Cross Denominational Mission
Many
Christians (nor others!) even know that the Apocrypha exists. Of those
that know it, it is often mistakenly thought to be scripture from the
period between the Old and New Testaments. The Apocrypha is a
collection of scripture that the Jewish Sanhedrin at Jamnia in AD90
(who
decided what was Old Testament) decided was not sufficient to be
included in the Hebrew scripture (as much of this was
originally written in Hebrew),
but were
sufficiently important to be included somewhere. The Greek scholars
included it in their scripture,
which was for Greek speaking Jews in Egypt. Early Christians used
the Greek scripture and so the Apocrypha came to be used as scripture.
The Roman Catholics
felt that part of 2 Maccabees was an important witness to a dogmatic
truth and supported it. Now, the church is
broader than just the Jewish (O.T.) Greek and Roman Catholic
viewpoints, and
some of the reasons
for not including this material no longer apply. Actually, much of this
material fits very appropriately to todays evanangelistic growth. The
term 'Apocrypha' means hidden writings. Theologians call the Apocrypha
'Deutero-canonical writings' following what St Jerome wrote: 'the
church reads these for example of life, and for instruction: yet it
does not use them to establish doctrine'. The remainder of the Bible
gives plenty enough material to do this. There are places where the
Apocrypha seems to contradict the books of the Bible and some places
where information is wrong (for example, King Nebechadnezzar is stated
as the King of the Assyrians - which he was not). The Apocrypha like
any other historical or scholarly study has inconsistancies and
innaccuracies; but also has different and confirming viewpoints. So for
me and many others, the
Apocrypha adds to, expands, and sets in context many of the themes
familiar in
other parts of scripture.
1 Esdras covers
the story of exile and return in the same way as many Old Testament
books do. The out come is similar too: Faith in God, and obedience to
Him yields success and victory, whereas disobedience leads to disaster
and oppression. Esdras helps us by having a different persepctive, and
from a different time frame, which gives us an alternative context by
which to guage this.
Period covered: approx. 530 to 500BC.
2 Esdras Continues
the story of 1 Esdras with the return of exiles to Jerusalem, but with
visions of the last days and prophecies of doom for the ungodly.
Period covered: approx 530 to 400BC
Tobit Tobit
is a little like Daniel, in as much as he has difficulties, and faces
challenging times. Like Daniel he is captive (of Israels old enemies
the Assyrians). Like Daniel, Tobit's faith in God gains his freedom.
The adventures of Tobit (Tob Ch 4) tells how Tobit met with Raphael,
the messenger of God. Tobit lived long enough to hear of the
destruction of Ninevah, capital
of the Assyrians. Period covered: approx 590 to 500BC
Judith
This book is about a wealthy woman who, though widowed,
brought triumph for the people of her race against the Assyrians, who
were long enemies of the israelites. She infiltrated the enemy and
pretended to defect. She went to Holophernes, a substantial leader
under King Nebechudnezzar, and under the guise of her defection killed
him. Holophernes men did not intervene as they though he was sleeping
(intimately) with her. When Judith told the Israelites to stage a mock
invasion of their camp, Holophernes men went to rouse their leader and
found his headless body. Their morale was gone and they capitulated.
Judith freed the Israelites and beacme one of the handful of female
Jewish heroes. Period covered: approx 600 to 400BC
The Rest of Esther
These are literally the rest of the chapters of the O. T. book of
Esther which are not found in Hebrew nor some Greek manuscripts. Some
Apocryphas print them with the verses of the O.T. within them for ease
of reading. The Greek manuscripts differ substantially from the Hebrew.
These additional writings come from the Greek. This is important stuff,
as Esther was a Jewess who became queen: she had a profound affect on
all history. Period covered: approx 600 to 450BC
The Wisdom of Soloman
Here is the story of wisdom and justice being the way to salvation:
obedience to God and His commandments, and the reverse being the road
to doom. A familiar theme in many O.T. and other scriptures. Period
covered: approx 1250 to 1150BC
Ecclesiasticus
This writing is called The Wisdom of Jesus son of Sirach in some
versions. (Jesus was of course a popular name in that part of the world
in that time frame. This is NOT Jesus son of Mary, The Christ).
This is a long writing where the ways of wisdom and advice on social
behaviour and heroes from Israel's past are set forth in prose. This
truly is scripture, inspired by God and it leads the reader: " If he
lives by them, he will be equal to anything, with the light of the Lord
shining on his path" Eccl. 50:29. This writing has a preface, which
indicates that it is a scholarly work, recorded for the furtherance of
faith and also of learning. Period covered: Difficult to assess
Baruch, with the Epistle of Jeremiah
In some versions this is a single book, but in your Apocrypha it
may be two seperate scriptures. This
book compliments the book of Jeremiah in the Old Testament. Baruch was
Jeremiah's assistant, a sort of secretary. Many of the themes covered
here, and of course the two main writers, Baruch and Jeremiah himself
are common to the O.T. book of Jeremiah. However, Baruch covers the
material from a different viewpoint and hence adds value to our
understanding. Baruch was writing to encourage the captive Israelites
as Jeremiah was. The epistle is a letter not included in the O.T. book
of Jeremiah about the folly of idolatry. Period covered approx 720 to 550BC
The Song of the Three
This is scripture is part of the Old Testament book of Daniel in
Greek manuscripts and fits between Dan. 3:23 and Dan. 3:24. Hebrew
manuscripts do not have it. It continues and expands the story of what
is happening in the furnace. For best results read in conjunction with
Daniel! Period covered:
approx 530 to 500BC
The History of Susanna (also called Daniel and Susanna)
Joakim was a wealthy man with a fine house, and
servants. Some of his servants tricked Susanna who was raped in the
garden and then falsely accused of allowing a young man to do this to
her - she was framed. A dubious trial was held and the false
accusations against her were found. Daniel (who was a young man at the
time) called out from the crowd and persuaded the re-opening of the
trial. Susanna was vindicatedand the perpetrators 'dealt with under the
Law of Moses'. A story of faith in God vindicating innocence, and the
brave outspoken-ness of Daniel. Period covered: approx 530 to 500BC
Bel and the Dragon (also called Daniel, Bel and the Snake)
Daniel in the Old Testament is continued (and added to) in this
scripture. After Daniel had risen in King Nebechadnezzars court to a
trusted position, Daniel would not worship the Idols of Babylonia
including Bel, and the Snake.This short passage tells how Daniel
destroyed the idolatry and worshipped the only true God. Period
covered: 530 to 500BC
The Prayer of Manasseh
Manasseh was King of Judah between 687 to 642BC.
This short part of the Apocrypha is his prayer for repentance reputedly
written while he was held captive in Babylon. Period covered: 680 to
640BC
1 Maccabees
When the Temple was desecrated in 167BC, and the
Greek empire was exercising its influence, hostilities arose between
rival groups led by Jason and Menelaus. These hostilities escalated
into all out war. The scene was set for the rise of the Maccabees who
saw it as their duty to win independance for the Jews and in doing so,
to establish a new high-priestly house. The Jewish revolt which
they hoped would bring in a new era, under a strong God-given
leader would follow....Period covered: 1000 to 250BC
2 Maccabees
This book continues with the story
of Maccabean warrior priests. The Righteous Teacher is a central
character. He was a priest, and an ardent supporter of the Zadokite high
priesthood and so presumably was of Zadokite origin himself. Period
covered: 950 to 200BC