have you ever wondered if the Bible you read is the complete word of God what if I told you that not all Christians use the same Bible That's Right Catholics Protestants and Orthodox Christians have different versions of the Old Testament with some books included in one tradition but missing in another but why does this happen and more importantly does it mean some Christians are following an incomplete Bible this question is not just historical it affects theology Doctrine and even salvation itself some books that Catholics and Orthodox Christians consider sacred are missing from Protestant Bibles these
books contain passages about prayers for the dead Divine wisdom and intercession doctrines that Protestants reject precisely because they do not have these texts in their Cannon but who made the decision to remove or include these books was it a divine revelation or a human choice if you've ever felt confused about why different Christian groups interpret the Bible differently this video will change the way you see scripture we're going to uncover the history behind the biblical Cannon compare the different versions of the Old Testament and most importantly help you understand why this matters for your faith
today before we dive in take a second to subscribe to the channel and turn on notifications so you don't miss content that deepens your understanding of scripture and tell me in the comments did you know that different Christian groups have different versions of the Bible also let me know which country you're watching from I'd love to see where our community is growing let's get into it have you ever wondered how the Bible we have today was formed was there always a consensus on which books should be considered sacred the truth is that defining the biblical
Canon did not happen simply or instantly the term Canon comes from the Greek canon meaning rule or measure and refers to the list of books recognized as inspired by God and therefore authoritative for the Christian faith but the question many fail to ask is who decided which books should be in the Bible was it a divinely ordained process or were human decisions involved this question takes us on a fascinating Journey Through the history of the Christian faith where we will see how different Christian Traditions establish Lish their own criteria for defining what would be considered
the word of God the first writings regarded as sacred were the Hebrew scriptures known to Christians as the Old Testament but even in this early period there were differences the Jews in Palestine used a more restricted Cannon while Jews in the diaspora those living outside Israel adopted a broader collection of books known as the Septuagint this Factor would be crucial for the future differences between the Catholic Protestant and Orthodox cannons over time the New Testament began to take shape as the apostles and their followers wrote letters and gospels which were read and shared among early
Christian communities however not all writings from that time were accepted this raises another essential question what led the church to recognize some texts as inspired and reject others in the early church there was no official list of biblical books in fact during the first centuries many writings circulated among Christians including gospels that are not in the Bible today such as the Gospel of Thomas and the gospel of Peter the criteria for defining what would be included in the cannon were gradually established based on Apostolic Authority doctrinal consistency and continuous use in churches a decisive factor
in forming the cannon was the need to combat heresies groups like The gnostics began introducing teachings that diverg from what the apostles had passed down this led Christian leaders to take a firmer stance in defining once and for all which books were truly inspired by God over the centuries councils and debates took place and the church organized what would eventually become the Bible as we know it today in the 4th Century Bishop athanasius of Alexandria was was one of the first to list the 27 books of the New Testament that we still use today later
the councils of Hippo 393 ad and Carthage 397 ad confirmed this list however the Old Testament remained a point of contention some groups defended the inclusion of the septuagenarian and Orthodox Christians understanding what the biblical Canon is is not just an academic exercise it is a deep spiritual question after all the Bible is the foundation of the Christian faith and what is included or excluded from it can directly impact the Theology and beliefs of millions of people this leads us to an important reflection do all versions of the Bible convey the same message if different
Christian Traditions have different cannons does that mean some have a more complete Revelation than others these questions become even more intriguing when we examine the decisions that shaped the Bible as we know it today and now we move on to the next chapter where we will explore how the Catholic Cannon was established throughout history one of the greatest differences between Catholic and Protestant Bibles lies in the number of books included in the Old Testament the Catholic Cannon contains 46 books while the Protestant one has only 39 but where did these additional books come from why
were they accepted by Catholics and later rejected by Protestants to answer these questions we need to go back to the early centuries of Christianity and the influence of a key ancient text the septu agent the Septuagint lxx was a Greek translation of the Hebrew scriptures completed around the 3rd Century BC in Alexandria Egypt this translation was widely used by greek-speaking Jews and later by the early Christians unlike the Hebrew Bible used by Jewish communities in Palestine the septent included several additional books known today as the duto canonical books Tobit Judith wisdom Sak ecclesiasticus baruk one
