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The Lost Books of the Bible and the Forgotten Books of Eden are an unusual collection of non-canonical texts written regarding Biblical times.
The Gospel of the Birth of MaryInThe Gospel of the Birth of Mary, a detailed account of the birth of the virgin is presented which is very much in accord with the traditions held by the Catholic Church despite the absence of the gospel in the canonical texts. Born to elder parents who were barren throughout their marriage, Joachim and Anne receive similar visions from God that are presented to Joseph and Mary in the Gospels about the coming birth of their daughter. Pledged to the temple at a young age, she vows virginity, and was betrothed to Joseph after the men of the town were brought to the temple carrying their staffs. Joseph’s rod, according to The Gospel of the Birth of Mary, sprouted a dove. Many legends say that the rod sprouted lilies or other flowers, but this particular gospel cites a dove. This was the sign that he was to marry the Blessed Virgin. The ProtoEvangelionThe ProtoEvangelion is a much more detailed and historical account of the birth of Christ believed to have been written by James the Lesser, who was also the first Bishop of the Jerusalem Christian Community. The Infancy GospelsPerhaps the most interesting and talked about books in The Lost Books of the Bible and the Forgotten Books of Eden are the Infancy Gospels. In the Infancy Gospels, Jesus Christ is portrayed in childhood as a rambunctious youth who sometimes uses his unusual gifts in unexpected ways, causing harm to other children who upset him, and in one instance, striking dead a teacher who treats him with disrespect. NicodemusThe writings of Nicodemus contain information of great interest as in the gospels there is only a small accounting of the meeting of Nicodemus, the unusually pious Pharisee who supports Jesus Christ throughout His trial, and Jesus. The books written by Nicodemus recount several miracles and events already related in the gospels, but he expands on these events and tells of several events unknown in any other text. The Pastor of HermasAn unusual text included in the collection of The Lost Books of the Bible and the Forgotten Books of Eden, which is also included in the Writings of the Early Church Fathers, is entitled The Pastor of Hermas; a revelation not unlike the Revelation of St. John, which takes a mystical journey into the realms of good and evil and shows the punishment and rewards of various states of virtue and sin. The Forgotten Books of Eden, Psalms of Solomon, Secrets of Enoch Fascinating in content, The Forgotten Books of Eden tell a different story of Genesis which is lengthy and detailed wherein Adam and Eve immediately repent of their sin against God and work towards attaining repentance and forgiveness. God is described in these texts as “merciful and full of pity” when hearing the voices of Adam and Eve pleading for forgiveness. But Adam and Eve go through fifteen apparitions of Satan wherein they are tempted, and Satan expresses jealousy of the mercy of God displayed towards them. In subsequent generations, however, it is shown quickly how soon the descendants of Adam and Even fall into sin very easily again making the time of Noah and the Ark inevitable. Two other interesting texts in The Lost Books of the Bible and the Forgotten Books of Eden include the Psalms of Solomon and the Secrets of Enoch, a journey into the heavens, hells and valleys of the spiritual world as shown to ‘the man who walked with God.’ Many of these books are considered invalid or heretical, but they remain as fascinating historical images of a time which holds the fascination of humanity. Sources: The Lost Books of the Bible and the Forgotten Books of Eden – World Bible Publishers
The copyright of the article The Lost Books of the Bible in Catholicism is owned by Marilynn Hughes. Permission to republish The Lost Books of the Bible in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.
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