Find out what is the difference between the Catholic and the Christian Bible, here

Many ask themselves the question of what is the difference between the Catholic Bible and the Christian Bible. This is not only made up of a book, on the contrary, it is a series of books that have religious importance, since events directly related to the work carried out by our Lord are reflected in it. The Catholic and Christian Bibles have as a fundamental different factor the number of books that handle their sacred copies.

What is the difference between the Catholic Bible and the Christian Bible?

The differences between the Catholic and the Christian bible vary in the number of books that constitute their holy book. As many know, the Bible is not made up of a single book. Rather it can be referred to as a complete library.

The sacred copy that constitutes the Catholic Bible has 73 books, among them it has some extensive texts, including that of the prophet Isaiah and others with less content such as that of the prophet Obadiah.

The 73 books that make up the Catholic Bible are divided into 46 Old Testament books and 27 New Testament books. Protestant Christian Bibles have only 66 books.

The decrease in the number of books in the Christian Bible is due to the absence of the books of Tobias, 1 Maccabees, 2 Maccabees, Wisdom, Judith, Baruch and Ecclesiasticus.

Why is there the difference?

The difference is considered to be related to a historical and theological problem that has a high level of complexity. The collection that was formed of the sacred books of the Old Testament derives from the writings made by the Jewish people.

That through a process the believers in the word of Jesus accepted them as well as those written by the apostles, forming the bible that is known today. The story is divided into the following development aspects.

The ancient Jewish community of Palestine

In the times when Jesus Christ was on earth, the Jewish settlers who were in Palestinian territory, only accepted the Old Testament. However, it had not yet been determined which were the specific sacred books that would be reflected in the sacred writings. That is, it was still considered that they hated adding new writings.

Despite this, for a long time, specifically around 600 before Christ passed through the earth, specifically after the destruction of Jerusalem and the disappearance with it of the Jewish State. It begins with discussions related to the concern of choosing the official books that contained the word of God.

It sought to capture the true faith that constituted Israel. In order to ensure the faith that had begun in this town long before. Some writings were considered somewhat dubious as far as faith was concerned.

In addition, it could be said that they were considered dangerous and that is why they were excluded from the official list of sacred books. It is important to mention that only texts that came from the Hebrew or Aramaic language were accepted.

Those that were under the Greek language were considered rejected since they were considered very recent or even of non-Jewish origin. That is why later begins with the problem of book difference.

In this way it is that it begins with the list of religious books that were considered a true divine inspiration. Entering in this way in the collection of those considered sacred writings. Later, these types of books were given the name of canon or canonical books. (You can see the article on prayer to Jesus for work )

For the Greeks this word means rule or norm. That is why these canonical sacred books reflect the rules of life for those believers of the word of our Lord reflected in the writing.

The canonical or sacred books that were part of the Jewish Palestinian community were books that came from Hebrew or Aramaic writings. The books related to the word of God that were written in Greek were not part of the canonization.

However, they were called apocryphal or hidden books. This is because they possessed dubious doctrines that had a hidden origin. In the year 90 after Jesus, the Jews in Palestine began with the later recognition of 39 officially inspired books.

The 39 books of the Old Testament that were made official are called the canon of Palestine or also the canon of Jerusalem.

Jewish Community of Alexandria

Simultaneous to the Jewish community in Palestine, there was the Jewish community in Alexandria, Egypt. This Jewish community had a large number that was outside Palestinian territory, their community was made up of around 10,000 Israelis.

It is important to mention that the Jews who lived in Egypt no longer understood the Hebrew language. This was because he had spent quite some time outside his home territory and had already accepted Greek as his mother tongue, the official language of the Near East.

When they held religious meetings, the Greek was used through translation instead of the Hebrew in the Holy Scriptures in the synagogue, this sacred text was called the Seventy.

A fairly old legend tells that the translation that was made into the Greek language was service after a migration of seventy wise men. This around the years 250 and 150 before our Lord Jesus Christ.

The Septuagint Greek translation has the 39 sacred books canon of Palestine, also called the Hebrew canon. In addition to this, it has 7 own books in Greek. It is here where the so-called Alexandrian canon was born, which has 46 sacred books.

