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Apocrypha, Part 1

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Apocrypha, Part 1 Understanding Apocrypha, Part 1 Sources: Scripture Alone, James R. White, 112-119 The Journey from Texts to Translations: The Origin and Development of the Bible, Paul D. Wegner, 101-130 The Doctrine of the Word of God, John M. Frame, 118-139 Can We Still Believe the Bible? An Evangelical Engagement with Contemporary Questions, by Craig L. Blomberg, 43-54 How We Got the Bible, Neil R. Lightfoot, 152-156 “The Old Testament Canon, Josephus, and Cognitive Environment” by Stephen G. Dempster, in The Enduring Authority of the Christian Scriptures, D.A. Carson, editor, 321-361 “Reflections on Jesus’ View of the Old Testament” by Craig L. Blomberg, in The Enduring Authority of the Christian Scriptures, D.A. Carson, editor, 669-701 “The Canon of the Old Testament” by R.T. Beckwith, in The Origin of the Bible, edited by F.F. Bruce, J.I. Packer, Philip Comfort, Carl F.H. Henry, 51-64 “Do We Have the Right Canon?” by Paul D. Wegner, Terry L. Wilder, and Darrell L. Bock, in In Defense of the Bible: A Comprehensive Apologetic for the Authority of Scripture, edited by Steven B. Cowan and Terry L. Wilder, 393-404 Can I Really Trust the Bible?, Barry Cooper, 49-53 Establishing Our Time Frame What are apocryphal books? The word “apocrypha” refers to something hidden (Protestants and Catholics differ on why the term is applied to particular books). It is a general term often used for books not in the biblical canon (apocryphal books), but is also used by Protestants as a specific term for the books officially canonized by the Roman Catholic Church (The Apocrypha). It is generally a Protestant word, because the Roman Catholics describe these books as “deuterocanonical” (“second canon”). • 1 Esdras (or 3 Esdras) [not in Roman Catholic canon; sometimes used as a title for Ezra] • 2 Esdras (or 4 Esdras) [not in Roman Catholic canon; sometimes used as a title for Nehemiah] • Tobit • Judith • The Additions to the Book of Esther [included with Esther in the Catholic Bible] • The Wisdom of Solomon (sometimes just called “Wisdom”) • Ecclesiasticus (The Wisdom of Jesus the Son of Sirach, sometimes just called “Sirach”) • Baruch • The Letter of Jeremiah (sometimes incorporated as the last chapter of Baruch) • The Prayer of Azariah and the Song of the Three Young Men [included with Daniel in the Catholic Bible] • Susanna [included with Daniel in the Catholic Bible] • Bel and the Dragon [included with Daniel in the Catholic Bible] • The Prayer of Manasseh [not in Roman Catholic canon] • 1 Maccabees • 2 Maccabees Why are apocryphal books an issue? Some reasons include these: • Because, before the time of Jesus, the Samaritans rejected everything except the Pentateuch • Because of pseudepigrapha in the centuries before Jesus • Because the Rabbis before and after Jesus argued about whether some of the traditional Hebrew scriptures (like Ezekiel or Song of Solomon) should be in the canon • Because the library at Qumran (Dead Sea Scrolls) contained more than just Hebrew scriptures • Because the early Greek translations of the Old Testament included some apocryphal books, and Jesus and the apostles quoted from those Greek translations extensively in the NT (though never from the apocryphal works themselves) • Because the first full Bibles from the Christian period (A.D. 300s-400s) included some apocryphal books • Because some regional synods in the Christian era approved of apocryphal books • Because the Roman Catholic Church - in conflict with the Reformers - officially canonized the deuterocanonical books at the Council of Trent in 1546 • Because the book of Jude cites two noncanonical works What’s at stake here? • The canon of Scripture? • The authority of the Roman Catholic Church? • Not much? • Prayers for the dead and purgatory? 2 Maccabees 12:36-46 (cited from the New American Bible on the Vatican website) 36 After Esdris and his men had been fighting for a long time and were weary, Judas called upon the Lord to show himself their ally and leader in the battle. 37 Then, raising a battle cry in his ancestral language, and with songs, he charged Gorgias' men when they were not expecting it and put them to flight. 38 Judas rallied his army and went to the city of Adullam. As the week was ending, they purified themselves according to custom and kept the sabbath there. 39 On the following day, since the task had now become urgent, Judas and his men went to gather up the bodies of the slain and bury them with their kinsmen in their ancestral tombs. 40 But under the tunic of each of the dead they found amulets sacred to the idols of Jamnia, which the law forbids the Jews to wear. So it was clear to all that this was why these men had been slain. 41 They all therefore praised the ways of the Lord, the just judge who brings to light the things that are hidden. 42 7 Turning to supplication, they prayed that the sinful deed might be fully blotted out. The noble Judas warned the soldiers to keep themselves free from sin, for they had seen with their own eyes what had happened because of the sin of those who had fallen. 43 He then took up a collection among all his soldiers, amounting to two thousand silver drachmas, which he sent to Jerusalem to provide for an expiatory sacrifice. In doing this he acted in a very excellent and noble way, inasmuch as he had the resurrection of the dead in view; 44 for if he were not expecting the fallen to rise again, it would have been useless and foolish to pray for them in death. 45 But if he did this with a view to the splendid reward that awaits those who had gone to rest in godliness, it was a holy and pious thought. 46 Thus he made atonement for the dead that they might be freed from this sin. .
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