S
Dear friends, Here is internet basic factual information on the so-called Apocrypha. Actually, it depends totally upon your point of view whether or not these books are actually Apocryphal, that is, hidden or uninspired. That is only a Protestant point-of-view, and not everything Christian needs to be Protestant. It's only one group's opinion of what is Biblical, or what the Bible is (what the list (canon) of Bible books is).
See: http:// en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apocrypha
"Apocrypha From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
"The term apocrypha is used with various meanings, including "hidden", "esoteric", "spurious", "of questionable authenticity", and "Christian texts that are not canonical".
"The word is originally Greek (apokrupha) and means "those having been hidden away". Specifically, apokrupha is the neuter plural of apokruphos,a participle derived from the verb apokrupto [infinitive: apokruptein], "to hide something away".
"The general term is usually applied to such books that the Protestant Christian Church considered useful but not divinely inspired. As such, it is misleading in this sense to refer to the Gospel according to the Hebrews or Gnostic writings as apocryphal, because they would not be classified in the same category by orthodox believers. Non-canonical books are texts of uncertain authenticity, or writings where the work is seriously questioned. Given that different denominations have different beliefs about what constitutes canonical scripture, there are several versions of the apocrypha.
"During 16th-century controversies about the biblical canon, the word acquired a negative connotation, and has become a synonym for "spurious" or "false". This usage usually involved fictitious or legendary accounts that are plausible enough to be commonly considered true. For example, Laozi's alleged authorship of the Tao Te Ching, the Parson Weems account of George Washington and the cherry tree, are all considered apocryphal.
"Apocrypha has evolved in meaning somewhat, and its associated implications have ranged from positive to pejorative. Apocrypha, according to Merriam-Webster Dictionary, means "books included in the Septuagint and Vulgate but excluded from the Jewish and Protestant canons of the Old Testament".
"Writings of questionable value
"Apocrypha" was also applied to writings that were hidden not because of their divinity but because of the questionable value to the church. Many in Protestant traditions cite Revelation 22:18-19 as a potential curse for those who attach any canonical authority to extra-biblical writ6ings such as the Apocrypha. However, strict exegesis of this text would indicate it was meant for only the Book of Revelation. Rev. 22:18f. (TNIV) states: "I warn everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this scroll: If any one of you adds anything to them, God will add the plagues describes in this scroll. And if any one of you takes words away from this scroll of prophecy, God will take away from you your share in the tree of life and in the Holy City, which are descried in this scroll". ....
Here is the longer canon of the OT (Old Testament) according to the Orthodox Church.
1. Genesis. 2. Exodus. 3. Leviticus 4. Numbers 5. Deuteronomy 6. Joshua
7. Judges 8. Ruth 9. 1 Kingdoms (1 Samuel) 10. 2 Kingdoms (2 Samuel)
11. 3 Kingdoms (1 Kings) 12. 4 Kingdoms (2 Kings) 13. 1 Chronicles (1 Paraleipomenon)
14. 2 Chronicles (2 Paraleipomenon) 15. 1 Ezra (2 Esdras)
16. 2 Ezra (Ezra/ 2 Esdras) 17. Nehemiah 18. Tobit
19. Judith 20. Esther (with additions) 21. 1 Maccabees 22. 2 Maccabees 23. 3 Maccabees
24. Psalms (with Psalm 151) 25. Job 26. Proverbs of Solomon 27. Ecclesiastes
28. Song of Songs 29. Wisdom of Solomon 30. Wisdom of Sirach 31. Hosea
32. Amos
33. Micah
34. Joel
35. Obadiah
36. Jonah
37. Nahum
38. Habakkuk
39. Zephaniah
40. Haggai
41. Zechariah
42. Malachi
43. Isaiah
44. Jeremiah
45. Baruch
46. Lamentations of Jeremiah
47. Epistle of Jeremiah
48. Ezekiel
49. Daniel (with additions).
Canon of OT from THE ORTHODOX STUDY BIBLE, Prepared under the auspices of the Academic Community of St, Athanasius Academy of Orthodox Theology, Elk Grove, California, Fr. Jack Norman Sparks, Ph.D., Dean. Copyright 2008, St. Athanasius Academy of Orthodox Theology. Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Bibles.
NT Text New King James Version Copyright 1982, Thomas Nelson, Inc.
Whatever you think of these books, don't either accept or reject them in a thoughtless
manner. "Study to shew thyself as one approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing (discerning) the word of truth" (NT: KJV). I will neither reject nor accept these books unless I have studied them, but all my study so far has led me to believe there is nothing-at-all that is doctrinally or theologically wrong or ethically or morally wrong in any of these books. And it is my considered opinion that we should not be listening to the opinions of Jewish rabbis as to what constitutes the true Hebrew canon of Judaism, as Judaism has been replaced by Christianity, and Judaism finds its fulfillment only in Christianity. God's covenant is now with His Church, and the Jews have
a future promise of blessing only if they will accept His New Covenant. Only those who reject the New Covenant are under a curse from God. Blessings and cursings come from what one does with Jesus Christ. He challenges all people to find a good (holy) answer to His question: "But who do you say that I AM?"