The Jewish community of the territory of Palestine, never saw correct the difference that it had with its brothers of Alexandria, that is why there was a rejection of the 7 books added by these Jews.

His rejection was due to the fact that his texts were originally written in the Greek language. In addition to being books added after those made by them.

When Jesus was born, there were two religious centers of Judaism, the one created in Jerusalem, then part of Palestine, and the one developed in Alexandria, which was located in Egypt.

Both religious centers had the authorization to possess the sacred books of what is today the Old Testament. In Jerusalem with the 39 books, while in Alexandria with the 46 books.

The early Christians and the holy books of the Old Testament

Christianity originates as a religious category movement that was located within the Jewish people. Even Jesus was a Jew and that is why he did not reject the holy books that the Jewish people had.

On the other hand, many believers who were in the time of Jesus indicate that he said that he had not come to suppress the Old Testament. That is why he considered that his job was to complement him.

For this reason Christians considered the books of the Old Testament important and part of the history of the Christian religion. Books inspired by texts used by the Jews.

It is important to mention that due to the persecution of Christianity, this movement spread to territories outside of Palestine. Among them the Greek and Roman territory, empires of great historical importance.

That is why the first Christians took the Alexandrian canon, in combination with the corresponding New Testament books, which included quotations from the Old Testament. And they are also quoted in Greek as the Alexandrian canon.

Its expansion caused the Greek canon of Alexandria to be taken by logic. In addition to this, the recipients who were in charge of carrying the word of God were Greek-speaking. That is why Christianity accepted from the beginning the 46 books of the Old Testament. (Be sure to read how many books the evangelical Christian Bible has )

Jewish reaction against Christians

For the Jews, Christians were heretics who came from Judaism. That is why the attribution of taking the sacred books of the Old Testament for them was a lack of respect for their religion.

On the other hand, they rejected the attitude taken by their believers on the prophecy that is indicated in the Old Testament about the messiah, which for them was the best way to justify the faith of Jesus. To add more the Christians were adding new holy books which were called the New Testament.

It is for this reason that the Jews were motivated to close the canon of their holy books. Furthermore, in reaction to the Christians’ adoption of the Alexandrian canon. All Jewish believers decided to leave behind the 46 books of the Old Testament, to adopt only the 39-book Palestinian canon.

The 7 Greek-language books of the Alexandrian canon were declared by the Jews to be apocryphal books and were therefore not considered inspired. This is the radical decision that the Jewish superior order took in the year 90 after the arrival of Jesus. Just at the time when a single canon copy was fully proclaimed for the Jews.

Christians in reference to this, continued to use the 46 respective books inspired by the Old Testament. On some occasions they wanted to impose the new canon stipulated by the Jews on the Old Testament. But after negotiations it was possible to determine that the 46 books of the Old Testament, determining that these are sacred and inspired like the others.

Martin Luther

It was from 1517 that Martin Luther, a former participant of the beliefs related to the Catholic Church, separated from the institution. After this he decides, together with his companions from the religious movement, to take the Jewish canon of the Old Testament, with 39 sacred books. (See Article: Night Prayer Psalm 4 )

This was considered strange because there was already a long tradition imposed by the church, which was also part of the apostles. That is why around 11,500 years were counted among the 46 books of the Old Testament.

The reason for this situation is generated because Martin Luther was bothered by the seven books that came from a Greek language, which was not linked to the Hebrew language.

After this factor, a meeting is held by the bishops who were worldwide called the Council of Trent. It is at this time that the decision was made which allowed 46 to be New Testaments with 27 books.

Despite this, the Protestants and their respective religious movements born of this new religion began with the use of the canon of the Jews of Palestine, which had 39 books made up of the Old Testament. This is the reason that the Catholic Bible and the Christian Bible have differences.

canonical books

For Catholics, the Bible has the 7 books that were written in the Greek language, which on several occasions produced discussions between different parties. These are named deuterocanonical books.

It comes from the Greek word deutero which means second. This is because these books later became the canonical scriptures of the Old Testament.

