New Church Courier September 2001 (Note: the following article is the only article in this issue of the Courier)

New Church Courier September 2001 (Note: the following article is the only article in this issue of the Courier) The Non-Canonical Books Of The Old Testament: Good And Useful Books For The New Church? by Rev. David W. Ayers I. Introduction The Heavenly Doctrines for the New Church offer an authoritative solution for determining which books of the Old and New Testaments (Sacred Scripture) are to be considered the inspired Word of the Lord. Unlike the Hebrew and Christian canons, which were formulated by men and councils, 1 the canon for the Lord's New Church is taught directly in revelation. In three separate works of the Writings we find this clear teaching. The books of the Word are all those which have an internal sense; and those which have not an internal sense are not the Word. The books of the Word in the Old Testament are the five books of Moses, the book of Joshua, the book of Judges, the two books of Samuel, the two books of the Kings, the Psalms of David, the Prophets Isaiah, Jeremiah, Lamentations, Ezekiel, Daniel, Hosea, Joel, Amos, Obadiah, Jonah, Micah, Nahum, Habakkuk, Zephaniah, Haggai, Zechariah, and Malachi; and in the New Testament the four Gospels, Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John; and the Revelation (AC 10325) The works The New Jerusalem and its Heavenly Doctrine and The White Horse also state that none of the other books in the Hebrew, Protestant or Catholic canons should be considered books of the Word because they do not have an internal sense (see NJHD 266; WH 16). Those Old Testament books from the Hebrew and Christian canons that are excluded from the New Church canon, therefore, include: Ruth, 1 & 2 Chronicles, Ezra, Nehemiah, Esther, Job, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, and the Song of Solomon. Also excluded are the Catholic deuterocanonical books (books added later to the canon), known collectively as the "Apocrypha." In the New Testament, 22 of the 27 books are excluded from the New Church canon, leaving only the four Gospels and Revelation as canonical. Although the Writings do not include these books in the New Church canon, is there any reason to study them? What use did they perform in Providence, if any? Or should we simply dismiss them as unimportant and peripheral man-made works? In answer to those questions, we will: 1) briefly examine the Hebrew, Roman Catholic and Protestant Old Testament canons; 2) look at each excluded book from the Hebrew and Protestant canon

in brief detail (examination of the Apocrypha, which are found in the Catholic canon, is beyond the scope of this short study, and should be examined separately), and include any information mentioned by the Writings; 3) discuss why the non-canonical books may have been permitted by the Lord to remain in the canon; and 4) examine their potential usefulness for the New Church. II. Formation Of The Canons The Hebrew Canon The Hebrew canon was not formally defined until 90 A.D., when a rabbinical synod at Jamnia on the Mediterranean coast met to decide the question of what books should be considered holy scripture. The Jews, who before this time had not considered it necessary to so define their holy books, may have finally done so in response to the flood of apocalyptic writings which extolled the virtues of the spiritual rather than the present world, and pseudo-epigraphical works "which presumed to add to the regular Biblical text or to contribute legends by which to 'flesh out' the accepted narrative." 2 The Jews also may have defined their canon as a defensive response to the growth of Christianity, which challenged Judaism's traditional views and was drawing new converts from its ranks. 3 The Hebrew canon was divided into three major groupings: 1) The five books of Moses, also known as the "Torah" or "Law" (these books deal with the legal and historical aspects of God's covenant with Moses and Israel); 2) The "Prophets," which include the "Earlier" Prophets (Joshua through 2 Kings) and the "Minor" and "Major" prophets (Isaiah through Malachi). These books describe the history of God's relationship with Israel; their wilderness wanderings, their incomplete conquest of the land of Canaan; their life under judges and kings, including the division of the nation into northern and southern kingdoms; the many prophetic warnings of impending captivity; the captivities; and the return of Judah to Palestine. 4 and 3) The Hagiographa, or "Holy Writings" (These books included the New Church canonical books of Psalms, Lamentations, and Daniel, as well as Proverbs, Job, Song of Solomon, Ruth, Ecclesiastes, Esther, Ezra, Nehemiah, 1 & 2 Chronicles). The Hagiographa were books "canonised separately rather than as a group like the other divisions." 5 These books did not fit into the other groups, but were still considered holy writings. The Hebrew canon consisted of scriptures which were written and accumulated over the generations. However, by the time of Jamnia, when the canon was solidified, the Jews had no absolute criteria by which to judge which books should be included. The Rev. C.Th. Odhner suggested that since they had no way of telling which works were from God and which from man, they tended to include any books which looked like scripture. 6

