
Mic Micah Micheas
Nahum Nahum
Hab Habakkuk Habacuc
Zeph Zephaniah Sophronias
Haggai Aggeus
Zech Zechariah Zacharias
Mal Malachi Malachias
Wisdom of Solomon* Wisdom of Solomon+
1 Mac 1 Maccabees* 1 Machabees+
2 Mac 2 Maccabees* 2 Machabees+
1 Esdras* 3 Esdras+ (appendix)
2 Esdras* 4 Esdras+ (appendix)
Prayer of Manasseh* Prayer of Manasseh+ (appendix)
Psalm 151*
3 Maccabees* 3 Maccabees+ (appendix)
4 Maccabees* 4 Maccabees+ (appendix)
NEW TESTAMENT (27)
Mt Matthew
Mk Mark
Lk Luke
Jn John
Acts Acts of the Apostles
Rom Romans
1 Cor 1 Corinthians
2 Cor 2 Corinthians
Gal Galatians
Eph Ephesians
Phil Philippians
Col Colossians
1 Thess 1 Thessalonians
2 Thess 2 Thessalonians
1 Tim 1 Timothy
2 Tim 2 Timothy
Tit Titus
Philem Philemon
Heb Hebrews
Jas James
1 Pet 1 Peter
2 Pet 2 Peter
1 Jn 1 John
2 Jn 2 John
3 Jn 3 John
Jude Jude
Rev Revelation Apocalypse
THE JEWS AND THEIR BIBLE
In order to understand Christian Bibles, it is first necessary to
take a look at the Jewish Bible. It is divided into three
sections: the Law, the Prophets, and the Writings. The Law
consists of the five books of Moses (Genesis to Deuteronomy).
These formed the core of the canon. "Canon" is a Greek word
meaning "reed," "measuring rod." The Law, therefore, was the
canon, the measuring rod by which all later works were judged for
correctness.
The next Jewish division of the OT (Old Testament) is the
prophets. This section contains books written by prophets like
Isaias, Jeremias, etc., and books telling about the activities of
prophets, such as the books of Kings.
The last division of the OT is the Writings, a quite diversified
group, for example, Psalms, Proverbs, Ruth and the apocalyptic
work of Daniel. As centuries went by, the number of books in the
Writings increased.
Traditional Catholics, the (traditional) Catholic Church, as usual,
follows the right course. Its Bible, as represented most authoritatively
by St. Jerome's Latin Vulgate, which is followed by translations such as
the Douay-Rheims. The books contained in these versions are those used
by Christ Himself and His Apostles. The Newchurch of the New Order often
yields to the errors of Martin Luther and modern-day Protestants in their
"New American Bible" and "New English Bible. It is only in
the traditional Catholic Bible that all of the authentic books are
preserved because the (traditional) Catholic Church is the only Church
honest enough to give its followers the full Bible.
WHAT IS THE SEPTUAGINT?
The Septuagint (from the Latin meaning "seventy") is a Greek translation
of the original Hebrew Bible, which is no longer extant, as well as of
other Jewish religious writings that are no longer part of the modern
Hebrew Bible, which is based upon a version edited over a millennium
later by the Masoretes. Thus, the Septuagint is closer to the original
Hebrew Bible than is the present-day Hebrew Bible, which is a version
edited (sometimes in an anti-Christian way).
The Septuagint (abbreviated by its Roman numerals LXX) is the work of
several translators. It was produced in the 3rd and 2nd centuries B.C.
for Greek-speaking Jews of the Alexandrian age, as Hebrew by that time
was obsolescent by that time. The LXX has more books in the section
known as the Writings than the modern Hebrew Bible.
The Septuagint, not the Masoretic Text, matches the Dead Sea Scrolls.
The most accurate and reliable version of the Old Testament of Scriptures
is the Septuagint (LXX), not the Masoretic Text of the 9th century. The
Septuagint was authoritative for the Old Testament from the early Church
on.
WHAT BIBLE DID JESUS AND HIS DISCIPLES USE?
Strictly speaking, there was no "Bible" then as we have it today.
The canon wasn't closed or fixed during Jesus' lifetime. There
was no authoritative list. Any scholarly, objective approach to the
NT (New Testament) substantiates numerous parallels to the
"extra" books contained in the Septuagint (LXX). The earliest Apostolic
Fathers freely quote from the whole of the LXX as being inspired. When
Jesus or the NT writers quote the Old Testament, they overwhelmingly
quote the Greek Septuagint, not the modernized Hebrew rendition.
WHEN DID THE JEWS CLOSE THEIR CANON?
Around A.D. 100, rabbis held a Council at Jamnia, Israel. Since
the Temple had been destroyed in A.D. 70, Jews needed to secure
their identity, especially in opposition to Jews believing in
Jesus as Messiah. It is believed that at this meeting they
decided on the present-day Jewish Bible. However, the authority
of such books as Esther, Proverbs, Canticle of Canticles, Ruth,
Ecclesiastes and Ezekiel were challenged at the meeting and even
later. Even the book of Sirach, supposedly rejected at the
Council, was quoted by rabbis as inspired for centuries
afterward.
