For the vast majority of Christians worldwide, the New Testament is a library of 27 books. It begins with the Gospel of Matthew and ends with the Revelation of John. This “closed list” is one of the few things that Protestants, Catholics, and Eastern Orthodox Christians agree upon.

However, in the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church (EOTC), the New Testament is not merely a collection of narratives and letters; it is a constitution. In the Broader Canon, the New Testament expands from 27 to 35 books.

These eight additional books are not “gospels” or “epistles” in the traditional sense. They are books of Church Order (Ser’ate Bete Krestian). They claim to preserve the direct instructions of Christ and His Apostles regarding how the community of believers should live, worship, and govern itself. By including these legal texts directly in the biblical canon, the Ethiopian tradition refuses to separate “faith” from “polity,” or the Spirit from the Law.

In this article, we will open these eight unique books—the Sinodos, the Book of the Covenant, Ethiopic Clement, and the Didascalia—to understand a vision of Christianity where the Bible is not just a book to be read, but a rule to be obeyed.

 

Part I: The Broader Canon—Why 35 Books?

As we explored in the first article, the EOTC maintains a total of 81 books. To reach this number in the “Broader Canon” (the system most often used for liturgical and theological classification), the Old Testament is counted as 46 books, allowing the New Testament to expand to 35.

These 35 books consist of:

1. The Standard 27: The Gospels, Acts, Epistles, and Revelation (just as in the West).
2. The “Octateuch” of the New Testament: Eight books of apostolic law and order.

It is important to clarify that these books are not “Gnostic” or “heretical” texts that contradict the Gospels. They are ancient compilations of canon law and community ethics, many of which were widely read in the early centuries of Christianity (3rd–5th centuries) in Syria, Egypt, and Rome, but were later separated from the Bible and placed into collections of “Canon Law” in other traditions. Ethiopia alone kept them inside the Bible.

 

Part II: The Sinodos (The Book of the Synod)

The largest block of these additional texts is the Sinodos (Ge’ez: Metsihafe Sinodos). While often bound as a single massive volume, in the canonical count it is reckoned as four distinct books. These texts are attributed to the Apostles gathered in Jerusalem (often connected to the Council of Jerusalem in Acts 15) or transmitted through Clement of Rome.

 

1. Ser’ate Tsion (The Order of Zion)

This book contains 30 canons. It is believed to have been laid down by the Apostles in the “Upper Room” of Zion (Jerusalem). It focuses on the hierarchy of the church, establishing the distinct roles of bishops, presbyters, and deacons. It serves as the foundational “organizational chart” of the church, grounding the clergy’s authority directly in apostolic command.

 

2. Te’ezaz (The Commandment)

Comprising 71 canons, this book delves into the moral life of the community. It offers detailed instructions on who is fit to be ordained and how the faithful should conduct themselves. It is less about administration and more about the “character” required for leadership.

 

3. Gitzew (Admonitions)

Containing 56 canons, this text focuses on church discipline. It deals with how to treat those who have sinned, how to manage liturgical seasons, and how to handle the “marginalized” of the ancient world.

 

4. Abtilis

This section contains 81 canons and largely parallels the “Apostolic Canons” known in other Orthodox traditions. It creates a bridge between the Ethiopian tradition and the wider Eastern Christian heritage of canon law.

Collectively, the Sinodos transforms the New Testament. It implies that Jesus did not just leave his disciples with “Good News” (Gospel); He left them with a “Government.”

 

Part III: The Book of the Covenant (Metsihafe Kidan)

Perhaps the most fascinating of the additional books is the Book of the Covenant (Metsihafe Kidan), which is counted as two books (Kidan I and Kidan II).

 

Kidan I: The Order of Worship

The first book (60 sections) is primarily liturgical. It provides the rubrics for prayer, the times of service, and the administration of the sacraments. It ensures that the worship of the church is not chaotic but follows a divine pattern.

