Volume 33: Non-Canonical Books & Canon Differences
Apocrypha, Pseudepigrapha, Gnostic Gospels & Canonization
Non-Canonical Books & Canon Differences explores the historical process of biblical canonization and assesses excluded ancient writings. It distinguishes between the historical value of the Old Testament Apocrypha, pseudepigraphal apocalyptic texts, and later 2nd-century heretical Gnostic gospels.
Why some books made the Bible and others did not: Apocrypha, Deuterocanon, Gnostic texts (Gospel of Thomas), and criteria for apostolic canonicity.
Key facts
- The canon was not decided arbitrarily by imperial decree, but recognized organically by early churches based on apostolic origin, orthodoxy, and universal usage.
- The Old Testament Apocrypha consists of Jewish historical and wisdom texts written during the intertestamental period, included in Catholic/Orthodox Bibles but not the Hebrew canon.
- Gnostic texts like the Gospel of Thomas and Gospel of Judas were written in the mid-to-late 2nd century AD, reflecting Greek dualism rather than apostolic eyewitness history.
- Athanasius of Alexandria listed the exact 27 books of the New Testament canon in his 39th Festal Letter in 367 AD.
Frequently asked questions
What criteria determined which books were included in the New Testament?
Three primary criteria: Apostolicity (written by an apostle or close associate), Orthodoxy (conforming to apostolic doctrine / rule of faith), and Catholicity (widespread, continuous use in church worship).
Why do Catholic and Protestant Bibles have different Old Testaments?
Catholic Bibles retain seven Deuterocanonical books found in the Greek Septuagint; the Protestant Reformers followed the historic Hebrew canon recognized by ancient Judaism and Jerome.
Are the Gnostic Gospels lost secret truths about Jesus?
No; historical scholarship confirms the Gnostic gospels were 2nd and 3rd-century forgeries promoting dualistic esoteric philosophies that rejected Christ's physical body and historical death.
Did Emperor Constantine decide the New Testament canon at Nicaea?
No; the Council of Nicaea in 325 AD did not discuss or vote on the canon; this popular myth was popularized by modern fiction rather than historical fact.