Topic
Scripture & Tradition
God speaks through Sacred Scripture and Sacred Tradition, together guarded by the Church's teaching office. Learn how the Bible came together, why Catholic Bibles have 73 books, and how Catholics read Scripture.
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Who decided which books are in the Bible?
The books of the Bible were written over many centuries, but the Church, guided by the Holy Spirit, discerned which writings were inspired. The full 73-book canon was set out by regional councils in the late fourth century and solemnly defined by the Council of Trent in 1546.
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All Scripture & Tradition questions
Who decided which books are in the Bible?
The books of the Bible were written over many centuries, but the Church, guided by the Holy Spirit, discerned which writings were inspired. The full 73-book canon was set out by regional councils in the late fourth century and solemnly defined by the Council of Trent in 1546.
Why do Catholic Bibles have more books?
Catholic Bibles contain 73 books; most Protestant Bibles contain 66. The difference is seven Old Testament books — Tobit, Judith, 1 and 2 Maccabees, Wisdom, Sirach and Baruch — plus parts of Esther and Daniel. Catholics call them deuterocanonical. They were part of the Greek Old Testament used by the apostles and were accepted by the early Church.
How should Catholics read the Bible?
Catholics read the Bible as God's Word in human words: paying attention to what the human authors meant, reading each passage in light of the whole of Scripture, within the living Tradition of the Church, and above all prayerfully. A simple start is the daily Mass readings or one Gospel, a chapter a day.
Should we call the Old Testament "the Hebrew Scriptures"?
Either name is accurate for Christians. When speaking to a mixed audience of Christians and Jews, some consider "Hebrew Scriptures" the more courteous choice, since "Old Testament" can carry negative connotations for Jewish listeners.
Why do Matthew and Mark list Thaddeus, but Luke another Judas?
Because they are the same man. The Thaddeus of Matthew 10:3 and Mark 3:18 is the Judas of Luke 6:16. He probably went by a second name to avoid confusion with Judas Iscariot.
Christ was a Jew, so why don't Catholics observe Judaism?
Catholicism is the completion of the Jewish religion. Had Jesus' contemporaries all accepted him as the Messiah, there would have remained one true religion. Because most did not, a split occurred: pre-Christian Judaism was the true religion, while post-Christian Judaism is incomplete because it does not recognize the Messiah it awaits.
Where did the Bible's chapter and verse numbers come from?
The chapter divisions are usually credited to Stephen Langton, a 13th-century English scholar who became Catholic archbishop of Canterbury. The verse numbers are generally credited to Robert Estienne (Stephanus), a 16th-century French printer.
Why was Zechariah punished for his lack of belief, while Mary wasn't?
Zechariah, a priest who knew God had given Abraham and Sarah a son in old age, still asked for a sign — showing a lack of faith that God could and would provide. Mary's question shows she did not expect relations with Joseph, so she needed to know how a child could come without them; once Gabriel explained, she accepted.
How could Satan re-enter heaven to talk to God about Job?
Nothing unclean enters heaven, and Satan cannot return there — clues that Job 1:6-12 is not literal history. It is most likely a story built on a theological truth: God permits the devil to tempt human beings. Scripture uses many literary forms to convey truth.
Do our beliefs and traditions come from God or from human beings?
Both, in different ways. The doctrinal and moral teachings handed down since the beginning — Sacred Tradition — were given by Jesus to the apostles and passed to their successors. Disciplines (like priestly celibacy) and customs (like Advent wreaths) are human in origin, developed by Christians to live the faith better.
What does being baptized "on behalf of the dead" mean?
In 1 Corinthians 15:29 Paul mentions a little-known custom to argue for the resurrection, neither approving nor condemning it. The Greek need not mean "on behalf of"; it can mean "for" or "for the sake of." Paul may not have meant proxy baptism at all — perhaps baptism to be united with Christian loved ones who had died.
Are Catholics free to interpret Bible verses without the Church's approval?
As a rule, the Church doesn't define how individual verses must be read; she defines doctrine, which may rule out some interpretations. Only seven passages have had their sense partly defined, by the Council of Trent.
How much authority does the Catechism of the Catholic Church carry?
The Catechism presents doctrines previously taught with varying degrees of authority; to know a given doctrine's weight, trace its history through the footnotes. John Paul II called it a statement of the Church's faith and "a sure norm for teaching the faith."
Was Luther's revision of the Bible a return to the "true Bible" of the early Church?
No. No early council endorsed the 66-book Protestant canon. The 73-book canon appears at the Council of Rome (382, though scholars dispute its decisions) and at Hippo and Carthage (393, 397). Luther dropped seven books, questioned others, and added words to his German translation of Romans.
In Numbers 20, why did Moses and Aaron sin when they struck the rock?
They didn't do what the Lord commanded. He told them to speak to the rock; they struck it instead, using a method that had worked before. Ignoring God's word for what had worked in the past showed a lack of faith and, arguably, superstition.
Why is Paul called an apostle when he wasn't one of the Twelve?
An apostle is one sent forth with a mission — a delegate. Paul was clearly sent by Jesus, who called him a chosen instrument to carry his name to the Gentiles, kings and Israel. Paul calls himself an apostle many times and defends his apostleship.
How do we know the Bible is not the sole rule of faith?
The Bible itself never claims to be. Paul told Timothy to hand on what he had heard, and told the Thessalonians to hold fast to the traditions they were taught orally or by letter. These teachings, entrusted to the Church, are as much part of the faith as the Bible.
Why do Matthew and Mark list Thaddeus where Luke lists a second Judas?
