The Strand Study Bible

LUKE

LUKE

1653

the dead” detestable as well? The answer is “yes.” The problem with “praying for the dead” is that, biblically speaking, it is impossible for dead people to benefit from living people’s prayers; for according to the Scriptures, once a person dies… it’s over ( Eccl 9:4 -6). Charles C. Ryrie in The Ryrie Study Bible notes: The dead have no further opportunities of securing compensation for their labors .5 Meaning: All the prayers in the world for the departed are in vain. Why? Because what you are for God is determined here, not in the hereafter. Either you trusted CHRIST as your only means of salvation while you were alive or you didn’t (Acts 4:12). Paul said in II Corinthians 6:2: …behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation. Now, not later, is when salvation counts. About the book: 2 Maccabees presents a revisited version of the historical events recounted in the first seven chapters of 1Maccabees . In summation: After the death of Antiochus IV Epiphanes, the Feast of the Dedication of the Temple is instituted. The newly dedicated Temple is threatened by Nicanor, and after his death, the festivities for the dedication are concluded. Unlike 1Maccabees , however, 2Maccabees adds material from the Pharisaic tradition, which includes praying for the dead and a resurrection on judgment day. Like 1 Maccabees , 2 Maccabees is a book of information, not inspiration. 7. Judith (c. 100 BC) Found within in the Septuagint (the Greek version of the Hebrew Scriptures), the book of Judith did not make it into the Jewish canon ( Genesis – Malachi ). It is, however, part of the Catholic and Eastern Orthodox canons. Question is: Why isn’t Judith found in any of our modern versions today? The answer is threefold: 1. Jesus didn’t include it in what He called Scripture (Lk 11:51) 2. It was never included in the Hebrew canon 3. It didn’t line up with Scripture The book of Judith contains numerous historical erroneous dating, which is why many scholars accept it as non-historical; it has been considered nothing more than a parable or perhaps the first historical novel. 8. Additions to Esther (c. 114 - 30 BC) Found within in the Septuagint (the Greek version of the Hebrew Scriptures), the book of the Additions to Esther did not make it into the Jewish canon ( Genesis – Malachi ). It is, however, part of the Catholic and Eastern Orthodox canons. Question is: Why isn’t the Additions to Esther found in any of our modern versions today? The answer is threefold: 1. Jesus didn’t include it in what He called Scripture (Lk 11:51) 2. It was never included in the Hebrew canon 3. It was a deliberate fabrication, published by an unknown author Daniel J. Harrington in Invitation to the Apocrypha notes: Indeed, the revised and expanded Greek version of Esther was most likely produced to make the book more acceptable. 6 4. It didn’t line up with Scripture The Additions to Esther consists of six passages (107 verses). Removed by Jerome in the 4th century CE and placed at the end of Esther, the Additions to Esther was eventually canonized at the Council of Trent (held between AD 1545 -1563). Unlike the Hebrew account in the book of Esther where the woman Esther simply appears before the king and is immediately and favorably received, the Additions to Esther claims that Esther was frozen with fear ( Add Esth 15:5) and finds the kings so terrifying that she faints ( Add Esth 15:7), not once, but twice ( Add Esth 15:13-15). 9. Wisdom of Solomon

10. The additions to the book of Daniel 11. Song of the Three Holy Children 12. Susanna 13. Bel and the Dragon

Note the following six books which are in the Greek and Slavonic Bibles but not in the Roman Catholic Canon (though some of them occur in Latin):

14. Psalm 151 (c. 250 BC) 15. Prayer of Manesseh (c. 90 BC)

16. 3 Maccabees (c. 1 BC) 17. 4 Maccabees (c. AD 25) 18. 1 Esdras (which is Greek for Ezra – c. AD 100) 19. 2 Esdras (c. AD 100)

The Pseudepigrapha (24 books) (written between 260 BC – AD 280)