The Apocryphal Books (Part Three)

AI Generated Summary: This sermon explores the historical development of the biblical canon, emphasizing that Scripture's authority is self-attesting rather than derived from ecclesiastical decree. It traces the shift from the Hebrew canon recognized by Jesus and the apostles to the inclusion of the Apocrypha in the Latin Vulgate, largely due to Augustine's belief that the Septuagint, like the Hebrew text, was divinely inspired—a position that obscured Jerome's earlier distinction between canonical and apocryphal writings. The sermon highlights how the medieval church's elevation of tradition and institutional authority over Scripture led to doctrinal developments such as purgatory and sacramental theology, which were later challenged during the Reformation. Ultimately, it affirms Sola Scriptura as the foundational principle, showing how the humanist call to return to original sources and the Reformation's recovery of biblical authority were part of God's providential plan to preserve the truth of Scripture against ecclesiastical overreach.