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Apocrypha, the
Apocrypha, the (Gk., ‘the hidden [things]’). The biblical Books received by the early Church as part of the Greek version of the OT, but not included in the Hebrew Bible. Their position in Christian usage has been ambiguous. In the Vulgate and versions derived from it they are mostly part of the OT; but in the AV, RV, NEB, and other non-RC versions they form a separate section between the OT and NT, or are omitted altogether. They comprise (in the order of the AV): 1 and 2 Esdras, Tobit, Judith, the Rest of Esther, the Wisdom of Solomon, Ecclesiasticus, Baruch with the Epistle of Jeremy, the Song of the Three Children, the History of Susanna, Bel and the Dragon, the Prayer of Manasses, and 1 and 2 Maccabees.
The Church received these writings from Hellenistic Judaism. In the Septuagint (LXX), which incorporated all except 2 Esdras, they are in no way differentiated from other parts of the OT. They date from the period 300 BC-AD 100 approximately, and mostly from 200 BC to AD 70, i.e. before the definite separation of the Church from Judaism. When the Hebrew Canon of Scripture was settled (perhaps around AD 100), the Hebrew text of the excluded Books ceased to be copied. The Greek, on the other hand, survived because of its use by Christians who at first received all Books of the LXX equally as Scripture. In the 4th cent. many of the Greek Fathers came to recognize a distinction between those Books of the LXX which were canonical in Hebrew and the rest. St Jerome accepted the distinction and introduced the term ‘apocrypha’ for the latter class. With few exceptions the W. continued to regard all the LXX Books as equally canonical. In the E. opinion varied, but at the Synod of Jerusalem in 1672 it was decided that Tob., Judith, Ecclus., and Wisd. were alone to be regarded as canonical. At the Reformation Protestant leaders refused the status of inspired Scripture to those Books of the Vulgate not found in the Hebrew Canon. The Council of Trent (1548) confirmed the full canonicity of the Books, except 1 and 2 Esdras and the Prayer of Manasses, which were then placed in an appendix to the Vulgate; this ruling was repeated at the First Vatican Council in 1870. In the C of E the Thirty-Nine Articles say that the Apocryphal Books should be read for ‘example of life and instruction of manners’, but not used to establish doctrine. Parts of them have been included in successive C of E lectionaries. They are regarded with suspicion by the Presbyterians and other English Nonconformists, and so frequently omitted from English Bibles, though their value as historical sources has been increasingly recognized in modern times. |
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E. A. LIVINGSTONE. "Apocrypha, the." The Concise Oxford Dictionary of the Christian Church. 2000. Encyclopedia.com. 11 Feb. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. E. A. LIVINGSTONE. "Apocrypha, the." The Concise Oxford Dictionary of the Christian Church. 2000. Encyclopedia.com. (February 11, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O95-Apocryphathe.html E. A. LIVINGSTONE. "Apocrypha, the." The Concise Oxford Dictionary of the Christian Church. 2000. Retrieved February 11, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O95-Apocryphathe.html |
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Apocrypha
Apocrypha After the Fall of Jerusalem (70 CE) the future of Judaism was maintained by rabbis of the Pharisaic tradition. They accepted as authoritative the twenty-four books of the Hebrew scriptures but rejected a number of Jewish works which were used in Alexandria and which are known to us in MSS of the LXX and called the Apocrypha (Greek for ‘things hidden away’). Being composed after the time of Ezra, when prophecy was held to have ceased, these Greek works, even if originally composed in Hebrew (e.g. 1 Macc.), were unacceptable. By and large, the Christians accepted the longer list—though when Jerome translated the OT into Latin for his Vulgate, he treated the apocryphal additions as edifying but not part of the canon. Eventually, however, the writings which Jerome had rejected were included from the Old Latin version which Jerome had worked so hard to supersede.