The Roman Catholic Canon The Roman Catholic canon is based on Jerome's Vulgate, the official Latin version of the Bible commissioned in 382 A.D. by Pope Damascus I. Jerome based his translation on the original Hebrew texts, "but he did not abandon the Septuagint [the Greek translation of the scriptures produced by Greek-speaking Jews in Alexandria, Egypt, in the third century A.D.] or the existing Latin texts in which the contents and order of the Septuagint had been preserved." 7 In comparing the Hebrew to Septuagint and Latin texts, Jerome noticed that some books or additions to books included in the Greek and Latin translations were lacking in the original Hebrew texts. Although he felt that the Hebrew text was doctrinally authoritative, Jerome still included these books in his Vulgate, calling them "Apocrypha" or "hidden works." These included: Additions to Esther, Baruch, Bel and the Dragon, 1 & 2 Esdras, Judith, Letter of Jeremiah, 1 & 2 Maccabees, Prayer of Manasseh, Ecclesiasticus, Prayer of Azariah and Song of the Three Young Men, Susanna, Tobit, and Wisdom of Solomon. The rest of the Old Testament books are the same as in the Hebrew canon, albeit in a different order. Although many have challenged the inclusion of these hidden works in the Old Testament canon, they have been accepted by the Roman Catholic Church. The Catholic Church considers the Vulgate its official Bible, and its canon as authoritative, a belief it solidified at the Council of Hippo in Africa in 393 A.D., and at the Councils of Carthage in 397 and 419 A.D. This did not mean, however, that all in that church accepted the Vulgate, or that it alone was used. "It was not until the seventh century that the Vulgate became truly the principle Bible of the entire Roman Catholic Church, and not until the ninth century that it completely superceded all its rivals." 8 The Vulgate and its contents were reaffirmed in 1441 by Pope Eugene IV, at the Council of Trent in 1546, and again in 1970 at the Vatican Council. The Protestant Canon The Protestant Old Testament canon is described by Rev. N.B. Rogers as "a hybrid of the Roman Catholic and Hebrew canons." 9 This canon follows the number of books from the Hebrew canon, but orders them by the Catholic canon, omitting the Apocrypha completely, and arranging the Hagiographa according to the Latin Vulgate. The Protestant Reform movement of the 16th century initially followed the Roman Catholic canon. However, when the reformers challenged the Church's claim of primacy over scripture, they returned to a study of the original texts. The Protestants not only distrusted the Church's teaching on which books were considered scriptural; they also wanted to produce the Bible in common languages and get it into the hands of the people, something which the Church had withheld, along with its claim of sole right to teach and interpret the scriptures. In 1520 a new translation of the Old Testament by A.R. Carlstadt again brought to light that the original Hebrew texts did not contain the Apocrypha. In producing editions of the Bible, the reformers opted to pay attention to Carlstadt's discovery. Martin Luther's subsequent translation of the Bible into German excluded the Apocrypha from the Old

