What is the real biblical canon—66 books or 73 books? Did Catholics add books to the Bible, or did Protestants remove books from the Bible? In this important discussion, Sam Shamoun answers a Protestant brother’s questions about the Catholic canon, the Orthodox canon, the Septuagint, the Deuterocanonical books, and why Christians historically received books like Tobit, Judith, Wisdom, Sirach, Baruch, 1 Maccabees, and 2 Maccabees as Scripture.
Sam Shamoun explains that the dispute over the canon is not new. Muslims often bring up the issue by asking Christians which Bible they follow: the Catholic Bible with 73 books, the Protestant Bible with 66 books, or the Orthodox canon with even more books. Sam Shamoun responds by going back to church history, the early Christians, the Jews after Christ, the Dead Sea Scrolls, and the Greek Old Testament known as the Septuagint.
The conversation also deals with Martin Luther and why the Deuterocanonical books became controversial during the Reformation. Sam Shamoun points specifically to 2 Maccabees 12, where prayers and sacrifices are offered for the dead, showing why this passage created problems for Protestant theology and Luther’s understanding of doctrine.
Sam Shamoun also connects 1 and 2 Maccabees to Hanukkah, the rededication of the Temple, and John 10:22-23, where Jesus Himself is present at the Feast of Dedication. Without the Maccabean books, many Christians miss the historical background behind Hanukkah and its connection to the Temple.
Finally, Sam Shamoun challenges Protestants to study church history honestly, confront the assumptions of private interpretation, and understand why the ancient Catholic and Orthodox churches must be taken seriously when discussing the canon of Scripture, the authority of the Church, and the fullness of the Christian faith.
⏱️ Timestamps
0:00 The question: 66 books, 73 books, or the Orthodox canon?
1:06 Why the canon dispute matters in Christian apologetics
1:13 Did early Christians read the Deuterocanonical books as Scripture?
2:05 The Dead Sea Scrolls, Tobit, Sirach, Jeremiah, and the larger Jewish canon
2:38 The Septuagint and the Greek Old Testament before Christ
3:36 Sam Shamoun explains why he accepts these books
4:00 Martin Luther and the Protestant rejection of the Deuterocanonical books
4:36 2 Maccabees 12, prayers for the dead, and why Luther had a problem
5:16 Antiochus Epiphanes, Judas Maccabees, Hanukkah, and the Temple
6:49 Jesus celebrates Hanukkah in John 10:22-23
7:26 Why did Judas Maccabees pray for dead soldiers?
8:38 Was prayer for the dead condemned or approved?
9:28 Luther, James, Hebrews, and the problem of Sola Fide
10:36 Did James contradict Paul—or Martin Luther’s interpretation of Paul?
11:24 Why the real historical choices are Catholic or Orthodox
12:03 The papacy, councils, and the Catholic-Orthodox debate
14:28 How do we know which church stayed true to Christ and the apostles?
15:18 Who defines heresy and orthodoxy?
16:31 Why being born into a church does not prove it is true
18:34 Does God work through churches without the fullness of truth?
19:15 Balaam, false prophets, and God’s providence
20:13 True believers in Trinitarian churches
21:18 Why more knowledge brings more responsibility before God
21:50 Final encouragement and closing words
⚠️ Important Disclaimer
I am not Sam Shamoun. This channel edits and shares clips from his teachings with permission in order to make his content more accessible and help spread the Word of God. All credit for the teaching belongs to Sam Shamoun.
