xjwsforChrist

YPPUPLLEH SAID

Posted: Sun Aug 12, 2012 4:00 am Post subject: Why are there no more additions to the Bible "?
Why have there been no more books added to the Bible? Just a question

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To fear me is to love me....

AGUEST SAID

Two thoughts immediately came to mind for me, dear HP (peace to you... and GREAT question, BTW!):

1. Which "Bible" (version) are you referring to, as some DO include more books (i.e., Judit, Tobit, Macabees, other apocryphal writings, etc.) than the usual Protestant (including the NWT) versions?

2. Regardless of the version, Bibles contain what they do because certain men decided on their canonicity (i.e., which writings would be included, which would not).

Some wonder if more books can be added? The answer is... sure, but it's highly unlikely, due to the admonition in Revelation regarding "adding to". Because of those words some believe that the canon CANNOT be added to... or taken away from... at all, because God wouldn't allow it. They also believe it is infallible, that all in it was written, commissioned, or inspired by God. That's not the case at ALL, however: God has nothing to do with the canonization of the Bible. It is not His Word; CHRIST is God's only Word (John 1:1, 14; 8:32, 36; 14:6; Hebrews 13:12; Revelation 19:13).

The parts that God DID commission... are "scripture." However, only Moses, the Psalms, the Prophets, and the Revelation are scripture (Luke 24:27, 32, 44, 45; Revelation 1:19; 4:1, 2; 2 Peter 1:19, 20)

The early canonization of the Septuagint was an attempt to canonize the writings of the Prophets (Hebrews 1:1); however, Christ condemned a great deal of those attempts, in fulfillment of Jeremiah's prophesy as to the false pen/stylus of the secretaries/copyists (aka "scribes") (Matthew 23:2, 13, 14, 15, 23, 25, 27, 29; Jeremiah 8:8) and said that one of the reason he CAME... was to "bear witness to the truth." (John 18:37) Had the truth been TOLD... he would not have needed to bear such witness.

The wonderful thing is that we no longer NEED the Bible... or "scripture"... in spite of what Paul wrote about that. At least, not if we heed Christ's own words, as recorded at John 5:39, 30. There, he is recorded to have said:

"You search the scriptures because you think that by means of them you will have everlasting life. And these are the ones that bear witness about me. Yet, you do not want to come to ME that you may have life."

This statement is further corroborated by what the writer to the Hebrews stated, as recorded at Hebrews 1:2. After mentioning how God USED to speak to our forefathers, the writer states that NOW God speaks to by means of a Son. The writer further supports that statement by warning those in union with Christ to "not beg off from him that IS speaking 'from the heavens'." Hebrews 12:25

In following Paul, however, many turn their sight to the words of the Bible... rather than to the Word of God, Christ. Such ones do this because they must still walk by sight (and what they can see with their eyes, including words on a page)... rather than by FAITH... in the One who is invisible to the fleshly eyes... the Word that does not reside on a page or in a book... but in the spirit realm and WITHIN the his Body, the "House"... or temple... of God. 1 Corinthians 3:16

The kingdom [of God] is INSIDE such ones, dear ones, by means of an abiding through holy spirit. It is why Jeremiah could and did prophesy that God's Law would NOT be written in ANY book:

“Look! There are days coming,” is the utterance of JaHVeH, “and I will conclude with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah a new covenant; not one like the covenant that I concluded with their forefathers in the day of my taking hold of their hand to bring them forth out of the land of Egypt, ‘which covenant of mine they themselves broke, although I myself had husbandly ownership of them,’ is the utterance of JaHVeH.”

“For this is the covenant that I shall conclude with the house of Israel after those days,” is the utterance of JaHVeH. “I will put my law within them, and in their heart I shall write it. And I will become their God, and they themselves will become my people.”

“And they will no more teach each one his companion and each one his brother, saying, ‘KNOW Jehovah!’ for they will all of them know me, from the least one of them even to the greatest one of them,” is the utterance of Jehovah. “For I shall forgive their error, and their sin I shall remember no more.” Jeremiah 31:31-34

I realize that this is probably more than you asked for, but I didn't want to leave it at the cursory, "It's what certain men compiled and folks don't wanna ever see it change because they're afraid of the proclamation in Revelation about adding to and taking away." That proclamation related to the Revelation only, though... something most also don't understand.

Anyway, I hope this helps and, again, peace to you!
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Paz a todos!

Su sirviente, compañera de estudios, y un esclava de Cristo,

SA

YPPUPLLEH SAID


I am familiar with the added books in the Catholic Bible, Ethiopian, etc it just seems that after a certain point in history no more have been added. Buddhist texts number in over the hundreds if not thousands.

The admonition in Revelations may just pertain to that book itself. "Paul" wrote to many groups of people and his letters are included in the Bible. I find the religious texts many different beliefs to be interesting. Try do provide a nice grounding of the belief system but then over time, mores change, laws change, society changes and certain parts of the text are no longer relevant. I understand the importance of ritual and tradition but info tend to wonder why the sudden stop in further publicized works inspired by God/Jesus meant for public consumption. Perhaps our world now is too big with too many voices. I am writing this while cooking dinner so it's not the best of posts from me
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Love is a warm rubber puppy...

