Then you're in even worse shape. Because you're at the mercy of Bible PRINTERS and publishers. THEY'RE the authorities making the table of contents of YOUR Bible.
With 20 prominent translations? Are you a conspiracy theorist for your preferred doctrines, mastered because of your preference? You make mistakes that everybody drinks the same Kool aid. We all project, because we assume another thinks like us. "One of these things is not like the others, one of these things just isn't the same." -Sesame Street
I get that you don't want to admit that there actually is real power at play here, but the reality is that your only option when it comes to choosing the table of contents in your OWN Bible, is to buy someone's printed Bible, and either accept, endorse, approve, validate, recognize, cosign, countenance, that table of contents, or, you can cut out books of that published Bible.
You have a great uncle who is a priest? I do. Try not to lift yourself up by your own laurels.
You can't add any contents to the Bible.
In fact what happened with the KJB is that it was first printed with the 73 books of the Roman Catholic table of contents, but it set aside seven books from the Old Testament, and printed them as a section, which came to be known as the Apocrypha. The table of contents was the same content, but a different order, as a result. The Apocrypha was printed between the rest of the Old Testament books, and the New Testament.
I've read them. Once was enough (I think it was more like 5 times). That was enough, still reference them at times. Mercy of another? Nope, all me. See your preconceptions messing up discussion here? There is a difference between us. I have a Greek NT with all variants listed. While it will be presumptuous and I don't mean it as such but in a very narrow window: I am your (pl) authority. I am your (pl) Pope.
Eventually Evangelical printers decided to print Bibles without the Apocrypha at all, saving on paper and ink expenses. It was as much a theological decision as a business decision.
Nope. Conspiracy theory.
I'm in the same boat btw, I have no advantage here. I'm just choosing the table of contents approved by the Apostles, the founding fathers of the Church. The Septuagint. That was the Scriptures Paul talked about being God-breathed.
Except we aren't. You chose not to have the skills and authority, I chose to have them myself and I'm no slouch. I'd reckon even better than your current Pope and most of your priests (probably right).
No, the APOSTLES' Bible, THEIR choice. The "RC" is merely OBEYING the Apostles. THEY are the ones with the RIGHT to set the Bible's table of contents.
That's your Kool-Aid, not mine, I've come to an educated conclusion.
The Church founded by Christ and His Apostles is just a continuing body, like the United States Senate is a continuing body, unlike the United States Congress, which is a new body every two years. So the same continuing body consisting of the original Apostles had the power or right to set the Bible's table of contents, and that body still today has that same power.
Mistake: The body is not a physical church, but a Spiritual body. Catholics always think in physical terms. Any who are new creations, the Spiritual body do not make these mistakes. While some of you who crossed over to Catholicism may well understand, may be new creations, it is not the majority.
ofc the Church hasn't changed the table of contents once the Apostles set it. But Luther did. And you guys all approve of his edits. Contra what the Apostles set out.
The Apostles set the canon?? Where did you get that?
Half the Bible would be plenty—does that mean half the table of contents is also an acceptable option for you?
Having the tools? Yeah. Did you know the Apostles didn't canonize? You seem confused just above. The early church had only snippets, there was no assembled book but the O.T. The N.T. was circulating as letters. Was it enough for the first church? Yes. Yes it was. We believers are blessed to have more. Am I said I don't have Bel and the Dragon? (I do). Nope. Would I have been handicapped not reading it? Nope. How about Maccabeus? Very good important history, but is not included specifically because it is human history that simply explains what God prophesied. Intentionally, it is because it offers little or no spiritual input into a gentiles life. It becomes a 'companion book' for us that which to have it for history. Edersheim, Josephus, Maccabeus, are all good companion books for those with the initiative and desire.
Then you know what I mean. We all, despite our difference, practice exactly the same thing. We read what we want to read. It really just means we all read the same books and edit our own canon by our choices in practicality. It means this conversation is basically moot.
Interesting. So your theology writ large informs your theology of the Bible's table of contents, rather than your theology writ large being based on an already established table of contents, iow.
Yes. You SHOULD think about why. It started with Hebrews, then Acts. I always honed in on why the gentiles in Acts 15 were separated from the Law and requirements. Why? Because the church is spiritual and those who are the church are implanted with the Holy Spirit. That is what the RC missed. They, and you, are very caught up in physical understanding and conceptions rather the spiritual reality.
OK.
Marcion said the table of contents should only include Paul, ofc he also considered Hebrews to be Pauline, so he wasn't exactly Mid Acts.
True.
That'd be like to me, the difference between Evangelicalism and vanilla Roman Catholicism simpliciter. The skeleton of the faith is in Evangelicalism but the faith is fully fleshed out in vanilla Roman Catholicism simpliciter.
No it is not. It is caught in physical and human concern always over and above the spiritual. Because your entire system is set that way, you will have a hard time ever conceiving of God any other way until you consider it. Jeremiah 31:34 Hebrews 8:9-12 It will not be like the covenant I made with their fathers when I took them by the hand to lead them out of the land of Egypt, because they did not abide by My covenant, and I disregarded them, declares the Lord. 10
For this is the covenant I will make with the house of Israel after those days, declares the Lord. I will put My laws in their minds and inscribe them on their hearts. And I will be their God, and they will be My people. 11No longer will each one teach his neighbor or his brother, saying, ‘Know the Lord,’ because they will all know Me, from the least of them to the greatest. It is your sign. The Papacy is over hearof.
That's great. You don't even have to read the Bible if you don't want to. This is a smoke screen though since we're not talking about whether or what parts of the Bible we should read. We're talking about the table of contents of it. Vanilla Roman Catholicism simpliciter merely "ratifies" the Apostles' table of contents. Evangelicals "ratify" Luther's table of contents. Thomas Jefferson carved up the Gospels even to remove all miracles to make his own version of the Bible. Some "Bibles" are just the Psalms, and New Testament.
▲All not spiritual thinking. You are back to the Law, but it became the RC: Judaized in your thoughts and actions. In your view, I have to be circumcized and go to temple, all physical observations, the Eucharist, Confession, Catechism, etc. etc. etc. instead of being circumcized by Jesus Himself in my heart, just as Hebrews promises. You are offering slavery against His freedom. Galatians is written to you, my friend. Galatians 5:1 "For freedom's sake, Christ has set you free."
