Have you ever noticed that the Bible sometimes references books or writings that, for one reason or another, did not end up in the Bible itself? That can feel confusing at first. If the Bible mentions it, shouldn’t it be in there? And if it isn’t in there, why is it being referenced at all?
That’s a thoughtful question, and it deserves a careful answer.
The Twenty-Five Cent Answer
The short answer is this: Yes, the Bible sometimes mentions books that are not in the Bible. When that happens, it doesn’t mean those books were Scripture. It just means that the biblical writers sometimes referred to other writings that existed at the time.
Obviously, quoting a book doesn’t make that book part of the Bible. For example: In the New Testament, the book of Jude quotes from the book of Enoch. That book still exists today. But it was never accepted as part of the Jewish Scriptures, and most Christians through history didn’t consider it inspired Scripture either. So when Jude quotes it, he’s not saying, “This whole book belongs in the Bible.” He’s simply saying, “This particular statement is true.”
That happens even today. If a pastor quotes a line from a history book during a sermon, he’s not saying that the whole history book is inspired by God. He’s just saying that the line he quoted is accurate and helpful.
That’s the simple answer.
The Five-Dollar Explanation
Going a little deeper… the Bible was written in real history, by real people, in real cultures. Kings kept records, prophets wrote scrolls, poets composed songs, and apostles wrote letters. Not every document written by a prophet or an apostle automatically became Scripture.
In the Old Testament, there are several books mentioned that we no longer have. For example, the book of Numbers mentions “The Book of the Wars of the LORD.” Joshua and 2nd Samuel mention “The Book of Jasher.” The books of Kings often refer to official royal records of Israel and Judah. Those were probably national archives or court histories. They were real documents, but they were not part of the covenant Scriptures given to God’s people.
In the New Testament, the apostle Paul mentions letters he wrote that we don’t have anymore. In 1 Corinthians 5:9, he refers to an earlier letter that’s not preserved in our Bible. In Colossians 4:16, he mentions a letter associated with Laodicea. Not every letter Paul ever wrote was intended to become part of the Bible.
So… not every true or useful religious writing was meant to be Scripture.
When the Jewish people recognized their Scriptures, and when the early Christians recognized the New Testament books, they didn’t just gather every religious book they could find. They looked for certain marks of authenticity. They asked questions like:
- Was this written by a recognized prophet or apostle, or by someone directly connected to them?
- Does this teaching agree with what God has already revealed?
- Has this been widely used and accepted by God’s people over time?
- Does it carry the kind of authority that speaks as the voice of God, not just about God?
The Book of Enoch, for example, contains some interesting material. But it also contains ideas and imagery that weren’t consistent with the rest of Scripture. It was known in Jewish circles and was read by some. But it was not recognized as part of the sacred Scriptures that Israel believed were given by God.
When Jude quotes Enoch, he’s doing something very normal for his time. He’s drawing from a well-known Jewish writing to make a point. He affirms that one statement is true, but that doesn’t mean he’s putting the whole book on the same level as Genesis or Isaiah.
The apostle Paul does something similar when he quotes Greek poets in the book of Acts. He quotes them because they said something true… that doesn’t mean their poetry is Scripture. It just means that some truths can show up in places outside the Bible.
So Why Would God Allow That?
That’s a really good question. And an important one, too.
God didn’t give us the Bible by dropping a finished book out of the sky. He worked through history, He worked through cultures. He worked through human authors who read other books, knew other traditions, and lived in a world full of ideas.
Inspiration means that the Holy Spirit guided the biblical writers so that what they wrote in Scripture is exactly what God intended. It doesn’t mean they lived in isolation from every other document in existence.
When the Bible references a lost work, it shows that the authors were honest about their sources. When it references a book that’s still in existence but is not in the canon, it shows that they could recognize a true statement without declaring the whole book inspired.
Here is the assuring part: God approved what He wanted and what His people needed.
There may have been many ancient scrolls, and some were helpful and some were historical. Some were even devotional. But the ones that were recognized as Scripture were those that consistently bore the marks of divine authority, and were received by God’s people as such.
Nothing was left out of the sixty-six books that God wanted us to read and take to heart. And the fact that they’ve been divinely preserved and faithfully handed down for thousands of years gives us the blessed assurance that what we hold in our hands is not an accident of history, nor a collection of religious guesswork, but the very Word God intended His people to have – complete, trustworthy, and sufficient for faith, for life, and for knowing Him. Amen!
Sufficient is the Word of God
That we may know His will,
And trust each day His providence
By faith content and still.
The secret things belong to God;
Our lives are His to lead.
But He has given us His Word
And that is all we need.
~ Ken Puls, “Sufficient Is the Word of God” (2000)
Former Blackout Artist 