What Is Apocrypha?

Introduction

Numerous questions arise as to the inimitability of the Bible and why certain books were excluded or discarded as “non-Canonical”. A lot of apocalyptic material, with very interesting natures, have surfaced over the years, all contending for a space or place in the Bible or at least to be included into the teachings of secret societies. Some examples of these would include Apocrypha Proper, being the excess of the Vulgate over the Hebrew Old Testament, 1-3 Maccabees, 1-4 Esdras, Jubilees, 1 Enoch, Testaments of the XII Patriarchs, 1 & 2 Baruch, Psalms of Solomon, Pirke Aboth, the Story of Ahikar, Martyrdom of Isaiah, Assumption of Moses, Tobit, Judith, Sirach, Wisdom of Solomon, Epistle of Jeremy, Additions to Daniel (Prayer of

The term “Apocrypha” is referred to by some people as “hidden books”, but this is incorrect as the Talmudic literature does not support this notion. In determining the exact meaning, the Pseudepigrapha (i.e. books written between 300 B.C. and A.D. 120) should be included as a vast body of literature which was in circulation. The earliest use of the word comes from the term meaning “withheld from public knowledge” as these works were considered to be containing mysteries or esoteric wisdom. These books were hidden from public for two main and conflicting reasons:

1. This wisdom was considered as wasted on the uninitiated and was therefore withheld from the masses. Some societies base this on the words found in the Book of

They were referred to as “ecclesiastical”. These three opinions were varied and different authorities and councils had varied opinions right up to the Reformation. It was during the Reformation when the ecclesiastical usages were transformed and accepted as statements of belief. The Council of Trent accepted the Canon of the Council of Hippo and of Augustine. The Catholic Church accepted the Apocrypha Proper, with the exception of 1 Esdras, 4 Ezra and the Prayer of Manasses as Canonical and declared anyone who does not agree as