 

Kidan II: The Testament of Our Lord

The second book is of immense theological weight. Known to scholars as the Testamentum Domini, it presents itself as a discourse delivered by Jesus Christ to his disciples in Galilee after His resurrection and before His ascension. In this text, the Risen Lord speaks about the “signs of the end,” the structure of the heavenly hierarchy, and the duties of the church. For the Ethiopian believer, this gives the book a status almost higher than the Gospels. The Gospels tell us what Jesus did before death; Kidan tells us what He commanded after conquering death. It is used daily in the EOTC liturgy, specifically in the morning prayer service, cementing its practical authority.

 

Part IV: Ethiopic Clement (Qalëmentos)

The seventh book in this collection is Ethiopic Clement (Qalëmentos). Western readers might confuse this with the “Epistles of Clement” (1 & 2 Clement) found in the Apostolic Fathers. However, the Ethiopian book is a distinct, seven-part apocalyptic writing.

The text is framed as a communication from the Apostle Peter to his disciple Clement (the bishop of Rome). But rather than dealing with church disputes (like the Western 1 Clement), it deals with Cosmic Secrets. It explores:

• The mysteries of creation.
• The history of the prophets.
• The future judgment.
• The interpretation of heresy and truth.

Qalëmentos serves as a “hermeneutical key,” teaching the reader how to interpret history through the lens of divine providence. It reinforces the Ethiopian view that “wisdom” involves understanding the hidden structures of the universe, not just moral behavior.

 

Part V: The Ethiopic Didascalia (Didesqelya)

The final book of the Broader New Testament is the Ethiopic Didascalia (Didesqelya). This is a massive book of 43 chapters, based on an ancient Greek text (the Didascalia Apostolorum) but significantly expanded in Ethiopia.

The Didesqelya is the “Book of Life” for the layman and the bishop alike. It is practical, earthy, and detailed. Its topics include:

• Marriage and Family: It gives strict but protective guidelines on husband-wife relations and the raising of children.
• Conflict Resolution: It commands believers not to take their disputes to secular courts but to solve them within the church, with the bishop acting as judge.
• The Care of the Poor: It mandates the care of orphans and widows, organizing the church as a social safety net.
• The Sabbath: Crucially, the Didesqelya vigorously defends the observance of the Sabbath (Saturday) alongside the Lord’s Day (Sunday), providing the legal basis for Ethiopia’s unique two-day weekend of worship.

This book is read publicly in the church during Holy Week, emphasizing its central role in shaping the community’s ethics.

 

Part VI: Why Include “Law” in the Bible?

The inclusion of these books raises a fundamental question: Why merge Canon Law with Scripture?

In the West (Catholic and Protestant), the Bible is seen as the source of “Revelation,” while Canon Law is seen as the “Regulation” derived from it. The two are kept separate. In Ethiopia, this distinction collapses. The “Law” is considered part of the “Revelation.”

This reflects a Hebraic mindset. Just as the Old Testament contains both the Story of the Exodus and the Laws of Leviticus/Deuteronomy, the Ethiopian New Testament contains both the Story of Jesus (Gospels) and the Laws of the New Community (Sinodos/Didascalia). For the Ethiopian Orthodox Church, a Bible without law would be incomplete. It would tell you what to believe, but not how to live as a society. The Broader Canon ensures that the Church is not just a spiritual club, but a holy nation with its own divine constitution.

 

Conclusion: A Total Way of Life

The 35 books of the Ethiopian New Testament offer a vision of Christianity that claims total authority over human life. It regulates the calendar, the diet, the family, the court system, and the liturgy.

When a Westerner reads the New Testament, they see a message of individual salvation. When an Ethiopian reads their New Testament (including Didascalia and Sinodos), they see a blueprint for a Theocratic Civilization. These unique books are the reason why the Ethiopian Church has been able to function as a state-within-a-state for 1,600 years, preserving its identity through laws that are believed to be written by the Apostles themselves.

In the next article, we will look at the beings who populate the invisible world of this Bible. We will explore Angelology and Demonology, examining how texts like Enoch and the Liturgy paint a universe teeming with spiritual warfare.