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Lost Books of the Bible For Dummies
Lost Books of the Bible For Dummies is your one-stop guide to once-hidden works that add a new dimension to Biblical teachings. Most people have heard about the discovery of strange ancient religious writings that are not part the Hebrew Bible or the New Testament, such as the Gnostic Gospels. Now, you will find new insights and a fresh perspective on long-lost works that may have once been in the running for Biblical inclusion, but didn't make the final cut. This easy-to-understand guide examines the sometimes weird, provocative, and profoundly moving texts that have been "lost" as well as those hotly debated works that are in some Bibles and not others. You will come away with a clearer understanding of the Judeo-Christian religion and the development of the Biblical canon. You’ll learn about the origins of the Bible, explore early scriptures, and understand why translations affect the meanings of texts. You’ll even learn how the Greek influenced early Biblical writing. Find out how Complete with a list of ten of the weirdest Jewish lost books, ten of the weirdest Christian lost books, ten sayings of Jesus NOT in the Bible, and ten “lost books that every student of the Bible should read, Lost Books of the Bible For Dummies is your one-stop guide to understanding and reading the Biblical lost books.
366 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2008
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Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
May 30, 2017
Have you ever spent a blissful few hours on Wikipedia investigating non-canonical Biblical books and decided to read them only to find there are two many to retrace your internet steps? Well, you're not alone. This is the book for you. It covers essentially everything and tells you which books contain the texts. There are a couple of short obscure texts it overlooks, but if you bought the anthologies it recommends you would have them anyway. It also doesn't cover the Ethiopic canon, possibly because very little of it is available in English.
I have knocked off a star because in places lazy writing means the subject and verb of sentences do not align.
I have knocked off a star because in places lazy writing means the subject and verb of sentences do not align.
March 3, 2020
A most informative overview of ancient texts, some never accepted by bible compilers, and others either just not included based on content or only more recently discovered...
March 9, 2011
This book stresses rigorous scholarship and Hermeneutic consistency
It covers a lot of the so-called "Lost" books of the Bible, books which were either left out of the "standard" Bible we all know today, or even possibly they were suppressed. The scholarship is well researched and the authors' opinions are both lucid and cogent. If you are looking for an introduction to ancient Hebrew Scriptures or researching the evolution of the Christian Biblical canon this is not a bad place for the beginner to start. They also discuss Nontrinitarians, the Gnosticism of the Cathars, Biblical hermeneutics, and Exegesis.
They also reveal a lost section of Genesis where Noah explains why he thought bringing mosquitoes aboard the Ark was such a bright idea, and the lost passage in Exodus that reveals that Moses actually wanted to open a deli at the top of Mt. Sinai: Moe's Original 2nd Avenue Deli. (Not enough foot traffic!)
Even though I am a Biblical scholar I never knew that there was, in addition to the Book of Numbers, a book of Lucky Numbers, and the Book of Mrs. Paul, which finally explains why Catholics must not eat meat on Fridays during Lent.
Finally there is an exhaustive list of quotes that most students of scripture were unaware are historically attributed to Jesus, including: "Where's the beef?", "Reports of my death have been exaggerated.", "Who let the dogs out?", and "Cat's Pajamas".
Overall a fantastic book for either the budding or journeyman scholar.
Reviewed by Hershel Krustofski.
It covers a lot of the so-called "Lost" books of the Bible, books which were either left out of the "standard" Bible we all know today, or even possibly they were suppressed. The scholarship is well researched and the authors' opinions are both lucid and cogent. If you are looking for an introduction to ancient Hebrew Scriptures or researching the evolution of the Christian Biblical canon this is not a bad place for the beginner to start. They also discuss Nontrinitarians, the Gnosticism of the Cathars, Biblical hermeneutics, and Exegesis.
They also reveal a lost section of Genesis where Noah explains why he thought bringing mosquitoes aboard the Ark was such a bright idea, and the lost passage in Exodus that reveals that Moses actually wanted to open a deli at the top of Mt. Sinai: Moe's Original 2nd Avenue Deli. (Not enough foot traffic!)
Even though I am a Biblical scholar I never knew that there was, in addition to the Book of Numbers, a book of Lucky Numbers, and the Book of Mrs. Paul, which finally explains why Catholics must not eat meat on Fridays during Lent.
Finally there is an exhaustive list of quotes that most students of scripture were unaware are historically attributed to Jesus, including: "Where's the beef?", "Reports of my death have been exaggerated.", "Who let the dogs out?", and "Cat's Pajamas".
Overall a fantastic book for either the budding or journeyman scholar.
Reviewed by Hershel Krustofski.
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September 23, 2010Lost Books of the Bible For Dummies (For Dummies (Religion & Spirituality)) by Daniel L. Smith-Christopher (2008)
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews