The statement that 75 books were removed from the Bible is not entirely accurate. There is no historical evidence to support this claim. The Bible we know today is a culmination of various texts that were chosen and compiled over centuries.
Here's a breakdown of the process:
The Formation of the Bible:
- Old Testament: The Old Testament, primarily consisting of Jewish scriptures, was compiled over a period of centuries, beginning around the 5th century BC.
- New Testament: The New Testament, containing the life and teachings of Jesus Christ and his early followers, was written and compiled between the 1st and 2nd centuries AD.
- Canonization: The process of deciding which books should be included in the Bible (canonization) was a gradual one, completed by different Christian communities over time.
Different Versions of the Bible:
- Catholic Bible: The Catholic Bible includes 46 books in the Old Testament, while Protestant Bibles typically include 39. This difference stems from the inclusion of seven additional books in the Catholic Bible, often called the Deuterocanonical books.
- Eastern Orthodox Bible: The Eastern Orthodox Bible includes the same books as the Catholic Bible.
The Key Takeaway:
The Bible's formation was a complex process, and the inclusion or exclusion of certain texts was influenced by theological, historical, and cultural factors. However, there is no evidence of a mass removal of 75 books. The differences in the Bible's content are primarily due to different theological interpretations and the inclusion or exclusion of certain books during the canonization process.
