Saint Jerome on Deuterocanonical Books

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Saint Jerome pulling a thorn from a lion’s paw

A reader in the comment’s box has stated that Jerome rejected the Deuterocanonical books of Sacred Scripture: Judith, Tobit, Wisdom, Sirach, 1 & 2 Maccabees.

While Saint Jerome may have had early reservations about those books, he obeyed Pope Damasus and the Council of Rome in 382 and changed his mind on the matter. One can observe this in Jerome’s own writings. I’ll give one solid example and leave the matter alone. The following quote is taken from a letter written by Saint Jerome in A.D. 404.

Does not the Scripture say: ‘Burden not thyself above thy power’?
– Jerome, To Eustochium, Epistle 108 (Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers 2, VI:207)

Here Saint Jerome quotes Sirach 13:2 (‘Burden not thyself above thy power’) as “Scripture”.

In Saint Jerome’s prologue on the book of Judith, he recongizes that the First Council of Nicea (AD 325 – the council defended the Trinity and deity of Christ against Arians) recognized the book of Judith as “canonical”.

Furthermore, Jerome in the year A.D. 402 defended the deuteroncanoical additions to the book of Daniel:

What sin have I committed if I followed the judgment of the churches? But he who brings charges against me for relating the objections that the Hebrews are wont to raise against the Story of Susanna, the Song of the Three Children, and the story of Bel and the Dragon, which are not found in the Hebrew volume, proves that he is just a foolish sycophant. For I was not relating my own personal views, but rather the remarks that they [the Jews] are wont to make against us. (Against Rufinus, 11:33 [AD 402]).

I rest may case. It seems clear that Saint Jerome did at one time reject the deuterocanonicals, but by A.D. 402-404 he had become a defender of them. Saint Jerome was not a dissenter.

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Category: Church Fathers
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Saint Jerome on Deuterocanonical Books

by


Saint Jerome pulling a thorn from a lion’s paw

A reader in the comment’s box has stated that Jerome rejected the Deuterocanonical books of Sacred Scripture: Judith, Tobit, Wisdom, Sirach, 1 & 2 Maccabees.

While Saint Jerome may have had early reservations about those books, he obeyed Pope Damasus and the Council of Rome in 382 and changed his mind on the matter. One can observe this in Jerome’s own writings. I’ll give one solid example and leave the matter alone. The following quote is taken from a letter written by Saint Jerome in A.D. 404.

Does not the Scripture say: ‘Burden not thyself above thy power’?
– Jerome, To Eustochium, Epistle 108 (Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers 2, VI:207)

Here Saint Jerome quotes Sirach 13:2 (‘Burden not thyself above thy power’) as “Scripture”.

In Saint Jerome’s prologue on the book of Judith, he recongizes that the First Council of Nicea (AD 325 – the council defended the Trinity and deity of Christ against Arians) recognized the book of Judith as “canonical”.

Furthermore, Jerome in the year A.D. 402 defended the deuteroncanoical additions to the book of Daniel:

What sin have I committed if I followed the judgment of the churches? But he who brings charges against me for relating the objections that the Hebrews are wont to raise against the Story of Susanna, the Song of the Three Children, and the story of Bel and the Dragon, which are not found in the Hebrew volume, proves that he is just a foolish sycophant. For I was not relating my own personal views, but rather the remarks that they [the Jews] are wont to make against us. (Against Rufinus, 11:33 [AD 402]).

I rest may case. It seems clear that Saint Jerome did at one time reject the deuterocanonicals, but by A.D. 402-404 he had become a defender of them. Saint Jerome was not a dissenter.

Posted on
Category: Church Fathers
Disclosure of Material Connection: Some of the links in the post above are “affiliate links.” This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, I will receive an affiliate commission. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will add value to my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Comments Policy: I reserve the right to delete comments that are offensive or off-topic. If your comment contains a hyperlink to another site, your comment automatically goes into "Comments Purgatory" where it waits for release by way of moderation.