and two macbes along with additional sections in Daniel and Esther these books were considered Sacred by many early Christians and were frequently quoted by the church fathers even the New Testament itself contains references to these books for example Hebrews 11:35 alludes to the story of martyrdom found in second mcabe 7 showing that these texts were already familiar to the early Christian audience but if these books were widely accepted how did their status become controversial the answer Li eyes in the historical context of Judaism and Christianity in the first centuries around 90 ad Jewish leaders gathered
in Jamia to discuss which writings should be considered authoritative for the Jewish faith they ultimately recognized only the books written in Hebrew excluding those found in the Septuagint this decision however was made by Jewish Scholars and did not bind Christians who continued to use the Septuagint as their primary version of the Old Testament for the early church this Greek translation was divinely inspired and its books were regarded as scripture fast forward to the 16th century and we see one of the most defining moments in the history of the biblical Cannon the Council of Trent 1546
in response to the Protestant Reformation the Catholic Church reaffirmed the authority of the duttera canonical books declaring them fully inspired and part of the biblical Cannon this was not a new decision but rather a formal confirmation of what had been traditionally accepted for over a thousand years the church emphasized that these books contained crucial theological insights including doctrines such as prayers for the dead second mccabes 12: 44-46 the intercession of Saints and the concept of divine wisdom found in the book of wisdom the inclusion of these books in the Catholic Cannon significantly influences Catholic theology
and practice for example the doctrine of purgatory is strongly supported by second mbes 12 where Judas macabus prays for The Souls of Fallen Soldiers this passage plays a major role in Catholic teachings about praying for the dead a belief not shared by Protestants who reject the book entirely additionally the book of sirak ecclesiasticus provides deep Reflections on wisdom Justice and moral living which have been foundational to Catholic ethical teachings understanding the Catholic Cannon is essential for grasping the theological differences between Christian Traditions these books have shaped Catholic Doctrine for centuries influencing everything from daily prayers
to Major theological discussions however as we will see in the next chapter not all Christians agreed with this expanded Old Testament the Protestant Reformation brought a significant shift in biblical interpretation leading to a rejection of the duttera canonical books and a return to the shorter Jewish Canon but what led the reformers to make this decision that is what we will explore next if the Catholic Bible includes 46 books in the Old Testament why does the Protestant Bible have only 39 the answer lies in one of the most pivotal events in Christian history the Protestant Reformation
the movement led by Martin Luther in the 16th century not only challenged the authority of the Catholic church but also re-examined which books should be considered divinely inspired Luther and other reformers sought to return to what they believed to be the original Canon of scripture which led to the removal of the duttera canonical books from Protestant bies but what motivated this decision and what impact did it have on Protestant theology to understand the Protestant Cannon we must look at the Jewish Canon which had already been settled by Jewish scholars in Jamia 90 ad unlike early
Christians who widely used the Septuagint lxx Jewish leaders decided to recognize only the books written in Hebrew excluding additional writings found in the Greek translation by the time of the Reformation Luther argued that the Old Testament should follow the Jewish Cannon rather other than the expanded version adopted by Catholics as a result he removed the deuterocanonical books leaving only the 39 books found in the Hebrew Bible but Luther did not stop there he also questioned the status of certain New Testament books particularly James Hebrews Jude and Revelation he referred to James as an Epistle of
straw because it emphasized Works in addition to Faith James 2:24 a teaching that conflicted with his doctrine of solfi salvation by faith alone however unlike the dutter canonical books the New Testament books Luther criticized were ultimately retained in Protestant Bibles his biggest concern remained with the Old Testament books that supported doctrines he opposed such as prayers for the dead SEC macbes 1244 to 46 which Catholics use to justify Purgatory this reject of the dutter canonical books had significant theological consequences by following the Jewish Canon Protestants distanced themselves from certain Catholic teachings and established a framework
where scripture alone solar scriptura became the final Authority in matters of faith without books like wisdom sirak and macbes many Catholic doctrines such as the intercession of saints and prayers for the dead lost their scriptural foundation in protestantism the removal of these books also meant that some historical and Theological contexts present in Catholic and Orthodox Traditions were no longer part of protestant teachings despite this change some Protestant Bibles initially kept the deuterocanonical books in a separate section called the Apocrypha the King James Bible 1611 for example originally included these books though they were later removed
in most Editions today most Protestant Traditions reject the duto canonical books considering them valuable historical texts but not divinely inspired however some Protestant denominations such as anglicans and Lutheran still acknowledge their spiritual significance and occasionally include them in study Bibles so why does this matter the decision to follow the Jewish Cannon rather than the Catholic one was not just a historical Choice it fundamentally shaped Protestant theology doctrines that Catholics see as essential such as patry and the intercession of saints do not have a clear foundation in the Protestant Bible this raises a deeper question if