The books of the Apocrypha are called deuterocanonical (= at second-level) by Roman Catholics, to distinguish them from protocanonical (= first-level) books, but they are regarded as authoritative and included at appropriate places within the body of the OT. (But 3 and 4 Esdras were rejected as authoritative by the Council of Trent (1545–64) and relegated to an appendix.) At the Reformation Protestants reverted to the shorter canon of the Hebrew OT because they detected in 2 Macc. hints of the doctrine of purgatory, which they repudiated; they also claimed to find in Tobit the unacceptable Catholic doctrine of justification by works. Luther's Bible of 1534 relegated these books to an appendix. The Church of England included the Apocrypha ‘for example of life and instruction of manners’ but not for the establishment of doctrine. The exact extent of the Apocrypha is not universally agreed, and some of the books are known by different titles. A list is given in the Introduction to this Dictionary. |
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W. R. F. BROWNING. "Apocrypha." A Dictionary of the Bible. 1997. Encyclopedia.com. 11 Feb. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. W. R. F. BROWNING. "Apocrypha." A Dictionary of the Bible. 1997. Encyclopedia.com. (February 11, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O94-Apocrypha.html W. R. F. BROWNING. "Apocrypha." A Dictionary of the Bible. 1997. Retrieved February 11, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O94-Apocrypha.html |
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Apocrypha
Apocrypha [Gr.,=hidden things], term signifying a collection of early Jewish writings excluded from the canon of the Hebrew scriptures. It is not clear why the term was chosen. The Apocrypha include the following books and parts of books: First and Second Esdras ; Tobit ; Judith ; the Additions to Esther; Wisdom of Solomon ; Sirach (also called Ecclesiasticus); Baruch ; the Letter of Jeremiah (in Baruch); parts of Daniel (the Prayer of Azariah and the Song of the Three Young Men ; see also Bel and the Dragon and Susanna 1 ); First and Second Maccabees ; the Prayer of Manasses (see Manasseh ). All are included in the Septuagint , with the exception of 2 Esdras=4 Ezra. However, they were not included in the Hebrew canon (ratified c.AD 100). In 1566 the collection was deemed "deutero-canonical" by the Roman Catholic Church, meaning that their canonicity was recognized only after a period of time. Protestants follow Jewish tradition in regarding all these books as non-canonical. Jewish and Christian works resembling biblical books, but not included among the Apocrypha, are collected in the Pseudepigrapha . The term Apocrypha is sometimes applied to early Christian writings that were once considered canonical by some but are not in the New Testament.
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"Apocrypha." The Columbia Encyclopedia, 6th ed.. 2008. Encyclopedia.com. 11 Feb. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. "Apocrypha." The Columbia Encyclopedia, 6th ed.. 2008. Encyclopedia.com. (February 11, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1E1-Apocryph.html "Apocrypha." The Columbia Encyclopedia, 6th ed.. 2008. Retrieved February 11, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1E1-Apocryph.html |
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Apocryphal New Testament
Apocryphal New Testament. A modern title for various early Christian books outside the Canon of the NT which are similar in form or content to the corresponding canonical Scriptures. The epithet ‘apocryphal’ does not of itself convey the modern sense of fictitious invention.
