The Bible Is A Catholic BookThe Bible Is A Catholic Book

What is the history of the Bible?What is the history of the Bible?

Saint Paul MinistriesSaint Paul Ministrieswww.saintpaulministries.netwww.saintpaulministries.net

• Reaching back 3500 Reaching back 3500 years, 1500 years prior years, 1500 years prior to the birth of Christ, we to the birth of Christ, we find the first writings of find the first writings of the Bible.the Bible.

• The first five books of The first five books of are called the Torah or are called the Torah or the Pentateuch.the Pentateuch.

• We believe Moses lived We believe Moses lived between 1500-1300 BC. between 1500-1300 BC.

• He recounts events, He recounts events, Adam & Eve the garden Adam & Eve the garden etc. which happened etc. which happened long before his birth.long before his birth.

• But how is that possible you But how is that possible you might ask.might ask.

• Biblical scholars are quick to Biblical scholars are quick to answer they were divinely answer they were divinely inspired and Moses wrote inspired and Moses wrote them down as they were them down as they were revealed to him by God.revealed to him by God.

• How then did Moses learn to How then did Moses learn to write? write?

• The Egyptians developed The Egyptians developed hieroglyphics and Moses was hieroglyphics and Moses was educated as an Egyptian in educated as an Egyptian in the palace of the Pharaoh.the palace of the Pharaoh.

• When Alexander the Great When Alexander the Great conquered much of the conquered much of the world and the Hebrew world and the Hebrew language began to die out language began to die out and was being replaced and was being replaced with the Greek and Aramaic with the Greek and Aramaic languages.languages.

• As a result their was a need As a result their was a need preserve and translate the preserve and translate the Hebrew Old Testament into Hebrew Old Testament into Greek.Greek.

• The translation was The translation was completed about 148 completed about 148 BC and included all the BC and included all the books, including those 7 books, including those 7 which Martin Luther which Martin Luther would leave out over would leave out over 1650 years later.1650 years later.

• This translation was This translation was called the called the Septuagint or Septuagint or the 70 (LXX), the 70 (LXX), and and represents by legend the represents by legend the work of 72 Jewish work of 72 Jewish translators who worked translators who worked independently of eachindependently of each

• other and finished with other and finished with identical text.identical text.

• This text was available This text was available during the earthly life of during the earthly life of Jesus and he even Jesus and he even quoted from the it.quoted from the it.

• About 90-95 AD About 90-95 AD Christianity was rapidly Christianity was rapidly expanding and the Jews expanding and the Jews called the Council of called the Council of Jamnia.Jamnia.

• The purpose of the The purpose of the council was to remove council was to remove portions of the portions of the Septuagint which were Septuagint which were being used by Christians being used by Christians as “proof texts” of their as “proof texts” of their religion.religion.

• Some non-Catholics Some non-Catholics argue that these 7 books argue that these 7 books were added in the fourth were added in the fourth century when Jerome century when Jerome translated the Septuagint translated the Septuagint into the language of the into the language of the people, Latin.people, Latin.

• If that were true how If that were true how could the Council of could the Council of Jamnia have removed Jamnia have removed something that wasn’t something that wasn’t there in the first place?there in the first place?

• By leaving out the 7 By leaving out the 7 books of the original books of the original Hebrew Bible the Hebrew Bible the Protestants are in essence Protestants are in essence saying, the Pharisaic Jews saying, the Pharisaic Jews who rejected Jesus and who rejected Jesus and persecuted the early persecuted the early Church were right in Church were right in removing the 7 books.removing the 7 books.

• Further, the Pharisaic Further, the Pharisaic Jews have more Jews have more authority in choosing authority in choosing the Canon of Scripture the Canon of Scripture than the Christian than the Christian Church which Jesus Church which Jesus founded.founded.

• The Christian The Christian community had existed community had existed for about 60 years prior for about 60 years prior to the removal of the to the removal of the books and the sole books and the sole reason for their removal reason for their removal was to remove from was to remove from

• Christians the text that Christians the text that proved the validity of proved the validity of their religion.their religion.

• It just so happened that It just so happened that by excluding the books by excluding the books Luther’s theology more Luther’s theology more closely matched the closely matched the religion he was creating religion he was creating on his own authority.on his own authority.

• Returning to the period Returning to the period of 382 to 419 the of 382 to 419 the Catholic Church Catholic Church recognized the need to recognized the need to take the unedited take the unedited Septuagint of 148 BC Septuagint of 148 BC and many other writings and many other writings being circulated, and being circulated, and decide which were decide which were inspired, which were inspired, which were not inspired.not inspired.

• The purpose was to join The purpose was to join them into one Catholic them into one Catholic book we call the Bible.book we call the Bible.

• Debates raged, Jerome Debates raged, Jerome wanted to take out the 7 wanted to take out the 7 books, Augustine didn’t.books, Augustine didn’t.

• It’s important to It’s important to remember that a persons remember that a persons private opinion does not private opinion does not change the truth.change the truth.

• In 382 the Council of In 382 the Council of Rome and Pope St. Rome and Pope St. Damasus issued a decree Damasus issued a decree which defined the which defined the canonical books of both canonical books of both the Old and New the Old and New Testaments.Testaments.

• St. Jerome was given the St. Jerome was given the task of translating the task of translating the Old Testament from the Old Testament from the original Hebrew and original Hebrew and Aramaic languages into Aramaic languages into Latin, the language of the Latin, the language of the people, and thus making people, and thus making it more available to those it more available to those who could read.who could read.

• The translation was The translation was called the “Latin called the “Latin Vulgate,” and was Vulgate,” and was completed about 405 completed about 405 AD.AD.

• The vast majority of The vast majority of people in Jerome’s time people in Jerome’s time could not read or so the could not read or so the priests of the Church read priests of the Church read and interpreted the Biblical and interpreted the Biblical passages for the people passages for the people during daily Mass.during daily Mass.

• Even today Catholics who Even today Catholics who regularly attend daily Mass regularly attend daily Mass are exposed to more Old are exposed to more Old and New Testament and New Testament Biblical readings than their Biblical readings than their Protestant counterparts.Protestant counterparts.

• Partial translations of the Partial translations of the Bible into English can be Bible into English can be traced back to the end of traced back to the end of the 7th century.the 7th century.

• Let us close with a Let us close with a quotation from Bob quotation from Bob Stanley’s work “The Stanley’s work “The Canon of Scripture.”Canon of Scripture.”

• Interestingly, some Interestingly, some Protestants who have Protestants who have studied the origins of the studied the origins of the Canons of Scriptures, Canons of Scriptures, accept the decision of accept the decision of Pope St. Damasus I, Pope St. Damasus I,

• and the various and the various councils when they councils when they finalized the New finalized the New Testament canon, but Testament canon, but reject the decisions of reject the decisions of the same councils for the same councils for the canon of the Old the canon of the Old Testament. Testament.

• In doing so, they have In doing so, they have to admit that the to admit that the Catholic Church, by Catholic Church, by infallible decision, infallible decision, determined the canon determined the canon of the New Testament.of the New Testament.

• By whose authority By whose authority then, do they reject the then, do they reject the canon of the Old canon of the Old Testament, which was Testament, which was decided by the same decided by the same Bishops at the same Bishops at the same council? council?

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