My wife’s friend gave her an NIV study bible. I’ve been telling her that it’s not a Catholic bible and that if she wants to study the Bible based on our faith, she should study one of the approved Catholic versions.
Does anyone have any suggestions? Is there any information from USCCB that would help me convince her it’s not good to read a Protestant version?
Thanks!
Most good friends would supply a Catholic friend with a Catholic Bible.
However, often non Catholics do not realise that Catholic translations contain more books in the Old Testament than the Protestant, to them- one Bible is as good as another !
Both your wife and her friend should be encouraged to find out why Protestant versions do not include ALL the books of the Bible. This is an important historical fact, linked closely to the denial of specific Catholic teachings regarding Christ, His Church and our Salvation
Commentaries in these non Catholic Bibles often DO NOT support the following Catholic beliefs: the True Presence of Christ in the Eucharist, the formation and authority of Christ’s Church, the necessity for Baptism, the Mass as a Sacrifice, the efficacy of prayers for the dead - to name a few.
In fact in one non Catholic Bible, it is claimed that Jesus is
A GOD!
The Bible originally used by the early Christian Church consisted of just the Old Testament writings from the Septuagint which were quoted and taught by Our Lord and His Apostles.
These same Christians, during the year 110 AD, were first called ‘Catholic’ because ‘catholic’ simply meant 'universal.
This Catholic Church gathered together (some) from many of the early writings. those which were known to be taught and written originally by the Apostles and proclaimed these as inspired by the Holy Spirit, adding them to the Bible, naming the section as ‘the New Testament ‘to be used by the entire Church. Thus all sections (canon) of the Bible, both the New Testament and the Old Testament
were finalised during the 4th century, and preserved without error by being laboriously copied by hand by the monks through ALL the centuries until the invention of printing.
Regarding the non Catholic, (Protestant) Bible: In the early 16th century, ONE person (Luther), who was an Augustinian priest, decided books from the Septuagint were not inspired and he opted instead for a later Jewish translation of the Old Testament, from which had been removed any hints which could reveal Jesus Christ as the ‘promised’ on’. He also deleted 7 complete books from the Old Testament and would have deleted another 2 from the New Testament (if his followers had not protested) since this conformed better to his own beliefs.
“Protestant copies usually lack the seven books (viz: Tobit, Judith, Wisdom, Sirach, Baruch, and First and Second Maccabees) and parts of books (viz: Esther 10:4-16:24, and Daniel 3:24-90; 13:1-14:42) which are not found in the Jewish editions of the Old Testament” info from New Advent - Catholic Encyclopaedia.
G.K.Chesterton a convert to the Catholic Church, wrote a brilliant parable regarding the Catholic Church and its Bible.
It went something like this: He describes a large, Eucharistic Procession slowly winding its way through the streets, led by the Bishops and priests. Completing the group were numerous Catholics who were carrying carefully and with reverence many other beautiful items : statues of the blessed Virgin Mary, of the saints, prayer books, Rosaries, candles, and their sacred, treasured book, the Bible.
Suddenly, another group bursts on the scene, noisily attacking the participants in the procession, and smashing and destroying all the items except for the Bible which they snatch and run away with, proclaiming it to be ‘theirs’.
(my apologies to G.K.C. if this account is not a completely accurate retelling of his story!!).
The Problem with Protestant Bibles and their associated commentaries is not only accuracy but that they may be 80% in conformity with Catholic teachings which date back from the time Christ established His Church, but the other 20% may be completely off track, with key parts missing , or added or distorted, to prove a ‘personal idea’ of what one individual and his /her followers PREFER to believe.
JJM
Glory be to the Most Holy Trinity, the Father, and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit as it was in the beginning, is now and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.