Posts Tagged ‘apocrypha’
New Testament Apocrypha – Infancy Gospels
https://www.lavistachurchofchrist.org/cms/wp-content/uploads/2015/04/NewTestamentApocryphaInfancyGospels.mp3 by Jeffrey W. Hamilton Text: II Peter 1:13-21 I. Reasons for existence A. Promotion of a false doctrine because support cannot be found in the Scriptures B. Gaps led to speculation 1. Have you ever wondered what Jesus’ childhood was like? So have many others, which has lead to infancy gospels to tell us what people imagined…
Read MoreDoes the Didache prove that pouring was an acceptable substitute for baptism in the early church?
Question: Does the Didache reflect that the early church allowed the pouring of water over the head three times as a legitimate alternative when immersion wasn’t possible? I’m certain that many people will try to use this as an argument that sprinkling is an acceptable form of baptism, but it seems pretty clear that it was…
Read MoreIs there more to the book of Esther, beyond chapter 10, or does it end at verse 3?
Question: Is there more to the book of Esther, beyond chapter 10, or does it end at verse 3? Thank you. Answer: The Roman Catholic Church and the various Orthodox churches accept several additions to the Old Testament, among them is a set of additions to the book of Esther. These additions are only known…
Read MoreIs Sirach Inspired?
by Mike Thomas There is confusion over whether or not the Apocrypha are inspired and whether or not they belong in the canon of the Bible. We can have confidence in knowing these books were not authored by God. In between the last book of the Old Testament and the first book of the New…
Read MoreWas Jesus married?
Question: Was Jesus married? Answer: “Do not add to His words, lest He rebuke you, and you be found a liar” (Proverbs 30:6). Source: “Did Jesus have a wife?” The New York Times, September 19, 2012. Let’s start with the evidence: There is a fragment, measuring 4 x 8 centimeters, that contains the words “Jesus said to…
Read MoreHow can the Book of Jasher be written in 1625 when it is mentioned in Joshua and II Samuel?
Question: Being a member of the Body of Christ, I have found your answers to those seeking, sound and exact, always using the Word of God. In your response on the Book of Jasher, you chose to focus on what the scholars believe was written in 1625; I am basing my question on the mention of the Book…
Read MoreHow dare you claim that the book of Enoch is uninspired!
Question: Dear Minister, How dare you claim my beloved book of Enoch an uninspired work of men! People like you are just afraid to accept that angels descended upon earth and fornicated with earthly women and procreated giants. Yes, Jesus said that angels do not marry- they do not marry in heaven, but angels have powers…
Read MoreCould Jasher be right about Jacob spending 14 years with Eber?
Question: You wrote: The Book of Jasher claims that Jacob fled to Eber’s home: “And Jacob was very much afraid of his brother Esau, and he rose up and fled to the house of Eber the son of Shem, and he concealed himself there on account of his brother, and Jacob was sixty-three years old…
Read MoreThe Book of Jasher
https://www.lavistachurchofchrist.org/cms/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/BookOfJasher.mp3 by Jeffrey W. Hamilton Text: II Samuel 1:17-27 I. It is no mystery that people are not happy with God’s word. Through the ages people have sought ought various reasons to modify it. A. No long ago, Dan Brown wrote a fictional book called The DaVinci Code. At the core of this book was the…
Read MoreWere the Apocrypha books accepted as canon before the Council of Trent?
Question: Again I question your dates. You say that the Catholic Church added the “Apocryphal” books to the Bible in 1546 AD. I’m assuming you are talking about the Council of Trent, the Church’s response to the Reformation. You are correct in saying that the Church affirmed that the “Apocryphal” books are Scripture. However, you…
Read MoreWhy does Jude contain quotes not found in the Old Testament?
Question: When we study the book of Jude in our Bible study group, I found that in verse 9 and verse 14, Jude quoted “The Lord rebuke thee” and “Behold, the Lord cometh with ten thousands of his saints,” but they were not in the Old Testament. A brother told me that they are in…
Read MoreWhy isn’t “The Tales of the Patriarchs” included in the Bible?
