EVERY BOOK IN THE BIBLE MATTERS

​“Dear Kuya Jeff, thanks so much for that super engaging discussion on the Maccabean Revolt—it really got me thinking! It’s amazing and honestly inspiring how our spiritual ancestors stood up for their faith, even against the powerful Greek empire, knowing it could cost them their lives. It reminds me that above everything, our relationship with God is what matters most—definitely not something we should trade away, no matter the pressure or perks. Quick question though! I’ve been using the Good News Bible for my personal study (it proudly says “With Deuterocanonicals/Apocrypha” on the cover, by the way), and it has all 73 books. But my friend’s Bible—she’s using the King James Version—only has 66 books. I noticed that 1 and 2 Maccabees, plus a few others from my Bible, are missing in hers. I’d really love to have a thoughtful convo with her about why we Catholics include those extra books—and maybe even encourage her to explore the full version of God’s Word. What solid points or historical reasons can I share to help explain why those seven books (especially Maccabees) truly belong in the Bible? Looking forward to your insights and to more Bible Study sessions ahead. Thanks again and God bless, Kuya!” – Kring

The Catholic Church officially set the Bible’s canon at 73 books—that’s 46 in the Old Testament and 27 in the New Testament. But Martin Luther, a former Augustinian monk who was later excommunicated for refusing to take back teachings that challenged Church authority—especially about indulgences and the pope—disagreed with that. He believed that only the books found in the Hebrew Bible (the Masoretic Text) should count as Scripture. So he removed seven books from the Old Testament: Tobit, Judith, Wisdom, Sirach (Ecclesiasticus), Baruch, and 1 & 2 Maccabees. These were all part of the Greek Septuagint, which had long been used by the early Church and by Jesus and the Apostles themselves. Some of these books went against the new ideas forming in Luther’s theology—like purgatory and prayers for the dead (2 Maccabees 12:45), almsgiving as atonement (Tobit 12:9, Sirach 3:30), and the intercession of saints and angels. These didn’t fit with sola fide (salvation by faith alone) and other core ideas of the Protestant Reformation, so he labeled them apocrypha, meaning books to be “hidden.” But as Catholics—members of the One True Church founded by Christ on Peter and the Apostles—we believe and uphold all 73 books as the full and complete Word of God. Now, let me give you eight reasons why we should read all 73 books of the Bible—and not settle for a shorter version that’s missing key parts of the story:

1. The Bible itself gives a strong warning not to add or remove anything from God’s Word
In Revelation 22:18–19, it says that if anyone adds to the words of the book, they’ll face the plagues written in it. And if anyone takes away from it, they’ll lose their share in eternal life. Earlier in Revelation 1:11, Jesus tells John, “Write down everything you see and send it to the churches.” That’s a clear sign—everything God reveals should be written and kept whole, not edited or filtered. 2 Timothy 3:16–17 also reminds us that all Scripture is inspired by God (“God-breathed”) and useful for teaching, correcting, and guiding us in how to live. So if it’s inspired by the Holy Spirit, it’s not something we’re free to change. That’s where the Magisterium of the Church, together with Sacred Tradition, comes in. The Church—founded by Jesus and guided by the Holy Spirit—has the responsibility to safeguard truly inspired books. It’s not up to just one person to decide what stays or goes. So if God inspired all 73 books that the Catholic Church officially recognized in 382 AD, then we aren’t meant to mess with that. The Bible isn’t a personal project—it’s a sacred gift, and we’re called to receive it whole and unchanged.

2. They Were Included in the Septuagint
1 and 2 Maccabees were included in the Septuagint—the Greek version of the Old Testament that a lot of Jews in the 1st century used, especially in places like Alexandria and other Greek-speaking areas. Jesus and the Apostles often quoted from the Septuagint, even when it didn’t exactly match the Hebrew version. Since the early Church was mostly made up of Greek-speaking Christians, they naturally treated the Septuagint as their Old Testament. So if the early Christians used the Septuagint, and the Septuagint included 1 and 2 Maccabees, then those books—as well as the rest of the deuterocanonicals—were basically treated as Scripture.

3. Early Church Fathers Quoted Maccabees as Scripture
A lot of the early Church Fathers saw Maccabees as legit Scripture. For example, Origen (in the 3rd century) included 1 Maccabees in his list of biblical books. Augustine (around the late 300s to early 400s) also treated Maccabees as Scripture—he even used it to support teachings like purgatory and praying for the dead. In City of God 18.36, he wrote something like: “The Jews celebrate the day the temple was cleaned and restored… just like we read in the books of the Maccabees.”

4. Used in Liturgical and Catechetical Contexts in the Early Church
Passages from Maccabees were actually used in Church liturgies, homilies, and teaching sessions. That shows people didn’t treat them as ordinary literature or history—they were seen and used as sacred Scripture in real life.

5. Affirmed by Early Church Councils
Church councils officially confirmed 1 and 2 Maccabees as part of the Bible—starting with the Council of Rome in 382 AD under Pope Damasus I, then at Hippo in 393, and Carthage in 397 and 419. Later on, the Councils of Florence (1442) and Trent (1546) backed that up again. Basically, these councils listed the same Old Testament books the Catholic Church uses today—including 1 and 2 Maccabees. The One, Holy, Catholic, And Apostolic Church was founded by Jesus Christ Himself on Peter and the Apostles. As the spouse of the Holy Spirit, the Church is guided and protected from error in matters of faith and morals. Because of this divine guidance, the Church—not any one individual—has the true authority to determine which books belong in the Holy Bible. It is not up to a single person like Martin Luther to change the canon that the Church, through the Holy Spirit, has recognized for centuries.

6. Supports New Testament Teachings
2 Maccabees 12:44–45 talks about praying for the dead, saying it’s a “holy and wholesome thought” to do so—so they can be freed from their sins. That lines up with Catholic teachings on purgatory and intercessory prayer, and it’s similar to what Paul does in 2 Timothy 1:18 when he prays for Onesiphorus. Also, Hebrews 11:35 seems to point back to the martyr stories in 2 Maccabees 7 about people being tortured but choosing to die in hope of rising to a better life. These kinds of references show that New Testament writers likely knew these stories and saw them as spiritually meaningful.

7. 1 Maccabees is a Historical Bridge
It fills in super important history between the Old and New Testaments—like the Maccabean Revolt, where Hanukkah came from, and how the Hasmonean dynasty started. Without it, Protestant Bibles leave a big 400-year gap they called the “400 years of silence” with no background on what happened during that time. God couldn’t just disappear for 400 years—right? He’s not the kind of Father who goes silent and walks away. He’s always loving, always guiding, always present—24/7. So it makes sense that He was still working, still speaking, still moving in those so-called “silent years.” Books like 1 and 2 Maccabees help us see that God was never absent—He was right there, faithfully preparing hearts for what was to come.

8. Orthodox and Catholic Churches Retain Them
The Orthodox and Catholic Churches are the two ancient branches of the one Church founded by Jesus Christ (Matthew 16:18). Both trace their origins to the apostles. They share the same sacraments, apostolic succession, and deep reverence for Scripture and Tradition. The Eastern Orthodox and Catholic Churches all include 1 and 2 Maccabees in their Bibles. So for over 1,500 years—and even now—most Christians around the world have recognized these books as part of Scripture.

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