Accuracy & Impact of the Bible: Parson Weems

The following is a lesson in a historical and faithful study
beginning at 7:00 pm on Wednesdays.
at the church of Christ in Carthage, Missouri, south of the Ford dealership
PLEASE JOIN US!

Art Appreciation

Analyze the painting, entitled Parson Weems' Fable​, shown (left). Check out its details.

• What do you notice?
• What do you think is happening?
• What caused the scene in the painting?
• What might happen after the scene shown?
• What does this piece make you wonder?

Why is the cherry tree incident discounted or rejected by most historians and left out of most reputable history books?

Is the cherry tree story true?  Is part of it true?  There are no primary documents to testify to its truth - only stories that have been passed down through relatives and friends.  What do you think?

Watch the short video here for more information.

​The Big Questions

Our focus for this study hinges on answering these two big questions.  The goal is to get closer to the answers each week in our class.

How did we we get the Bible?
Is the Bible accurate and dependable?

The Apocrypha

In Chapter 15 of our focus text, How We Got the Bible, the author, Neil Lightfoot gives us a list of the Apocryphal books, along with a historical explanation of their history.  The definition of the word apocrypha is up front in this chapter, Lightfoot using words like "hidden", "secretive", and "concealed", but he also explains that the word has evolved to refer to the non-canonical books that remain in the Catholic Old Testament, but are denied by most of the Protestant universe.

The Apocryphal books include the following (which will be discussed in more detail in our Wednesday evening class):

• The First Book of Esdras
• The Second Book of Esdras
• Tobit
• Judith
• Additions to the Book of Esther
• The Wisdom of Solomon
• Ecclesiasticus, or the Wisdom of Jesus the Son of Sirach
• Baruch
• The Letter of Jeremiah
• The Prayer of Azariah and the Song of the Three Young Men
• Susanna
• Bel and the Dragon
• The Prayer of Manasseh
• The First Book of Maccabees
• The Second Book of Maccabees

Lightfoot states:

"Non-Catholic editions of the English Bible since 1535, including early editions of the familiar King James Version, separate these apocryphal books from the canonical Old Testament." ​

It seems that including them amongst the accepted canon has been more of a "latter day" decision in the Catholic Church (In the interest of full honesty, the books of Esdras and the Prayer of Manasseh are still not considered canonical by the Roman Catholic Church).

Consider the four divisions under which the books under consideration are placed based upon their literary form:  Historical, Legendary, Prophetic, and Ethical/Devotional.  Our author describes each, beginning on page 166, before explaining the reasons they are rejected, starting on page 167.

Many have questioned why the books are not included in the canon of Scripture, asking the question, Who gets to decide whether a book is inspired or not?  Lightfoot suggests the following answers to alleviate our concerns.  If we wonder if we are missing out on a part of the Word of God, we do well to read what Lightfoot penned.  He says:

---

"These books were never included in the Hebrew canon of the Old Testament..."

"These books, as far as the evidence goes, were never accepted as canonical by Jesus and his apostles..."

"These books were not accepted as Scripture by such Jewish writers of the first century as Philo and Josephus; by the Jewish council at Jamnia (c. A.D. 90); and by such eminent Christian writers as Origen and Jerome..."

"These books do not evidence intrinsic qualities of inspiration..."

"These books have been shrouded with continual uncertainty..."

"These books cannot be maintained on a compromise basis..."

​"Objections to these books cannot be overruled by dictatorial authority..."

How About the New TEstament?

Hey, Jude...

Even so, sometimes Bible writers do refer to literature that is outside of what we have in the 66 books of Scripture. Jude 9:14f, for example, seem to refer to an apocalyptic book known as 1 Enoch.

Likewise, Paul also refers to extra-Biblical material (2 Timothy 3:8).  He calls a Greek poet a "prophet" (Titus 1:12). How are these references explained?

New Testament Apocrypha

In addition to the Old Testament, there are also books in question for the New Testament.  These also fit into categories:  Gospels, Acts, Epistles, and Apocalypses.  The earliest of these are dated into the Second Century, but some also come later.  An incomplete list of these books includes the following titles:

• The Gospel of Peter
• The Protoevangelium (first gospel) of James

• The Gospel of Bartholomew
• The Infancy Story of Thomas

• Acts of Peter
• Acts of John
• Acts of Paul

These titles are undoubtedly appealing.  Who wouldn't want to read Peter's actual account of the Gospel!  Consider, however, some of the content included in these non-canonical books:

• Infancy Story of Thomas:  Jesus strikes a child dead when the child bumps into Him.
• Gospel of Peter:  A cross follows three men out of Jesus' tomb.
  
• Protoevangelium of James:  Mary, brought up in the temple, is dedicated as a virgin from the age of three.
  
• Acts of John:  Staying in an inn, John commands bedbugs to leave his bed and behave.
  
• Acts of Paul:  Paul baptizes a lion that later spares Paul from death in the Ephesus amphitheater.
  

Lightfoot suggests, "After reading such tales, many of us will want to hurry back to our New Testaments and once again appreciate them both for what they say and what they do not say."

Application Question

​How important is it?

Is it important to you that the Bible comes from reliable sources, or is it just a collection of wise sayings and advice for living?  Many atheists agree that there is wisdom in the teachings of Jesus Christ, but they do not believe that Jesus is a Messiah, that He performed miracles, that He walked out of His own grave, or that He prepares a place where His faithful disciples will be rewarded for eternity.

We contend that the Bible and everything it contains is supported by:

• textual claims
• origins of the text
• extrabiblical history
• ​the faith of martyrs

• ​logic​​
  
• archeology
• geography

• geology

• chemistry
• astronomy

• biology

• physics
• mathematics
• and more

So how important is it to you that the Bible can be proven true?  Do you believe there is irrefutable evidence to its validity?  Is proof something that strengthens your personal faith in the existence of God?

Should faith alone be enough to drive you to drive you to your knees?  Is "blind" faith a stronger kind of faith?  If so, then why did God provide so much evidence?

Go forward with us - or in this case, back to the beginning - as we continue our study next time.