When any people is persecuted, it naturally re-groups and
stresses its national history and language. Thus in A.D. 130,
after much foreign oppression, the rabbis forbade Jews to read
the Scriptures in Greek from the LXX. Jews were to read the
Hebrew text only. Furthermore, Christians had been quoting the
LXX to win converts; Jews could refute their arguments on the
basis of a "faulty translation." By thus emphasizing Hebrew
language and tradition, the rabbis preserved Jewish social
identity.
HOW THEN DID THE CHURCH DECIDE WHICH OT BOOKS TO ACCEPT?
From A.D. 90 onward, Christian writers explicitly quote from the
"extra" books of the LXX. When the NT quotes the OT, 85% of the
time it is from the LXX. But in the 2nd century, as Christians
debated with Jews trying to convert them, they needed to meet
them on their own ground, i.e. the Hebrew canon. As certain
Church Fathers stopped using the "extra" books in debates, some
Christians came to doubt their inspiration. However, facts show
that when these same Church Fathers taught in their own circles,
they employed the full LXX.
The Septuagint was accepted as the official and inspired version
of the OT because of its long-standing and consistent use by the
Apostles and their disciples. In 393 St. Augustine and the
Council of Hippo approved the list of books as contained in the
present Catholic Bible. This was likewise ratified at Carthage
in 397 and 419 and by the church practices of Rome.
THEN WHY DO CHRISTIANS HAVE DIFFERENT OLD TESTAMENTS?
The early Christian Church was Greek-speaking; it therefore used
the LXX. Even though the LXX sometimes gave different readings
from the original Hebrew and had "extra" books interspersed with
the rest, the early Church believed it to be inspired. "With
regard to whatever is in the Septuagint that is not in the Hebrew
manuscripts, we can say that the one Spirit wished to say to them
through the writers of the former rather than through the latter
in order to show that both the one and the other were inspired"
(St. Augustine, City of God, 18:43).
Hence the Orthodox Church uses only the LXX and not the original
Hebrew as the official inspired OT. The LXX, compared to the
Hebrew Bible, has the following additional books: Tobit, Judith,
Wisdom of Solomon, Sirach, Baruch (including the Letter of
Jeremias), 1-3 Machabees, Prayer of Manasseh, Psalm 151, 1
Esdras, additions to Esther and Daniel, and very rarely, 4
Machabees since it was not widely available and was never
considered inspired.
Since the Christians in the West spoke Latin, they translated the
Bible into Latin, beginning about A.D. 150. But this was first
of all done from the LXX, not the Hebrew. It wasn't until the
end of the 4th century that St. Jerome made a translation from
the Hebrew. It was then that he discovered that the Jews had a
different Bible. Believing that Jesus never used anything other
that the Hebrew Bible, Jerome wished to adopt their canon.
Modern historical studies have shown, however, that the Jews did
in fact have these other books and read them during Christ's
time. Jerome was merely ill-informed, and the Tradition of the
Church prevailed. Hence the Latin Bible (known as the Vulgate)
contained the same books as the LXX.
Increasingly, copies of the Latin Bible dropped out 1 Esdras, 3
Machabees, the Prayer of Manasseh, and Psalm 151. Consequently,
when the Catholic Church responded to Protestantism at the
Council of Trent, the Latin Vulgate that was made official on
April 8, 1546, did not include these four works.
Protestantism, initiated by Martin Luther, accepted the Jewish
canon. Like Jerome, believing that Jesus used only the Hebrew
Bible, Luther excluded the additional books found in the LXX. He
also rejected the role of oral tradition as being equally
authoritative with Scripture. Hence he questioned the Church's
right to say which books were canonical. He himself, though,
repudiated Esther and James and looked askance at the Apocalypse.
Had Protestantism followed Luther's preferences in the NT,
Christendom would not only have different Old Testaments, but
different New Testaments as well.
Besides Catholics, Orthodox, and Protestants having varying Old
Testaments, the unfortunately forgotten and yet venerable Coptic
and Ethiopian Churches include one book more than the Orthodox:
the Book of Enoch. The Letter of Jude 14-15 is a direct quote
from 1 Enoch 1:9. Scholarship has shown that the book of Enoch
also influenced at least 15 other NT Books. It was widely used
and considered inspired by numerous Church Fathers up until the
4th century. The West lost it because it was never translated
into Latin. Later in the East it also fell into disuse because
of some heretical misuse.
Because of local church councils and differences in language,
coupled later on with a lack of historical criticism and
knowledge, modern Christendom now has four Old Testaments.
WHAT ARE THE DISPUTED BOOKS CALLED?
Whatever books of the LXX that are not part of the Hebrew Bible,
the Protestants call Apocrypha, meaning "hidden." Anything
outside of the LXX, Protestants call Pseudepigrapha,
meaning "false writings."
Catholics call the books accepted by the Jews Protocanonical,
meaning the "first canon." The others listed form the
Deuterocanonical books, the "second canon". All the rest they
call Apocrypha.
