Re: 66 Books in the Bible (for Steven Carr)

Steven Carr (steven@bowness.demon.co.uk)
Fri, 23 May 1997 18:06:01 +0100

CARR

Melito (c. 170 AD) gives the list as follows :-'Their names are as
follows: Of Moses, five books: Genesis, Exodus, Numbers, Leviticus,
Deuteronomy; Jesus Nave, Judges, Ruth; of Kings, four books; of
Chronicles, two; the Psalms of David, the Proverbs of Solomon, Wisdom
also, Ecclesiastes, Song of Songs, Job; of Prophets, Isaiah, Jeremiah;
of the twelve prophets, one book ; Daniel, Ezekiel, Esdras.'

As you can see, he includes the Wisdom of Solomon and excludes Esther.

(DAVE 5/21) Steven: Why is this do you think? What is the history of
Esther as far as canonization goes? And what is "Jesus Nave" - I have
never heard of that?

CARR 23/5
He probably excluded Esther because it does not mention God. 'Jesus' is
the Greek form of 'Joshua', so Jesus Nave is Joshua. Joshua was
considered to be a prototype of Jesus, simply because the names were the
same.

In case you were wondering, 4 books of Kings because the Septuagint
calls them 1,2,3,4 Kings and not 1,2, Samuel, 1,2 Kings.

Steven
Notice that he will be including Nehemiah with Ezra and Lamentations,
and possibly Baruch, in with Jeremiah.

(DAVE 5/21) Steven: Could Esther be included in some way in any of the
above?

CARR 23/5
No.

-- 
Steven Carr steven@bowness.demon.co.uk
Visit the UK's leading atheist Web page
 http://www.bowness.demon.co.uk/