Lost Books of the Bible

The Bible refers to certain other books that have been lost and theologians often do not know how to deal with this fact. Many will say "if they were inspired, then they would have been preserved and been made part of the canon of scripture." However, I find that response untenable and the result of circular reasoning. Are we to believe that all those lost Books (see list below) were not wholly true? If we took the view that they were not preserved because they had some errors, then again that is a case of begging the question. It is a view that is forced upon those who hold some untenable views on the divine preservation of inspired writings. Let us apply this line of reasoning to this text about the words of the Lord Jesus Christ. Wrote the apostle John:

"And there are also many other things which Jesus did, the which, if they should be written every one, I suppose that even the world itself could not contain the books that should be written. Amen." (John 21: 25 kjv)

Many things that Jesus taught were not preserved. Does that mean that those other things were not true or inspired facts? I know that John is speaking not of other books that had been written but were lost, but of books that were not written but which could have been written. However, the illogical reasoning used against affirming that all inspired books have been preserved is still refuted by this affirmation by the apostle John. 

Many Christians are ignorant of how we got our Bible and why certain books were either included or excluded. In discussions about canonicity we see a lot of circular reasoning. Some say, for instance, that the Book of Esther is inspired because it is in the Bible. But, that begs the question as to whether it should be in the Bible or not. As many of my readers know, I deny, as did many in the early church and among many of the Hebrew Rabbis, that Esther was inspired. Athanasius did not include it in his Biblical canon list. I have a link on this blog for my writings on the Book of Esther. I also have my doubts about the Song of Solomon being inspired. That does not mean that such books have no value. 

Lost Books Referenced in The Bible (See here)

Book of the Wars of the Lord – “Therefore it is said in the Book of the Wars of the LORD, “Waheb in Suphah, and the valleys of the Arnon, and the slope of the valleys that extends to the seat of Ar, and leans to the border of Moab.” (Num 21:14-15)

Book of Jasher – “And the sun stood still, and the moon stopped, until the nation took vengeance on their enemies. Is this not written in the Book of Jashar?” (Joshua 10:13)

Book of Samuel on Kingship - “Then Samuel told the people the rights and duties of the kingship, and he wrote them in a book and laid it up before the LORD. Then Samuel sent all the people away, each one to his home.” (1 Samuel 10:25)

Acts of Solomon – “Now the rest of the acts of Solomon, and all that he did, and his wisdom, are they not written in the Book of the Acts of Solomon?” (1 Kings 11:41)

Chronicles of the Kings of Israel – “And the rest of the acts of Jeroboam, how he warred, and how he reigned, behold, they are written in the book of the Chronicles of the kings of Israel.“ (1 Kings 14:19; etc.)

Chronicles of the Kings of Judah – “Now the rest of the acts of Rehoboam and all that he did, are they not written in the Book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Judah?” (1 Kings 14:29)

Book of the Kings of Israel – “Now the rest of the acts of Jehoshaphat, from first to last, are written in the chronicles of Jehu the son of Hanani, which are recorded in the Book of the Kings of Israel." (2 Chronicles 20:34). 

This is mentioned on many occasions, though under a more expanded name, as the Book of the Kings of Judah and Israel, see 2 Chronicles 16:11; etc.

Annals of King David – “Joab the son of Zeruiah began to count, but did not finish. Yet wrath came upon Israel for this, and the number was not entered in the Chronicles of King David.” (1Chronicles 27:24)

Book of Nathan the Prophet, Book of Gad the Seer – “Now the acts of King David, from first to last, are written in the Chronicles of Samuel the seer, and in the Chronicles of Nathan the prophet, and in the Chronicles of Gad the seer.” (1 Chronicles 29:29)

History of Nathan the Prophet – “Now the rest of the acts of Solomon, from first to last, are they not written in the History of Nathan the prophet, and in the Prophecy of Ahijah the Shilonite, and in the Visions of Iddo the seer concerning Jeroboam the son of Nebat?” (2 Chronicles 9:29)

Prophecy of Ahijah – “Now the rest of the acts of Solomon, from first to last, are they not written in the History of Nathan the prophet, and in the Prophecy of Ahijah the Shilonite, and in the Visions of Iddo the seer concerning Jeroboam the son of Nebat?” (2 Chronicles 9:29)