The 39 books that contain the Hebrew Old Testament are considered protocanonical books. Since the word proto is related to the first. This is because from the beginning these books were part of the initial canon.

followers of christ

It is in the New Testament that mention is made of the followers of Jesus Christ. Christians glorify God by bearing this name and should not be ashamed of it. It is also important to mention that it was in the territory of Antioquia where this new religious movement was called Christians for the first time.

Jesus Christ is considered by all Christian religious movements to be the king of the universe. This is due to the words that he says to his disciples before proceeding to ascend. “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit” (Mt 28:19)”. This indicates that the will of the Lord is that all peoples on earth be Christians.

This is the main task that our Lord Jesus gives to Peter and the other apostles that he had chosen. That is why this Christian faith should be considered a universal religion, encompassing all peoples.

It is believed that all Christians should have the same universal faith, this is what it is pointed out that Jesus Christ wants for his children. That is why the work of each believer is to spread it more and more throughout the world.

What causes that all human beings in all territories, periods of time and until the end and beginning of days must believe in our Lord in the same way.

Not all followers of Christ belong to the same religious movements despite having the same faith base. Being a Christian is not solely focused on doing good and avoiding evil. To be a Christian entails belief in God, fulfilling the required ceremonies, accepting our lord with true faith, and preparing his life for our lord.

Being a Christian also requires the recognition of our Lord Jesus Christ as our true Lord. Accept and comply with his projects and continue with his stipulated style of evangelization. Truly form part of the community and live under the force of faith for God.

What happened to the Reformation?

It was for the year 1517 that Martin Luther decided to create a new movement and separate from the Catholic Church. That is why he starts with his own movement of creating a new church.

Among its different elements was to take the canon of Palestine that has 39 books of the Old Testament. This decision was considered strange, as it had been for years with a different tradition, typical of the apostles. Posted for about 1500 years using 46 books of the Alexandrian canon as sacred books of the Old Testament. (See Article: Prayer of petition to God )

Despite this, Luther considered it wrong to take the 7 books that had the Greek language and not the Hebrew language. That’s why I don’t show it.

After this issue, the bishops worldwide decide to meet in the outstanding Council of Trent where the case of the Catholics ratified the 46 books of the Old Testament and 27 books of the New Testament.

While the Protestant Christians and the other believers in this new system took as the canon book of the Old Testament the Hebrew-speaking ones of Palestine.

This generated the difference between the Catholic and Christian Bible.

qumram

In the year 1947, very old texts were discovered by archaeologists in Palestine, specifically in Qumram. Among the books they found were Judith, Baruch, Sirach, and 1 Maccabees.

These books were written in Hebrew. While the book of Tobias was in Aramaic. This means that only the books of Wisdom and 2 Maccabees were written in the Greek language. Because it is written in Greek, it is invalid. On the other hand, the Catholic Church never came to accept this argument.

Final considerations

This determines that the problems related to the books in relation to the complex historical and theological system of religion. This is also due to the diversity of interpretations of the word of God. This also allows us to understand that each of the religions, whether the Protestant Christian or the Apostolic Catholic, have historical bases related to doctrine.

From the moment in which Luther decides not to accept among the canons this tradition that the Catholic Church possessed. All the churches whose development was similar to the Protestant or was a variation of it, he decides to take the Deuterocanonical books. While the remaining 7 books called it apocryphal.

It is important to mention that in recent years, some Protestant slopes. They took a more modern process in relation to the seven books. What allowed some ecumenical bibles to accept this word in some way and that is why they were edited.

This is also due to the fact that certain doctrines of the Bible are related to the resurrection of the dead, the Angels, the retributions, the notion of purgatory, signs are already beginning to be seen in relation to the seven late books.

When this type of suspension of these books is generated, there is a somewhat abrupt jump between the Old Testament and the New Testament. This is because there is a time related to 300 years without inspired books.

The 7 Greek language books have precise elements that direct us towards the New Testament. This allows the teachings to be related to writings that show a greater harmonic process of writing that demonstrates the divine revelations of the holy bible.

That is why in some cases some Bibles of Protestant rank included the canonical books of Alexandria but cataloged it as secondary. (See the article on the power of prayer)