What is the deal with the "other" 7 books of the Bible according to Catholics?

The extra books in the Roman Catholic Bible are referred to as Deuterocanonical books. It's a term used since the sixteenth century to describe certain books and passages of the Christian Old Testament that are not part of the Hebrew Bible. There are actually seven complete books and additions to two other books of the Hebrew Bible.

The Catholic deuterocanonical scriptural texts are:

• Tobit
• Judith
• Additions to Esther (Vulgate Esther 10:4-16:24)
• Wisdom
• Sirach (or Ecclesiasticus)
• Baruch, including the Letter of Jeremiah (Additions to Jeremiah in the Septuagint)
• Additions to Daniel:
  • Prayer of Azariah and Song of the Three Holy Children (Vulgate Daniel 3:24-90)
  • Susanna (Vulgate Daniel 13, Septuagint prologue
  • Bel and the Dragon (Vulgate Daniel 14, Septuagint epilogue)
• 1 Maccabees
• 2 Maccabees

For the Catholic Church, the first declaration of which books would be considered "biblical" was made by the Council of Trent in the 16th century. The number one reason for the Council of Trent to convene was to counter the effects of Martin Luther's Reformation movement.

When Luther advanced his own list of biblical (canonical) books, he left out the list above. He labeled them as "Apocryphal" (a word that means hidden). Therefore the Council of Trent passed a decree (fourth session) confirming that the deuterocanonical books were on a par with the other books of the Bible and of equal authority. (It is generally believed that the Council made this decision to spite Luther.)

To this day these extra books are consider Apocryphal by Protestant (and especially Evangelical) Christians.

1. What does it mean to blaspheme the Holy Spirit?


2. What kind of encouragement does the Bible have for us in these challenging economic times?


3. Who wrote the Bible?


4. Why does the word Selah appear so often in the Psalms and what does it mean?


5. Are we saved by making a choice of our own freewill, or does God choose those who will be saved ahead of time?


6. Do People Become Angels After They Die?


7. Does God Really Care Who I Marry?


8. Did God really say He would never give us more than we can bear?


9. How does God want us to look at the past?


10. What Does the Bible Say About Living Together Before Marriage?


11. Who decided which order the books of the Bible should be in and are they in the proper order?


12. What does God's Word say about divorce because of an abusive situation, and remarriage after that?


13. Will believers return to earth during the Millennial Kingdom (Jesus' 1000 year reign)?


14. What happens when people die?


15. If a person takes their own life are they condemned to hell or will they be permitted to enter into heaven?


16. Were the authors of the Old Testament inspired by the Holy Spirit? If so, does that mean the Holy Spirit came to live in humans long before Jesus' crucifixion?


17. Why don't Christians observe the true biblical Sabbath (Saturday) as a holy day?


18. Is there anything in God's Word forbidding a believer to get a tattoo?


19. What does the Bible say about Homosexuality?


20. Why don't Christians keep the Sabbath regulations as they were handed down in the Old Testament?


21. Recently had a Prayer Positions Chart emailed to me and was surprised at how many there were. Does the Bible mention Prayer Positions?


22. What does the Bible say about holding grudges and staying angry towards a person who did you wrong?


23. Can a person be saved and not receive the Holy Spirit?


24. Can a Christian lose their salvation?


25. At what age can a person accept Christ? Is there an age that is truly too young to do so?


26. Is the Rapture biblical?


27. Are Dinosaurs mentioned in the Bible?


28. Do our pets go to heaven?


29. Should someone tithe on an inheritance?


30. Where are we in the events of the Last Days?


31. Is it appropriate for Christians to partipate in Halloween?


32. Where in the Bible does it talk about actions speaking louder than words, or winning others to Christ by how we live our life rather than just a bunch of empty words?


33. In the millennial kingdom, animal sacrifices will start again at the new temple there, from what I understand. Why is that?


34. What does it mean that God created man in His own image?


35. How should a new Christian interact with their friends who are unsaved, especially unmarried friends of the opposite sex?


36. How do we reconcile the message of Ezekiel 18 which says a son is not punished for his father's sins, with Exodus 34:7 which speaks of God "punishing the children for the sin of the fathers to the third and fourth generation"?


37. What can we say to someone who says that the Bible contradicts itself? For example, doesn't the prohibition against committing murder contradict the many people in the Bible who were put to death at God's command?


38. Where does the doctrine "the age of acknowledgement or understanding" originate from and is there any reference to age in the bible?


39. Is there mention of cremation in the scriptures, as to whether it should be a Christian's choice for burial?


40. What might be the best version of the bible to use with elementary age children?


41. I was listening to your study on the book of Ezekiel chapter 18 and I was wondering if you could clarify on the matter of generational curses. You said that each man will be judged only on their sin and not on that of their fathers, but how then can you explain the following: Numbers 14:18 and Exodus 20:5?


42. What is the deal with the "other" 7 books of the Bible according to Catholics?


43. Because Jesus was tempted, we know that being tempted is not a sin in itself. But Jesus said if you look at someone in lust, it is committing adultery, which is sin. Since both are in the mind and not an action, how do you distinguish between being tempted and lusting?