# lost bible books

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lost-bible-books/3661>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [September 27, 1999, 2:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lost-bible-books/3661 "1999-09-27T02:49:00Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 2\
**Page:** 2

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**Author:** ![Northern\_Piper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/northern_piper/32/5304_2.png) [@Northern\_Piper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Northern_Piper)\
**Post date:** [October 4, 1999, 4:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lost-bible-books/3661/21 "1999-10-04T04:11:00Z")

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moriah, Pickman’s - you’re right - I read the post too quickly.

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**Author:** ![moriah](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b2d939/32.png) [@moriah](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/moriah)\
**Post date:** [October 4, 1999, 3:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lost-bible-books/3661/22 "1999-10-04T15:50:00Z")

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> [@](#):
>
> Not to open a can of worms, but… You mean more improbable than water being changed into wine, demons being cast into swine, and people coming back from the dead (Lazarus, Jesus himself)?
> 
> This book I’ve gotta read…

Ditto for what jwk said.

Also, even in the canonical gospels, many mainline scholars distinguish between miraculous events that are likely to be ‘real’ and events which are most likely legendary (a religious urban legend).

For example, all the gospels report that Jesus was a reputed faith healer and exorcist. Even his enemies give him credit on that account.

However, what the demons said, or even if they were actually demons (rather than manifestations of epilepsy or hallucinogenic schizophrenia) may be legendary.

The resurrection account has the attestation of all the gospels and all the New Testament writings. Paul even says:

> [@](#):
>
> 1 Cor 15:3 For I handed on to you as of first importance what I in turn had received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the scriptures, and that he was buried, and that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the scriptures, and that he appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve. Then he appeared to more than five hundred brothers and sisters at one time, most of whom are still alive, though some have died. Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles. Last of all, as to one untimely born, he appeared also to me. (NRSV)

Now, most historians (religious or secular) would stand on their heads and spit nickles in order to get such an attestation to a historical event. And don’t think Christian apologists aren’t quick to point these verses out. (The life and times of Jesus have a better historical attestation than that of Socrates. The problem is that most people are skeptical of religious sources, as if certain philosophers {coughPlatocough} don’t have their own agendas.)

However, when it comes to the raising of Lazarus, some scholars part company and think that this is a legendary story that developed from the parable found in the other gospels regarding the Rich Man and Lazarus. (The Rich Man in hell wanted Lazarus in heaven to ‘come back to life’ to warn his family.)

So, my point is that even in the canonical gospels, scholars and learned individuals of faith can sniff out what may be legendary from what was truly a historically miraculous event.

When they sniff these non-canonical gospels, all they smell is shit. (E.g., baby Jesus clapping his hands in delight at some clay toy pigeons and then those pigeons coming to life and flying away. In the canonical gospels, Jesus’ neighbors didn’t think there was anything special about him, which sort of puts a damper on the historicity of boyhood miracles.)

Peace.

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