>> So, the protestants relied upon those who rejected Jesus to decide what is and isn't Christian belief. <<
It's worse than that! The Jews convened the Council of Jamnia in part to quell Messianic fervor which they blamed for the Christian problem, as well as the vengence of the Romans against the Zealot revolt, which led to the destruction of the Temple. Therefore, one must keep in mind that the Jews' problem with the deuterocanonical books (called apocrypha by Luther as a deliberate attempt to mislead people) was that they prophecised Christ in the most precise manner!
Oh sure. Rabbis all met in Jambia so that they could deliberately alter the accuracy of their own writings. When are you people going to grow up?
"Therefore, one must keep in mind that the Jews' problem with the deuterocanonical books (called apocrypha by Luther as a deliberate attempt to mislead people) was that they prophecised Christ in the most precise manner!:
I see it a little differently.
I don't read much greater precision about Christ in the Deuterocanonica than in the rest of the Bible, particularly Isaiah, the Psalms and, to a degree, Daniel.
I think the Jews at Jamnia rejected the Septuagint primarily because it was GREEK, and the Jews in post-revolt mode were EXTREMELY bigoted and racist, and rejected anything that wasn't Hebrew as unacceptable (even though the Jews themselves didn't actually SPEAK Hebrew themselves anymore, and hadn't for centuries).
I think Martin Luther's problem with the Deuterocanonica is entirely contained in one passage of one book only: 2 Maccabbees. I don't have the text immediately at hand, but essentially there is a section in which the Maccabeans have a sacrifice of atonement for the sins of the dead, and specifically so that the sins in which those dead died would be forgiven by God.
Obviously, this is prayers for the dead, and the offerings made to the Temple for the souls of the dead, and the forgiveness of the sins of the dead hoped for by this pious exercise, is Biblical authority for the efficacy of INDULGENCES!!!
Luther couldn't abide that, and HAD to get rid of 2 Maccabbees, specifically. Jamnia was the excuse.
Luther also wanted to get rid of James, because of "faith without works is dead" - the NECESSITY of works offended his theology. But he didn't have a Jamnia to rely upon for the NT.
Amen, brother. The Council at Jamnia was held for just that reason - those pesky converts :)
It's worse than that! The Jews convened the Council of Jamnia in part to quell Messianic fervor which they blamed for the Christian problem, as well as the vengence of the Romans against the Zealot revolt, which led to the destruction of the Temple. Therefore, one must keep in mind that the Jews' problem with the deuterocanonical books (called apocrypha by Luther as a deliberate attempt to mislead people) was that they prophecised Christ in the most precise manner!
Respectfully asked...I must admit I have not read all those books, but are they chok full of Messianic prophecies? They must be otherwise it doesn't make much sense for the Jews who are looking to quash the new believes that were threatening them...Please expound as I am interested...thanks!
God's blessings to you and yours.