Should we read the Apocryphal books??
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What are the Apocryphal (or ‘Deutero-Canonical’) books? Where did they come from? Why aren’t they in every Bible?
Even if one is not Roman Catholic, Orthodox, Slavonic, or Coptic, it is still important to read and understand the world of 2nd Temple Judaism…because it was the world into which the Gospel was first proclaimed! The Apocrypha is incredibly insightful, but it can be intimidating to those who were not raised with these books in their Bibles!
In this episode, JM takes a look at a couple of resources that will help anyone who is looking to better understand these ancient literary works and why they should be read today.
Resources mentioned:
* Lexham Old Testament Apocrypha - https://tinyurl.com/mr3emtsm
* Introducing the Apocrypha - https://tinyurl.com/2mk3kxdv
* The Jewish Annotated Apocrypha - https://tinyurl.com/2j3hjdtd
Video reviews mentioned:
* The Oxford Jewish Study Bible review - https://youtu.be/onqTEGt7Iak
* The CEB Study Bible review - https://youtu.be/3iugyFw6iOc
***If you like the shirt JM is wearing in this video, check out our Disciple Dojo online store and get one for yourself or a fellow Hebrew Bible nerd! - https://www.zazzle.com/DiscipleDojo
------ Go deeper at www.discipledojo.org
Subscribe to the Disciple Dojo podcast for more in-depth teaching and discussions:
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Disciple Dojo is a 501c3 Nonprofit organization. As such we rely on donor support to make this teaching available freely online. Please consider supporting this ministry if you benefit from our free resources at http://www.discipledojo.org/donate
Even if one is not Roman Catholic, Orthodox, Slavonic, or Coptic, it is still important to read and understand the world of 2nd Temple Judaism…because it was the world into which the Gospel was first proclaimed! The Apocrypha is incredibly insightful, but it can be intimidating to those who were not raised with these books in their Bibles!
In this episode, JM takes a look at a couple of resources that will help anyone who is looking to better understand these ancient literary works and why they should be read today.
Resources mentioned:
* Lexham Old Testament Apocrypha - https://tinyurl.com/mr3emtsm
* Introducing the Apocrypha - https://tinyurl.com/2mk3kxdv
* The Jewish Annotated Apocrypha - https://tinyurl.com/2j3hjdtd
Video reviews mentioned:
* The Oxford Jewish Study Bible review - https://youtu.be/onqTEGt7Iak
* The CEB Study Bible review - https://youtu.be/3iugyFw6iOc
***If you like the shirt JM is wearing in this video, check out our Disciple Dojo online store and get one for yourself or a fellow Hebrew Bible nerd! - https://www.zazzle.com/DiscipleDojo
------ Go deeper at www.discipledojo.org
Subscribe to the Disciple Dojo podcast for more in-depth teaching and discussions:
SoundCloud - https://soundcloud.com/discipledojo
Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/26BDZz70HmnT5eoD9BEKQ7
iTunes - https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/disciple-dojo/id10029…
Stitcher - http://www.stitcher.com/s?fid=181458&refid=stpr
Amazon - https://tinyurl.com/uz8dbfet
Disciple Dojo is a 501c3 Nonprofit organization. As such we rely on donor support to make this teaching available freely online. Please consider supporting this ministry if you benefit from our free resources at http://www.discipledojo.org/donate
@jjjjj1780
Awesome vid! Just one small correction -- The book of Jubilees is not canonical for Coptic Christians, but rather for Ethiopian Orthodox Christians (as well as Ethiopian Jews). Great review!
77 likes
@octoman_games
I met a Biblical Professor; he showed me a VERY VERY old bible. he told me it was over 500 years old. I had the honor of looking through it and it had APOCRYPHA in it.
62 likes
@RevTHC
To answer the question from the title, “Should you read?”. The answer is always Yes. Should you read the Bible? Yes. Should you read the apocrypha? Yes. Should you read other religious texts, that challenge your ideology? Yes. Always expand your horizons, not only will it make your faith stronger, but when you reach out to others, you will be doing so from a position of knowledge, sometimes more than they have about their own ideology. Always read.
69 likes
@joeydelrio
i am so thankful i can think for my self and dont need people to tell me what books i can read.
6 likes
@Trekkifulshay
Thank you for telling us about the CEB on Biblegateway I've been wanting to read the Apocrypha.