The Orthodox follow suit but have additional books in the list of
Deuterocanonicals. Anything not found in the LXX is called
Apocrypha.
Coptics would group 1 Enoch along with the Deuterocanonical books
and call any other ancient writings Apocrypha.
BUT THANK GOD, WE ALL HAVE THE SAME NEW TESTAMENT!
It wasn't until the end of the 5th century that all Christians
had the same NT. Out of the many books in circulation, different
provinces accepted various canons. The Church approved a book if
it were apostolic in its origin. That doesn't mean that it
literally had to be written by an Apostle, but that it was
influenced by him and his followers. Tradition was primary in
the formation of the canon of the Bible. Thus, the Church
accepted the Gospel of Luke and Acts on the basis of Luke's being
a disciple of Paul. The Gospel of Mark records the teachings of
Peter.
Some churches, however, did not know to whom to attribute books
such as Hebrews or the Apocalypse. The East accepted Hebrews as
Pauline; the West rejected it. The West accepted the Apocalypse
as from the Apostle John; the East rejected it. 2 Peter and 2-3
John, James, and Jude, endured prolonged scrutiny and doubt. 1-2
Timothy and Titus faced only some questioning. Certain churches,
however, accepted other works attributed to Paul. The Syrian
Church accepted a third letter to the Corinthians until the 5th
century. The West also employed an Epistle to the Laodiceans for
a short time.
But besides these writings, still others were considered inspired
in various places and at different times, such as 1 Clement, the
Didache, the Shepherd of Hermas, the Apocalypse of Peter, and
Barnabas.
HOW WAS THE PROBLEM SOLVED?
The test of Apostolic Tradition was the main factor. Could the
book be ascribed to some Apostle or group of disciples? Also,
was the book widely used and accepted throughout all of
Christendom? Hence, 1 Clement, even though internally claiming
inspiration and being acclaimed as inspired by some churches, was
not used everywhere and therefore was not held to be canonical.
That is not to say it could not be inspired, but rather the book
is not normative. Canonicity and inspiration are two different
things.
WHAT'S BECOME OF THESE OTHER BOOKS?
The books in question are: 1 Enoch, 3 Machabees, the Prayer of
Manasseh, 1 Esdras, Psalm 151, 1 Clement, the Didache, the
Shepherd of Hermas, 3 Corinthians, and the Apocalypse of Peter.
These works still exist today. At one time they were considered
to be inspired and canonical. Some, as explained above, still
are so considered. Anyone can read these and spiritually profit
by them. These books are witnesses to, and help make up, what is
called Tradition. They are testimonies of the Holy Spirit
working in the People of God.
Several inspired books are now lost and not part of the Bible.
For example, the Books of Jashar (Jos. 10:13, 2 Kings 1:18), of
the Prophet Nathan (3 Kings 29:29, 4 Kings 9:29), of the Prophet
Gad (3 Kings 29:29), and the Scripture behind James 4:5, just to
mention a few. The canon is a rule of thumb, a guideline, a
measuring rod. Not everything that is inspired is in the canon;
but everything in the canon is inspired. When Jesus spoke, His
words were inspired and authoritative. But not all of His words
were written down. That is why oral tradition is so very
important. Whether one accepts the aforementioned books as
canonical or not, they are still part of Tradition, which is
equally authoritative. Yet they, like Scripture, are to be
interpreted only within and by the one, holy, Catholic, apostolic
Church, for they came forth from her.
OBJECTIONS OFTEN RAISED
Some reject the "extra" books because they are never quoted
verbatim in the NT. In that case, however, one should also
exclude Esther and Nahum, etc., for they too are never directly
quoted. Others cite Apoc. 22:18 as proof that one cannot add
books to or delete them from the Bible. This verse, though,
applies only to tampering with the Apocalypse. Besides, the
Gospel of John, 1-3 John, and 2 Peter were written after the book
of Revelation was completed.
WHY ARE THE PSALMS NUMBERED DIFFERENTLY IN DIFFERENT BIBLES?
The traditional numbering of the psalms comes from the Septuagint, the
Greek version of the Old Testament that most Jews used (most had lost
their facility with the Hebrew version during the Diaspora). This is the
version of the Old Testament that Our Lord and the writers of the New
Testament quote from. Thus, it bears an authority above the Hebrew.
St. Jerome's Latin Vulgate, the Church's authoritative version, uses this
traditional numbering from the Septuagint. The Douay-Rheims translation
follows this practice, whereas most post Vatican II translations have
reverted to the Hebrew numbering which was reintroduced with the King
James Version. The numbers diverge at Psalm 9A/9B and converge again at
Psalm 146/147. All references from the early Church Fathers to before
the Vatican II Anti-council use the traditional numbering.
DOUAY-RHEIMS VERSION
During the Protestant Reformation in England, and the subsequent
persecutions of Catholics in that benighted country, the faithful were
compelled either to go underground or seek refuge on foreign soil. The
clergy in charge of keeping alive the study of the Sacred Scriptures
within the English-speaking world were among those who took flight to
other shores. For their escape had become an imperative, if their work
was to continue unencumbered. Among the great scholars who were forced
to flee, were the Catholic Fathers of Oxford, many of whom settled at
Douay in Flanders (Belgium).
After the bloody persecutions in England had subsided to a degree, the
faithful continued in their efforts to repel attacks by the heretics
against pure doctrine. As expertise with the Latin language became a
rarity among the common folk, English Catholics sought a version of the
Holy Bible in their language, accurately translated from the Latin
Vulgate, by which to defend the major tenets of the Faith.
"The work of preparing such a version was undertaken by the members of
the English College at Douay, in Flanders, founded by William Allen
(afterwards cardinal) in 1568. The chief share of the translating was
borne by Dr. Gregory Martin, formerly of St. John's College, Oxford.
His text was revised by Thomas Worthington, Richard Bristowe, John
Reynolds, and Allen himself - all of them Oxford men. A series of notes
[annotations] was added, designed to answer the theological arguments of
the Reformers; these were prepared by Allen, assisted by Bristowe and
Worthington.
"....They translated directly, not from the original Hebrew or Greek,
but from the Latin Vulgate of St. Jerome. This had been declared
authoritative for Catholics by the Council of Trent; but it was also
commonly admitted that the text was purer than in any manuscripts at
that time extant in the original languages....
"In the year 1578, owing to political troubles, the college was
temporarily transferred from Douay ... to Rheims, and during its
sojourn there, in 1582, the New Testament was published, and became
consequently known as the Rheims Testament.... The Old Testament was
delayed by want of means, until the whole Bible was eventually published
in two quarto volumes, in 1609 and 1610.... Thus the New Testament
appeared nearly thirty years before the Anglican Authorized Version, and
although not officially mentioned [by Protestants], as one of the
versions to be consulted, it is now commonly recognized to have had a
large influence on the King James Version....
"The Rheims Testament was reprinted twice at Antwerp, in 1600 and 1621,
and a fourth edition was issued at Rouen in 1633. Then it was allowed
to rest for over a century, before a fifth edition appeared, with some
slight changes, dated 1728, but without any place of publication stated.
It is believed to have been printed in London and was edited by Dr.
Challoner (afterwards bishop), and Father Blyth, a Carmelite. The Douay
Bible was never after this printed abroad. A sixth edition of the
Rheims Testament was printed at Liverpool in 1788, and a seventh dated
Dublin, 1803, which was the last Catholic edition. Several Protestant
editions have appeared, the best known being a curious work by Rev.
William Fulke, first published in 1589, with the Rheims text and that of
the Bishops' Bible in parallel columns. A Protestant edition of the
Rheims Testament was also brought out by Leavitt of New York, in
1834...." (Bernard Ward, The Catholic Encyclopedia, Vol. V, The
Encyclopedia Press, Inc., 1908, page 140.)
========================================================================
SYNOPSES OF THE BOOKS
BY THE FATHERS
OLD TESTAMENT
GENESIS
EXODUS
LEVITICUS
Leviticus breaks the historical narrative in Exodus to treat the
Jewish priests and their duties in regard to divine worship. Two basic
understandings about the nature of God underlie this book: that God is
transcendent, infinitely holy and inaccessible to man, and that God is
immanent, dwelling in the midst of His people.
Israel gave great importance to the external public worship of
God, to atone for sins and to restore friendship with God, which sin
broke. The elaborate ceremonial was intended to impress on the people's
minds God's sublime holiness and man's unworthiness to enter His
presence. Such ceremonial, arising from divine principles, was
continued in a modified form in the ritual of the Roman Catholic Church.
Five types of sacrifice were offered, by the ministry of priests.
The sacrificial victims had to be unblemished, and those who shared in
the sacrificial meals had to be holy and free from legal uncleanness.
God asked of His people not only reverence and adoration but also a
holiness of life that enabled them to live as his true children in His
presence.
Until the Messias would come to effect the reconciliation of man
with his Creator, God wanted man to offer Him worship as His infinite
majesty demanded. God, therefore, accepted the symbol of the blood of
animals sacrificed to Him and the other bloodless sacrifices. Yet these
sacrifices were only figures of Christ's own coming sacrifice as a
spotless victim acceptable to God, restoring man to righteousness and to
friendship with God.
NUMBERS
This book continues the narrative of the Hebrew people from the second
year after they leave Egypt up to almost the end of Moses' life, the
forty years of wandering in the desert. The title comes from the
initial and concluding sections describing the census of the people.
God commands Moses to make a census of the people to confirm His keeping
of His promise to Abraham (Genesis 22:17) that his descendants would be
multiplied.
When Jacob entered Egypt, his family numbered 70. Now, 450 years later,
the Hebrew people number around 600,000. In the first of the three
parts of this book, the Hebrews are presented as a holy people through
God's grace. They are divided into twelve tribes, of which the Levites,
from whom the Church traditionally derives its order of deacons, have
the place of honor. In the second part, the Hebrews begin their journey
and, because of their resistence to God's commandment's, wander for 40
years in Canaan. In the third part, the Hebrews turn from God when they
reach Moab.
The events of Numbers remind us how often we too are unfaithful to God
and rebel against His commandments, how often we are deflected from the
search for holiness and union with God by attachment to material
possessions, sensuality, and other temptations.
DEUTERONOMY
Deuteronomy, or Second Law, is the last of the five books of Moses known
as the Pentateuch (Five Tools). When Moses is near death, God commands
him to proclaim once more the Law that he received on Mount Sinai, now
to a new generation of Jews. The book ends with the death of Moses and
his exequies.
Deuternomy is structured in three exhortations. The first assures the
Jews that God constantly watches over them and that, in return, He
expects fidelity to Him and to His Covenant. The second exhortation
contains the laws proper, and what we know as the Ten Commandments. The
Jews are to be faithful to their one true God and must love Him above
all else as their Creator and Lord. The third exhortation urges
obedience to God and faithful observance of the Comandments.
Deuteronomy through its prophecies prepares the way for the New Covenant
to come (especially 18:15-18). In its rich doctrine, Deuteronomy also
lays the foundations for the teaching of the Messias, Jesus Christ.
JOSUE (JOSHUA)
The book of Josue (meaning "salvation") continues the religious
history of Israel from the death of Moses (about the twelfth century
B.C.). It chronicles the conquest of Canaan, including the famous
battle of Jericho, which was taken after a seven-day siege.
Josue was Moses' successor in the governance of Israel. He was a
great warrior, displayed an unshakeable faith, and remained faithful to
God always. As such, God allowed him what He had withheld from Moses,
to lead the Israelites into the Promised Land.
Spiritually, this book shows God's faithfulness to His promise to
His Chosen People. That promise prefigures the New Covenant. In fact,
the Josue prefigures the Our Savior, Jesus Christ, whose name in Hebrew
is related to "Josue." Josue, who meditated night and day upon God's
Law, remained faithful to that Law and, with God's help, built his new
nation solidly upon it.
JUDGES
The Book of Judges drives its title from the twelve heroes of
Israel whose deeds it records (ca. 1375-ca. 1050 B.C.). They were not
magistrates, but military
leaders sent by God to aid and to relieve His people in time of external
danger. They exercised their activities in the interval of time between
the death of Joshue and the institution of the monarchy in Israel.
The purpose of this book is to show that the fortunes of Israel
depended upon the obedience or disobedience of the people to God's law.
Whenever they rebelled against Him, they were oppressed by pagan
nations; when they repented, He raised up judges to deliver them.
RUTH
Ruth exemplifies to us the virtues of filial piety, self-
sacrifice, and moral fortitutde, which God rewards a hundredfold. Even
though Ruth was not of Chosen People, yet God favored her with a
marriage to Booz, an influential man of Bethlehem. Thus, she became an
ancestress of David and therefore of Christ, demonstrating that
salvation was not to be reserved only to the Jews, but came to the
Gentiles as well. Most of the book consists of dramatic dialogue,
although there is no indication that the events it relates are not true
history.
1 KINGS (1 SAMUEL)
In this book, and its successor, we read the history of the
foundation of the kingdom of Israel and the establishment of David and
his line on the throne.
God uses Samuel, the last of the Judges, to bring about the
unification of the tribe of Israel to meet the treat of the Philistines.
Under Saul, the first king, God assists the Israelites to best the
Philistines, but not to achieve total victory.
Although the genius of David pulls the tribes together, they still
had differences that would later resurface. The north and the south,
united under David, would later divide permanently under David's son,
Solomon.
During this period, as in the period of the Judges, the Israelites
often fail to stay loyal to God.
2 KINGS (2 SAMUEL)
This historical book centers upon King David and the momentous
events of his early reign: the civil war; the transfer of the Ark of
the Covenant to Jerusalem, which David makes his capital; and the
messianic promise that an eternal throne will be given to one of David's
lineage.
Yet this period of triumph comes to an end with David's double sin
-- his adultery with Bethsabee and his arranging the death of her
husband Urias -- followed by his son Absalom's conspiracy and death.
Yet as David sincerely repents for his sins and changes his life
completely, God displays His mercy and forgiveness.
David, the progenitor of the dynasty that will eventually lead to
the Messias, was one of the most humble and devout personalities in the
Old Testament. His sense of devotion led him to take particular care of
everything to do with the worship of Almighty God, even to old age.
When he fell into great sin, he was instinctively led to repentance and
atonement. In these virtues we can imitate the great King.
3 KINGS (1 KINGS)
This book continues the history of the kingdoms of Judah and
Israel from the last days of King David (ca. 970 B.C.) and the
succession of his son, Solomon, whose initial drive and intelligence
fade into neglect of divine worship. After Solomon's death the northern
and western tribes permanently split.
We are also introduced in this book to the prophet Elias, who
preaches a return to fidelity to God and his worship against that of
pagan idols. On Mount Horeb this greatest of the non-writer prophets
(no book of Scripture is directly attributed to him) receives an
adumbration of the God-Child, full of goodness and mercy, Who will be
born at Bethlehem.
