What is the apocrypha?

In between the books of Malachi and Matthew some Bibles have books that are called the Apocrypha. What is the Apocrypha and why is it only in some Bibles?

The Apocrypha are books that were written after the Canon of the Bible was complete - about 425 B.C. Although they were asserted to be canonical(or, belonging to the books of the Bible officially accepted as Holy Scripture,) these books are rejected by many Christians and labeled as being fraudulent entries - not the Word of God. The principles of canonicity were reviewed when the Apocrypha was first introduced. The word “apocrypha” means “hidden” or “secret.” Due to their doubtful authenticity the word has come to mean “spurious” “fraudulent of “forged," by some scholars.

So, why do many Christian authorities(mostly Protestant) reject the writings of the Apocrypha as being the actual, inspired words of God? Here are some of the reasons cited:

1. The Apocrypha was never in the Hebrew Canon.

Every card-indexing catalogue of the canon of Scripture from the ancient world listed only twenty-four Jewish books of the Old Testament(or thirty-nine as they are today.)The Apocrypha was excluded totally.

2. Jesus Christ, nor any of the New Testament writers, ever quoted from the Apocrypha.

3. Josephus(a well-known historian from the Biblical era) excluded them from his list of sacred scripture. He felt they were lacking authenticity or validity in essence or origin.

4. During the first four centuries there was no mention made of the Apocrypha in any catalogue or canonical book. They were believed to be slipped in during the fifth century. There are reputed to be 263 quotations and 370 allusions to the Old Testament in the New Testament and not one of them refers to the Apocryphal writings.

5. The books of the Apocrypha were never asserted to be divinely inspired or to possess divine authority in their contents, so why have them in the Bible?

6. No prophets were connected with these writings. Each book of the Old Testament was written by a man who was a prophet.

7. These books are replete with historical, geographical and chronological errors. In order to accept the Apocrypha one would have to reject the Old Testament narratives.

8. The Apocryphal doctrines and practices are contrary to the Canon of Scripture. Some examples:

Prayers and Offerings for the Dead - 2 Maccabees 12:41-46, prayers are to be offered for the dead and monetary offerings are to be brought on their behalf.

This is in disagreement with John 3:18, 36. According to the Canon of Scripture. Biblically, your destination is determined before you die, and no amount of prayer by your loved ones, or contributions to a church will change this.

Atonement and Salvation through Almsgiving - Tobit 4:11 states that salvation can be purchased - “For alms deliver from all sin and from death, and will not suffer the soul to go into darkness."

Cruelty to Slaves Justified — In Ecclesiasticus 33:25-29 we read that the best way to treat a slave is to pile work on him. That is totally opposed to everything regarding treatment of workers in the Canon of Scripture.

Doctrine of Emanations — a concept about the origin of life that is opposed to the creation theory. It explains the world as an “outflowing” from One Absolute source, not necessarily God.

There has always been a lot of debate about the place that the writings of the Apocrypha should hold. The Roman Catholic and the Orthodox churches include the Apocrypha(except for the books of Esdras and the Prayer of Manesseh,) but refer to them as “deuterocanonical”(or, by definition, pertaining to a second canon, or ecclesiastical writing of inferior authority). Protestants, however, refer to these same books as “pseudepigrapha”(or, by definition, spurious writings, especially writings falsely attributed to biblical characters or times.) Which ever is true, the Apocryphal writings offer a historical view into the lives and times of people that can be used to compliment a person’s understanding of biblical times.