Excerpt from the 39th holiday message

Among the “Festive (Easter) Epistles” of St. Athanasius the Great is especially valuable in an excerpt from the famous 39th Epistle (367), which contains a complete list of the books of the Old Testament (22 books, according to the number of letters of the Hebrew alphabet) and the New Testament (27 books). This is the first known complete enumeration of the New Testament canon. The 39th Epistle was included in the canonical books of the Orthodox Church. From the message it follows that in the time of St. Athanasius The Alexandrian Church did not include in the Old Testament canon the books of the Wisdom of Solomon, Esther, Tobit, Judith, and the Wisdom of Jesus, son of Sirach, but the Didache (Teaching of the 12 Apostles) and the Shepherd of the Apostle Hermas were added to the New Testament as useful and edifying books. The saint lists the non-canonical books of the Old Testament, noting their value for the edification of the catechumens. St. Athanasius especially emphasizes the authority of canonical books, which “are the source of salvation. Only in them is instruction in piety proclaimed. Let no one add to them, nor take away from them.” Excerpt from the 39th holiday message But since we have mentioned the heretics as dead, and ourselves as having the divine Scriptures for salvation, I am afraid that some of the simple people, as Paul wrote to the Corinthians, through the cunning of some, will not deviate from simplicity and purity and will no longer begin to read other books called apocryphal, being deceived by the similarity of their names with the true books, then I beg you to endure patiently, if you yourself know about that I, too, will write as a reminder to you, both out of necessity and for the benefit of the Church. Intending to write this reminder to confirm my confidence in my boldness, I will use the example of the Evangelist Luke, saying myself: “from time to time” some “began to repair” the so-called apocryphal books for themselves and mix them with the undoubtedly inspired Scripture, “as if they had delivered” to the Fathers “who from the beginning were witnesses and servants of the Word: it will be your will also to me” ( Luke 1:1-3), convinced and taught by sincere brethren, to count from the beginning in order all the books included in the canon, handed down to us as divine and recognized as such, so that everyone, if involved in deception, condemns those who led him astray, and if he remains pure, rejoices at this new reminder. So, all the books of the Old Testament number twenty-two (and according to legend, as I heard, the Jews have the same number of letters). These books each follow in this order and under this name: first, "Genesis", then "Exodus", then "Leviticus", followed by "Numbers" and, finally, "Deuteronomy", followed by "Joshua" and "Judges". After the book of Judges, Ruth, and again after it, the four books of Kings, and of these, the first and second are considered one book, and likewise the third and fourth are also considered one, after them the first and second books of Chronicles, also counted again as one book, then the first and second books of Ezra, also considered one book. After these, the book of “Psalms”, and after it “Proverbs”, then “Ecclesiastes” and “Song of Songs”. In addition to this there are books: “Job” and, finally, “The Prophets”, and precisely twelve, counted as one book, and then “Isaiah”, “Jeremiah” and with him “Baruch, Lamentations” and “The Epistle”, and after Jeremiah “Ezekiel” and “Daniel”. Hitherto the books of the Old Testament have been named. But let us not be too lazy to say about the books of the New Testament, they are as follows. Four Gospels: “Matthew, Mark, Luke, John,” then after them the “Acts of the Apostles” and seven apostolic Epistles, called “Conciliar Epistles,” namely: one of James, two of Petrine, then three of John, and after them one of Judas." In addition to this there are fourteen epistles of the Apostle Paul, listed in this order: first "to the Romans", then two "to the Corinthians", after them "to the Galatians", and after that "to the Ephesians", then "to the Philippians" and "to the Colossians", and after these two "to the Thessalonians" and the Epistle to the Hebrews, immediately after that two "to Timothy", one "to Titus" and the last "to Philemon", and also “The Apocalypse of John.” These are the sources of salvation, so that the thirsty one may drink from the words contained in them. In them alone let no one add to them or take anything away from them, the Lord put the Sadducees to shame, saying: “You are deceived, not knowing the Scriptures” (Matt. 22:29), and exhorted the Jews: “Test the Scriptures... for they are the ones who testify about Me” (John 5:39). But for greater accuracy (writing this out of necessity), I add that besides these books there are others, not included in the canon, which, however, were established by the fathers to be read by those who are newly coming and who wish to be proclaimed by the word of piety, these are: “The Wisdom of Solomon, the Wisdom of Sirach, Esther, Judith, Tobias,” the so-called “Teaching of the Apostles” ( διδαχὴ) and "Shepherd". However, beloved, while some books are included in the canon, and others are offered for reading, there is no mention anywhere of apocryphal books, they are inventions of heretics who write them when they want, but attribute them to antiquity and add years, so that by passing them off as ancient, they have an opportunity to deceive those simple-minded people. You might be interested in: