... then "they" (whatever "they" are) are NOT equal to the canonical.
It seems early Christians found LOTS of things to be helpful but not canonical (as Christians STILL do)... But Tradition does not regard these as canonical (and since they are not canonical, EXACTLY what materials individuals so consider isn't very important).
.
Oxford Dictionary
Scripture:
the sacred writings of Christianity contained in the Bible.
"But continue thou in the things which thou hast learned and hast been assured of, knowing of whom thou hast learned them; And that from a child thou hast known the holy scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.
All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works"
2 Timothy 3:14-17
Athanasius Against the Heathen par 11.1 (296-373 ad)
But of these and such like inventions of idolatrous madness,
Scripture taught us beforehand long ago, when it said, "The devising of idols was the beginning of fornication, and the invention of them, the corruption of life. For neither were they from the beginning, neither shall they be for ever" (Wis 14:13)
Origen de Principiis book 2 ch 1.5 (185- 254ad)
But that we may believe on the authority of
holy Scripture that such is the case, hear how in the book of Maccabees, where the mother of seven martyrs exhorts her son to endure torture, this truth is confirmed; for she says, "I ask of thee, my son, to look at the heaven and the earth, and at all things which are in them, and beholding these, to know that God made all these things when they did not exist
Tyranus Rufinus Commentary on the symbol of the apostles, 36-38 (340-410 ad)
but let us read all the laws, those in the New and those in the
Old Testament, that are set down about almsgiving, and let us be very earnest about this matter. For this cleanses from sin. For "give alms, and all things will be clean unto you." (Tobit)
Cyprian of Carthage On the Dress of Virgins, 10 (200-270 ad)
“since
Holy Scripture says…[quotes Wisdom 5:8].
Cyprian of Carthage On Mortality, 9 (200-270 ad)
“
Holy Scripture teaches and forewarns, saying…[quotes Sirach 2:1-5].”
Clement of Rome first letter to the Corinthians ch 27 (27-97 ad)
"By
the word of his might [God] established all things, and by his word he can overthrow them. ‘Who shall say to him, "What have you done?" or who shall resist the power of his strength?’ [Wis. 12:12]"
Hyppolytus Commentary on Daniel ch 6.55 (170-236 ad)
‘“For even now the angel of God.’ He shows also, that when Susannah prayed to God, and was heard, the angel was sent then to help her, just as was the case in the instance of Tobias [See Tobit 3:17] and Sara. For when they prayed, the supplication of both of them was heard in the same day and the same hour, and the angel Raphael was sent to heal them both."
Eusebius of Caesarea Church History book 5 (295-340ad)
"Well did the
Scripture speak, saying, that God is one, who has created and completed all things,'" etc. And he uses almost the precise words of the Wisdom of Solomon, saying: vision of God produces immortality, but immortality renders us near to God."
Augustine of Hippo Enchiridion of Christian Doctrine Book 2 par 12-13 (354-430 ad)
There are other books which seem to follow no regular order, and are connected neither with the order of the preceding books nor with one another, such as Job, and Tobias, and Esther, and Judith, and the two books of Maccabees, and the two of Ezra, which last look more like a sequel to the continuous regular history which terminates with the books of Kings and Chronicles. Next are the Prophets, in which there is one book of the Psalms of David; and three books of Solomon, viz., Proverbs, Song of Songs, and Ecclesiastes. For two books, one called Wisdom and the other Ecclesiasticus, are ascribed to Solomon from a certain resemblance of style, but the most likely opinion is that they were written by Jesus the son of Sirach.
Still they are to be reckoned among the prophetical books, since they have attained recognition as being authoritative.
Augustine Reply to Faustus the Manichean Book 22 par 35 (354-430 ad)
We learn from
Scripture that, among the ancients, it was customary to call cousins brothers and sisters. Thus Tobias says in his prayer to God, before having intercourse with his wife, 'And now, O Lord, Thou knowest that not in wantonness I take to wife my sister;" though she was not sprung immediately from the same father or the same mother, but only belonged to the same family. And Lot is called the brother of Abraham, though Abraham was his uncle. And, by the same use of the word, those called in the Gospel the Lord's brothers are certainly not children of the Virgin Mary, but all the blood relations.
Vincent of Lerins Commonitory,21:51 (390-450 ad)
"[T]he
divine Oracles cry aloud, 'Remove not the landmarks, which thy fathers have set,'[Prov 22:28] and 'Go not to law with a Judge,'[Sirach 8:14] and 'Whoso breaketh through a fence a serpent shall bite him,'[Eccles 10:8]"
Epistle of Barnabas Ch 6 (70-90 ad)
For the prophet speaks against Israel, themselves, saying, Let us bind the just one, because he is displeasing to us." (Wisdom 2:12)
Jerome Letter 71 par 3 (347-420 ad)
We read in Ecclesiasticus: "he that toucheth pitch shall be defiled therewith."
Jerome Letter 75 par 2 (347-420 ad)
For, as
it is written in the book of Wisdom, he was "taken away lest that wickedness should alter his understanding
Jerome Letter 1 par 9 (347-420 ad)
Let Susannah also rise in the nobility of her faith before the thoughts of all; who, after she had been condemned by an unjust sentence, was saved through a youth
inspired by the Holy Ghost
Jerome Letter 7 par 6 (347-420 ad)
Fortunate the roof which shelters the martyr-mother of the Maccabees, with her sons around her, each and all wearing the martyr's crown!
Too bad neither Athanasius and Rufinus agree with you.
Too bad neither Athanasius and Rufinus agree with you.
