Religious Seeker Seminar # 4
A. Beyond Scripture
1. Apocrypha ( Eleven to fifteen Books written within 200 years Before Christ )
a. Catholic Reasoning:
New Testament quotes mainly from Septuagint which contains the Apocrypha
Some ‘church fathers ’ quoted from the Apocrypha ( Irenaeus, Tertullian & Clement )
Catacombs scenes depict episodes from Apocrypha
Early Greek manuscripts ( Adelph, A & B ) include some Apocrypha
Early Church Councils accept Apocrypha ( Rome 382, Hippo 393., Carthage 397 A.D. )
Eastern Orthodox Church also considers Apocrypha as Scripture
Apocrypha included in many Protestant Bibles as late as 19th century
Some Apocrypha written in Hebrew found at Qumran ( Dead Sea Scrolls )
b. Evangelical Protestant Reasoning
No quotations in the New Testament from the Apocrypha
We only have 4th century copies of Septuagint
Old Catholic Bible notes treated the books as secondary ‘ deuterocanonical’
Few citations of Apocrypha by church ‘fathers’ never implied use as Scripture
Most early church leaders opposed it ( Athanasius, Cyril, Origen, Jerome, Syrian Church )
Early Councils cited above were local only, no full gathering accepts Apocrypha
Apocrypha not under Church authority, but Jewish province which rejected the Apocrypha as Scripture
Supporters like Augustine admitted that Jews rejected the Apocrypha as Scripture.
The Greek Orthodox church excluded the Apocrypha in 1839 citing Jewish rejection and that exclusion stands today
Protestant Bibles only treated them as secondary historical books. Not in pre- Reformation Bibles
Qumran discovery includes hundreds of library books, only Scripture was in special parchment & Script. The Apocrypha was not treated as Scripture.
No prophet ever claimed to have written the books of the Apocrypha
Rejected as Scripture by top Jewish historians at time of Christ ( Philo & Josephus )
Jesus and New Testament never once quote or mention the Apocrypha
Jesus & Apostles quoted often from every part of the Old Testament , but never once from the Apocrypha
Jewish Scholars at Jamina 90 AD exclude Apocrypha from Old Testament
( Never accepted by Jews )
New Testament entrusts the Jews with custodial responsibility of Old Testament - Rom. 3: 2
Luther, Calvin, reformers & many Catholic Scholars during Reformation reject Apocrypha
Jesus defines the parameters in the Old Testament as going from ‘Abel to Zechariah’ 39 books in the Old Testament ( Jewish Bible combines books making 22 )
2. Teachings not in the Bible
a. Limited Priesthood or celibacy for church overseers - 1 Peter 2: 4-10;
1 Corinthians 9: 5 ( entering the Holy of Holies changed at the cross )
b. Communion as a Sacrifice ( Mass ) Hebrews 9 & 10
c. Purgatory or Limbo - ( Judgment seat of Christ ) 1 Cor. 3: 15
d. Tradition equal to Scripture - Matthew 15 - 1-9
e. Church Magisterium - 2 Peter 2: 21
f. Papacy & Infallibility ( hierarchy ) 1 Peter 5: 1-4
g. Seven Sacraments ( ex opere operato is a Pagan practice, The thief on the cross as examples of grace & faith. Communion ( The Lord's Supper with Judas shows us that it did nothing for Judas the betrayer who didn't have faith - Judas took part in the first Communion. The important difference was in their hearts ) Luke 23: 43
h. Indulgences - 2 Peter 1: 18-19
I. Stake burning, Inquisition, torture, etc. - 1 Peter 2: 17
j. Treasury of Merit - 1 John 2: 2
k. God having a mother - Matthew 12: 46 - 50
l. Praying to the Saints or anyone else but God - Jude 3
m. Praying for the dead - Hebrews 9: 27
n. Praying to statues, relics and pictures - 10 Commandments reshuffled
B. Out of Context
1. Justification - ( Publican & the Pharisee - Luke 18 : 9-14, the danger here is
to rely on ones own good works for salvation ) Rom. 3: 19-24, 9: 32; 2 Cor. 5:21
2. Eternal Salvation (faith + grace + works + church treasury = Salvation)
Rom. 4:5, 8:1; John 5: 24, difference between of Cain’s & Abel’s sacrifice
3. Confession of sin - 1 John 1: 9; James 5; 16 ; John 20; 22,23 to all believers
4. Celibacy - Apostle Paul’s Special Life - Other Apostles, 1 Tim. 3: 1-7; Titus 1: 6
5. Local Church - Rev. 2,3; 1 Peter 5: 1-3; 1 Tim. 3
6. Sanctification - ( mixed with Justification ) 1 Corinthians 3; John 15: 5
7. Uniqueness of Jesus ( Weakened Christology ) - Revelation 5
8. Holy Spirit’s authority usurped ( A Church cannot claim that it saves,
anoints, reveals & sanctifies; Only God does this. ) John 16:12-14
( Bible Study 2 - Holy Bible, God's Word, the Scriptures )