OLD
TESTAMENT CANON
Below are quotes from the early Church Fathers
from books not in the Protestant Bible, but that are in the Catholic
Bible. In one quote from St. Augustine, he even lists the canon of the Old Testament and it
includes the books that are considered apocryphal by Protestantism.
"Since, therefore, Christ was about to be manifested and to suffer in
the flesh, his suffering was foreshown. For the prophet speaks against evil,
`Woe to their soul, because they have counseled an evil counsel against
themselves' (Isaiah 3:9), saying, `Let us bind the righteous man
because he is displeasing to us' (Wisdom 2:12)." St.
Barnabas ("Epistle of St. Barnabas" c. 70-100 A.D.)
"By the word of his might God established all things, and by his word
he can overthrow them. `Who shall say to him, 'What have you done?'' or who
shall resist the power of his strength?' (Wisdom 12:12)." St.
Clement of Rome ("Letter to the Corinthians" c. 80 A.D.)
"Stand fast, therefore, in these things, and follow the example of the
Lord, being firm and unchangeable in the faith, loving the brotherhood (1
Peter 2:17). . . .
When you can do good, defer it not, because `alms delivers from death' (Tobit
4:10, 12:9).
Be all of you subject to one another (1 Peter 5:5), having your
conduct blameless among the Gentiles (1 Peter 2:12), and the Lord may not be blasphemed through
you. But woe to him by whom the name of the Lord is blasphemed (Isaiah 52:5)!"
St. Polycarp of Smyrna ("Letter to the Philadelphians" c. 135 A.D.)
"In Genesis it says, `And God tested Abraham and said to him,
"Take your only son whom you love, Isaac, and go to the high land and
offer him there as a burnt offering . . . "' (Genesis 22:1-2) ...
Of this same thing in the Wisdom of Solomon it says, `Although in the sight of
men they suffered torments, their hope is full of immortality . . .' (Wisdom
3:4). Of this same thing in the Maccabees [it says], `Was not Abraham
found faithful when tested, and it was reckoned to him for righteousness' (1
Maccabees 2:52)."
St. Cyprian of Carthage ("Treatises" c. 248 A.D.)
"The whole canon of the Scriptures, however, in which we say that
consideration is to be applied, is contained in these books: the five of Moses
. . . and one book of Joshua [Son of] Nave, one of Judges; one little book
which is called Ruth . . . then the four of Kingdoms, and the two of
Paralipomenon . . . . There are also others too, of a different order . . .
such as Job and Tobit and Esther and Judith and the two books of Maccabees, and
the two of Esdras . . . . Then there are the Prophets, in which there is one
book of the Psalms of David, and three of Solomon. . . . But as to those two
books, one of which is entitled Wisdom and the other of which is entitled
Ecclesiasticus and which are called `of Solomon' because of a certain
similarity to his books, it is held most certainly that they were written by
Jesus Sirach. They must, however, be accounted among the prophetic books,
because of the authority which is deservedly accredited to them." St. Augustine of Hippo ("Christian Instruction" c. 397 A.D.)
"We read in the books of the Maccabees (2 Maccabees 12:43) that sacrifice was offered for
the dead. But even if it were found nowhere in the Old Testament writings, the
authority of the Catholic Church which is clear on this point is of no small
weight, where in the prayers of the priest poured forth to the Lord God at his
altar the commendation of the dead has its place." St. Augustine of Hippo ("The Care to be Had for the Dead" c.
421 A.D.)
CHURCH
BELIEFS & ISSUES
WHAT THE
EARLY CHURCH BELIEVED
Biblical quotations on this web site are
either from the King James Version or the Douay-Rheims Version of the Bible.
©1997-2012 Chris Tesch. This Web
site first loaded on July 10, 1997.
Domain name - www.catholic-defense.com
secured April 5, 1999.
Written
permission is needed to copy any portion of this web site. All rights
reserved.