the Canon of scripture was divinely inspired how can different Christian Traditions have different versions of the Old Testament this mystery only deepens when we look at the Orthodox Church which has an even larger old test Testament than Catholics let's explore this in the next chapter if the differences between Catholic and Protestant Bibles seem significant the Orthodox Cannon introduces yet another layer of complexity unlike both Catholics and Protestants the Eastern Orthodox Church accepts an even larger Old Testament including books that neither Catholics nor Protestants recognize as scripture but why does the Orthodox bible contain more books
what historical and Theological factors led to this expanded Cannon and how does it influence Orthodox Christian belief and practice the Orthodox Church much like the Catholic Church based its Old Testament on the Septuagint lxx the Greek translation of the Hebrew scriptures however while Catholics accept seven additional books known as the duttera canonical books the Orthodox Church recognizes even more writings among these additional books are three macbes erdis the prayer of Manasseh and Psalm 151 texts that are completely absent from Catholic and Protestant bies furthermore some branches of Orthodoxy such as the Ethiopian Orthodox Church have
an even larger Cannon including books like one Enoch and jubilees this diversity raises an intriguing question if all Christians claim to follow the same Bible why do their scriptures differ so much the answer lies in church history unlike the Catholic Church which formerly defined its cannon at the Council of Trent 1546 the Orthodox Church never held a single Universal Council to close its Cannon instead Orthodox Christianity maintained a more flexible approach continuing to use the books found in the Septuagint without officially defining a strict list some Orthodox councils such as the CATE of Jerusalem 167
72 confirmed the inclusion of the duttera canonical books but there was no centralized Authority in forcing a uniform Cannon across all Orthodox traditions this explains why different Orthodox groups accept slightly different books but what impact do these extra books have on Orthodox theology one major example is the doctrine of intercessory prayer for the dead just like in Catholicism second m 12: 4446 supports the practice of praying for Souls after death however additional texts such as three macbes and the prayer of Manasseh further emphasize themes of Divine Mercy repentance and intercession these books reinforce Orthodox beliefs
about the afterlife the role of Saints and the importance of lurgical tradition which play a central role in Eastern Christian spirituality another key theological iCal difference is found in the Orthodox understanding of wisdom literature and divine revelation books like wisdom of Solomon and sirak ecclesiasticus offer deep Reflections on righteousness humility and the nature of divine wisdom shaping Orthodox perspectives on spiritual growth and the mystical experience of God the additional Psalm 151 which is present in the Orthodox Suter but absent in Catholic and Protestant Bible is a short but powerful Psalm attributed to King David further
enriching Orthodox liturgical prayers ultimately the Orthodox Cannon reflects the church's commitment to preserving ancient Traditions while Catholics and Protestants sought to Define and restrict their cannons through councils and reforms the Orthodox Church took a different path maintaining a continuity with the early Christian and Jewish traditions of using the Septuagint as the authority scripture this raises an even deeper theological question if the early church used the Septuagint should modern Christians also consider it the most authentic version of the Old Testament as we move forward it becomes clear that the differences in the biblical Cannon are not
just about which books are included they also affect how Christianity is understood and now with all three major christian Traditions having distinct Old Testament it is time to compare them side by side what are the exact differences how do these variations impact Theology and most importantly which version of the Old Testament is the most faithful to God's original Revelation let's examine that in the next chapter now that we've explored the Catholic Protestant and Orthodox cannons separately it's time to put them side by side what are the exact differences which books are present in one tradition
but but missing in another and how do these variations shape the way each branch of Christianity understands theology salvation and the role of scripture let's break it down one of the most striking differences is the number of books in the Old Testament Protestants recognize 39 books Catholics accept 46 and Orthodox Christians have even more depending on the specific tradition this means that while all three branches of Christian it share the same New Testament 27 books their Old Testaments vary significantly these differences are not just about numbers they influence theology in profound ways for example the
dutter canonical books accepted by Catholics and Orthodox but rejected by Protestants contain passages that support Catholic and Orthodox doctrines C mbes 1244 46 for instance speaks about prayers for the dead reinforcing the Catholic doctrine of purgatory a belief that Protestants reject precisely because they do not include this book in their Canon similarly the book of wisdom accepted by Catholics and Orthodox contains clear references to the pre-existence of the soul and divine wisdom Concepts that have shaped centuries of Christian thought Beyond these books the Orthodox Cannon includes even more writings not found in Catholic or Protestant
Bibles three mccabes one erris the prayer of Manasseh and Psalm 151 are examples of texts recognized in Orthodox Traditions but excluded elsewhere these books reinforce Orthodox theological themes such as martydom divine mercy and repentance which play a central role in Eastern Christian spirituality these variations in the biblical Cannon raise a fundamental question if all Christians claim to follow God's word which version of the Old Testament is the most authentic some argue that the Protestant Old Testament is the most accurate because it aligns with the Jewish Cannon which was finalized around 90 ad at the Council
