APOCRYPHA
What Is the Significance of the Apocrypha?
This word originally meant "hidden things," suggesting a special body of information reserved for a select group. Eventually, it came to signify a collection of fourteen or fifteen books, some of which are included in some editions of the English Bible—especially the versions distributed under the auspices of the Roman Catholic Church.
The Roman Church subscribes to the idea that several apocryphal books are inspired by God and thus should be embraced within the sacred Canon. These are Tobit, Judith, Wisdom of Solomon, Ecclesiasticus, Baruch, I and II Maccabees, and fragments of Daniel and Esther.
The evidence is against acknowledging these books as inspired.
The Roman Church subscribes to the idea that several apocryphal books are inspired by God and thus should be embraced within the sacred Canon. These are Tobit, Judith, Wisdom of Solomon, Ecclesiasticus, Baruch, I and II Maccabees, and fragments of Daniel and Esther.
The evidence is against acknowledging these books as inspired.
- These works were not in the Hebrew Old Testament.
- They were produced between those eras in which inspired Testaments were given (i.e., in the inter-testament period; see Josephus, Against Apion 1.8).
- Neither Jesus nor the apostles regarded these documents as inspired by God.
- The books make no claim of inspiration.
- They contain numerous inaccuracies and contradictions.
- The moral tone of the books is far below that of the Bible.
While they provide some interesting historical data of the inter-biblical period, they are not products of divine inspiration.
Related Articles
Is the Apocrypha Inspired of God?
Why the Apocryphal books don’t belong in the inspired canon of Scripture.
Is the Gospel of Thomas Real or Fake?Some scholars continue to insist that the so-called “Gospel of Thomas” is as authentic as the canonical Gospel records. What are the facts of this matter?
The Canon of Sacred ScriptureWho determined which books were to go into the Bible? Exactly when did that occur? What are the Apocryphal books? Wayne Jackson addresses these important questions.
An Amazing Prophecy in the Book of DanielThe book of Daniel stands as powerful evidence for the genuineness of Bible prophecy. It thus is a convincing demonstration of the divine origin of the Scriptures.
The Jesus Seminar – Part 2A response to The Jesus Seminar, as featured by the Peter Jennings ABC special, In Search of Jesus
Adapted from the book "Bible Words and Theological Terms Made Easy" by Wayne Jackson