Testament, placing them in a separate appendix. However, Luther's title to his appendix "'Apocrypha, these are books which are not held equal to the Sacred Scriptures, and yet are useful and good for reading'" 10 showed that he still considered them useful books. Luther's separation of the Apocrypha was followed by every new translation, including: Coverdale's Bible in 1535, the first complete English translation of the Bible; Matthew's Bible in 1537; Tavener's Bible in 1539; and the Great Bible of 1539. In 1553 the Church of England formalised the separation of the Apocrypha into an appendix, claiming that they did not have equal status with the scriptures, but granting that they had some usefulness: "'the Church doth read [them] for example of life and instruction of manners; and yet it doth not apply them to establish any doctrine.'" 11 This practice was followed in the Geneva Bible in 1560, the Bishop's Bible in 1568, and the Authorised, or King James Version in 1611. In some versions of the Geneva Bible produced in 1599 the Apocrypha were omitted altogether, a practice which became accepted in King James Bibles produced after 1629. Modern versions of the Protestant Bible either omit the Apocrypha or include them in a separate section. III. The Non-Canonical Books Examined Ruth The book of Ruth is a short story set in the time of the Judges, which centres around the character of Ruth, a god-fearing woman who, to deal with famine, supported herself and other female members of her family through labour, and was eventually rewarded by marriage and an honourable lineage. The book provides insight into the lives of ordinary people within the context of Israel's culture, theology and ethics. The last verses in the book trace Ruth's descendants up to King David. The style of Ruth is described as a romance written in a style midway between the historical and poetic books of the Old Testament. One source said that "There is nothing more perfect in the realm of prose than the story of Ruth." 12 Ruth is the first of the "Megillot," or five festival scrolls. It is traditionally read during the feast of Shavu'ot or Pentecost. Of uncertain authorship, scholars propose that it was written around 1000 B.C. The Writings mention nothing directly about the book of Ruth, nor do they refer to any passages from the book. Although not scriptural, the book is useful in revealing something of the life and culture of the day, and as an example of historical prose. It also provides some background on David's ancestry. 1 & 2 Chronicles The two books of Chronicles, which really comprise one continuous work, were separated in the Septuagint, Vulgate and subsequent translations. Their Hebrew title is "Book of the acts of the days," 13 which characterises them in essence as annals of royal acts and records, an account of Israel's history until Ezra's day. It also refers to the records of prophets and other royal annals. The book includes: genealogies going back to Adam, with lists of exiles returning from captivity in Babylon; David's and Solomon's kingships; the story of the kingdom of Judah up to the Babylonian captivity and its

restoration under the Persian King Cyrus. Interestingly, it does not deal with the history of the northern, or Israelitish kingdom. Since Chronicles contain some things not included in the books of Samuel and Kings, some scholars propose that it was intended to supplement those books. Many ascribe the book to Ezra, placing the date of its writing before 340 B.C. The Writings do not discuss Chronicles, although the books are referred to 17 times in Arcana Coelestia, Apocalypse Explained and Apocalypse Revealed 14 for scriptural confirmation. Their greatest use appears to be as historical annals, especially as they supplement the books of Samuel and Kings. Their historical approach according to one scholar was setting out to give to his [the author's] contemporaries an understanding of their current position as a small subject people under alien (Persian) rule, in the light of his [the author's] interpretation of the past...[which included] seeing that small community in the light of the whole story from creation to the restoration under Cyrus...and an understanding of the contemporary significance of the two major institutions of that history: kingship and Temple. 15 Ezra/Nehemiah The Jews considered Ezra and Nehemiah to be one book. Some scholars even postulate that these books made one with Chronicles as well, thus forming a sequential history of the Israelites from Adam through the restoration of Jerusalem under Ezra and Nehemiah after the Babylonian captivity. In Christianity, these books were separated from the time of Origen in the 3rd century A.D. to the present. The authorship of Ezra is usually attributed to Ezra, who wrote it somewhere between 456 and 444 B.C. The authorship of Nehemiah is attributed to Nehemiah, who took up the narrative after Ezra, and wrote somewhere between 445 and 425 B.C. Some feel that Nehemiah's account is so candid and clear that it comes from his personal diary. 16 Others believe that the books were not written by individual authors, but were rather the work of compilers. Ezra deals with the return of Israel to the Promised Land after 70 years of captivity in Babylon. This was accomplished when King Cyrus of Persia conquered Babylon in 539 B.C., after which, in accordance with his practice of returning subject nations to their homelands, he encouraged the Jews to return to the Promised Land. The book of Ezra describes this return and Ezra's personal return to Jerusalem to bring spiritual vitality back to Judah. Nehemiah held a responsible position in the court of Persian King Artaxerxes I, serving as his cupbearer. Nehemiah returned to Jerusalem as Governor of Judah with the king's permission to supervise the rebuilding of the city's walls, a job which was completed in 52 days. Nehemiah served as Governor of Judah for 12 years, briefly returned to the Persian court, and again returned to Jerusalem, where he spearheaded a spiritual revival. The Writings discuss neither the book of Ezra nor Nehemiah, although the ninth and tenth chapters of Ezra are referred to in Arcana Coelestia 4818:2. Like Chronicles, their greatest usefulness is historical, enabling us to understand some of the life in Judah after the captivity, the rebuilding of Jerusalem, and the religious life of the people.

