"Apocrypha" comes from the Greek word apokrypha [ajpovkrufo"], which means "things that are hidden, secret." What the Protestant churches call apocrypha, the Catholic Church calls the deuterocanonicals (or "second canon"), but it considers three books held as canon by the Eastern Orthodox churches as apocrypha. The Gospel of Nicodemus (also called the Acts of Pilate), provides a detailed account of Jesus' trial and descent into hell. The Apocrypha are still regarded as part of the canon of the Roman Catholic and Orthodox churches, and as … Unlike the Old Testament Apocrypha, the New Testament Apocrypha have never been viewed as canonical by any of the major branches of Christianity, nor is there any reason to believe that the traditions they record have any historical validity. Over time, however, the Apocrypha has fallen into disuse among Protestants. In the formation of the Christian canon of Scripture, “apocrypha” came to mean works that were not divinely inspired and authoritative. Definition. The word "apocrypha" means "things put away" or "things hidden," originating from the Medieval Latin adjective apocryphus, "secret" or "non-canonical," which in turn originated from the Greek adjective ἀπόκρυφος (apokryphos), "obscure," from the verb ἀποκρύπτειν (apokryptein), "to hide away. 1 Esdras 2 Esdras Tobit Judith Esther (Greek) Wisdom of Solomon Ecclesiasticus (Sira) Baruch Epistle of Jeremiah Prayer of Azariah Susanna Bel and the Dragon Prayer of Manasseh 1 Maccabees 2 Maccabees. The Protestant Reformers, while affirming the unique authority of the Hebrew canon, allowed that the books of the Apocrypha were useful for reading. They were eventually included in Christian copies of the Greek Old Testament and, later, the Latin Vulgate. Today, Coptic, Greek and Russian Orthodox churches also accept these books as … The Apocrypha first appeared in a Greek translation of the Old Testament called the Septuagint (LXX). II. Over time, "apocrypha" took on a more negative connotation, due to the questionable origins and doubtful canonicity of these books. The word apocrypha, like many other words, has undergone a major change in meaning throughout the centuries. of apokruphos secret, hidden from apokruptein to hide away apo-apo-kruptein kruph-to hide. The New Testament Apocrypha is an amorphous collection of writings that are for the most part either about, or pseudonymously attributed to, New Testament figures. "The Apocrypha" refers to two collections of ancient Jewish and Christian writings that have certain affinities with the various books of the Old Testament and New Testament but were not canonized by Christians as a whole: the Old Testament Apocrypha, which are still viewed as canonical by some Christians, and the New Testament Apocrypha, which are not. Originally, the term was reserved for books with content considered too sacred and grand to make accessible to the general public. of apokruphos, secret, hidden, from apokruptein, to hide away : apo-, apo- + kruptein, kruph-, to hide.] Many of them were attributed to major Old Testament figures; they are called the Pseudepigrapha. 2 Col 12:2 ). The text is believed to be the work of seventy Jewish scholars that assembled in Alexandria, Egypt around 285 to 247 B.C. Nonetheless, some of these books were widely used by Christians throughout the Middle Ages and have left their mark on the church. 2. The word apocrypha comes from the Greek word ἀπόκρυφα, meaning "hidden." Meaning of the Term “Apocrypha” When the term apokryphos occurs in the New Testament, it simply means “hidden things.” This original sense does not include the later meanings associated with it. The Additions to Daniel have a less unified purpose. The Books of the so called Apocrypha Apocrypha is a relative term. Apocrypha means those that were hidden.Generally, the term is applied to writings that were not part of the canon.There are several reasons why these texts were not included in the canon. J. H. Charlesworth, ed., The Old Testament Pseudepigrapha; J. K. Elliott, ed., The Apocryphal New Testament; E. Hennecke and W. Schneemelcher, eds., New Testament Apocrypha; B. M. Metzger, An Introduction to the Apocrypha; G. W. E. Nickelsburg, Jewish Literature Between the Bible and the Mishnah; E. Schrer, The History of the Jewish People in the Age of Jesus Christ; H. F. D. Sparks, ed., The Apocryphal Old Testament; M. E. Stone, ed., Jewish Writings of the Second Temple Period. •Found in the Greek Septuagint (Ezekiel 8) Jer 36:4-8 ), extols the virtues of Wisdom, which is identified with the Law. First, they are filled with supernatural deeds: miracles abound, especially the raising of the dead, and even a talking lion gets baptized. APOCRYPHA •They are not, and have never been, in the Jewish canon (written in Greek not Hebrew) •None of the Apocrypha claim inspiration or divine authority. They are included in the Orthodox Bible because they were included in the Septuagint which was in use at the time of Jesus, and the authors of the New Testament. Apocrypha is a plural word (singular: apocryphan) that originally denoted hidden or secret writings, to be read only by initiates into a given Christian group. The Greek Orthodox Church adds 1 Esdras, Psalm 151, the Prayer of Manasseh, and 3 Maccabees, with 4 Maccabees in an appendix. There are also apocryphal letters (e.g.,3 Corinthians, Letter to the Laodiceans [cf. At an early date they were translated into Greek and in this form came to be used by Christians as early as the end of the first century a.d. The Prayer of Azariah and the Three Young Men, placed after Daniel 3:23, is a prayer of trust in God offered up by Azariah (i.e., Abednego — Dan 1:7 ) and his companions (Shadrach and Meshach) in the fiery furnace. Proud member That is because they were "first-written" in the Greek language. The Protevangelium of James, for example, tells the story of Mary's