REASONS THE APOCRYPHA BOOKS WERE NOT PART OF THE BIBLE.

REASONS THE APOCRYPHA BOOKS WERE NOT PART OF THE BIBLE.

EVER HEARD OF THE GOSPEL OF JUDAS, THOMAS OR MARY MAGDALENE? HERE’S WHY THEY’RE NOT IN THE BIBLE 

Once upon a time, even in the early days of Christianity, many writings appeared claiming to tell the story of Jesus.

Some were called “Gospels”… but they weren’t Matthew, Mark, Luke, or John.

They had titles like:

📜 The Gospel of Thomas
📜 The Gospel of Mary Magdalene
📜 The Gospel of Judas
📜 The Infancy Gospel of James
📜 The Gospel of Peter
📜 The Gospel of the Egyptians
📜 The Gospel of the Twelve
📜 The Protoevangelium of James
📜 And many more…

So what happened to them?

And why weren’t they included in the Bible?

Let’s break it down 👇🏽

✝️These writings are known as the “Apocryphal Gospels” or “Gnostic Gospels.”

The word "apocryphal" means hidden, doubtful, or not authentic, because these books were not recognized as inspired by the Holy Spirit or faithful to the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus.

Why not?

Because most were written long after Jesus lived, sometimes 100 to 300 years later, and not by eyewitnesses or Apostles.

And even worse…

✝️ They contained strange teachings that contradicted the faith passed down from the Apostles.

Examples:

📖 The Gospel of Thomas is not a story about Jesus' life at all, just 114 secret sayings, many of them mystical and Gnostic, teaching salvation through hidden knowledge instead of grace.

📖 The Gospel of Judas claims Judas wasn’t a traitor, but Jesus’ closest friend who betrayed Him at Jesus’ own request.

📖 The Infancy Gospel of Thomas tells strange stories of a young Jesus striking children dead… then raising them back to life.

📖 The Gospel of Mary Magdalene says Mary was the true leader of the Apostles, with no basis in apostolic tradition.

These writings were often sensational, secretive, and misleading.

- They were not written by Apostles.
- They were not read in the official worship of the Church.
- They contradicted the true Gospel message.

✝️ So how did the Church decide what belonged in the Bible?

The bishops of the early Church, guided by the Holy Spirit, carefully discerned which writings were truly inspired.

They looked for:

- Apostolic origin (Was it written by an Apostle or his close companion?)
- Agreement with the faith (Did it match what the Church had always taught?)
- Use in the liturgy (Was it read publicly in Mass?)
- Universal acceptance (Was it accepted by Christian communities across the world?)

The result?

📖 Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John were confirmed as the four inspired Gospels.

The others? Rejected, not because they were hidden, but because they were false.

✝️ So when people say:

 “Why are there only four Gospels?”
or
“Is the Church hiding secret books?”

Just remember:

👉🏾 The Church didn’t hide the truth.
She protected it.

She rejected false gospels to keep the true Gospel pure.

The Word of God is not a puzzle of secret codes and mystery books.
It’s the clear and saving truth of Jesus Christ, handed down faithfully, protected by the Church, and still alive today.

So next time someone says:

 “What about the Gospel of Thomas and other gospels?”
Confirm that...
👉🏾 “That’s not the Gospel the Apostles handed down. I’ll stick with the truth that saves.”

God bless you  

by, Violet Chanyisa, Kenya.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Theme: Shepherding the Flock: Equipping the Saints for the Work of Ministry

Image
Theme: Shepherding the Flock: Equipping the Saints for the Work of Ministry (Ephesians 4:11–12; 1 Peter 5:2–3) Topic: The Noble Task: Understanding the Beauty and Weight of Oversight (1 Timothy 3:1; Acts 14:23; 1 Peter 5:1–2) INTRODUCTION Kunle Eniola (Preacher). Brethren, today we are considering one of the most important subjects in the life of the church—the role of spiritual leadership, particularly elders, and the responsibility of shepherding God’s people. In Ephesians 4:11–12 , the Bible says: “And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ.” Also, in 1 Peter 5:2–3 , Peter writes: “The elders who are among you I exhort… Shepherd the flock of God which is among you, serving as overseers…but making yourselves ensamples to the flock.” From these passages, we learn that leadership in the church ...
Read more

CROSSOVER NIGHT AND THE SILENCE OF SCRIPTURE

Image
“CROSSOVER NIGHT” AND THE SILENCE OF SCRIPTURE Joshua Ojo. A Biblical Examination of New Year’s Eve Vigils “What thing soever I command you, observe to do it: thou shalt not add thereto, nor diminish from it.” — Deuteronomy 12:32 INTRODUCTION:  A PRACTICE ALMOST EVERYONE ACCEPTS As December 31st approaches each year, religious centers across the world prepare for what is popularly called “Crossover Night,”  “Watch Night,” or “New Year’s Eve Vigil.” Church halls are decorated. Special services are announced. Prophecies are pronounced. “Declarations” are made over the coming year. People are told that how you cross over determines how your year will go. For many, this practice feels spiritual, emotional, and meaningful. But the most important question is not: Is it popular? Is it emotional? Is it traditional? Does it feel good? The only question that matters is: “Is it authorized by Scripture?” The Bible warns us: “Prove all things; hold fast that which is good.” — 1...
Read more

Swim To The Light!

Image
Swim To The Light! In October 1917, an immigrant passenger ship bound from Italy to New York was caught in a violent Atlantic storm. Among the third-class passengers was a twenty-eight-year-old carpenter named Antonio Russo, traveling alone with his five-year-old daughter, Maria. Antonio’s wife had died in childbirth two years earlier. America was supposed to be their second beginning. A place where poverty loosened its grip. A place where Maria might grow up with choices her mother never had. At 2:00 a.m., the storm struck hard. Waves smashed across the deck. Water poured into the lower compartments where immigrant families slept. The ship began to list. Panic spread faster than the flooding. Antonio lifted Maria from their bunk and ran. By the time he reached the corridor, water was already waist-deep and rising fast. Passengers screamed, shoved, fell. Bodies pressed together, all of them fighting toward the same narrow stairways, the same shrinking chance at life. Antoni...
Read more