Overview of the Ethiopian Bible
- The Ethiopian Orthodox Church uses a very large canon of Scripture—one of the largest of any so-called “Christian” tradition.
- It includes 81 books (some versions count even more, depending on the source).
- Their Old Testament contains traditional books, plus several apocryphal and pseudepigraphal texts not found in Jewish, Catholic, or Protestant canons.
- Their New Testament includes all 27 books recognized in most Christian traditions, plus additional books.
Old Testament Contents
In addition to the standard Old Testament books, the Ethiopian Bible includes:
- 1 Enoch
- Jubilees
- 1, 2, 3 Meqabyan (not to be confused with the Catholic 1–2 Maccabees)
- Book of Josippon
- Book of the Covenant
- Book of the Mysteries of Heaven and Earth
- Ascension of Isaiah
These books often contain:
- Erroneous, mythical cosmology (e.g., 1 Enoch)
- Apocalyptic visions
- Legal and priestly codes
- Extra-biblical histories and traditions
New Testament Additions
In addition to the standard 27 books, the Ethiopian canon includes:
- The Sinodos (church order and canons)
- The Books of Clement (writings falsely attributed to Clement of Rome)
- The Didascalia (church instructions)
- The Ethiopic Book of the Covenant
- The Ethiopic Clement (different from known Clementine literature)
Historical Context
- The Ethiopian Orthodox Church claims to trace its roots to the conversion of the Ethiopian eunuch (Acts 8).
- They developed independently from the Western and Eastern churches for centuries.
- Because of this isolation, they preserved many writings that were rejected elsewhere as uninspired or heretical.
- Their canon reflects a mixture of Jewish traditions, early Christian writings, and local Ethiopian beliefs.
Why This Matters in Discussion of the Apocrypha
- Some people cite the Ethiopian canon to argue for the inclusion of books like Enoch or Jubilees in the Bible.
- However, the Ethiopian canon is a separate entity, developed independently and without Scriptural validation; its inclusion of these books is not shared by the Jews, the early church, or the major branches of “Christianity” (Catholic, Eastern Orthodox, or Protestant).
- The inclusion of clearly uninspired and often contradictory texts shows that size and antiquity of a canon does not guarantee accuracy.
Bottom Line
The Ethiopian Bible contains many books not found in the true Canon accepted by Christ, the apostles, and the early church. It includes:
- Writings falsely attributed to Biblical figures (pseudepigrapha),
- Doctrinal errors and mythical content, along with traditions never recognized by the Jewish custodians of the Old Testament (Romans 3:2).
- Jesus affirmed the Hebrew Scriptures in use during His lifetime (Luke 24:44), which did not include these additional writings.
Some may consider these extra books an interesting historical collection, but it does not prove that books like Enoch or Jubilees belong in the inspired Word of God.