Rating: 
Summary: Good Documents; other texts have more detailed notes.
Review: This text is a reprinting of two books (written in 1926 and 1927) containing "pseudepigrapha" -- books which some considered to be scripture in the past, but which were not included in the canonical Bible that almost all Christian churches use. Some of these books were quoted in books in the Christian New Testament; St. Paul quotes from 1 Enoch. The "Forgotten Books of Eden" half of this book will be of interest to students of the Jewish scriptures. Anybody who takes Bible scholarship seriously and who can afford to spend $10 should have a copy of these pseudepigrapha. The original publication dates are important here, because biblical archaeology and textual studies have progressed substantially in the past seventy years. For example, this book predates the discovery of the apocryphal Gospel of Thomas, and accordingly does not include it. The paperback edition of this book is the most economical way I know to get all of this material together. Some critical notes describing the origins of these texts are included. If you have a larger budget, the current standard editions of these texts (also available through AMAZON.COM) are Charlesworth's "Old Testament Pseudepigrapha" and Schneemelcher's "New Testament Apocrypha." You can pre-read a chapter of this book by searching for the words "Infancy Gospel" on the web. The "Infancy Gospel", included in this book, tells stories of the early days of Jesus's life. It presents Jesus as divine, yet also having the personality of a five-year-old boy. For example, one of his playmates maltreats him, so: "When the Lord Jesus was coming home in the evening with Joseph, he met a boy who ran so hard against him, that he threw him down; To whom the Lord Jesus said `As thou hast thrown me down, so shalt thou fall, nor ever rise.' And that moment the boy fell down and died." (I infancy, Ch. XIX, vv. 22-24) A good book to put some of this in context is James Kugel's "The Bible a! s it Was" (also available through AMAZON.COM).
Rating: 
Summary: Fascinating and wonderful Adjunct to Spiritual Library
Review: This was the first apochryphal bible I read. It was interesting and only made me want to read more and more and more. However out of all the special "bibles" , this one reminds me of Sunday Mass. Perhaps because it has a lot, dare I say majority, of catholic "inspired" texts. The first stories in this book are the infancy and birth of the "Virgin Mary". In this story it was supposedly written by James the brother of Jesus. However throughout the gospel they refer to her as "our lady" which dampered my quest for truths. Further on into the infancy narratives, they had much of the same: baby jesus a day old and talking or people coming in egypt to worship "Our Divine and Benevolent Mother" It became sickening after awhile and I had to put it down. I did not pick the book up again for a couple weeks. Much to my dismay there was more catholic tales. It wasnt until the latter portion of the book where it got interesting as they had some Jewish inspired texts. The moral of the story: great book to get you interested in this subject. However if you are looking for depth and variety of sources, check elsewhere. This is like a "beginners" book.
Rating: 
Summary: Okay, just want to clear something up.
Review: Well, first off i gave this five stars, though i havent read the book i'm afraid. But i like to think that anything that can encourage the teachings of God deserves 5 stars, if only for the effort. But i am writing this mainly to clear up a review i just saw posted
here by a "eric burgess" who claims there are no other outlets to seek the word of God. you can look back and see his (i assume this person is male, but i appologize if they are female) review if you wish, but it specifically quoted 1st Timothy 3:15 saying: "There is no evidence that any of these books where ever considered conanicle by the Church which is (1 Tim 3:15). All of Gods word is contained in the Bible." Wow, sorry, but that is pretty innacurate. This is what 1st Timothy 3:14-16 says (15 alone is kind of vague, so i decided to include the previous and following verse): "14Although I hope to come to you soon, I am writing you these instructions so that, 15if I am delayed, you will know how people ought to conduct themselves in God's household, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and foundation of the truth. 16Beyond all question, the mystery of godliness is great:
He[3] appeared in a body,[4]
was vindicated by the Spirit,
was seen by angels,
was preached among the nations,
was believed on in the world,
was taken up in glory." I dont know about you, but i dont see anything about the rejecting of "lost books." so i checked 2nd Timothy, thinking he must have got the two confused: "14But as for you[Timothy], continue in what you have learned and have become convinced of, because you know those from whom you learned it, 15and how from infancy you have known the holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. 16All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, 17so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work." Yeah, i'm not seeing anything regarding any kind of book or, well, anything our reviewer eric was talking about. But, while searching through the Bible for Timothy, i did find one of my old favorites from Mark 9: "Whoever Is Not Against Us Is for Us 38"Teacher," said John, "we saw a man driving out demons in your name and we told him to stop, because he was not one of us."
