What Are the Sacred Books of Catholics?
The Holy Bible, referred to as the canon, is the central religious text of Catholicism, and its only sacred book. The canon is divided into two main sections: the Old Testament and the New Testament. Each section contains books written over a period of thousands of years by various authors while under divine inspiration, as defined by church teachings. This article reviews those books that met the criteria for inclusion into the Catholic version of the Bible. They include the Apocrypha, or Deuterocanonical books, which normally do not appear in Protestant Bibles.
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The Old Testament Torah
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The Torah (translated as "learning" or "law") contains the Five Books of Moses: Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers and Deuteronomy. These books, Judaism's legal and ethical religious foundation, are considered to have been written by Moses while divinely inspired. Genesis contains a narrative that begins with the creation of the world and ends with the children of Israel entering Egypt. Its importance to Catholics is the foundation of Christian beliefs and the establishment of the covenant promise of Christ the Savior. Exodus outlines the story of Moses leading the Hebrews out of Egypt to the Mountain of God, Sinai. Also written by a divinely inspired Moses, the book ends with the construction of the Tabernacle. Leviticus, the book of laws and priestly rituals, outlines the consequences of being a Godly people as it affects community relationships and behavior. Numbers is an accounting of the Hebrews during the approximately 40-year journey from Sinai until just before they cross the Jordan River. Deuteronomy is a set of three of Moses' sermons outlining the code by which the Children of Israel are to abide by in the Promised Land to which God delivered them.
The Old Testament Historical Books
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The Historical Books within the Old Testament recognized by Catholics are Joshua, Judges, Ruth, 1 Kings, 2 Kings, 3 Kings, 4 Kings, 1 Paralipomenon, 2 Paralipomenon, 1 Esdras, 2 Esdras, Tobias, Judith, Esther, 1 Maccabees, and 2 Maccabees. The Book of Joshua through the second Book of Kings are narrative histories written by the Former Prophets, while the remaining books contain prophecies in the form of Biblical poetry written by the Latter Prophets.
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The Old Testament Books of Wisdom
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The Books of Wisdom within the Catholic Old Testament include Job, Psalms, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, Canticle of Canticles, Wisdom and Ecclesiasticus (Sirach). Job tells the story of a man named Job, his trials at the hands of Satan, theological discussions with his friends as to the nature and cause of his suffering, and a response from God. It attempts to reconcile the existence of evil and suffering in our world with the existence of God. Psalms consists of 150 religious songs and chants. The Book of Proverbs, usually attributed to Solomon, is typically regarded as a book of wisdom and understanding. Ecclesiastes primarily addresses issues of mortality and death. The Canticle of Canticles, also referred to as the Song of Solomon or Solomon's Song of Songs, is a poem suggesting the progression of a relationship between a man and a woman from courtship to consummation. It typically is considered in Catholicism to be an allegory of the relationship of God and Israel as husband and wife. Wisdom's writings discuss the mortality and God's path to redemption, while Ecclesiasticus is a collection of ethical teachings.
The Old Testament Major and Minor Prophets
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The Books of the Major Prophets include Isaiah, Jeremiah, Lamentations, Baruch, Ezekiel and Daniel. The common underlying thread that runs throughout each of these books is a prediction of doom for the children of God should they sin and disobey His Word and dishonor their covenant. These books also include poems of pleas for mercy, hope and redemption. The Books of the Minor Prophets include those prophecies attributed to Hosea, Joel, Amos, Obadiah, Jonah, Micah, Nahum, Habakkuk, Zephaniah, Haggai, Zechariah and Malachi. In the Catholic Church, the books of the 12 minor prophets are read in the Breviary during the last two weeks of the liturgical year (typically the fourth and fifth weeks of November prior to Advent). The term "major" refers to the length of the individual prophecy, not to the importance of the prophet.
The New Testament Gospels
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The first four books of the New Testament are the Gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John. These four canonical texts relate the birth, life, ministry, crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus Christ. The gospels of Mark, Matthew and Luke are very similar and are referred to as the synoptic gospels. They recount the same general stories about Jesus written in the same general sequence. The Gospel of John is still a story about the life of Jesus, but more spiritual in nature, emphasizing Jesus' divinity and mission.
The New Testament Book of Acts
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Commonly referred to as "Acts," this book tells the story of the ministry of the original Twelve Apostles and Paul of Tarsus. It begins with Jesus' resurrection and commission, and continues with the ascension and Jesus' prophecy of his return. Acts then details the beginning of the ministry of The Twelve and Pentecost, closing with Paul's conversion, ministry, arrest, imprisonment and journey to Rome.
The New Testament Pauline and General Epistles
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The Pauline Epistles, also referred to as the Letters of Paul, are 13 New Testament books ascribed to Paul of Tarsus. Among the earliest Christian documents, they provide some insight into the beliefs and controversies of early Christianity and contain much of the foundation for current Christian theology and ethics. They include the Books of Romans, 1 Corinthians, 2 Corinthians, Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, 1 Thessalonians, 2 Thessalonians, 1 Timothy, 2 Timothy, Titus and Philemon. The General Epistles (or letters) are written to a general Christian audience rather than specific congregations or individuals, as is the case with the Pauline Epistles. These include Hebrews, James, 1 Peter, 2 Peter, 1 John, 2 John, 3 John, Jude and the Revelation of Christ to John (also an Apocalypse).
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