Many apocryphal Gospels exist. Some may embody trustworthy traditions, but this applies only to the earliest, such as the Gospel of Thomas. Others were clearly intended to support heretical views, while a third group aimed at satisfying popular curiosity about the childhood of Christ or His post-Resurrection life. The most important Acts are those of Sts Peter, Paul, John, Andrew, and Thomas, all probably 2nd cent. Their subject-matter is made up partly of stories parallel to and perhaps inspired by the Acts of the Apostles, partly credible oral tradition, partly evident romance. Nearly all reflect heretical influences. There were numerous epistles and other writings such as that of Paul to the Laodiceans and many apocalypses besides Revelation. |
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E. A. LIVINGSTONE. "Apocryphal New Testament." The Concise Oxford Dictionary of the Christian Church. 2000. Encyclopedia.com. 11 Feb. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. E. A. LIVINGSTONE. "Apocryphal New Testament." The Concise Oxford Dictionary of the Christian Church. 2000. Encyclopedia.com. (February 11, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O95-ApocryphalNewTestament.html E. A. LIVINGSTONE. "Apocryphal New Testament." The Concise Oxford Dictionary of the Christian Church. 2000. Retrieved February 11, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O95-ApocryphalNewTestament.html |
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Apocryphal New Testament
Apocryphal New Testament Christian writings not included in the authoritative canon of the NT which claim to be reminiscences of the life of the young Jesus and his miraculous powers, or supplements to the book of Acts about apostles who were there passed over. Several epistles and apocalypses also exist. Although these works, deriving from the 2nd to the 9th cent., in Greek, Latin, Syriac, and other languages, give little reliable information about Christian origins, they do contribute to our understanding of Christian thought and the life and piety of these centuries. The discoveries at Nag Hammadi have revealed many previously unknown apocryphal documents, some of which purport to give Christ's teaching to the disciples between the resurrection and ascension (the period is conveniently lengthened from 40 to 550 days).
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Cite this article
W. R. F. BROWNING. "Apocryphal New Testament." A Dictionary of the Bible. 1997. Encyclopedia.com. 11 Feb. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. W. R. F. BROWNING. "Apocryphal New Testament." A Dictionary of the Bible. 1997. Encyclopedia.com. (February 11, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O94-ApocryphalNewTestament.html W. R. F. BROWNING. "Apocryphal New Testament." A Dictionary of the Bible. 1997. Retrieved February 11, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O94-ApocryphalNewTestament.html |
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Apocrypha
Apocrypha biblical or related writings not forming part of the accepted canon of Scripture. The Old Testament Apocrypha include writings (dating from around 300 bc to ad 100) which appeared in the Septuagint and Vulgate versions but not in the Hebrew Bible; most are accepted by the Roman Catholic and Orthodox Churches as the ‘deuterocanonical’ books. The New Testament Apocrypha include texts attributed to Apostles and other biblical figures but not regarded as authentic by the Councils of the Church.
Recorded from late Middle English, the word comes from ecclesiastical Latin apocrypha (scripta) ‘hidden (writings)’, ultimately from Greek apokruptein ‘hide away’. The adjective apocryphal, meaning of doubtful authenticity, mythical, fictional, is recorded from the late 16th century. |
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ELIZABETH KNOWLES. "Apocrypha." The Oxford Dictionary of Phrase and Fable. 2006. Encyclopedia.com. 11 Feb. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. ELIZABETH KNOWLES. "Apocrypha." The Oxford Dictionary of Phrase and Fable. 2006. Encyclopedia.com. (February 11, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O214-Apocrypha.html ELIZABETH KNOWLES. "Apocrypha." The Oxford Dictionary of Phrase and Fable. 2006. Retrieved February 11, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O214-Apocrypha.html |
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Apocrypha, the
Apocrypha, the, in its special sense, those books included in the Septuagint and Vulgate versions of the OT which at the Reformation were excluded from the Sacred Canon by the Protestant party, as having no well-grounded claims to inspired authorship. They are 1 and 2 Esdras, Tobit, Judith, the Rest of Esther, the Wisdom of Solomon, Ecclesiasticus, Baruch (with the Epistle of Jeremiah), the Song of the Three Holy Children, the History of Susanna, Bel and the Dragon, the Prayer of Manasses, 1 and 2 Maccabees.
