What is scripture

[Idea]

The Bible does not seem to be complete...

Lost Books. The so-called lost books of the Bible are those documents that are mentioned in the Bible in such a way that it is evident they were considered authentic and valuable, but that are not found in the Bible today. Sometimes called missing scripture, they consist of at least the following:
book of the Wars of the Lord (Num. 21:14);
book of Jasher (Josh. 10:13; 2 Sam. 1:18);
book of the acts of Solomon (1 Kgs. 11:41);
book of Samuel the seer (1 Chr. 29:29);
book of Gad the seer (1 Chr. 29:29);
book of Nathan the prophet (1 Chr. 29:29; 2 Chr. 9:29);
prophecy of Ahijah (2 Chr. 9:29);
visions of Iddo the seer (2 Chr. 9:29; 12:15; 13:22);
book of Shemaiah (2 Chr. 12:15);
book of Jehu (2 Chr. 20:34);
sayings of the seers (2 Chr. 33:19);
an epistle of Paul to the Corinthians, earlier than our present 1 Corinthians (1 Cor. 5:9);
possibly an earlier epistle to the Ephesians (Eph. 3:3);
an epistle to the Church at Laodicea (Col. 4:16);
and some prophecies of Enoch, known to Jude (Jude 1:14).

To these rather clear references to inspired writings other than our current Bible may be added another list that has allusions to writings that may or may not be contained within our present text, but may perhaps be known by a different title; for example, the book of the covenant (Ex. 24:7), which may or may not be included in the current book of Exodus; the manner of the kingdom, written by Samuel (1 Sam. 10:25); the rest of the acts of Uzziah written by Isaiah (2 Chr. 26:22).
Revelations of course ends with
18 For I testify unto every man that heareth the words of the prophecy of this book, If any man shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book:
19 And if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the book of life, and out of the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book.
(New Testament | Revelation 22:19)

or was that from Deuteronomy
2 Ye shall not add unto the word which I command you, neither shall ye diminish ought from it,
(Old Testament | Deuteronomy 4:2)

of course there were a lot of scriptures "added on" after Deuteronomy, and there were a lot of scriptures written after Revelations (the books in the Bible are not there in the order in which they wre written)

Is anyone out there open to reading additional scriptures?

 

[fritz300]

The only thing I truly can consider Scripture is the Tanakh, the foundation being the Torah.

All the other writings are good, and are important, including the Brit Chadasha (or New Testament) and many that you have mentioned.

- Zak

 

[HypnoToad]

The Bible does not seem to be complete...

Lost Books. The so-called lost books of the Bible are those documents that are mentioned in the Bible in such a way that it is evident they were considered authentic and valuable, but that are not found in the Bible today. Sometimes called missing scripture, they consist of at least the following:
book of the Wars of the Lord (Num. 21:14);
book of Jasher (Josh. 10:13; 2 Sam. 1:18);
book of the acts of Solomon (1 Kgs. 11:41);
book of Samuel the seer (1 Chr. 29:29);
book of Gad the seer (1 Chr. 29:29);
book of Nathan the prophet (1 Chr. 29:29; 2 Chr. 9:29);
prophecy of Ahijah (2 Chr. 9:29);
visions of Iddo the seer (2 Chr. 9:29; 12:15; 13:22);
book of Shemaiah (2 Chr. 12:15);
book of Jehu (2 Chr. 20:34);
sayings of the seers (2 Chr. 33:19);
an epistle of Paul to the Corinthians, earlier than our present 1 Corinthians (1 Cor. 5:9);
possibly an earlier epistle to the Ephesians (Eph. 3:3);
an epistle to the Church at Laodicea (Col. 4:16);
and some prophecies of Enoch, known to Jude (Jude 1:14).

To these rather clear references to inspired writings other than our current Bible may be added another list that has allusions to writings that may or may not be contained within our present text, but may perhaps be known by a different title; for example, the book of the covenant (Ex. 24:7), which may or may not be included in the current book of Exodus; the manner of the kingdom, written by Samuel (1 Sam. 10:25); the rest of the acts of Uzziah written by Isaiah (2 Chr. 26:22).

Just a reference to an outside writing doesn't mean that writing is inspired, only that the portion being referenced is relevant or factual. Paul cites two pagan philosophers in his epistles, yet no one argues those pagan philosophers should be included in Scripture.

Do any of those references actually refer to those works as "Scripture" or "inspired"?

 

[Idea]

The only thing I truly can consider Scripture is the Tanakh, the foundation being the Torah.

All the other writings are good, and are important, including the Brit Chadasha (or New Testament) and many that you have mentioned.

