34. The "Disputed" Books

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The Epistle of James (in one place treated amongst " spurious " books), Second Peter, Second and Third John and Jude rank in his list as ἀντλεγόμενα, or " disputed," though generally recognized, semi-canonical books: they were not in the Testament (οἰκ ἐν διαθήκῃ). Second Peter, he here says, was by some regarded as unauthentic, that is, not Peter's own work; the rest bore the real names of their authors, but doubts were felt whether these were the apostles of the same name. Nevertheless such books were " well known by most." Further on we are informed that they were "read aloud in most churches."