God had established one valid Temple and a priesthood for his
worship. The Israelite kings of this period are condemned because
instead of maintaining the divinely-revealed worship, they established
rival shrines in opposition to the Temple and, in contravention to the
Covenant, failed to suppress the "high places" of the pagan god Baal.
4 KINGS (2 KINGS)
The two kingdoms of Israel, now divided into Samaria in the north
and Judah in the south, war against each other. The Assyrians attack
and invade beginning in the ninth century. Samaria, the capital of the
northern kingdom, falls in 721 B.C., and Jerusalem itself finally falls
to the Assyrian King Nabuchodonosor in 587. The Temple is destroyed,
and the Jews are deported to begin their "Babylonian Captivity."
Thus we are taught how high the price is for falling away from the
established worship of God. The Jews fell from the divinely-instituted
worship in the Temple and began to worship Baal at pagan shrines. God
kept his word; it is Israel that was faithless. This book is a
statement of divine justice. God's judgment is justified and blameless.
He deals with unfaithfulness to His Covenant as He promised.
1 PARALIPOMENON (1 CHRONICLES)
The title of the next two books comes from the fact that they
contain things "left out" (Greek: paraleipomenon) of the books of
Kings. They repeat and expand upon the sacred history contained in the
earlier books and were probably written in the second half of the third
century B.C.
The early chapters of the first book give a summary of salvation
history of the long period from the start of mankind up to the
Babylonian exile of the 6th century B.C. It includes the period up to
King David, as well as the history of King David's reign.
In the spiritual sense, this book teaches that the continued
existence of Israel depended upon the people's faithfulness to the
Covenant. This faithfulness means keeping God's commandments and seeing
meticulously to His worship. When the people became faithless, they
suffered exile and the domination of the pagan nation of Babylon and its
king Nabuchodonosor.
2 PARALIPOMENON (2 CHRONICLES)
This book continues the account of things "left out" (Greek:
paraleipomenon) of the books of Kings. It continues the account of the
First Book of Paralipomenon by continuing the summary of salvation
history from the period of King Solomon's reign, the start and finish of
the building of his Temple, the religious reforms introduced to counter
disorder and anarchy, the fall of Jerusalem, and finally the Babylonian
exile (597 B.C.). It concludes with the return of the Jews to Judea by
the leave of Cyrus, King of the Persians (538 B.C.).
The spiritual message of this book is one religious obligation,
that God requires holiness in His worship, not only from His ministers
but also from the people at large. The new Israel will consist of the
"remnant" who remained faithful during the Babylonian exile. The
faithful members of the twelve tribes, as well as pagan nations, will
obtain access to the true faith.
1 ESDRAS (EZRA)
2 ESDRAS (NEHEMIAH)
TOBIAS (TOBIT)
JUDITH
ESTHER
JOB
PSALMS
PROVERBS
ECCLESIASTES
CANTICLES OF CANTICLES (SONG OF SOLOMON)
WISDOM
ECCLESIASTICUS
ISAIAS (ISAIAH)
JEREMIAS (JEREMIAH)
LAMENTATIONS
BARUCH
EZECHIEL (EZEKIEL)
DANIEL
OSEE (HOSEA)
JOEL
AMOS
ABDIAS (OBADIAH)
JONAS (JONAH)
MICHEAS (MICAH)
NAHUM
HABACUC (HABAKKUK)
SOPHONIAS (ZEPHANIAH)
AGGEUS (HAGGAI)
ZACHARIAS (ZECHARIAH)
MALACHIAS (MALACHI)
1 MACHABEES
2 MACHABEES
NEW TESTAMENT
ST. MATTHEW
ST. MARK
ST. LUKE
St. Luke, a physician from Antioch, wrote the third Gospel and the Acts
of the Apostles, probably before the middle of the 60's. Although not
an eyewitness of our Lord's life, he had ready access to those who did,
most especially the Blessed Virgin Mary. A man of culture, his Greek is
the best among the evangelists, particularly suitable for addressing his
Gentile audience.
St. Luke's Gospel is best known for its unique inclusion of the
narrative of Christ's infancy, of which the Pontifical Biblical
Commission (June 26, 1912), countering modernistic notions in vogue at
that time (and this) wrote: "[It is] not lawful to doubt the
inspiration and authenticity of Luke's narrative of Christ's infancy."
St. Luke's Gospel covers many great themes in the plan of Redemption.
He emphasizes the continuity of the work of salvation begun by God in
the Old Testament and brought to fulfillment in the New. He stresses
the offering salvation to all men, structuring his Gospel by the life of
Christ to proclaim the mercy and forgiveness of God. He urges us to
imitate Christ in the Christian virtues and prayer, and portrays the
Blessed Virgin to us as our great help.
ST. JOHN
St. John, brother of St. James the Greater and originally a
disciple of St. John the Baptist, is the author of the fourth Gospel.