In Erie PA Scott R. Harrington It was the Jewish council of Jamnia in the 1st century AD that rejected these books as Apocrypha; but the early Christian Church received them as part of the Greek Old Testament tradition (Septuagint, LXX).
See: http:// en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apocrypha
"Apocrypha From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
"The term apocrypha is used with various meanings, including "hidden", "esoteric", "spurious", "of questionable authenticity", and "Christian texts that are not canonical".
"The word is originally Greek (apokrupha) and means "those having been hidden away". Specifically, apokrupha is the neuter plural of apokruphos,a participle derived from the verb apokrupto [infinitive: apokruptein], "to hide something away".
"The general term is usually applied to such books that the Protestant Christian Church considered useful but not divinely inspired. As such, it is misleading in this sense to refer to the Gospel according to the Hebrews or Gnostic writings as apocryphal, because they would not be classified in the same category by orthodox believers. Non-canonical books are texts of uncertain authenticity, or writings where the work is seriously questioned. Given that different denominations have different beliefs about what constitutes canonical scripture, there are several versions of the apocrypha.
"During 16th-century controversies about the biblical canon, the word acquired a negative connotation, and has become a synonym for "spurious" or "false". This usage usually involved fictitious or legendary accounts that are plausible enough to be commonly considered true. For example, Laozi's alleged authorship of the Tao Te Ching, the Parson Weems account of George Washington and the cherry tree, are all considered apocryphal.
"Apocrypha has evolved in meaning somewhat, and its associated implications have ranged from positive to pejorative. Apocrypha, according to Merriam-Webster Dictionary, means "books included in the Septuagint and Vulgate but excluded from the Jewish and Protestant canons of the Old Testament".
"Writings of questionable value
"Apocrypha" was also applied to writings that were hidden not because of their divinity but because of the questionable value to the church. Many in Protestant traditions cite Revelation 22:18-19 as a potential curse for those who attach any canonical authority to extra-biblical writ6ings such as the Apocrypha. However, strict exegesis of this text would indicate it was meant for only the Book of Revelation. Rev. 22:18f. (TNIV) states: "I warn everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this scroll: If any one of you adds anything to them, God will add the plagues describes in this scroll. And if any one of you takes words away from this scroll of prophecy, God will take away from you your share in the tree of life and in the Holy City, which are descried in this scroll". ....
Here is the longer canon of the OT (Old Testament) according to the Orthodox Church.
1. Genesis. 2. Exodus. 3. Leviticus 4. Numbers 5. Deuteronomy 6. Joshua
7. Judges 8. Ruth 9. 1 Kingdoms (1 Samuel) 10. 2 Kingdoms (2 Samuel)
11. 3 Kingdoms (1 Kings) 12. 4 Kingdoms (2 Kings) 13. 1 Chronicles (1 Paraleipomenon)
14. 2 Chronicles (2 Paraleipomenon) 15. 1 Ezra (2 Esdras)
16. 2 Ezra (Ezra/ 2 Esdras) 17. Nehemiah 18. Tobit
19. Judith 20. Esther (with additions) 21. 1 Maccabees 22. 2 Maccabees 23. 3 Maccabees
24. Psalms (with Psalm 151) 25. Job 26. Proverbs of Solomon 27. Ecclesiastes
28. Song of Songs 29. Wisdom of Solomon 30. Wisdom of Sirach 31. Hosea
32. Amos
33. Micah
34. Joel
35. Obadiah
36. Jonah
37. Nahum
38. Habakkuk
39. Zephaniah
40. Haggai
41. Zechariah
42. Malachi
43. Isaiah
44. Jeremiah
45. Baruch
46. Lamentations of Jeremiah
47. Epistle of Jeremiah
48. Ezekiel
49. Daniel (with additions).
Canon of OT from THE ORTHODOX STUDY BIBLE, Prepared under the auspices of the Academic Community of St, Athanasius Academy of Orthodox Theology, Elk Grove, California, Fr. Jack Norman Sparks, Ph.D., Dean. Copyright 2008, St. Athanasius Academy of Orthodox Theology. Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Bibles.
NT Text New King James Version Copyright 1982, Thomas Nelson, Inc.
Whatever you think of these books, don't either accept or reject them in a thoughtless
manner. "Study to shew thyself as one approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing (discerning) the word of truth" (NT: KJV). I will neither reject nor accept these books unless I have studied them, but all my study so far has led me to believe there is nothing-at-all that is doctrinally or theologically wrong or ethically or morally wrong in any of these books. And it is my considered opinion that we should not be listening to the opinions of Jewish rabbis as to what constitutes the true Hebrew canon of Judaism, as Judaism has been replaced by Christianity, and Judaism finds its fulfillment only in Christianity. God's covenant is now with His Church, and the Jews have
a future promise of blessing only if they will accept His New Covenant. Only those who reject the New Covenant are under a curse from God. Blessings and cursings come from what one does with Jesus Christ. He challenges all people to find a good (holy) answer to His question: "But who do you say that I AM?"
In Erie PA Scott R. Harrington It was the Jewish council of Jamnia in the 1st century AD that rejected these books as Apocrypha; but the early Christian Church received them as part of the Greek Old Testament tradition (Septuagint, LXX).