Esther The book of Esther is a historical romance, which deals with a 10-year period of Jewish history (483-473 B.C.) under Persian King Xerxes I. The author of Esther is unknown, and the date of its writing is proposed as 465 B.C. Essentially a secular book that never mentions God, Esther derives its name from the heroine of the story, who along with her cousin Mordecai and some fortuitous events, shrewdly helped avert the death of the Jews. The book also describes the origin of the feast of Purim, a celebration of the Jews' military victory over their enemies, where it is read aloud as part of that celebration. Like most of the other non-canonical books, the Writings never discuss Esther, nor do they make any references to the book. This is understandable since it is primarily a secular book. As such, its primary interest and use is again historical. Ecclesiastes The book of Ecclesiastes is attributed to Solomon, as its author calls himself the "son of David king in Jerusalem" (1:1), and refers to his wisdom, wealth and capital building projects. Assigned an approximate date of 935 B.C, the title of the book in both Hebrew and Greek means "The Preacher" or "one who convenes and speaks at an assembly." Ecclesiastes belongs among the wisdom books, and is part of the Megillot. The style of Ecclesiastes is as one addressing an assembly, sharing the hard-won lessons of life. The basic message of Ecclesiastes is that life is composed of endless, aimless cycles, inexplicable paradoxes, and appears futile because there is no discernible pattern. However, despite these appearances, we should live life fully and enjoy it as a gift from God. Wisdom consists in obeying God and recognizing Him as the ultimate judge of all men. Some consider Ecclesiastes a depressing book full of skepticism not otherwise found in Jewish works. 17 Despite its deterministic flavour, Christians have historically respected the work. Swedenborg apparently thought enough of it to quote it in his pretheological work on Correspondences and Representations. 18 The Writings do not discuss or cite Ecclesiastes. It would seem that its greatest usefulness is its philosophy of disparaging the ways of the world and the works of men as having no real importance or longevity. If a person would be wise, they should accept God's rule, obey Him, and put no importance on the things of the material world. Although this philosophy is phrased in negative ways, the message has great validity. The book is also useful as an example of wisdom literature. Proverbs The book of Proverbs is attributed to Solomon and others, and its writing dates from 950-700 B.C. Proverbs, a part of Jewish wisdom literature, consists of moralistic sayings or parables. The Hebrew term for proverb means "a comparison," and the sage proverbs in this book instruct the hearer on how to live a godly life. They are more a distillation of wisdom than a collection of popular sayings, 19 covering all aspects of life, including sin, wealth, poverty, pride, love and death. The book of Proverbs is divided into five separate collections, followed by four appendices, which form a conclusion to the book. The main sections include: 1) "The Proverbs of Solomon," a collection of teachings on the nature

and meaning of life; 2) A collection of proverbs, maxims and precepts which teach a virtuous moral life; 3) "The Words of the Wise," a collection of 30 instructions which emulate an Egyptian text called The Instruction of Amen-em-ope; 4) "These Also Are the Sayings of the Wise," a collection which continues from the third section, concentrating especially on social aspects of life; and 5) "Proverbs of Solomon That the Officials of King Hezekiah of Judah Copied," a collection which branches out to include governmental and social responsibility as well as basic human behaviour. 20 The Writings do not mention Proverbs, although in his pre-theological work on Correspondences and Representations, Swedenborg wrote of their value. And again...the Proverbs of Solomon, which contain the veriest wisdom in simple form. But because we do not give them credit, and because their sentiments are not adorned with that verbal clothing which is in use in our age, we think them to be simple, and we despise them in our mind, although we say otherwise with our lips. Nor do I know whether the whole of Seneca is of equal weight with a single one of the sayings of David and Solomon. 21 There is more wisdom in the Proverbs of Solomon than in any other book, although no wisdom shines out therefrom at the present day; for half of it contains the answers of divine providence to our deeds, thoughts and inclinations, none of which are acknowledged by us at this day...this book, therefore, contains true wisdom. 22 Rev. W. F. Pendleton brought Swedenborg's assessment of Proverbs into sharper focus in terms of educating children in a 1919 article for New Church Life. The great importance of this early education of children in the principles of a moral and religious life is condensed by Solomon in a single sentence, 'Train up a child in the way he should go; and when he is old he will not depart from it.' (Proverbs 22:6) All human experience is confirmatory of this truth. The book of Proverbs seems to have been intended for the instruction of the parents and youth of the Jewish Church; and its moral teaching is deserving of more attention in the New Church than it has received. 23 Clearly, the practical teachings of Proverbs not only reveal the nature and character of Jewish wisdom literature; they are also of real practical use today, especially in teaching children. The collection of basic wisdom contained in this book may indeed deserve more attention. Song of Solomon

