Authority and Canonicity of the Book of Tobit

• Authors: Michał Wojciechowski

Title variants

PL

Authority and Canonicity of the Book of Tobit

• Languages of publication: EN

Abstracts

PL

Judaism has never recognized Tobit as a canonical book, perhaps because of its roots in the northern Israel. Its reflections in the New Testament are scarce. Ancient Christian witnesses are usually favorable to the canonicity of the book of Tobit. It is present in many ancient biblical manuscripts (a, B, A, more then 30 minuscules). It was quoted by at least 79 authors, by many as Scripture. Some canon lists include it, other ones does not – when they are influenced by the Jewish canon. Some authors who failed to list Tobit in the canon have quoted it as Scripture. Accordingly, arguments for the canonicity prevail. Later ages accepted Tobit as canonical book. Protestants, despite some initial positive interest, have eliminated it. Tobit is canonical in the Catholic and Orthodox Churches. It contains valuable teachings, especially on family and marriage – it is the only biblical book concentrated on these subjects.

Keywords

EN

Tobit; Tobias; canon; authority; deuterocanonical books; Apocrypha; history of the biblical canon; canon lists

PL

Tobit; Tobiasz; kanon; autorytet; księgi deuterokanoniczne; historia kanonu; listy kanonu

• Publisher: Katolicki Uniwersytet Lubelski Jana Pawła II
• Journal: The Biblical Annals
• Year: 2014
• Volume: 4
• Issue: 2
• Pages: 381-395

Dates

published

2015-11-14

Contributors

author

Michał Wojciechowski

• Katolicki Uniwersytet Lubelski Jana Pawła II. Wydział Teologii. Instytut Nauk Biblijnych.