Visions of Iddo the Seer – “Now the rest of the acts of Solomon, from first to last, are they not written in the history of Nathan the prophet, and in the prophecy of Ahijah the Shilonite, and in the Visions of Iddo the seer concerning Jeroboam the son of Nebat?” (2 Chronicles 9:29) This is also mentioned in 2 Chronicles 9:29) 

Iddo Genealogies – “Now the acts of Rehoboam, from first to last, are they not written in the records of Shemaiah the prophet and of Iddo the seer, according to genealogical enrollment?” (2 Chronicles 12:15) 

 

Story of the Prophet Iddo – “The rest of the acts of Abijah, his ways and his sayings, are written in the Story of the prophet Iddo.” (2 Chronicles 13:22)

Book of Shemaiah the Prophet – “Now the acts of Rehoboam, from first to last, are they not written in the records of Shemaiah the prophet and of Iddo the seer, according to genealogical enrollment?” (2 Chronicles 12:15). 

 

Book of Jehu – “Now the rest of the acts of Jehoshaphat, from first to last, are written in the Chronicles of Jehu the son of Hanani, which are recorded in the Book of the Kings of Israel." (2 Chronicles 20:34)

Sayings of the Seers – “And his prayer, and how God was moved by his entreaty, and all his sin and his faithlessness, and the sites on which he built high places and set up the Asherim and the images, before he humbled himself, behold, they are written in the Chronicles of the Seers.” (2 Chronicles 33:19)

Non-canonical books quoted or alluded to: 

Book of Enoch (Jude 1:4, 1:6, 1:13, 1:14–15, 2 Peter 2:4; 3:13, and John 7:38)

Epistle to the Laodiceans (Colossians 4:16 "read the epistle from Laodicea")

Paul's letter to the Corinthians before 1 Corinthians (1 Corinthians 5:9 "I wrote to you in my letter...") 

Paul’s letter to the Ephesians before Ephesians (Ephesians 3:3 “As I wrote afore in few words...”)

1 Corinthians 5:9 I wrote unto you in an epistle. 

Wrote Dr. Gill (commentary:

"Not in this same epistle, and in (1 Corinthians 5:2 1 Corinthians 5:7) as some think; for what is here observed is not written in either of those verses, but in some other epistle he had sent them before, as is clear from ( 1 Corinthians 5:11 ) which either came not to hand, or else was neglected by them; and so what he here says may be considered as a reproof to them, for taking no notice of his advice; but continuing to show respect to the incestuous person, though he in a former epistle had advised them to the contrary: no doubt the apostle wrote other epistles to the Corinthians, besides those that are in being; see (2 Corinthians 10:10; 2 Corinthians 10:11) nor does such a supposition at all detract from the perfection of Scripture; for not all that were written by him were by divine inspiration; and as many as were so, and were necessary for the perfection of the canon of Scripture, and to instruct us in the whole counsel of God, have been preserved; nor is this any contradiction to this epistle's being his first to this church; for though it might not be his first to them, yet it is the first to them extant with us, and therefore so called: what he had written to them in another epistle was not."

Again, we see a case of begging the question by Dr. Gill. So, the other epistles of Paul that are lost were not inspired truth? Gill says that since those other epistles were lost, therefore they were not written by divine inspiration? What would happen if those epistles were discovered today? 

We also discover that the Corinthians wrote a letter to Paul for he says "Now concerning the matters about which you wrote" (I Cor. 7: 1). Of course, we do not claim that a letter from the church to Paul was inspired. 

In Paul's letter to the church at Collosae, he says, "And when this letter has been read among you, have it also read in the church of the Laodiceans; and see that you also read the letter from Laodicea" (Col 4:16 ESV). What was this letter from Laodicea? What happened to it?

In summation I simply want all to understand that there is a lot more involved in the issue of canonicity and inspired writings than most realize. Most Christians do not have the time nor inclination to search out this matter. Most preachers also are not inclined to do so. They all simply trust that the books in the King James Bible are inspired simply because they are in there! 

What think ye?