Bible Answers
Question: Recently I read where more Dead Sea scrolls had been found. Do you think there are books missing from the Bible; ones that would be essential to the salvation of a person's soul and ones that would shed more light on events mentioned only one time in the Bible books we now possess?
ANSWER: The Bible is "in truth, the word of God."
(1 Thess. 2:13) It was given by divine inspiration to reveal unto man the mind of God. (2 Tim. 3:16-17; Eph. 3:3-5) Even the words of Scripture were selected by the Holy Spirit. (I Cor. 2:13)
God revealed this will complete and final. It is referred to as the "perfect" law of liberty, signifying that which is finished, complete: the complete revelation of God. (James 1:25) This perfect law, constituting the faith of God's people, has already been given "once for all." (Jude 3) God, according to His divine power, has "given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness." (2 Peter. 1:3)
It is evident that God was careful in the revelation of His will: to give unto man the good news of salvation in Christ. (Rom. 1:16) Is it reasonable to suppose that God took great care in giving a complete and final revelation and then failed to provide for its preservation (so as to leave man without knowledge of the great salvation which is in Christ)? (Heb. 2:1-3)
Equally true with the fact that the Bible is the inspired revelation of God, complete and final, is the fact that it is eternal. Jesus promised, "Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away." (Matt. 24:35) Man is to be born again by "the word of God, which liveth and abideth forever.... But the word of the Lord endureth forever." (1 Peter 1:23, 25)
To answer our question in view of the foregoing Bible teaching, there are no hooks missing from the Bible. God's divine wisdom gave it and His providential care has protected it. That we have the Bible intact may also be established by proofs external.
The canon of Old Testament scriptures was established before Jesus was born. (See Josephus, Against Apion, book i, sec. 8.) The 39 books, as we have them (22 as enumerated by the Jews) were acknowledged by Jesus and New Testament writers under the three divisions of "scriptures" as referred to by the Jews: the law the prophets, and the psalms. (Luke 24:44-45; Matt. 21:42; 26:54; John 7:38; 41-42; 19:36-37; Rom. 4:3; 1 Cor. 15:3-4; 1 Tim. 5:18; James 2:23, et al.)
The canon of the New Testament, consisting of 27 books, was established at the close of the first century with the assurance provided by inspired men with ability to discern. (1 Cor. 12:7-11) The books as we now have them were quoted as canonical by early writers such as Barnabas (circa 71 A.D.), Clemens Romanus (circa 96 A.D.), Ignatius (martyred 108 A.D.), Polycarp (circa 108 A.D.), et al. In fact, the quotations were so numerous that if the New Testament was lost it could be restored from the writings in any century back to the first. This plus the early versions (such as the Syriac) attest to the fact that the New Testament existed and was accepted as genuine and authentic in every century since the apostles.
Scrolls now being found are parts of the Old Testament scriptures and secular writings. Nothing more belonging to the inspired books will be found, God's word being true. We have, and will always have, the revelation of God — it is more sure than the world itself!