The texts of the Apocryphal Gospels, Acts, Epistles, and Apocalypses are printed in The Apocryphal New Testament, trans. M. R. James (1924). |
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MARGARET DRABBLE and JENNY STRINGER. "Apocrypha, the." The Concise Oxford Companion to English Literature. 2003. Encyclopedia.com. 11 Feb. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. MARGARET DRABBLE and JENNY STRINGER. "Apocrypha, the." The Concise Oxford Companion to English Literature. 2003. Encyclopedia.com. (February 11, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O54-Apocryphathe.html MARGARET DRABBLE and JENNY STRINGER. "Apocrypha, the." The Concise Oxford Companion to English Literature. 2003. Retrieved February 11, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O54-Apocryphathe.html |
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Apocrypha
Apocrypha Certain books included in the Bible as an appendix to the Old Testament in the Septuagint and in Saint Jerome's Vulgate translation but not forming part of the Hebrew canon. Nine books are accepted as canonical by the Roman Catholic Church. They are: Tobit, Judith, Wisdom, Ecclesiasticus, Baruch (including the Letter to Jeremiah), 1 and 2 Maccabees, and parts of Esther and Daniel. Other books are found in Eastern Orthodox bibles and in the appendix to the Roman Catholic Old Testament. Anglican and Protestant translations of the Bible have, since the 16th century, placed books of the Apocrypha between the Old and New Testaments.
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"Apocrypha." World Encyclopedia. 2005. Encyclopedia.com. 11 Feb. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. "Apocrypha." World Encyclopedia. 2005. Encyclopedia.com. (February 11, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O142-Apocrypha.html "Apocrypha." World Encyclopedia. 2005. Retrieved February 11, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O142-Apocrypha.html |
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Apocrypha
Apocrypha (Gk., ‘hidden things’). Jewish books associated with the Bible, but not included in the Jewish canon. These are works regarded by the sages as Sefarim hizonim (extraneous books). They include (i) Esdras; (ii) Tobit; (iii) Judith; (iv) additions to Esther; (v) Wisdom of Solomon; (vi) Ecclesiasticus; (vii) Baruch; (viii) Song of the Three Children; (ix) Susanna; (x) Bel and the Dragon; (xi) The Prayer of Manasseh; (xii) 1 Maccabees; (xiii) 2 Maccabees. In addition, there are many other books, known as Pseudepigrapha (frequently apocalyptic in character), which were written in the same period.
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Cite this article
JOHN BOWKER. "Apocrypha." The Concise Oxford Dictionary of World Religions. 1997. Encyclopedia.com. 11 Feb. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. JOHN BOWKER. "Apocrypha." The Concise Oxford Dictionary of World Religions. 1997. Encyclopedia.com. (February 11, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O101-Apocrypha.html JOHN BOWKER. "Apocrypha." The Concise Oxford Dictionary of World Religions. 1997. Retrieved February 11, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O101-Apocrypha.html |
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Apocrypha
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T. F. HOAD. "Apocrypha." The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology. 1996. Encyclopedia.com. 11 Feb. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. T. F. HOAD. "Apocrypha." The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology. 1996. Encyclopedia.com. (February 11, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O27-Apocrypha.html T. F. HOAD. "Apocrypha." The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology. 1996. Retrieved February 11, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O27-Apocrypha.html |
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Apocrypha
A·poc·ry·pha / əˈpäkrəfə/ • pl. n. [treated as sing. or pl.] biblical or related writings not forming part of the accepted canon of Scripture. ∎ (apocrypha) writings or reports not considered genuine. |
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"Apocrypha." The Oxford Pocket Dictionary of Current English. 2009. Encyclopedia.com. 11 Feb. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. "Apocrypha." The Oxford Pocket Dictionary of Current English. 2009. Encyclopedia.com. (February 11, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O999-apocrypha.html "Apocrypha." The Oxford Pocket Dictionary of Current English. 2009. Retrieved February 11, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O999-apocrypha.html |
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apocrypha
apocrypha
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•philosopher, theosopher
•metaphor • Christopher • surfer
•Bonhoeffer • windsurfer
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"apocrypha." Oxford Dictionary of Rhymes. 2007. Encyclopedia.com. 11 Feb. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. "apocrypha." Oxford Dictionary of Rhymes. 2007. Encyclopedia.com. (February 11, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O233-apocrypha.html "apocrypha." Oxford Dictionary of Rhymes. 2007. Retrieved February 11, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O233-apocrypha.html |
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