39"Do not stop him," Jesus said. "No one who does a miracle in my name can in the next moment say anything bad about me, 40for whoever is not against us is for us. 41I tell you the truth, anyone who gives you a cup of water in my name because you belong to Christ will certainly not lose his reward." I think the passage above kind of sums it up. Yes, God's breath is in the Holy Bible, but is there any thing saying it cant be found else where. all we are really left with is "All Scripture is God-breathed" (2nd Tim 3:16). I dont know about you, but i thought God gave man the Church so that the Holy Spirit could be among men. The Church is of God, not of man ("of" in context "from"). What is a church but assembled wood? it's the Spirit of God that makes it Holy. What i'm getting at is, the Bible was assembled by man, whether anointed by God or not. now who are we to say what is and what isnt scripture? If i remember correctly, Christianity is held together by faith, right? If there is new text concerning worship of God, they why not? why not read it? why not believe it? if it doesnt hurt your faith, or others, then why not? arrogant humans, i tell ya -shakes head- oh well, i hope this gets understood. sorry by-the-way, for affecting the score of the book, seriously, i really dont like having to do that. it was just the only why i could post. Thank you, i hope this at least broadens some minds out there.
Rating:
Summary: Okay, just want to clear something up.
Review: Well, first off i gave this five stars, though i havent read the book i'm afraid. But i like to think that anything that can encourage the teachings of God deserves 5 stars, if only for the effort. But i am writing this mainly to clear up a review i just saw posted
here by a "eric burgess" who claims there are no other outlets to seek the word of God. you can look back and see his (i assume this person is male, but i appologize if they are female) review if you wish, but it specifically quoted 1st Timothy 3:15 saying: "There is no evidence that any of these books where ever considered conanicle by the Church which is (1 Tim 3:15). All of Gods word is contained in the Bible." Wow, sorry, but that is pretty innacurate. This is what 1st Timothy 3:14-16 says (15 alone is kind of vague, so i decided to include the previous and following verse): "14Although I hope to come to you soon, I am writing you these instructions so that, 15if I am delayed, you will know how people ought to conduct themselves in God's household, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and foundation of the truth. 16Beyond all question, the mystery of godliness is great:
He[3] appeared in a body,[4]
was vindicated by the Spirit,
was seen by angels,
was preached among the nations,
was believed on in the world,
was taken up in glory." I dont know about you, but i dont see anything about the rejecting of "lost books." so i checked 2nd Timothy, thinking he must have got the two confused: "14But as for you[Timothy], continue in what you have learned and have become convinced of, because you know those from whom you learned it, 15and how from infancy you have known the holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. 16All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, 17so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work." Yeah, i'm not seeing anything regarding any kind of book or, well, anything our reviewer eric was talking about. But, while searching through the Bible for Timothy, i did find one of my old favorites from Mark 9: "Whoever Is Not Against Us Is for Us 38"Teacher," said John, "we saw a man driving out demons in your name and we told him to stop, because he was not one of us."
39"Do not stop him," Jesus said. "No one who does a miracle in my name can in the next moment say anything bad about me, 40for whoever is not against us is for us. 41I tell you the truth, anyone who gives you a cup of water in my name because you belong to Christ will certainly not lose his reward." I think the passage above kind of sums it up. Yes, God's breath is in the Holy Bible, but is there any thing saying it cant be found else where. all we are really left with is "All Scripture is God-breathed" (2nd Tim 3:16). I dont know about you, but i thought God gave man the Church so that the Holy Spirit could be among men. The Church is of God, not of man ("of" in context "from"). What is a church but assembled wood? it's the Spirit of God that makes it Holy. What i'm getting at is, the Bible was assembled by man, whether anointed by God or not. now who are we to say what is and what isnt scripture? If i remember correctly, Christianity is held together by faith, right? If there is new text concerning worship of God, they why not? why not read it? why not believe it? if it doesnt hurt your faith, or others, then why not? arrogant humans, i tell ya -shakes head- oh well, i hope this gets understood. sorry by-the-way, for affecting the score of the book, seriously, i really dont like having to do that. it was just the only why i could post. Thank you, i hope this at least broadens some minds out there.
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