The Apocrypha refers to a collection of ancient texts that are not included in the canonical Bible. The term “Apocrypha” originates from the Greek and Latin words for “secret” or “non-canonical” and is commonly used to refer to ancient, mostly Second Temple-era works that are “outside” of the Jewish Bible.
Most of the Pentecostal denominations of the church today (i.e. excluding Roman Catholics) accept that the Bible consists of 66 books, made up of 39 books of the Old Testament and 27 of the New Testament.
The list of books generally included in the Apocrypha are:
1. The First Book of Esdras
2. The Second Book of Esdras
3. The Book of Tobit
4. The Book of Judith
5. Additions to the Book of Esther
6. The Book of Wisdom
7. The Book of Sirach (also known as Ecclesiasticus)
8. The Book of Baruch
9. The Epistle of Jeremiah
10. Additions to the Book of Daniel
11. The Prayer of Manasses
12. The Additional Psalm
13. The First Book of Maccabees
14. The Second Book of Maccabees
15. The Third Book of Maccabees
16. The Fourth Book of Maccabees
The Jewish approach to the Apocrypha is that any later works are not considered Divinely inspired, and are therefore not included in the 24 books of the holy Scriptures. Some of these books contain stories or ideas that contradict Scripture and/or Jewish thought.
Despite doubts, the Council of Rome (382) confirmed the apocryphal books as canonical. And in response to the Reformation and Martin Luther’s views on the Apocrypha, the Council of Trent (1546) further confirmed nearly all of the Latin Vulgate as canonical, including most of the apocryphal books. Note that both the Council of Rome and the Council of Trent were under the auspices of the Roman Catholic Church.
However, many church Fathers rejected the Apocrypha as Scripture, and many just used them for devotional purposes. For example, Jerome, the great Biblical scholar, and translator of the Latin Vulgate rejected the Apocrypha as Scripture though, supposedly under pressure, he did make a hurried translation of it.
Some books of the Apocrypha are believed to contain historical and doctrinal inaccuracies. This has led to questions about their reliability and authenticity. An example is the Story of Susanna (Daniel 13): In this story, Susanna is falsely accused of adultery, and Daniel proves her innocence. This story is not included in the Protestant canon of the Bible, and its inclusion in the Apocrypha has been a point of contention.
Furthermore there are several doctrines and practices in the Apocrypha that have led to their rejection by many modern Pentecostal churches, largely aligning with broader Protestant objections. Here are a few key points:
1. Justification by Works
The Apocrypha contains verses that can be interpreted to support the doctrine of justification by human works, and not by faith alone. For example, in Tobit 12:9, it says, “For almsgiving saves from death and purges away every sin. Those who give alms will enjoy a full life”. This is contrary to the Protestant belief in salvation by grace through faith alone, as stated in Ephesians 2:8-9, and was one of Martin Luther’s main objections to the Catholic church’s teachings.
2. Doctrine of Purgatory
The Apocrypha introduces the concept of purgatory, a place of purging between heaven and hell. This is seen in Second Maccabees 12:41-45. However, the Bible teaches that upon death, one either goes to be with the Lord or is sent away from Him – there is no middle place.
3. Prayers for the Dead
The Apocrypha suggests that the prayers of the dead are heard by God. This is not a belief held by most Protestant denominations, including Pentecostal churches.
2 Maccabees 12:41-45: This passage describes Judas Maccabeus making atonement for the dead, a practice that is not found in Protestant theology. This has been interpreted by some to support the doctrine of purgatory and the practice of praying for the dead, both of which are rejected by most Protestant denominations, but accepted by Catholicism.
4. Unorthodox Theology
The Book of Tobit contains a story where Tobit’s son, Tobias, uses fish guts to drive away a demon. This story is seen as bizarre and unorthodox, and it has contributed to the controversy surrounding the Apocrypha.
5. Lack of Prophetic Authority
Many of the Apocryphal books were believed to be written after the cessation of prophetic activity. This has led to doubts about their divine inspiration and authority. (I take it this refers to the cessation of the prophetic revelation of the Word of God, and not to the cessation of prophesy in general. The belief that all the gifts of the Holy Spirit ceased at the end of the apostolic age is called cessationism – a clearly false doctrine).
Dr Brian Drury