Why was Judith removed from the Bible?

The Book of Judith, a compelling narrative detailing the heroic actions of a Jewish widow, was not "removed" but rather faced exclusion from the primary biblical canons for various historical, linguistic, and theological reasons. While it is considered deuterocanonical by Catholic and Orthodox traditions, it is absent from the Jewish Tanakh and Protestant Bibles.

Primary Reasons for Exclusion

The decision not to include the Book of Judith in certain biblical canons was influenced by a combination of factors related to its perceived origin, composition timeline, and the characteristics of its protagonist.

Concerns Regarding Composition and Origin

Several scholarly speculations point to the book's background as a reason for its canonical status:

• Lateness of Composition: Some scholars believe the Book of Judith was composed relatively late compared to other established biblical texts, potentially after the traditional Hebrew canon was largely finalized. This later date of authorship may have led to questions about its authoritative status.
• Possible Greek Origin: While its setting is distinctly Jewish, there is a strong possibility that the Book of Judith was originally written in Greek rather than Hebrew. For many ancient Jewish scholars and later Protestant reformers, a non-Hebrew origin for a text prevented its inclusion in the core biblical collection.

Theological and Political Considerations

The book's content and underlying themes also played a role in its reception:

• Apparent Support for the Hasmonean Dynasty: The narrative's context or themes were sometimes interpreted as lending support to the Hasmonean dynasty, a priestly and royal line that ruled Judea in the Hellenistic period. This posed a challenge for the early rabbinate, which often held an unfavorable view of the Hasmoneans due to their perceived secularization and usurpation of both priestly and kingly roles.
• Characterization of Judith: The portrayal of Judith herself was potentially seen as controversial. She is depicted as a brash, shrewd, and even seductive widow who uses her charm and intellect to achieve her goals and save her people. This bold and unconventional character might have been perceived as not aligning with established norms for biblical heroines by some religious authorities of the time.

Canonical Divergences

It's important to understand that the "removal" of Judith is relative to different religious traditions' canons. The Book of Judith is still considered scripture by many:

• Jewish Canon: It was not accepted into the Hebrew Bible (Tanakh) by Jewish religious authorities, likely due to the reasons mentioned above concerning its origin and composition.
• Protestant Canon: Following the Reformation, Protestant reformers often aligned their Old Testament canon more closely with the Hebrew Bible, thus placing Judith among the Apocrypha—a collection of books not considered canonical but often included for historical or devotional reading.
• Catholic and Orthodox Canons: The Roman Catholic Church and various Eastern Orthodox Churches include the Book of Judith in their Old Testament as a deuterocanonical book, meaning it is part of their official canon.

The differing views on the Book of Judith highlight the complex historical processes and theological debates that shaped the various biblical canons we recognize today.

Canonical Status of the Book of Judith

The following table summarizes the inclusion of the Book of Judith across major biblical traditions: