Is it contradictory for the Bible to say “Do not add” and yet books were added to the Bible?
Question:
This is a question I'm asking to help one of our members; could you help me answer it?
Based on the Bible canon and Revelation 22:1, which states not to add to this book, but also Deuteronomy 4:2, which says the same thing. It feels a bit contradictory at times.
I guess then it goes into my next question: is it saying not to add to those specific books, not the entirety of the Bible itself, which is how I’ve been understanding it before?
Then it goes to my last question of whether that is the case, and we go to find additional help outside the Bible, for example, helper books to do research and stuff. Isn’t that technically adding to the Bible? So when we say don’t add to the Bible, yet we are using study aids from people, are we doing the thing we say not to do?
Answer:
"You shall not add to the word which I am commanding you, nor take away from it, that you may keep the commandments of the LORD your God which I command you" (Deuteronomy 4:2).
"Therefore you shall be careful to do as the LORD your God has commanded you; you shall not turn aside to the right hand or to the left" (Deuteronomy 5:32).
"Whatever I command you, you shall be careful to do; you shall not add to nor take away from it" (Deuteronomy 12:32).
"Only be strong and very courageous; be careful to do according to all the law which Moses My servant commanded you; do not turn from it to the right or to the left, so that you may have success wherever you go" (Johsua 1:7).
"Be very firm, then, to keep and do all that is written in the book of the law of Moses, so that you may not turn aside from it to the right hand or to the left" (Joshua 23:6).
"Do not add to His words Or He will reprove you, and you will be proved a liar" (Proverbs 30:6).
"But even if we, or an angel from heaven, should preach to you a gospel contrary to what we have preached to you, he is to be accursed! As we have said before, so I say again now, if any man is preaching to you a gospel contrary to what you received, he is to be accursed!" (Galatians 1:8-9).
"I testify to everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book: if anyone adds to them, God will add to him the plagues which are written in this book; and if anyone takes away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God will take away his part from the tree of life and from the holy city, which are written in this book" (Revelation 22:18-19).
These are all commands to men. God does not want His commands changed by men. However, this does not mean that God will not add additional books as He sees fit. "But know this first of all, that no prophecy of Scripture is a matter of one's own interpretation, for no prophecy was ever made by an act of human will, but men moved by the Holy Spirit spoke from God" (II Peter 1:20-21).
Whenever a command is given, it creates a boundary. The command excludes things not commanded while at the same time including things that fall within the command. See Must It Be Spelled Out? for details and examples. "Adding" is when you include something that a command did not authorize. "Subtracting" is when you neglect (or refuse) to do something that was commanded.
For example, the New Testament establishes that the Lord's Supper is celebrated with unleavened bread and the fruit of the vine. Using yeast bread and water adds elements that were not originally specified by God. When someone says that being a member of a congregation is optional is subtracting from what God told Christians to do.
Research materials are not changing God's word. They exist to help locate topics, better understand what God has said, or see how various parts of the Bible fit together to convey a consistent message. If someone says that because Vine's Dictionary says, "X," therefore we must do "X," would be adding to the Bible, but that isn't how a dictionary is used.