The Song of Solomon, also called "The Song of Songs" and "Canticles" is a lyric love poem portraying the romance of Solomon and a Shulamite woman. As such it expounds love in courtship and marriage, including the place of physical love. Some scholars attribute the book to Solomon, and date it 965 B.C., while others believe that although the poetry is linked to him, he was not necessarily its author. 24 The Song closely resembles similar literature from ancient Egyptian collections and other Near Eastern cultures. 25 The Song of Solomon has been interpreted in various ways. Among the theories characterising the Song are that the book was allegorical, dramatic, literal-historical, cultic or ritualistic, parabolic or typological. 26 The Writings give some insight into its true nature. As regards the book in which this passage is found, and which is called The Song, it is not among those called "Moses and the Prophets," because it has not the internal sense; but it was written in the ancient style, and is full of significatives collected from the books of the Ancient Church, and of many things which in the Ancient Church signified celestial and spiritual love, and especially conjugial love. That this is the nature of that book is also evident from the fact that in its literal sense are many things not decorous, which is not the case with the books called "Moses and the Prophets;" but as within it there have been collected together such things as are significative of celestial and of conjugial love, it appears as if it possessed a certain mystic meaning (AC 3942:2, emphasis added). and again, In imitation of these books, because derived from them, the Song of Songs was written by Solomon; for this book is not a holy book, because it does not contain within it heavenly and Divine things in a series, as do the holy books (AC 9942:5, emphasis added; see also AC 1756). As for the usefulness of the Song, it would seem to be two-fold. First, it is an example of the ancient style of writing, as it copied that style. Thus, it has more apparent significance than it really has. In other words, its significance is more in form than substance. It is also a beautifully written book, full of symbolism and passion. However, as the Writings note, this last aspect is also an indecorous drawback. Job Written in poetry and prose, the book of Job is an extensive treatment of the problem of human suffering and faith. Centred on the central character of Job, the book traces Job's various calamities and his response to them. Modern scholarship is unable to definitively offer either the date of Job's writing or an author, although theories propose that the book was written by Job (if he was a historical character), Elihu, Moses or Solomon. The Writings have more to say about Job than any other non-canonical Old Testament book. Job is a very different kind of book, written in the most ancient form of writing, which explains why scholars are unable to propose an author and date with any certainty.

