(Copied, with minor variations, from the fact sheet distributed by Clyde Woods in a session of Critical Introduction to the Old Testament in the fall of 1986).
· The books were never included in the Hebrew canon.
· Josephus expressly excludes them.
· Philo, the Jewish philosopher in Alexandria (ca. 20 BC – AD 40) quoted the O.T. Scriptures very frequently, yet never quoted the Apocrypha nor even mentioned these books.
· Targums (Aramaic paraphrases) were provided for the canonical books but were not provided for the Apocrypha.
· These books are never quoted in the New Testament
· Most of the Apocrypha material existed and was likely incorporated in Septuagint editions in the New Testament period, yet it is never cited by Jesus or the apostles. The oldest copies of the Septuagint now in existence date from the fourth century AD, plenty of time for them to have been incorporated in later editions.
· NT references rather allude to the commonly accepted Hebrew canon.
· Christian tradition offers no real support for accepting the Apocrypha as canonical.
· These books are not included in the canonical lists of the early centuries.
· Jerome expressly supported the strict Hebrew canon and emphatically rejected the Apocrypha as secondary.
· Books of the Apocrypha were considered suitable for reading and instruction but they were not considered authoritative in the early centuries.
· The Apocrypha bears no internal marks of inspiration.
· No Apocrypha writer actually claims inspiration; indeed, some disclaim it.
· These books contain historical, geographical, and chronological errors.
· Doctrinally, the books at times contradict the canonical Scriptures.
· Stylistically, the books are inferior to the canonical Scriptures.
· Stories in the Apocrypha contain some legendary and fantastic materials.
· The moral and spiritual level is beneath that of the canonical Scriptures.
· Proper dating of the Apocrypha shows its non-canonical character.
· These books were written later than those of the Old Testament.
· Portions of these books even date from the Christian era.
The Apocrypha was first declared canonical by the reactionary Roman Catholic Council of Trent (1546). This conciliar decision was transparently dogmatic. This action was passed by a narrow majority.
The Apocrypha is rejected from the canon of Scripture for numerous reasons.
Besides the fact that Jesus and the apostles never once quoted from it; and aside from its obvious lack of inspiration (it "just doesn't sound like" scripture; "My sheep hear My voice," John 10; etc.) – there are many solid reasons for
rejecting its contents from being included with the canonical scriptures. [Much of the following material comes from Paul D. Wegner, The Journey from Texts to Translations (Grand Rapids, Mich.: Baker Books, 1999), 125.]
A. The Apocrypha contains chronological errors and statements contrary to history.
· Baruch 1:2 (comp. Jeremiah 43:6-7)
· Bel and the Dragon 22 (Xerxes did it); Bel and the Dragon 33
· Tobit 1:4 (Tobit is said to live in Nineveh in 722 BC, and yet he also saw the division of the united kingdom in 931 BC. [1 Kings 12:19-20])
· Esther 11:2-4 (the dates of Mordecai's captivity [597 BC] and dream [485/484 BC] would make him 112 years old)
· 1 Esdras 5:56 has the second year of Cyrus rather than the second year of Darius; in 5:73 Cyrus (c. 530 BC) died more than two years before the reign of Darius (c. 522/521-486 BC.)
· Tobit 1:15 "But when Shalmaneser died, and his son Sennacherib reigned in his place," Shalmanezer died before the fall of Samaria, and Sennacherib was Sargon's son.
· Tobit 14:15 " Before he died he heard of the destruction of Nineveh, and he saw its prisoners being led into Media, those whom King Cyaxares of Media had taken captive." Nineveh's conquerors were Naboplazzar and Cyaxares (612 B.C.).
· Judith 1:1 Nebuchadnezzar (605-562 BC) ruled over Babylon after Nineveh was destroyed in 612 BC.
· Judith 2:1 Nebuchadnezzar was king of the Babylonians, and Holofernes [v.4] may be from a much later time.
· Judith 4:3-4 and 5:19 Nebuchadnezzar sent the Jews into exile, and they returned under Cyrus (538 BC).
· Bel and the Dragon 33 Habakkuk wrote before 612 BC [Hab. 1:6], making unlikely a visit to Daniel almost 75 years later (539 BC).
