I've been starting to read the Apocryphal books (just for the heck of it and pure academia), you know, those books that were deemed unsuitable to be considered as part of the bible canon by the religous bureaucrats back in 317 C.E. at the Council of Nicea (Constantinople). I think the Bible and the Apocryphal books are probably a bunch of crap, but can someone school me on them? They seem to add background and fill in gaps of many bible characters (Adam/Eve after the rebellion, Enoch, Jesus, etc). Can someone cliff notes style point out some high points?
Apocryphal Books
by Black Man 19 Replies latest watchtower bible
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Flowerpetal
This site might help:
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jwfacts
I was thinking of asking the same question this morning. There are several different lists of which books should be in the Bible canon. Are there any good books that discuss how the selection of the New Testament books were arrived at?
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M.J.
The Canon of the New Testament. Its Origin, Development and Significance, by Bruce Metzger, Oxford Press, 1987.
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Ténébreux
I got a book from my local library years ago with a collection of Apocryphal books. It was a really bizarre read. Particularly the "Infancy" which supposedly chronicles the life of Jesus as a child, but portrays him as a right little Hitler. At one point he strikes another child dead on the spot for accidentally bumping into him (or something like that). Really weird.
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M.J.
Apocalypse of Peter. There's a good one. It was included on the Muratorian Fragment, which the WTS makes a big deal about. Talks all about hell. I'd like to hear from the WTS how it made it on the list.
Here are a couple of sites I like to visit:
http://www.earlychristianwritings.com/
http://www.earlyjewishwritings.com/
and one I just found. Looks good...
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M.J.
Check the History Channel listings for "Banned from the Bible" parts 1 & 2 (part 2 is coming up on June 24, 12 AM)
Here's a segment:
http://www.history.com/media.do?action=clip&id=banned_marcionsbible_broadband
click on the links on the side for more segments.
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LtCmd.Lore
At one point he strikes another child dead on the spot for accidentally bumping into him (or something like that). Really weird.
Sounds like something the OLD god would do...
(2 Samuel 6:6-7)
But that was before he had a mother.
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Leolaia
you know, those books that were deemed unsuitable to be considered as part of the bible canon by the religous bureaucrats back in 317 C.E. at the Council of Nicea (Constantinople).
No such thing happened. There was no discussion or decision on Bible canon at the Council of Nicea. This is a Dan Brown myth.
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LtCmd.Lore
I'd be interested to find out exactly how those books were chosen then...
Did a bunch of religious people get together and read them and throw away whatever they didn't like?
(Doubt it, otherwise you'd have nothing left but the Song of Solomon.)