ARE THERE INSPIRED BOOKS NOT IN OUR BIBLES?
Much interest has been shown of late on the Apocryphal books. These are religious writings besides the 39 books of the Old Testament and the 27 books of the New Testament. In the Confraternity Version of the Catholic Bible there are found seven additional Old Testament books. These are Tobias, Judith, Wisdom, Sirach, and 1 & 2 Machabees. Protestant scholars leave these out as Apocryphal books showing that they do not meet the rules of inspiration known as being canonical. Beginning with the second century A. D. there were many religious books supposed to have been written by the Apostles and others claiming to be inspired. When these additional books are considered it throws doubt in many people's minds as to whether or not we have all the Bible.
1. What they contained shows them not to be inspired and therefore should not be included in our Bibles. The International Standard Bible Encyclopedia Volume one, pages 178-204 gives a good summary of these early writings and show that they certainly should not be a part of the Bible. Here are some things about them:
A )These were at first kept secret only to be read by an inner circle of people.
B) They fostered division in the church and were were discredited by loyal congregations of the church.
C) These writings were supposed to give the history of the apostles in fuller detail but they were "flavored with romance and reveal an extravagant and unhealthy taste for the miraculous." (ISBE Vol. 1, pg. 184). They were filled with exuberant fancy and were always out of touch with reality. Such things as a smoked fish swimming, a broken statue made whole with consecrated water, children of seven months of age talking as men, and animals receiving power of human speech and sent to preach sermons.
D) They give an almost equal with God status for the apostles which led to worshiping them.
E) They taught that sexual abstinence from marriage was an essential to enter upon the highest life and of winning heaven.
F) They taught the docetist view that Christ didn't have a human body but was a Phantom on earth. Also that he only seemed to be dying on the cross and that there was no resurrection.
G) These Gospels and Acts had the names of the apostles upon them when they were written by people after the death of the apostles. Those people were not qualified nor inspired to write them.
2. The New Testament books show that with them the message is complete and gives the reasons that they should not be accepted into the Canon.
A) Galatians 1:11, 12 shows that the New Testament gospel is a revelation not a hiding. The Gospel is to be preached to all the world not kept hidden to be read by special groups of people (Mark 16:15). It is plain enough that all who will can receive it (Revelation 22:17). Galatians 1:8 pronounces a curse on any man or angel preaching any other gospel than that Paul preached.
B) Romans 16: 17, 18 tells Christians and the churches to mark those who cause divisions and avoid them because they serve not the Lord Jesus but their own selfish interests and by good words and fair speeches deceive the hearts of the simple. This applies to apocryphal books.
C) I Corinthians 13:8-10 shows that when the complete revelation was given the miraculous spiritual gifts ceased. The reported miracles of the Apocryphal books were never done and the records of them claiming to have been done by the apostles were false.
D) Both Paul and Peter were "servants of Jesus Christ" (Philippians 1: 1; 2 Peter 1: 1).
Peter makes it plain not to worship him (Acts 10:25, 26). They were earthen vessels to give the gospel to the world (2 Corinthians 4:7).
E) Hebrews 13:4 says "Marriage is honorable in all, and the bed undefiled: but whoremongers and adulterers God will judge." Paul said he had the right to lead about a wife just like was done by Peter, the other apostles and brethren (I Corinthians 9:5). He also said, "Nevertheless, to avoid fornication, let every man have his own wife, and let every woman have her own husband." (I Corinthians 7:2). Peter said to the Christian wives "Likewise, ye wives, be in subjection to your own husbands" and gave Sarah as an example of a wife who honored her husband. He told the husbands to dwell with their wives so their prayers would not be hindered. (I Peter 3: 1-7). The New Testament taught honor, respect, love and submission in marriage. It is to be through conjugal marriage that the human race is to be continued.
F) Hebrews 10:5,7 states of Jesus Christ, "Wherefore when he cometh into the world, he said, Sacrifice and offering thou wouldest not, but a body hast thou prepared me... Then said I Lo, I come (in the volume of the book it is written of me,) to do thy will, O God." Christ was not a phantom or a ghost on earth. He had an earthly body and was tempted in all points like as we, yet without sin (Hebrews 4:15). That's what makes him a merciful and faithful high priest (Hebrews 2:17).
G) 2 Corinthians 11: 12-15 shows that Satan and his cohorts pose as apostles and preachers of the gospel to deceive us. Writing spurious books and putting an apostle's name on it is one way they do it. The docetist doctrine taught in Apocryphal books shows they clearly are not inspired and should not be accepted as authoritative. C. D.