B. It contains geographical errors.
· Tobit 1:4; 6:1; 9:2 (This was an 11 day journey from Ecbatana to Rages but made to seem shorter.) The Tigris River is west of Nineveh; Persia is east.
· Judith 1:6 Hydaspes, a river in India, is erroneously placed in Mesopotamia.
· Judith 2:21 The 300 miles separating Nineveh and Bectileth makes a 3-day march impossible.
· Judith 2:24 The normal route is south from Cilicia to Damascus, not following the Euphrates River.
· 1 Maccabees 9:2 says "Gilgal" when it should have said "Galilee" (cf. Josephus, Ant. 12:11.1, sections 420-421)
C. Mistakes
· Baruch 6:1-3 (Epistle of Jeremiah) 70 years called seven generations
· 2 Esdras 6:42 says that God in creation gathered the waters to a seventh part of the earth, whereas in fact water covers 70% of the earth's surface.
· 2 Esdras 3:1 has Ezra in Babylon 30 years after the fall of Jerusalem, whereas Ezra lived a century later.
· 2 Maccabees 1:19 Persia should be Babylon (2 Kings 24:14)
D. Many false teachings are represented, and evil practices that the inspired Word of God condemns are condoned.
1. Prayers for the dead. 2 Maccabees 12:40-45. A post-death visit by Jeremiah in 15:14.
2. Salvation by good works (almsgiving, etc.).
Sirach 3:3, 14-15 (kindness to parents atones for sin)
Sirach 3:30 (almsgiving atones for sins) 30:11-12 2; Esdras 7:7; 8:33, 36; Tobit 12:9, 8a; 14:11
3. The use of magic.
a. In demon exorcism. Tobit 6-8
b. In healing. Tobit 11
c. "Good luck" (fortune). Sirach 8:19
4. The intercession of angels. Tobit 12:15 (Raphael)
5. Suicide. 2 Maccabees 14:4146
6. Mourning for the dead. Sirach 38:16-23 (especially verses 20-21)
7. Sinless lives of Old Testament personalities. Prayer of Manasseh 8
8. 2 Esdras 6:55 The Bible never says the world was created for Israel
9. 2 Esdras 8:4-5 possibly suggests the pre- existence of souls
E. Contradictions
1. 1 Maccabees 4:26-35 contradicts 2 Macc. 10:37-11:12, which puts Lysia's defeat after the death of Timothy.
2. 1 Maccabees 4:30-35 contradicts 2 Macc. 11:6-15, which says it was a negotiated peace.
3. 1 Maccabees 6:8-9 contradicts 2 Macc. 9:5- 12, which says that the king was struck with a repulsive physical disease.
4. 2 Maccabees 8:9 contradicts 1 Macc. 3:38- 4:25, which says that Gorgias, not Nicanor, was leader.
5. 2 Maccabees 8:13 contradicts 1 Macc. 3:56, which cites other reasons for the troop reduction.
6. 2 Maccabees 10:3 contradicts 1:19-2:1 on how altar fire was restarted and contradicts 1:54 and 4:52, which say 3 years instead of 2.
7. 2 Maccabees 10:37 contradicts 12:2, 18-25, where Timothy reappears (cf. 1 Macc. 5:11- 40).
8. 2 Maccabees 11:13-15 contradicts 1 Macc. 4:35, which says that no peace was made.
9. 2 Maccabees 13:16 contradicts 1 Macc. 6:47, which says the Jews fled.
F. Some of the miracles and events described are simply fabulous and silly.
Tobit 6:2-7, 16-17, etc. (placing incense smoke on the organs of a man eating fish to ward off evil spirits; the demon was in love with the woman and had killed her last seven husbands on their wedding night)
G. Only three divisions of the Old Testament are described in Luke 24:44. Matthew 23:35
and Luke 11:51 also witness the arrangement and compass of the Old Testament – not allowing for any books outside the time from Genesis to 2 Chronicles. The books of the Apocrypha form no part of the canon, but rather serve as witnesses to life and thought in the inter-testamental period.
Used by permission. " Evangelism Handbook of New Testament Christianity"