birth, childhood, and eventual marriage to Joseph (a widower with children), culminating in a detailed account of the birth of Jesus (in a cave) and a strong affirmation of Mary's virginity. Bibliography. A user from Maryland, U.S. says the name Apocrypha is of Greek origin and means "One who is exalted, hidden and secret". The term generally refers to religious writings found in the Septuagint and Latin Vulgate, but not in the Hebrew Bible. The Apocrypha (Greek, "hidden books") are Jewish books from that period not preserved in the Tanakh, but included in the Latin (Vulgate) and Greek (Septuagint) Old Testaments. Terms and definitions []. "Esoteric" in Greek Philosophy, etc. APOCRYPHA AND PSEUDEPIGRAPHA Definition. late 14c., Apocrifa, in reference to the apocryphal books of the Bible, from Late Latin apocrypha (scripta), from neuter plural of apocryphus "secret, not approved for public reading," from Greek apokryphos "hidden; obscure, hard to understand," thus "(books) of unknown authorship" (especially those included in the Septuagint and Vulgate but not originally written in Hebrew and not counted as genuine by the Jews), from apo "off, away" (see apo-) + kryptein "to hide" (see crypt). Apocrypha "Apocrypha" comes from the Greek word apokrypha [ajpovkrufo"], which means "things that are hidden, secret. Prov 8:22-31 ) Wisdom, whom he identifies with the Law, and provides practical precepts for everyday living. It includes a powerful expression of contrition for sin and trust in the grace of God. Affirming the immortality of the righteous and the eternal punishment of the wicked, the author seeks to demonstrate that inspired reason, guided by the Law, is supreme ruler over the passions. Copyright © 2021, Bible Study Tools. Affirmations, among other things, of the preexistence and immortality of the soul indicate a considerable degree of Greek influence upon the author. The name "Apocrypha" is applied to a collection of books not included in the canon of the Bible although they are incorporated in the canon of the Roman Catholic and Greek Orthodox churches. The Old Testament Apocrypha . Although the literature is too vast and varied to summarize here, many Pseudepigrapha contain visionary journeys through heaven (or a series of heavens) and hell, an increased interest in angels and demons, speculations on the origins of sin and the nature of the final judgment, various expectations of a Messiah, predictions of the end of time, and ethical exhortations. Meaning of Apocrypha. Two books are associated with Jeremiah: the Letter of Jeremiah is an attack on idolatry, and Baruch, attributed to Jeremiah's secretary (cf. Most of the books were composed in Hebrew prior to the Christian era, but they apparently never were accepted by the Jews as part of the Hebrew canon. [Middle English apocripha, not authentic, from Late Latin Apocrypha, the Apocrypha, from Greek Apokrupha, neuter pl. It includes significant discussions on the nature of sin and its connection with Adam (cf. Second Esdras, purportedly composed by Ezra, was written in response to the destruction of Jerusalem by the Romans in a.d. 70. We'll send you an email with steps on how to reset your password. Properly plural (the single would be Apocryphon or apocryphum), but commonly treated as a collective singular. Menu ... Middle English apocripha not authentic from Late Latin Apocrypha the Apocrypha from Greek Apokrupha neuter pl. The Infancy Gospel of Thomas narrates Jesus' childhood from age five to age twelve, with the child Jesus performing numerous miracles, sometimes to the point of absurdity (e.g., bringing clay sparrows to life). The word comes from Ancient Greek ἀπόκρυφα (apokrypha). The Name Apocrypha. All rights reserved. Jewish teacher named Jesus ben Sira. A large portion of the Apocrypha, however, was officially recognized by the Roman Catholic Church (noted below with a *) as part of the biblical canon at the Council of Trent in A.D. 1546. Apart from the issue of canonicity, the Old Testament Apocrypha has had a pronounced and pervasive influence on Western culture. These books (with the exception of 2 Esdras) were part of the Greek translation of the Hebrew Bible known as the Septuagint; however, none of the books of the Apocrypha were in the original Hebrew canon. The Gospel of Peter presents, after an otherwise straightforward account of the crucifixion, a vivid narration of the resurrection of Jesus: two angels come down from heaven, enter the tomb, and exit with Jesus, followed by a talking Cross. Third, they glorify martyrdom, especially among the apostles: Andrew is crucified, Paul is beheaded, Peter is crucified upside down, and Thomas is executed with spears; only John is spared a martyr's death. Rom. It is noteworthy for its expression of confidence that God will accept the sacrifice of a contrite heart and a humble spirit. The latter present, in contrast to the relatively reserved statements in the New Testament, vivid descriptions of hell, where sinners are punished in accordance with their sins: blasphemers, for example, hang by their tongues over a blazing fire. Some Christian churches include some or all of the same texts within the body of their version of the Old Testament. Inserted at strategic points, these clearly secondary additions, which include among other things prayers by Mordecai and Esther, serve to give a distinctively religious slant to the Book of Esther, otherwise noted for its failure to mention God or even prayer. Two of the most popular books in the Apocrypha tell the stories, undoubtedly legendary, of two otherwise unknown Jews. Baker's Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology, California - Do Not Sell My Personal Information. Concerning these ancient books, the word apocrypha originally meant a text too sacred and secret to be in everyone's hands. 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