of Jamia others insist that the Catholic and Orthodox cannons are closer to what the early church used since the septu agent lxx was the preferred Old Testament of early Christians including many of the church fathers so does having different cannons mean that Catholics Protestants and Orthodox Christians believe in different versions of Christianity the answer is complex while all three Traditions agree on the core message of Salvation through Christ the books they accept as divinely inspired shape how they interpret that message the presence or absence of certain books impacts theology tradition and even Christian practices making
the question of the Canon far more than a historical debate it's a matter of Faith itself as we move into the final section we must ask how do these differences in the biblical Canon impact Christian theology as a whole what does it mean for Faith Doctrine and the way Believers understand God's revelation let's explore these questions next the variations in the biblical Cannon are not just historical Curiosities they have profoundly shaped Christian theology worship and Doctrine the books included or excluded from the Bible influence beliefs about salvation the afterlife intercession and even the nature of
divine revelation but how exactly do these differences impact Faith across Catholic Protestant and Orthodox Traditions one of the most significant theological implications of the duttera canonical books is their role in the doctrine of purgatory the Catholic Church cites second mccabes 12 4446 where Judas macabus prays for The Souls of Fallen Soldiers as evidence that prayers for the dead are both valid and beneficial since Protestants reject this book they do not accept the doctrine of purgatory instead believing that salvation is either fully secured or fully lost at death Orthodox Christians who retain two mccabes also emphasize
prayers for the Departed but interpret them within the context of theosis the process of becoming United with God another key issue is Faith versus works the book of sirak ecclesiasticus included in Catholic and Orthodox Bibles contains many teachings on the importance of righteous deeds and how they relate to Divine Justice this aligns with Catholic and Orthodox teachings that salvation involves both faith and works however Protestants who follow the 39 book old test Testament emphasize Paul's teaching in Romans 3:28 that salvation comes by faith alone Solari a Doctrine Central to the Reformation by removing books that
reinforce the necessity of good works the Protestant Cannon supports a different theological framework than the Catholic and Orthodox cannons the differences in the wisdom literature also affect views on morality and ethics the book of wisdom found in Catholic and Orthodox Bibles contains Reflections on Divine Justice the immortality of the soul and the nature of true wisdom this book has influen Catholic teachings on the mystery of God's plan and the afterlife Concepts that are not as clearly defined in Protestant theology due to its exclusion likewise Psalm 151 recognized only in Orthodox Bibles adds a personal touch
to David's life story reinforcing Orthodox perspectives on humility and and divine calling Beyond individual doctrines the differences in the Canon also shape how tradition and scripture interact the Catholic and Orthodox Churches by retaining a larger Old Testament emphasize the importance of church tradition in interpreting scripture the Orthodox approach in particular reflects an ongoing Reliance on the early Church's understanding rather than a fixed closed Cannon Protestants in contrast argue that the Bible alone solar scriptura is the final Authority rejecting additional books that do not align with this view ultimately the differences in the biblical Cannon impact
the very Foundation of Christian belief each tradition sees itself as upholding the true faith yet the books they recognize as scripture lead to distinct interpretations of that Faith this raises an essential question if Christians disagree on which books belong in the Bible how can they deter determine the ultimate truth of God's word this is where Faith history and Divine Providence intersect forcing Believers to reflect deeply on why they trust the version of scripture they follow now that we've explored these crucial differences it's time to bring everything together what does this mean for the everyday believer
and more importantly which Cannon should be considered the most faithful to God's original Revelation let's reflect on that in the conclusion now that we've explored the differences between the Catholic Protestant and Orthodox cannons one question remains which one is the most faithful to God's original Revelation if all Christians claim to follow the word of God how can there be different versions of that word does this mean that some Christians are missing out on Divine truth or could it be the god allowed different Traditions to preserve distinct aspects of his revelation what's undeniable is that these
variations directly shape theology Doctrine and even the way Believers experience Faith the Catholic and Orthodox cannons emphasize a broader tradition one that includes wisdom literature prayers for the dead and Theological insights absent from the Protestant Cannon meanwhile Protestants argue that their 39 book Old Testament is closest to the Hebrew scriptures aligning with the Jewish can recognized by Jesus and the apostles so which is correct the answer depends on how one views divine inspiration if God intended his Revelation to be preserved through the early church and its Traditions then the Catholic and Orthodox cannons offer a
fuller picture if one believes that scripture should be based solely on the texts recognized by the Jewish people than the Protestant Cannon aligns more closely with that view this is not just a his historical debate it's a spiritual question that every Christian must consider which version of the Bible do you trust as the most complete revelation of God's truth if you found this discussion eye openening don't leave without sharing your thoughts in the comments which biblical Cannon do you believe is the most faithful to God's revelation let's keep this conversation going and before you go
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