The Fourth Book of Ezra

[vir_fidelis]

A co-worker handed me a book today called “The Fourth Book of Ezra”. The publisher’s preface reads: “This book is one of the wisest among those of the Holy Scriptures, containing the secrets of God and of all the prophets in the most comprehensible form.” It goes on to state: “…it was declared apogryphic or doubtful by the first Christian Council, not in reference to its contents, but because of doubts as to the authority of the author.”

I would like to get some background on this book’s origin, and understand why it was excluded from the Canon, but I can find no mention of this book on Catholic sites, including this one. Can anyone shed any light on this?

 

[Ron_Conte]

A co-worker handed me a book today called “The Fourth Book of Ezra”. The publisher’s preface reads: “This book is one of the wisest among those of the Holy Scriptures, containing the secrets of God and of all the prophets in the most comprehensible form.” It goes on to state: “…it was declared apogryphic or doubtful by the first Christian Council, not in reference to its contents, but because of doubts as to the authority of the author.”

I would like to get some background on this book’s origin, and understand why it was excluded from the Canon, but I can find no mention of this book on Catholic sites, including this one. Can anyone shed any light on this?

The Catholic Canon of Scripture is 73 books. There are three apocryphal books, i.e. non-canonical books, not inspired by God, but still useful:
Oratio Manasse - Liber Tertius Esdrae - Liber Quartus Esdrae
The prayer of Manasseh, three and four Esdra

The contents are not condemned and do not contain anything contrary to sound doctrine. But the books are not part of Holy Scripture; they are not inspired. Inspiration has nothing to do with the authority of the human author.