The most ancient mode of writing represented subjects by using persons and words which were understood as meaning things that were quite different. Profane writers then composed their historicals in this way, even those matters which pertained to civic and moral life; and in fact so that nothing was exactly the same as it was written in the letter, but under this something else was meant; they even presented affections of every kind as gods and goddesses, to whom the heathen afterwards instituted Divine worship, as may be known to every man of letters, for such ancient books are still extant. They derived this mode of writing from the most ancient people who existed before the flood, who represented heavenly and Divine things to themselves by such as were visible on the earth and in the world, and so filled their minds and souls with joys and delights while beholding the objects of the universe, especially such as were beautiful in their form and order; and therefore all the books of the church of those times were written in this way. Such is the book of Job...(AC 1756:2, emphasis added). Job and other ancient books were thus written by pure correspondences, and those writers were held in the highest esteem who were able to compose books abounding in the most numerous and significant correspondences. Such is the book of Job (AE 422:20; see also CL 532:2; TCR 846:2; SS 20:2). However, as the Ancient Church became progressively external and fell away into idolatry, in process of time the significatives [with which Job and other books of that church were written] have become so completely forgotten (AC 3901:6). As we have seen earlier, however, Job is not included in the Old Testament canon. Although it was written in the style prevalent in the Ancient Church it is not of those books which are called the Law and the Prophets, because it has not an internal sense which treats solely of the Lord and of His kingdom for this is the one thing that makes a book of the genuine Word (AC 3540:4). A passage from the White Horse clarifies this even more. Because Job was written in the most ancient style with representatives and significatives, it does have an internal sense of sorts; however, because this internal sense does not contain heavenly and Divine things in a series, it is not a book of the Word (see WH 16; AC 9942:5). With Job, we are left to wonder at the nature of its usefulness. At the very least, the literal message has some value: No matter what happens to us, we should maintain our faith in the Lord, because He is in charge of all aspects of our lives, and if we trust in Him, our spiritual needs will be met, and everything else will be added, as the Lord Himself later said in Matthew (6:33). Even more basic, however, is that in Job we have an example of the most ancient style of writing. Other than the first 10 chapters of Genesis, the imitative style of the Song of Solomon, and the various mythologies from different parts of the world that were derived from that time, we have no other extant examples of most ancient writing. This in itself makes Job "an excellent and useful book" (AE 740:14). IV. Why Were The Non-Canonical Books Permitted In The Canon?

We can legitimately ask why the non-canonical books of the Old Testament were allowed to be included in the Hebrew, Catholic and Protestant canons. While we may be tempted to answer that people were mistaken in including books that were not the Word of God in the canon, we know that the Lord's Providence operates in the least things of His creation. It is therefore inconceivable that the inclusion of these books was merely random. As the editor of New Church Life wrote in 1929, Now we must recognize the Providence in the inclusion of the noncanonical books in the Christian Bible, and in the frequent quotations from them in the Writings, especially from the Book of Job and from the Acts and the Epistles. 27 We can see Providential provision in the fact that all the books which the Writings exclude from the canon were part of the Hebrew Hagiographa, the least important segment of their canon. Also, the order of the books in the canon remains from the Hebrew canon, with the exception of the books of Psalms, Lamentations and Daniel. The Lord was obviously at work with the Hebrew canon in preserving the true books of the Word and their proper order. While the Writings mention that the non-canonical books of the New Testament are useful books for the Church (AE 815:2), they are less explicit about the Old Testament non-canonical books. Rev. Rogers writes In the absence of any other evidence, we can only draw inferences concerning the rest of the books of the Old Testament; and in light of what is said about Job and the uninspired books of the New Testament, one inference might seem to be that these books, too, are good and useful books, permitted into the canons of the Jewish and Christian churches for some purpose. We can only guess what that purpose might have been, but this is not to deny its existence. Perhaps there was more than one purpose... 28 Lacking direct teaching from the Writings for most of the non-canonical books, we can still see some surface significance. The books of 1&2 Chronicles, Ezra/Nehemiah, and Esther provide valuable historical information. Ruth gives insight into the lives of ordinary people in the context of Jewish culture, ethics and theology. Ruth also provides some historical information on David's lineage, and offers a fine example of historical prose. Ecclesiastes provides insight into a side of Jewish philosophy/wisdom literature, and offers some sage insights that strip away the seeming significance of earthly life. The book of Proverbs offers fine practical wisdom and philosophy. And as we have seen, Rev. Pendleton believed we could make much greater use of Proverbs in teaching our children moral wisdom. The Song of Solomon is a beautiful piece of literature and an example of the ancient style of writing. The book of Job offers important lessons on living well even in dire circumstances, and is also a fine example of the type of writing typical in the Ancient Church.