This gospel has a vivid eyewitness quality, as St. John was present with
only his brother and St. Peter at some of the most significant events of
Our Lord's life, such as the Transfiguration and the Agony in the
Garden. He alone of all the apostles was present at the foot of the
cross on that Good Friday.
His gospel seeks to strengthen the faith of the young Church in
Asia Minor. It focuses on the central truth that Jesus Christ is the
Son of God made man. The sublime prologue, which is usually used as the
Last Gospel at Holy Mass, is a summary of the entire teaching of Our
Lord's divinity and mission.
The first part of the gospel presents Our Lord as the promised
Messias by recounting a number of miracles that only God Himself could
work. The second part of the gospel presents the final and most
significant events of Our Lord's life, the realization of the plan of
salvation.
Finally, St. John's gospel contains our most detailed information
about the events of the Resurrection as the ultimate confirmation of the
faith and the foundation of the Church.
THE ACTS OF THE APOSTLES
The Acts of the Apostles provides us with perhaps our most important
account of the apostolic origins and Tradition of the Church. Written
by St. Luke, who was a companion of St. Paul on some of his missionary
journeys recorded here, this book was probably written in Rome shortly
before the Great Fire in A.D. 64 that the Roman Emperor Nero used as an
excuse to initiate the first official persecution of the Christians.
The Acts of the Apostles documents the rapidity of the Church's
expansion after the Ascension, particularly among the Gentiles (non-
Jewish peoples), to whom St. Paul, the Apostle of the Gentiles, brought
the Gospel. It is a kind of "Fifth Gospel," expounding the first
apostolic teaching.
Some of the important teachings elaborated in the Acts of the Apostles
are: (1) that Christ was the Messias and Son of God; (2) that the Holy
Spirit is a separate person of the Holy Trinity, who sanctifies; (3)
that the Church founded by Christ is open to the Gentiles, as well as
the Jews, without further observance of the Mosaic Law. It addition,
the Acts of the Apostles provides us with a glimpse into the life of the
early Christians and models of the Christian life for us to imitate in
our own times.
ST. PAUL TO THE ROMANS
St. Paul's Epistle to the Romans is given the position of honor at the
beginning of all the New Testament Epistles. It was written at Corinth
during the winter of A.D. 57-58, at the close of St. Paul's missionary
journey. During this period of his missionary activity, St. Paul had
widely covered the eastern territories and was looking for new
territories to evangelize in the West. For this purpose he wished to go
to Rome, then Spain.
In this epistle St. Paul informs the Romans of his intended visit and
discusses the great Christian religious principle of justification by
faith, as well as the relation of the new Christian religion to the
Mosaic (Jewish) religion. He takes advantage of the opportunity of his
impending trip to Rome to set forth a detailed defense of his doctrine,
which he writes not just for the Romans, but ultimately for all the
Christian communities throughout the world.
He argues for the superabundant power of God to save those who have
faith in Christ, which the Jews have rejected. He concludes his
argument with a presentation of the duties of Christians: humility,
charity, self-denial, patience, and mercy.
1 CORINTHIANS
Like so many large cities today, Corinth in biblical times was
materially prosperous, but had fallen into deep moral corruption. St.
Paul preached to the Jews and Gentiles of Corinth for two years, leaving
thence about A.D. 52. Because he made many converts, the Jews began to
persecute the Apostle to the Gentiles with increasing fervor.
This first Epistle is attributed to the beginning of A.D. 57, a
date that places its doctrinal and liturgical statements earlier than
all of the Gospels except St. Matthew's. It gives us an insight into
how developed the essentials of the traditional Mass were by this time,
not even thirty years since the Ascension of Our Lord. In fact, St.
Paul wrote this Epistle specifically to address erroneous doctrine and
liturgical practices that had arisen in the church at Corinth since his
departure five years previous.
2 CORINTHIANS
St. Paul had already had to send one severe letter to the
Corinthian Christians, upbraiding them for sin, heresy, and unChristian
practices. Now, about the year 57, St. Paul sends to the Corinthians a
second highly personal, highly forceful epistle.
St. Paul defends his life and ministry against his critics and
strongly asserts his authority as a true apostle of Christ, attested by
extraordinary visitations from heaven and by his unparalleled labors and
sufferings to spread the Gospel.
This epistle gives us an insight into how many critics even the
great Apostle to the Gentiles had and into how erroneous doctrine and
practices had arisen in the Church at Corinth, not even thirty years
after the Ascension of Christ.
GALATIANS
This letter speaks to our own time with truths of our Faith that
are 2000 years old. St. Paul had preached the Gospel at Galatia in Asia
Minor (roughly in central Turkey now). After he left, false teachers in
authority in the community, although they operated under the name of
"Christian," instead were teaching erroneous doctrine and calumniating
St. Paul's apostleship.
Some 30 years after the Church was founded, St. Paul, vehemently
rebuts the calumnies and stands uncompromisingly for Tradition, saying:
"But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach a gospel to you
other than that which we have preached to you, let him be anathema! As
we said before, so now I say again: If any one preach a gospel to you
other than that which you received, let him be anathema! For am I now
seeking the favor of men, or of God? Or am I seeking to please men? If
I were still trying to please men, I should not be a servant of Christ"
(Galatians 1:8-10).