18 likes
@megalyon
Very good introduction and I agree with you I have seen so many videos of Protestants bashing the apocrypha 🤔 I'm not Catholic but I think Catholics have a lot to contribute to the conversation so I recently ordered a Catholic Bible and I look forward to reading the extra books.
31 likes
@alouie001
In the Catholic bible the Apocrypha has equal weight with the five books of Moses. The Ethiopian Catholic bible also includes the books of Enoch.
6 likes
@dvancebum
My question for David is “please explain the history of the Prayer of Manasseh”
5 likes
@donmcglothlin841
There are passages (numerous ones) in the New Testament where the writers reference apocryphal passages. Jesus himself refers to them at times. Esdras is referenced by Jesus, the other apostles refer to the book of Enoch often.
2 likes
@John_on_the_mountain
Whether you consider them inspired or not it is still fruitful reading and was considered inspired for 1500 years so its worth reading still
3 likes
@monicaaleixo5378
This is so informative. Thank you so much for putting this out.
6 likes
@lanbaode
The original 1611 KJV includes the Apocrypha.
4 likes
@MAMoreno
When you first mentioned interviewing an Apocrypha expert, I was hoping for David deSilva. I enjoy his defense of the Apocrypha's value for Protestants. I'd also be interested in hearing him talk a little more about his work on the NRSV Updated Edition (where he worked on 4 Maccabees and Hebrews), the American Literary Version (the translation used in the Bibliotheca book set), the Common English Bible, and any other translations he's done. (But if you don't have any time for that tangent, I understand.)
I think of these books as the Supplementary Canon. They're not a source for doctrine, but they are a set of books that contextualize the inspired books and encourage further reflection upon the themes and motifs of the proper canon. For me, the two key books are 1 Maccabees (for Second Temple history) and Wisdom of Solomon (for Jewish philosophy), with 2 Maccabees and Sirach exploring those ideas even further. The martyrdom scenes in 2 Maccabees are especially effective.
As for the other books, Tobit is a lot of fun, as are the expansions to Ezra, Daniel, and Esther. The supplements to Jeremiah are kinda interesting. Judith takes forever to get going, but it has a great payoff. Prayer of Manasseh and Psalm 151 are worth a read every once in a while. 3 Maccabees has killer drunken elephants, so you can't go wrong there. 2 Esdras is nice if you're in the mood for more apocalyptic literature. And 4 Maccabees is . . . well, it's those aforementioned martyrdom stories dragged out to the point of absurdity. (My high school students in Academic Study of the Bible couldn't take it seriously because it was so excessively gory--and because the brothers kept up their defiant attitude even as they were literally being torn apart.)
22 likes
@migueldejesus5945
I like the “they kept writing..” statement early in the video. Christians have also “kept writing” AND are STILL writing, for 2,000 years since the church was born! Lots of it ranging from the Church Fathers writings, to Augustine and later Thomas Aquinas, to the Reformers all the way to modern writers such as C.S. Lewis just to name a few. Lots of great and helpful stuff to read and instruct our faith, but none of it is considered ‘Scripture’. Same with The Apocrypha. It should be read, but just not taken as Scripture since Jews themselves did not.
20 likes
@michaelhenderson6786
That’s a great question! Looking forward to hearing your thoughts.
4 likes
@KevinParker-r2p
the 66 books is a Martin Luther Bible. 1 Maccabees is a fluid transition to Daniel. My old 1611 King Jimbo has them in; including naughty words.
1 likes
@kendrasong8606
Yes all historical documents are important for us to understand humanity history God, the early church fathers. The Apocrypha was in Martin Luther‘s Bible in the 1500s. He was not against the apocrypha. He did not believe it was a divine inspiration, but he moved the section separate and did not preach against it. I think it’s not gonna change our beliefs because if we’re in Christ, we are a new creation and he will continueto work by sanctifying our hearts.
3 likes
@kennethtaylor5004
The best English translation of First Maccabees is in the Revised English Bible (1989). The literary value of the text is excellent in that version. "His renown spread to the ends of the earth, and he rallied a people near to destruction."--1 Maccabees 3:9 (REB)
3 likes
@amandamarr460
Great background in your studio
3 likes
@carlknaack1019
I have at times used passages from different Apocryphal and other 2nd Temple period works as a commentary on concepts and periods of the Old Testament. What are some ways that you have employed that, and what are some times when you find that approach being either beneficial or harmful?
4 likes