The Controversial Books Missing from the Bible
Worldview Legacy Episode #144

Did early church leaders hide essential books from the Bible? Are we missing out on “lost gospels” or ancient wisdom that could shake the foundation of our faith? In today’s episode, Joel Settecase tackles one of the most persistent myths that undermines biblical authority—and he does it with razor-sharp clarity and biblical depth.

Joel walks through the true history of the Old and New Testament canon, explains why books like 1 and 2 Maccabees didn’t make the cut, and exposes the real motivation behind the Council of Trent’s decision to include the Apocrypha. Along the way, you’ll see how Jesus himself affirmed the Old Testament canon—and why the Protestant Bible is exactly what God intended His people to have.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

• Why the idea of “missing books” is more fake conspiracy theory than fact

• The biblical and historical evidence for a closed Old Testament canon

• How Jesus affirmed the exact books Protestants recognize today

• Why the Apocrypha was added by the Roman Catholic Church in the 1500s

• What Luke 24 and “Abel to Zechariah” reveal about Jesus' view of Scripture

• The three rigorous criteria for New Testament inclusion

• Why books like the Gospel of Thomas were rejected—rightfully

• Why the canon wasn’t imposed from the top down, but recognized bottom-up by the Church

• The critical difference between inspiration and historical value

Key Takeaways:

• The Old Testament canon Jesus affirmed includes the Law, Prophets, and Writings—not the Apocrypha

• The Council of Trent added books as part of a theological reaction to the Reformation, not on the basis of historical canon

• New Testament books had to be apostolic, authentic, consistent, and widely recognized

• Heretical books often failed the theology test—they contradicted already-accepted Scripture

• The idea that Emperor Constantine chose the canon is historically false and misleading

• The canonization process was guided by truth, not conspiracy

Relevant Scripture References:
Luke 24:44
Matthew 4:4
Romans 10:11
Jude 14–15
Isaiah 53
Matthew 24:15
Genesis 3:15
Acts 17:10 –15
2 Timothy 3:16 –17

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