So important is Tradition that St. Paul does not hesitate even to
upbraid St. Peter, the first pope, for violating it: "But when Cephas
[Peter] came to Antioch, I withstood him to his face because he was
deserving of blame" (Galatians 2:11).
That is the supreme importance of Sacred Tradition, upon which,
with Sacred Scripture, the Catholic Church is built. To it, even popes
must submit, and be corrected if they do not.
EPHESIANS
This epistle was written by St. Paul toward the close of his first
imprisonment in Rome, in the year A.D. 63, and carried thence to Asia
Minor. Ephesus, then the chief city of western Asia Minor, had been
evangelized by St. Paul about A.D. 53-56. The great majority of
converts in this territory were from among the pagan Gentiles; the Jews
formed only a small minority.
St. Paul's main purpose in this epistle is to explore the great
mystery of the Redemption, of which Christ Himself is the cornerstone,
the foundation of the entire spiritual building. The letter is divided
into two main parts.
The dogmatic section (1:2-3:21) regards the Church as the mystical
body of Christ, through which Christ, its head, generously pours out the
divine life of grace to its members. Both Jews and Gentiles are called,
without distinction, to make up one body, the new people of God, the
Church.
The ethical section (4:1-6:9) emphasizes the spiritual, organic
unity of the members of the Church with Christ and with one another.
This is the basic principle of the life of the mystical body. St. Paul
exhorts Christians to live one and the same Faith and to lead the new
life that befits those incorporated into the unity of the mystical body.
PHILIPPIANS
At Philippi, named after Philip of Macedon, the father of
Alexander the Great, St. Paul founded the first Christian church in
Europe on his second missionary journey around the year A.D. 51. The
saint himself lived at Philippi for some years.
In this letter St. Paul encourages the Philippians, who
reciprocated his affectionate regard and supported his work, to be even
better athletes of Christ, keeping their eyes always upon the goal of
pursuing holiness, just as the runner in a race keeps his eye on the
goal and does not look back.
St. Paul recommends to the Philippians the Christian virtues of
charity, unity, and humility. On the other hand, he exoriates those who
teach a false Faith, calling them "enemies of the cross of Christ"
(3:18). For these he predicts destruction.
COLOSSIANS
St. Paul, from his imprisonment at Rome, had been informed that
erroneous doctrines were circulating in the Church at Colossae, which
compromised the Christian doctrine of Christ's supreme mediation for us.
St. Paul in this epistle corrects the Colossians' errors and restates
for them Christ's absolute supremacy as God: "in him dwells all the
fullness of the Godhead bodily" (2:9[C]). Divinity and humanity are
united in Him.
St. Paul also describes here the nature of the Church as the
Mystical Body of Christ. Through His sacrifice on the Cross, Christ has
become the universal mediator, reconciling men to God. Thereby He is
the supreme head of the Church: "he is the head of his body, the
Church" (1:18[C]).
Since we share in the life of the risen Christ and His Church, we
are called upon to reject worldly living and focus on the Christian
virtues, to "mind the things that are above, not the things that are
upon the earth" (3:2).
This is the insightful epistle in which St. Paul advises on the
proper relation of husband to wife, and father to child. Indeed,
there is much in this short epistle to teach us of the essence of our
relationship as Christians first to God, then to neighbor.
1 THESSALONIANS
Thessalonica was one of the most important cities in the Roman
province
of Macedonia. It had a very busy port, strategically located on the main
highway between Rome and its eastern provinces, which attracted Greeks in
search of employment. Moreover, it had a sizeable Jewish community with
its
own synagogue. Only a few of the Jews accepted the Gospel from St.
Paul's
preaching, but many Greeks became Christians, including several of the
leading women.
Here St. Paul was persecuted and had to flee the city by night. He
writes this epistle to defend his mission as of divine calling and to
counter
those who acted against him out of greed and vanity.
He insists upon the responsibility of everyone to work, speaking
against the tendency of too many in the city to depend upon the welfare
of
others and to become a burden on the Christian community. Thus, St. Paul
teaches that able-bodied men have the obligation to work (4:11), not to
rely
on charity. St. Paul followed this practice in his own example when he
visited Christian communities and engaged in his occupation of tent-
making so
as to support himself and not become a burden to the Christian community
(2:9).
He preaches the apostolic doctrine of the resurrection of the dead
and
advises Christians not to worry about the endtimes, "for yourselves know
perfectly that the day of the Lord shall so come as a thief in the night"
(5:2).
2 THESSALONIANS
1 TIMOTHY
2 TIMOTHY
TITUS
PHILEMON
TO THE HEBREWS
THE EPISTLE OF ST. JAMES
1 ST. PETER
2 ST. PETER
1 ST. JOHN
2 ST. JOHN
3 ST. JOHN
ST. JUDE
THE APOCALYPSE OF ST. JOHN THE APOSTLE (REVELATION)