Question: I recently learned about “The Tales of the Patriarchs,” a scroll found among the Dead Sea scrolls. If other books of the Bible were found among the Dead Sea scrolls, why isn’t this book included in the Bible? Answer: It should be noted that the Dead Sea scrolls contained the writings of a Jewish…
Read MoreIs it Ecclesiasticus or Sirach?
Question: In your article “The Extra Catholic Books,” I had a question. In all of the Catholic Bibles I have seen I have not seen the book Ecclesiasticus. I do, however, see another book that is not in the KJV or the NKJV or any other version I’ve seen except the Catholic Bible and that…
Read MoreBelief in the book of Enoch and Constantine’s church
Question: I was scanning through web sites and ran into your comments on gen 6;5 and Enoch book Jesus said as in the days of Noah so it will be in the end ,did we miss that Satin was thrown out of Heaven ,that he saw God clone Adam and perverted that activity first ,…
Read MoreDid Jesus tell the Essenes not to eat breakfast?
Question: Is it true that Jesus told the Essenes not to eat breakfast? If so, why? Answer: I was puzzled by the nature of the question since the Essenes are not mentioned in the Bible, though some claim that the Zealots (of which one apostle was once a member) were a branch of the Essenes,…
Read MoreWhat do you know about the “Acts of Paul and Thecla?”
Question: I was reading some Bible literature and came across a reference book, “Acts of Paul and Thecla”. I was wondering if you could enlighten me and provide some clarification of this book and relevance to the Bible. I understand that is was one of the lost books of the Bible and describes Paul and…
Read MoreAre any of the Apocrypha truthful?
Question: Thank you for the insight into the Book of Enoch. I have been curious about reading this piece. I was wondering if you know of any other “gospels” that are considered truthful that are apart of the Apocrypha writings, such as the books of Maccabees, Thomas, Mary, etc. Answer: The first and second books…
Read MoreThe Gospel of Judas?
by Ron Lehde Tonight (April 9, 2006) the National Geographic Magazine is scheduled to present a television program that deals with an ancient work known as “The Gospel of Judas”. It is a 26-page manuscript (ca. AD 300) that is a Coptic translation of a Greek manuscript that is at least one hundred years older and…
Read MoreReflections on the “Gospel of Judas”
by Ethan R. Longhenry While The Da Vinci Code mania continues to develop and grow throughout the world and while “other gospels” and “alternative Christianities” have become popular, we now see revealed to us yet another “lost gospel,” the Gospel of Judas. The National Geographic Society has done a good job of marketing this discovery and is…
Read MoreThe Gospel Of Judas
by Boyd Jennings Were you alarmed to hear that another gospel has been discovered? Before we continue, let’s remember what Jesus told the twelve minus Judas. “However, when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth” (John 16:13). That’s why Paul wrote by inspiration of God—twice, “But even if we, or an angel from heaven,…
Read MoreWas Judas Really a Traitor?
by Bob Prichard via House to House, Vol. 17, No. 5 In conjunction with “Easter season:’ the National Geographic Society released an ancient document dubbed the “Gospel of Judas.” In their news releases, National Geographic indicated the information in this third-century papyrus codex threatened the “official” doctrine of the church by offering an alternative view of…
Read MoreIs it possible that early Christians added to the book of Enoch?
Question: Is it possible that early Christians added to the book of Enoch? or was it a work relying heavily upon the book of Daniel where the physical description of the throne and the Messiah are strikingly similar. i.e. “Hair on his head was like pure wool” (Daniel 7:9). I have been reading the book…
Read MoreWhy don’t you use the Book of Enoch?
Question: I really love your site. I thought your understanding of Scripture was awesome and that you guys are doing a great job. However, your interpretation of Genesis 6 is completely off, and I pray that because of this the sheep are not lead astray. I say this because if your students, or anyone, understood what…
Read MoreThe Book of Enoch
https://www.lavistachurchofchrist.org/cms/wp-content/uploads/2005/08/BookOfEnoch.mp3 by Jeffrey W. Hamilton Text: I John 4:1-3 I. I received a letter that objected to a lesson in one of the workbooks posted on our website. A. There was an explanation of Genesis 6:4 that this person found objectionable. 1. “Sons of God” can refer to angels (Job 1:6) or to the righteous (Hosea 1:10)…
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