They are the same man. The Thaddeus of Matthew 10:3 and Mark 3:18 is the first Judas of Luke 6:16, probably called by other names to avoid confusion with Judas Iscariot.
Are the Protoevangelium of James and the Gospel of the Birth of Mary authentic documents?
Yes, they are authentic, not forgeries — but that doesn't make them true. They are apocryphal: not inspired, though they may contain some useful information.
Should extra-biblical traditions carry the same weight as Scripture?
Distinguish traditions from Tradition. All churches have traditions, but Sacred Tradition expresses the authority Jesus gave Peter and his successors — the authority that taught orally before the New Testament existed and later discerned its books. The Church is bound to both Tradition and Scripture.
Was Ham's sin just seeing his father's nakedness?
It appears his sin was disrespect. He saw Noah drunk and exposed, told his brothers, and did nothing to help; his brothers covered their father without looking. In that culture, publicizing his father's state was mortifying and deeply disrespectful.
Why doesn't the Catholic Church emphasize reading the Bible?
It does — that's a common misconception. Catholics meditate on Scripture at every Mass, the Catechism urgently exhorts all the faithful to read Scripture often ("Ignorance of the Scriptures is ignorance of Christ"), and the Church even grants indulgences for Bible reading.
Should Catholics read Kierkegaard?
Probably with profit. Kierkegaard (1813–1855) was a Danish Lutheran and a Christian critic of Christianity as he understood it. There will be disagreements with Catholic thought, but Catholics could likely find much of value — criticism from within, like Erasmus's, doesn't make a writer un-Christian.
How important is the Old Testament for Catholics?
Very. It is an indispensable, divinely inspired part of Scripture of permanent value, ordered to prepare for and prophesy Christ, and a treasury of teaching on God, wisdom for life and prayer. The Church has always rejected discarding it.
Is Mark 16:17-18 proof that snake handling tests one's faith?
No. The signs in Mark 16, such as casting out demons and drinking poison, were not given to prove an individual's faith or a "special anointing," as the Church of God with Signs Following teaches. They were given to confirm the truth of Christ's message.
Do Bibles survive from A.D. 400–1500, and did they leave out the deuterocanonical books?
Yes, Bibles from that period survive in museums, and even a second-century Latin translation has survived in part. Until Martin Luther, the deuterocanonical books were never omitted or placed in a separate, non-canonical section.
What was the sin of the Tower of Babel?
The narrative suggests the sin was overweening human pride and self-sufficiency: the builders wanted to "make a name" for themselves. Commentators note the passage is about discord and dispersion rather than the miraculous origin of languages.
Where can I find a copy of The Assumption of Moses, which Jude 9 refers to?
The part of *The Assumption of Moses* that Jude cites has been lost. A long Latin portion was found in Milan and published in 1861, but it breaks off at chapter 12, before the passage Jude used.
Read in depth
Scripture and Tradition
Protestants hold the Bible is the only rule of faith. Catholics hold, as the Bible itself indicates, that the rule of faith is Scripture together with apostolic Tradition, taught by the Church's living Magisterium. The verses cited for "Scripture alone" do not teach it, and Jesus condemned only human traditions that void God's word.
The Anti-Catholic "Bible"
Loraine Boettner's *Roman Catholicism* (1962) is the source most anti-Catholic organizations rely on. It looks scholarly, but it accepts any charge uncritically, cites Catholic sources vaguely or not at all, relies on bitter ex-Catholics, and ignores the early Fathers.
In Scripture
- 2 Timothy 3:16
- 2 Peter 3:15-16
- 2 Maccabees 12:43-46
- Hebrews 11:35
- 2 Timothy 3:16-17
- Psalm 119:105
- Luke 24:27
- Hebrews 4:12
- Matthew 10:3
- Mark 3:18
- Luke 6:16
- Job 1:6-12
- Revelation 21:27
- 2 Timothy 2:1-2
- 1 Corinthians 15:29
- John 3:5
- Luke 22:19
- 1 Corinthians 11:24
- Matthew 18:18
- John 20:22-23
- Romans 5:12
- James 5:14
- James 2:14-26
- Romans 3:20
- Romans 4:15
- Romans 3:28
- Numbers 20:6-11
- Exodus 17:5-7
- Numbers 20:12
- Acts 9:15
- 1 Corinthians 9:1-2
- 2 Timothy 2:2
- 2 Thessalonians 2:15
- Genesis 9:21-22
- Genesis 9:23
- Mark 16:17-18
- Hebrews 2:4
- Genesis 11:1-9
- Jude 9
- John 20:30-31
- 2 Timothy 3:14-17
- Luke 10:16
- Matthew 28:19
- Romans 10:17
- 1 Corinthians 15:3
- 1 Corinthians 15:11
- 1 Corinthians 11:2
- Acts 2:42
- Acts 20:35
- Matthew 15:3
- Matthew 15:6-9
- Colossians 2:8
- Exodus 20:12
- Matthew 23:2-3
- 1 Timothy 3:15
- Genesis 19
- Hebrews 13:2
- 1 Peter 3:15
Key terms
- Catechism
- An organized summary of Catholic teaching; especially the Catechism of the Catholic Church, published in 1992.
- Deuterocanonical Books
- Seven Old Testament books — Tobit, Judith, 1 and 2 Maccabees, Wisdom, Sirach and Baruch — plus parts of Esther and Daniel, accepted by Catholics as inspired Scripture.
- Dogma
- A truth revealed by God that the Church proposes, in a definitive way, as requiring the assent of faith from all Catholics.