In his article on the Canon, Rev. Rogers explained four ways the Writings themselves use the non-canonical books of the Old and New Testaments, all of which form models for our use of those books. He suggests in descending order of frequency that the Writings use these books to "illustrate, confirm or explain correspondences...to establish and confirm doctrine...to establish or confirm historical fact...[and] to establish the meaning of a word." 29 Since so much of the Christian world accepts the non-canonical books, he also suggests that we might use them in our evangelization efforts. 30 In summation, it is probably safe to say that as Martin Luther and the Church of England noted, the non-canonical books of the Old Testament are good and useful books for the church. However, they must always be relegated to a class distinct from and below the true books of the Word. If we keep this distinction in mind, we may find much to learn in these books; and we may in time see more of the Lord's Providential protection of His written revelation to us. Endnotes 1) Rogers, Rev. N.B. "The Canon." August 1987, p. 1 2) ibid, p. 4 3) ibid, p. 5 4) Ryrie, Charles C. The Ryrie Study Bible. Chicago: Moody Press, 1985, p. 3 5) Rogers, p. 6 6) Odhner, Rev. C. Th., et al. Doctrine Of The Word, Volume II. (Theology 222 Course Notes), p. 77 7) Rogers, p. 6 8) ibid, p. 10 9) ibid, p. 13 10) ibid, p. 12 11) ibid 12) Durant, Will. Our Oriental Heritage. New York: Simon and Schuster, 1954, p. 340 13) Metzger, Bruce and Michael D. Cougan, Eds. The Oxford Companion To The Bible. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1993, p. 113. 14) See Searles Index, p. 305 15) Oxford Companion, p. 116 16) See Ryrie, p. 719 17) Durant, p. 341 18) See Swedenborg, Emanuel. Psychological Transactions And Other Posthumous Tracts, 1734-1744. 2nd Ed. Bryn Athyn, Pennsylvania, 1984, pp. 249, 260-261 19) Ryrie, p. 948 20) Oxford Companion, pp. 624-625 21) Psychological Transaction, pp. 248-249 22) ibid, p. 260 23) Pendleton, Rev. W.F. "Notes On The Service And On Ritual In General", New Church Life. 1919, p. 584 24) Oxford Companion, p. 708 25) ibid

26) ibid, p. 709 27) "The Apostolic Word", New Church Life. 1929, p. 559 28) Rogers, p. 21 29) ibid, pp. 25-26 30) see ibid, p. 26 Bibliography I. Articles "The Apostolic Word", New Church Life. 1929:556-560. "Minor Works By Swedenborg. Theological Fragments", New Church Life. 1907:479-481. Pendleton, Louis. "Accuracy In Biblical Historicals" (Letter), New Church Life. 1922:453-456. Pendleton, Rev. W.F. "Notes On The Service And On Ritual In General", New Church Life. 1919:577-588. Rogers, Rev. N.B. "The Canon." August 1987. II. Books Bright, John. A History of Israel, 2nd ed. Philadephia: the Westminster Press, 1972. Cross, F.L. and E.A. Livingstone, Editors. The Oxford Dictionary Of The Christian Church, 2nd ed. Oxford University Press, 1974. Davis Dictionary of the Bible, 4th ed. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Baker Book House, 1972. Durant, Will. Our Oriental Heritage. New York: Simon and Schuster, 1954. Filsie, Floyd V. Which Books Belong In The Bible? A Study Of The Canon. Philadelphia: The Westminster Press, 1956. Metzger, Bruce and Michael D. Cougan, Eds. The Oxford Companion To The Bible. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1993. Reader's Digest Atlas of the Bible. Pleasantville, New York: The Reader's Digest Association, Inc., 1971. The Revell Bible Dictionary. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Fleming H. Revell, 1994.

Ryrie, Charles C. The Ryrie Study Bible. Chicago: Moody Press, 1985. Searle, Arthur H. General Index To Swedenborg's Scripture Quotations. London: Swedenborg Society, Inc., 1954. Swedenborg, Emanuel. Psychological Transactions And Other Posthumous Tracts, 1734-1744. 2nd Ed. Bryn Athyn, Pennsylvania, 1984. III. The Heavenly Doctrines for the New Jerusalem Apocolypse Explained Arcana Coelestia The Doctrine of the Sacred Scripture The New Jerusalem And It's Heavenly Doctrine Spiritual Diary Spiritual Diary Minor The True Christian Religion The White Horse IV. Other Odhner, Rev. C. Th., et al. Doctrine Of The Word, Volume II. (Theology 222 Course Notes)