We have heard the objection as to books canonized and books not canonized, which begs the question: What is canonizing a book all about anyway? The council of Nicea was the first to create a canon (read: rule of the newly formed Catholic - or "universal" - Church). The canonization of the books was well down the list of canons adopted at this meeting. The books canonized are not the same books you have in your bible, unless your bible includes Judith and the Apocalypse of Peter. If your bible contains Revelation, then you are reading a non-canonical text, at least according to Nicea.

One might ask the question: What criteria was used to canonize anyway? Answer: Who knows? The most obvious answer is: We think these are the books that fit.

We received a new canon from the council of Laodicea (yes, from the mouths of the "lukewarm") which gave us a different roster, and yes, it was different from today's books. Finally, the council of Trent canonized the modern Catholic bible which (guess what?) includes the Apocrypha. The King James Bible, until 1857, also included the Apocrypha, eliminating all doubt that the Apocrypha existed in both the Catholic and Protestant bibles.

If you are not reading the Apocrypha, then you are ignoring canonized text.

However, we who accept the Sabbath as set forth in Scripture (to be on the seventh day, not the eighth or first day, but the seventh day) are not inclined to accept the opinion of those who created a religion which merged the doctrines of the faith with elements of paganism as practiced by the Romans at that time, which they conveniently called a "canon." Instead, we look to the Textus Receptus - the text we have received in the Greek, the Aramaic, and the Hebrew.

The captivity has been set free from Roman bondage and its mark - which is Sunday worship (not described anywhere in the "Canon").

Before you quickly repeat that you cannot read 4 Ezra, 1 Maccabees, the Wisdom of Sirach, the Book of Enoch, or Jubilees because they were not "canonized", consider the source. The Essenes at Qumran considered the texts of Enoch and Jubilees valuable enough to make multiple copies. Maybe we should take their opinion over the Romans.

For further reading...

Canonicity: The Septuagint – Part 1

Canonicity: The Ethiopic Bible – Part 2

Canonicity: The Synod of Jamnia – Part 3

Canonicity: The Council of Nicea – Part 4

Canonicity: The Council of Laodicea – Part 5

Qs and As on the Cepher Chanok (Book of Enoch)

The Cepher of Chanok (Book of Enoch) - its structure

The Cepher of Chanok (Book of Enoch) - its credibility

Cepher Chanok: On the veracity of the Book of Enoch

Cepher Chanok: Understanding the Book of Enoch