- Zak

Seems everyone has a different set of scriptures

Examples of canonical differences among Bibles

The picture is further complicated by the fact that Christians have not always agreed on the "canon"—that is, they have not always agreed upon which writings were "scripture" and which were not.
Some examples of these variations:
Christian Person or GroupDifference in canon from Protestant Bible (eg KJV) CatholicsApocrypha is canonical OrthodoxApocrypha is canonical Clement of Alexanderia (A.D. 200)Included in canon:

• Epistle of Barnabas
• Epistle of Clement
• The Preaching of Peter[2]

Roman Christians (circa A.D. 200)Included in canon:

• Revelation of Peter
• Wisdom of Solomon

Excluded from canon:

• Hebrews
• 1 Peter
• 2 Peter
• 3 John[3]

Origen (date)Included in canon:

• Epistle of Barnabas
• Shepherd of Hermas[4]

Excluded from canon:

• James
• Jude
• 2 John
• Those disputed by Rome(see above)[5]

Syriac PeshittaExcluded from the canon:

• 2 Peter
• 2 John
• 3 John
• Jude
• Revelation of St. John[6]

Armenian ChurchIncluded in canon:

• 3 Corinthians

Excluded from canon:

• Revelation of St. John prior to 12th century[7]

Ethiopian ChurchIncluded in canon:

• Sinodos
• Clement
• Book of the Covenant
• Didascalia[8]

Martin LutherConsidered Epistle of James "a right strawy epistle."[9] Also didn't agree with Sermon on the Mount because didn't match his "grace only" theology.

Just a reference to an outside writing doesn't mean that writing is inspired, only that the portion being referenced is relevant or factual. Paul cites two pagan philosophers in his epistles, yet no one argues those pagan philosophers should be included in Scripture.

Do any of those references actually refer to those works as "Scripture" or "inspired"?

Do you know what a prophet is? Do you know what a seer is? The same book referenced in multiple scriptures must be important. Prophets and seers write scriptures....
29 Now the acts of David the king, first and last, behold, they are written in the book of Samuel the seer, and in the book of Nathan the prophet, and in the book of Gad the seer,
(Old Testament | 1 Chronicles 29:29)

29 ¶ Now the rest of the acts of Solomon, first and last, are they not written in the book of Nathan the prophet, and in the prophecy of Ahijah the Shilonite, and in the visions of Iddo the seer against Jeroboam the son of Nebat?
(Old Testament | 2 Chronicles 9:29)

15 Now the acts of Rehoboam, first and last, are they not written in the book of Shemaiah the prophet, and of Iddo the seer concerning genealogies? And there were wars between Rehoboam and Jeroboam continually.
(Old Testament | 2 Chronicles 12:15)


The sun stood still !!! - sounds like a miracle I would like to know more about...
13 And the sun stood still, and the moon stayed, until the people had avenged themselves upon their enemies. Is not this written in the book of Jasher? So the sun stood still in the midst of heaven, and hasted not to go down about a whole day.


(Old Testament | Joshua 10:13)

41 ¶ And the rest of the acts of Solomon, and all that he did, and his wisdom, are they not written in the book of the acts of Solomon?
(Old Testament | 1 Kings 11:41)

... look up all the references, these books are scripture.

 

[HypnoToad]

Do you know what a prophet is? Do you know what a seer is? The same book referenced in multiple scriptures must be important. Prophets and seers write scriptures....
29 Now the acts of David the king, first and last, behold, they are written in the book of Samuel the seer, and in the book of Nathan the prophet, and in the book of Gad the seer,
(Old Testament | 1 Chronicles29:29)

29 ¶ Now the rest of the acts of Solomon, first and last, are they not written in the book of Nathan the prophet, and in the prophecy of Ahijah the Shilonite, and in the visions of Iddo the seer against Jeroboam the son of Nebat?
(Old Testament | 2 Chronicles9:29)

15 Now the acts of Rehoboam, first and last, are they not written in the book of Shemaiah the prophet, and of Iddo the seer concerning genealogies? And there were wars between Rehoboam and Jeroboam continually.
(Old Testament | 2 Chronicles12:15)


The sun stood still !!! - sounds like a miracle I would like to know more about...
13 And the sun stood still, and the moon stayed, until the people had avenged themselves upon their enemies. Is not this written in the book of Jasher? So the sun stood still in the midst of heaven, and hasted not to go down about a whole day.


(Old Testament | Joshua10:13)

41 ¶ And the rest of the acts of Solomon, and all that he did, and his wisdom, are they not written in the book of the acts of Solomon?
(Old Testament | 1 Kings11:41)

... look up all the references, these books are scripture.

You have some bad leaps in logic there.

Just because prophets wrote Scripture doesn't mean EVERYTHING they wrote was Scripture. Just because a book is "important" doesn't make it Scripture.

Your references, as I asked, do NOT refer to these books as "Scripture", they only mention them as "books", nothing more.

Paul wrote that the Jews were special because "the Jews were entrusted with the oracles of God." (Rom.3:2). Doesn't make sense that God would then let them lose half of them.

 

[GratiaCorpusChristi]

Scripture is a treaty document outlining the terms of the covenant between God and his people. Other documents may testify to the historical-redemptive mighty acts of God; they may be authoritative, and even inspired. But only Scripture actually is authoritative and inspired in the sense that, as the treaty itself, it actually establishes the terms of the relationship.