Have you ever wondered why we have the books we do in our Bibles? Maybe you’ve heard people ask, “Why does the Catholic Bible have extra books?” or “What about the so-called lost books of the Bible?” Maybe you’ve even read where Paul refers to letters that we don’t seem to have today. Does that mean our Bible is incomplete?
That’s what I want to talk to you about today—why we have the books we do in the Bible and whether we’re missing anything that God wanted us to have. And before we get into the details, let’s define an important word: canon.
The word canon comes from a Greek word meaning measuring rod, standard, or rule. So when we talk about the canon of Scripture, we’re talking about the books that meet the standard—those that are inspired by God and belong in the Bible. The key here is that God determines the canon, not man.
2 Timothy 3:16 says, “All Scripture is given by inspiration of God.” That means that if a book is not inspired, it is not Scripture. A book does not become inspired because men put it in the Bible. Rather, a book is included in the Bible because God inspired it.
Why Does the Catholic Bible Have Extra Books?
Maybe you’ve been in a Bible study with a Catholic friend, and they referenced a book you’ve never heard of. You looked in their Bible and saw books that weren’t in yours. These extra books are called the Apocrypha, which means hidden.
The Catholic Bible contains seven extra books in the Old Testament:
- Tobit
- Judith
- 1 and 2 Maccabees
- The Wisdom of Solomon
- Ecclesiasticus (Sirach)
- Baruch
It also has additions to the books of Esther and Daniel, including stories like Bel and the Dragon and The Song of the Three Children.
These books were written between the time of Malachi and the birth of Christ—during what’s often called the Silent 400 Years. During this time, there were no inspired prophets writing. The Old Testament was already complete, and these books came later.
So why does the Catholic Church accept them? The Council of Trent (1546) officially declared them part of the Bible. But why? One of the main reasons is because some of these books support Catholic doctrines that are not found in the inspired Scriptures—doctrines like praying for the dead and giving money to atone for sin.
For example, 2 Maccabees 12:45 speaks of making sacrifices for the dead so that they might be released from sin. But what does the Bible say?
Hebrews 9:27 tells us, “It is appointed for men to die once, but after this the judgment.” Jesus makes it clear in Luke 16:25-26 that once a person dies, their eternal destiny is sealed. No prayers or payments can change it.
Another example: Tobit 4:11 teaches that giving alms (money) can atone for sin: “Almsgiving delivers from death and will purge away every sin.” But the Bible teaches that only the blood of Christ can cleanse sin (Hebrews 9:22).
Why Doesn’t the Apocrypha Belong in the Bible?
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The Jews never accepted it as Scripture.
- The Jewish people never considered these books to be part of the Old Testament.
- The Jewish historian Josephus (1st century AD) wrote that the Jews had only 22 books (which match our 39 books, just grouped differently).
- The Jewish Babylonian Talmud stated that after Malachi, prophecy had ceased.
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Jesus and the Apostles never quoted from it.
- Jesus often referenced the Law, the Prophets, and the Psalms (Luke 24:44), but He never quoted the Apocrypha as Scripture.
- In Matthew 23:35, Jesus recognized Genesis to Malachi as Scripture, excluding the Apocrypha.
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The New Testament never validates it.
- The NT quotes from almost every Old Testament book, but never from the Apocrypha.
- There are 263 direct quotes and 370 allusions to the OT in the NT, but not one from the Apocrypha.
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The Apocrypha contains errors and contradictions.
- Tobit 1:4, 10 has historical errors—Tobit claims to have lived in events 200 years apart.
- Judith 1:1 says Nebuchadnezzar ruled from Nineveh—a major historical inaccuracy.
- 2 Maccabees gives two contradictory accounts of the death of Antiochus Epiphanes (1:13-16 vs. 9:19-29).
- It teaches magic—Tobit 6:5-7 says burning a fish’s heart and liver will drive away demons.
The Apocrypha is not inspired Scripture. That’s why the Jews rejected it, Jesus didn’t recognize it, and the early church didn’t include it in the Bible.
Are There Lost Books of the Bible?
Some people argue that the Bible mentions books we no longer have, and they claim that this proves the Bible is incomplete. It’s true that the Bible refers to books like:
- The Book of the Wars of the Lord (Numbers 21:14)
- The Book of Jasher (Joshua 10:13)
- The Book of the Acts of Solomon (1 Kings 11:41)
So, does this mean we are missing part of the Bible? No.
Here’s why:
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Some of these may be references to books we already have.
- 1 and 2 Kings mention the Chronicles of the Kings of Judah and Israel. These may simply refer to parts of the inspired books of 1 and 2 Chronicles.
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Some of these were historical records, not Scripture.
- Just because the Bible mentions a book doesn’t mean it was inspired. It may have been a secular history book used as a reference.
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Some writings were never meant for all believers.
- In 1 Corinthians 5:9, Paul refers to a letter he wrote that we don’t have. Does that mean the Bible is incomplete? No. If God did not preserve it, it means it wasn’t necessary for all Christians throughout history.
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The Bible is complete and contains all we need.
- 2 Peter 1:3 says, “His divine power has given us all things that pertain to life and godliness.”
- John 20:30-31 tells us that Jesus did many other things not written in Scripture, but what we have is enough for us to believe and be saved.
If a book was inspired, God preserved it. If He did not preserve it, it means we didn’t need it. There are no lost books of the Bible.
Conclusion: Do We Have the Right Books?
Yes, we do. The 66 books of the Bible are exactly what God wanted us to have. The Apocrypha is not inspired, and there are no lost books that we need to worry about.
The real question isn’t whether the Bible is missing something—it’s whether I am missing something in my study of God’s Word. Because God has given us everything we need in Scripture. Am I reading it? Am I obeying it?
God’s Word is complete. Now, what am I doing with it?
