TEACHING NOTES ‌ Introduction In this series we have been studying certain doctrines that changed over time. In this session we’re going to discuss ancient writings that are not included in modern Protestant Bibles. While we could spend many weeks on this topic, tonight we’re going to focus on what these books are, when they were removed, and why they were removed. Then we will discuss what we should do with these books. ‌ A Popular Myth: There are collections of books that have been hidden by the Church for nefarious reasons. These “lost books” contain information that the ”Church Elite” do not want people to know. ‌ A Western Protestant Myth: The books of the Apocrypha and Pseudepigrapha were rejected because they contain heresy. ‌ Apocrypha & Pseudepigrapha: ‌ The Apocrypha is a collection of writings which are not included in the Jewish and Protestant OT. ‌ The Pseudepigrapha is a collection of writings, some of which bear the name of an ancient person who did not write the book. These writings were considered important to read, but not considered Scripture. ‌ *These collections of writings are often referred to as “Second Temple Literature” (400 BC – AD 100). ‌ What is the Apocrypha? Apocrypha literally means “hidden.” Also called “Deuterocanonical Books,” the Apocrypha is a collection of writings that date from 300 BC to AD 100. ‌ Orthodox View: The Apocrypha is included. Catholic View: Most of the Apocrypha is included. ‌ Protestant Views: - The Apocrypha should be avoided (heretical). - The Apocrypha is interesting but not helpful. - The Apocrypha is necessary for Bible study. ‌ Comparison of Old Testament Canons (see handout) Orthodox OT = 49 Books Roman Catholic OT = 46 Books Protestant OT = 39 Books ‌ How/when was the Apocrypha removed? ‌ The Septuagint (LXX) – 250 BC: ‌ Translation of the Hebrew OT into Greek. ‌ Translated by 70 Jewish scribes using original Hebrew manuscripts. ‌ This was the OT used by the apostles and contains 51 books. In fact, approx. 75% of OT quotations in the NT are from the Septuagint, not the Hebrew OT. ‌ Council of Jamnia/Jabneh (AD 90): ‌ A council of non-Christian Jewish scholars met to discuss a few issues. One of these issues were certain books in the Septuagint LXX (Greek OT). Since this was the OT of Christians and was used to prove that Jesus was the Messiah, the council took out several books and made their own version of the LXX. ‌ The Christians kept on reading and using all the books in the original Septuagint. ‌ Later a Jewish group also made new manuscripts of the Hebrew OT around AD 100. This new Hebrew OT did not include the books rejected at Jamnia. ‌ This text developed into the Masoretic Text (AD1008) and is the Hebrew OT used to translate modern Protestant English Bibles. ‌ *Orthodox & Catholic Bibles do not use the MT. ‌ St. Jerome (AD 400): ‌ When Jerome translated the Bible into Latin, he was using both Hebrew and Greek manuscripts of the OT. Some books only existed in Greek and Jerome expressed doubts about whether the Greek books should have the same status as those in Hebrew. ‌ However, Jerome included all the books in his translation—the Latin Vulgate. ‌ Martin Luther (1500s): ‌ Luther was the first to relocate certain OT books to the end of the OT and began calling those books “Apocrypha.” Luther did not consider those books to be Scripture but did consider them useful. ‌ *Luther also wanted the NT books of Hebrews, James, Jude, and Revelation removed from the NT. ‌ Martin Luther’s Bible was the first to separate books into an intertestamental section as Apocrypha. Luther noted that these books were not divinely inspired. ‌ All English Bibles followed Luther’s example of including the books but labeling them as Apocrypha and not divinely inspired, including the King James Bible (1611). ‌ Apocrypha Controversy of the 1800s: ‌ The British and Foreign Bible Society dropped the Apocrypha from English Bibles in 1804. They claimed this would make Bibles cheaper to print. ‌ To this day, only Lutheran and Anglican churches use the Apocrypha, even reading from them during their church services. Most other Protestant churches have rejected the Apocrypha altogether. ‌ Thoughts to Consider: ‌ There are many places in the New Testament where the apostles quote or allude to passages in the Apocrypha and Pseudepigrapha. A Few Examples: Matthew, Jude, Revelation ‌ *The OT also appeals to books not found in the OT as evidence for certain events or details. ‌ The early Christians read, studied, quoted, and preserved the writings now called the Apocrypha and Pseudepigrapha. They were considered highly valuable. ‌ Early Christians used the Messianic prophesies in these texts as convincing evidence that Jesus is the Messiah. ‌ There was little to no doubt about the value of these texts until the 1500s. Still the Apocrypha was included in Protestant Bibles until 1804. ‌ Eastern Christians have always used these texts and still use them today. ‌ Conclusion: In our church, we value all the books that the apostles and early Christians used. ‌ A book does not have to be considered as Scripture to be valuable or true. ‌ We use our 66 books of the Bible to determine doctrine and we use other ancient writings for helpful historical information and context.