GRAMMAVELTA SAID

Dearest Aguest,

I totally agree that we who are believers do not need the scriptures to teach us, but as Jesus said in John 5:39, 30 The Scriptures "bear witness about me'. Most of us who "know" Him, found out about Him in the Bible.

"You search the scriptures because you think that by means of them you will have everlasting life. And these are the ones that bear witness about me. Yet, you do not want to come to ME that you may have life."

Those who do not "know" Yeshua (Jesus) first need to know "about" Him.
Even though the Bible may not be totally accurate because of translation, yet there is enough there to tell us about God's plan for mankind. I do not see how mankind would have known about God without this book.

Without God's Law, we would not have a guide to what is right and wrong and what God requires of us. Without the genealogy written in the Torah (the books of Moses), we would not know who the Messiah is or when he was to be born and where. The prophecies written there show without a doubt. There are so many more prophecies that give us hope.

You are right, Yeshua is the "Word of God" and not the Bible. I see it as a biography of God's dealing with mankind. We can get a glimpse of His character, but we cannot "know" Him without a personal relationship with Him. I think that may be the goal of the Bible, to tell us about Him so that we will want to have a relationship with Him.

I believe we are living in the time when God is writing his word in our hearts. Those of us who know Him do not have to be taught by someone else. I believe we are living at the time when all the "end time prophecies" are being fulfilled. But this is a whole new discussion.



Love you all,
Gramma Velta
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God makes everything work together for good for those who love Him, who are called according to His purpose. Romans 8:28
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BURNTHESHIPS SAID



Cuz the Catholic Church said "these and no more."

Then Luther came along and chopped a few off. We're lucky to still have James!

PSACRAMENTO SAID

The bible and all the books are to POINT the way, NOT BE the Way.
They are to point the way to Christ.
Beyond that, they are just books.

That said, we must realize that the canon we have, the oldest one by the way, not the protestant one, was a collection of authoritative books and letters.
They became canon because they were viewed as authoritative, they did NOT become authoritative because they became canon.
So how did they become viewed that way?
Simple really:
Each church have documents that they held dear and viewed as authoritative, these varied from church to church BUT not as much as some may think.
The gosples and most of the letters were viewed as such by ALL the churchs.
Some had concerns about some of Paul's letters, Jude, Hebrews, some had concerns about Revelation, BUT the majority accepted them all.
Some viewed Revelation to "controversial" for the public, same with 1Enoch.
In the end, when a canon was made, the majority became canon and the rest were up to the local churches to decide on how to use.
Currectly we have a few canons:
The Catholic one
Ethiopian One
Orthodox
Protestant

The two oldest codex we have, the sinaiticus and vaticanus, have all the ones we have and a couple more ( Epistel of Barnabas fore example)

PSACRAMENTO SAID

Some of the books and letters that were viewed as authorative BUT not to the same degree as the apostolic writings, were collected as the writings of the Apostolic Fathers:
Shepard of Hermas,
Clement of rome, etc

They don't add or remove from orthodox teachings BUT are a worthwhile read to see the views that the 1st and 2nd generations from the apostles had.

JUSTMOM SAID

Dearest Velta; you mentioned........

Those who do not "know" Yeshua (Jesus) first need to know "about" Him.
Even though the Bible may not be totally accurate because of translation, yet there is enough there to tell us about God's plan for mankind. I do not see how mankind would have known about God without this book.


I see.....
Although we all that came out of the WTBS had what was written first to understand law, Jesus, sin, salvation, and it was by means
of holy spirit that we allowed ourselves to be led to christ (the truth) ....


there are many in the past that knew the Father and His Christ without having anything WRITTEN. It was on their hearts already (unlike Israel) and they did not NEED the law written in a book (or Bible)
For instance. Abel, Enoch, Noah, Moses, Joseph. And what a HUGE part they played in prophecy and fulfillments.

For me, if I had been able to truly walk by faith, not by sight (books,organization etc) and worship with true spirit and truth I would have NEVER needed any books. But I was not able to! And I know many others have gotten here the same way. The most important thing is we have been found by him. Praise jah!!!!!

With Love
justmom

GLADIATOR SAID

Although there have been no more books added to the Bible as such, hundreds of thousands of books have been written expanding and explaining the Bible.

The Watchtower Society's has made many additions to the Bible and created an an avalanche of printing lasting 120 years so far. There is the book of Mormon by Joseph Smith. Though they get offended when I call them Mormons; they like to be known as Jesus Christ’s later day saints. Then there is the Koran. I even have a book called, Bhagavad Gita As It Is, which is a sort of bible for Krishna Consciousness. It even has coloured pictures, which is ideal and saves having to read it.

And what about all the hymn books made by Catholics and Roman Catholics. Do they count? And it is claimed that all these book are inspired. Although not generally viewed as a bible, my personal favourite is The Rubaiyat of Omar Khayya’m. One man's meat and all that...