The Ethiopian Bible - Necessary & Important to Know
1. Oldest Complete Bible: The Ethiopian Bible is considered the oldest and most complete Bible in the World. (There were other older manuscripts discovered but they were not complete, lost or Ingenuine). Carbon dating reveals the manuscript to be between AD 330 to AD 650. It is older than the King James Bible by more than 800 years! It has been kept in the Abba Garima Monastery in Ethiopia since then until now.
2. Written in Ge'ez: It is written in the language Ge'ez, an ancient South Semitic language of Ethiopia, on goatskin, and bound up in book form. Ge’ez is a language peculiar only to Ethiopia. This could explain why the Ethiopian Bible was not promoted to other regions because of the language barrier.
3. Garima Gospels: It is often referred to as the Garima Gospels (named after the monk who reportedly wrote the book after he arrived in Ethiopia from Constantinople (present day Istanbul) around AD 494. He would have a strong knowledge of the Aramaic, Hebrew and Greek languages, and was able to translate them into Ge’ez, which was the local language of Ethiopia at that time.
4. Two Volumes: Physically, the Ethiopian Bible contains 3 manuscripts in 2 Volumes, both of which are about 10 inches thick. The 2 books are named Garima 1 (cover made from copper) and Garima 2 (cover made from silver). Each book has about 400 pages. The Ethiopian Bible contains books like The Book of Enoch, Jubilees, and the three books of Maccabees, which are not included in the King James Version.
5. Only One Copy: There is only ONE copy of the Original Ethiopian Bible and it is kept locked up in a monastery about 7,000 feet high on the mountainside of the Tigrai Highlands. (Many people were astonished that it still exists after the centuries of invasions from Muslims, Italians and a fire around 1930 that destroyed the monastery church building).
6. Restoration: The Ethiopian Heritage Fund (set up to restore artifacts in Ethiopia) restored the Ethiopian Bible in 2010. Bookbinder Lester Capon took 3 weeks inside the monastery to restore the binding and cleaning some of the pages, because the monk caretakers would not allow the Bible to be taken outside.
7. Coloured Drawings: The Ethiopian Bible is vibrantly illustrated in colours, with some of the pages filled with drawings of saints, apostles, a temple and charts to help readers to cross-reference certain passages. (Interestingly, the drawings of Jesus and apostles were drawing as dark skinned). Experts believe the pristine condition of the manuscripts could be due to the fact that the book has always been kept indoors inside the monastery, and not exposed to sunlight.
8. Jewish roots: Scholars suggested that the Ethiopians accepted the writings of the Ethiopian Bible and Christianity easily due to their earlier Jewish roots arising from the original ties between their Queen of Sheba and King Solomon of Israel. Legend says that the Queen had a son with Solomon called Menelik, and he later became the First Emperor of Ethiopia. Genetics in the study of the origins of the Ethiopian Jews (who were already practising Judaism until today) suggest such a union. So much so that in the 20th Century the Ethiopian Jews (also called Beta Israel or House of Israel) were recognised by Israel as Jews and were given citizenship to those who migrated to Israel.
9. Early Christian beginnings: The Ethiopian Bible contains 88 Books, including some not found in other Christian bibles, and due to the age of the physical Book, it suggests that Christianity came to Ethiopia way before many other regions/countries in the world. The Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church, as one of the oldest Christian churches in Africa, adopted only 81 books. It has a rich history dating back to the 4th century. In fact, history relates that Ethiopians were present in Jerusalem during the period of the Apostles. Remember the story of Philip who baptised the Ethiopian eunuch, the treasurer of Queen Candace of Ethiopia in Acts 8:26-40.
10. Why didn’t other Bibles have 88 books? In contrast, the Catholic bible has 73 books, the Eastern Orthodox bible has 76 books and the Protestant bibles have 66 books! This is besides the more than 450 different translations in English alone! (See: which is the correct version..?). Years ago, Emperor Constantine called a meeting of church leaders at the Council of Nicaea in AD 325, and initiated an exercise to humanly determine what books should be in and what should be out. (In the process of elimination, history tells us that some leaders/bishops were murdered or exiled for their beliefs, by reducing their presence). Then down through the years, there were more Christian conflicts and wars (like the Roman Catholic Church vs the Eastern Orthodox Church; the Catholic Church vs Protestant Reformation) leading to more arguments on what is to be included in the collection of books called the bible. (Question: Can you still claim that the bible is the unerring Word of God?). It was the Political and Religious factors that influenced which books were to be included. The same goes for the translations: (timeline of translation history).
11. What is inside the Ethiopian Bible?
a. For a start, it describes Heaven differently. Heaven is described as a vast land with endless green fields, rather than a kingdom in the clouds. Angels are seen as spiritual energies, not winged beings. The relationship between humans and God is closer and more direct.
b. The Ethiopian Bible speaks about 7 heavens each with its own meaning and purpose:
i. Sakai: A transitional space for departed souls.
ii. Cayama: A place for the purification of the soul.
iii. Ma'alt: The repository of cosmic knowledge.
iv. Baran: The realm of pure light.
v. Meus: The holy place of perfect harmony with the Creator.
vi. Zel'al: The realm of cosmic music.
vii. Ara: The highest realm of Heaven, where boundaries between human and divine become blurred.
c. The Ethiopian Bible has additional books compared to others such as:
i. The Book of Enoch (key book): It's an ancient Jewish apocalyptic text that describes the fall of angels and the Nephilim, and it influenced early Christian thought.
ii. The Book of Baruch: This text focuses on divine justice and theodicy, offering explanations for suffering and the prosperity of the wicked.
iii. The Ascension of Isaiah: This text describes Isaiah's journey through the heavens and provides insights into early Christian mysticism and eschatology.
iv. The Book of Jubilees: This text retells the stories of Genesis and Exodus with a unique chronological framework and emphasizes the importance of Sabbath observance.
v. The Kebra Nagast: This text is a national epic that traces the origins of the Ethiopian monarchy back to King Solomon and the Queen of Sheba. It claims that the Ark of the Covenant resides in Ethiopia.
vi. And many more other books.
Watch:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hF1CUUYgd1k
Read:
https://ocl.org/ethiopian-bible-oldest-complete-bible-earth/
https://zehabesha.com/comparing-divine-texts-the-king-james-bible-vs-the-ethiopian-bible/
12. How to get hold of the Ethiopian Bible?
To obtain a copy of the Ethiopian Bible, also known as the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church canon, which consists of 88 books, you have several options:
1. Online Sources: There are various online platforms where you can find digital copies of the Ethiopian Bible, including PDF formats.
2. Specialized Bookstores: Some specialized bookstores focused on religious texts may carry copies of the Ethiopian Bible. These bookstores often cater to specific religious denominations and may have sections dedicated to rare or unique religious texts.
3. Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church: You can reach out to the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church directly. They may have resources available that can help you obtain a copy of the Ethiopian Bible.
4. Religious Communities: Engaging with religious communities or forums that focus on the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church and its teachings could provide valuable insights and assistance in obtaining a copy of the Ethiopian Bible.
5. Translation Services: If you specifically want an English edition of the Ethiopian Bible, you can look for translations of the text.
