Expert: Sal - 2/25/2009

Question
QUESTION: I just read one of you answers where you mention that Jesus and the apostles often quoted the 7 books that Protestants do not include in their Bibles.
Can you give me as many examples of that as you possible can or have time to?
Thank you in advance.

ANSWER: Dear Carlos:

Jesus and the Apostles usually quoted from the Old Testament called the Septuagint. This Bible is the same one that Catholics use and that contains the 7 disputed books. Therefore, Jesus and the Apostles knew of the 7 books and did not complain that they were in the Bible. One would expect that Jesus would have denounced the Septuagint version and supported the shorter canon that the Protestants use.

A good list of Septuagint quotes in the New Testament can be found at www.scripturecatholic.com/septuagint.html.

God Bless You,
Sal

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Thank you for your quick response, but the website you mention does not have any quotation taken from the 7 books rejected by Protestants.
It is true that Jesus and the Apostles did not complain about those books being in the Septuagint, but, judging from the list in the website, they just ignored those books.
If you have another list where I can see quotations from Judith, Baruch, Maccabees, Tobit, etc., please send it to me.
Best regards

Answer
Dear Carlos;

Jesus and the Apostles did not often quote from the 7 books missing from Protestant Bibles. They quoted often from the Septuagint (the Catholic Old Testament) that contains all the Old Testament books.

Martin Luther unable to accept God's revelation of Purgatory (2 Macc. 12:39-45) removed a clear reference to it by deleting 7 entire Old Testament books. He went with the shorter version of the Old Testament because it suited his poor theology. His pride got the better of him so he rejected the Bible that Christians had always used. He even tried to throw out some New Testament books that he didn't agree with. But others prevailed upon him not to do that.

Point this out to all Protestant heretics most of whom do not even realize what brought about the differences in Old Testaments. By doing this God will bless you and you may help them find the True Church of Christ--the Catholic Church.

God Be With You,
Sal