Apocrypha trivia

[Rozzy]

The Apocrypha that was originally in the KJV and the versions before it were called The Apocrypha Proper.

The Apocrypha in the King James Bible contained fourteen books.

1 Esdras, 2 Esdras, Tobit, Judith, The rest of Esther, Wisdom, Ecclesiasticus, Baruch - with the Epistle of Jeramiah, Song of the Three Children, The Story of Sussana, The idol Bel and the dragon, The Prayer of Manasses, 1 Maccabees, 2 Maccabees.

These books cover the intertestamental period between the Old and New testaments.

The KJV for the first one hundred years was published with margin notes that cross-referenced the Apocrypha to both the Old and New Testaments, 840 times I believe.

These "Cross references of the Scriptures" were one of the Fifteen general rules were set forth in advance By King James himself for the guidance of his translators of his version of the Bible:

"7. Such Quotations of Places to be marginally set down as shall serve for the fit Reference of one Scripture to another."

[Rozzy]

A few cross-reference examples:

Ecclesesiasticus

OLD TESTAMENT

11:1 was cross-referenced to Gen. 40:40 and Dan.6:3

11:6 was cross-referenced to 1 King 15:18

11:8 was cross-referenced to Prov. 8:13

11:11 was cross-referenced to Prov. 10:13

11:12 was cross-referenced to Job. 1:12 and Ezek. 28:4

11:23 was cross-referenced to Mal. 3:14

NEW TESTAMENT

11:4 was cross-referenced to Acts. 12:21

11:11 was cross-referenced to Mat. 19:12 and I Tim. 6:9

11:19 was cross-referenced to Luke 12:19

11:20 was cross-referenced to Mat. 10:22

We find them even cross-referencing the Old and New Testaments to the "Apocrypha". The total number of references in the margins in the Old and New Testaments to the so called "Apocrypha" books of the King James version as printed in 1611 is 113. Of this number, 102 are in the Old Testament, and 11 in the New. The New Testament passages with references to the Apocrypha are as follows:

Mat 6:7 Ecclesiasticus 7:14
Mat 23:37 2 Esdras 1:30
Mat 27:43 Wisdom 2:15-16
Luke 6:31 Tobit 4:15
Luke 14:13 Tobit 4:7
John 10:22 1 Maccabees 4:59
Rom 9:21 Wisdom 15:7
Rom 11:34 Wisdom 9:13
2 Cor 9:7 Ecclesiasticus 35:9
Heb 1:3 Wisdom 7:26
Heb 11:35 2 Maccabees 7:7

[Rozzy]

An interesting bit

When the Sadducees came to Jesus to challenge him on the issue of the Resurrection (Matthew 22:23-33), they referred to seven brothers among them who, each in turn, married the same woman, dying before having children. This story is a speculative question based on the situation of Sarah in the Book of Tobit.

The following is an interesting comparison of a verse written by Paul in 1Cor. and the book of 2 Mac. although one is baptism and the other is death the structure and the impetus is on the resurrection. The resemblance is remarkable.

(1Co 15:29) Else what shall they do which are baptized for the dead, if the dead rise not at all? why are they then baptized for the dead?

Have a look what 2 Maccabees says:

(2Ma 12:44) For if he had not hoped that they that were slain should have risen again, it had been superfluous and vain to pray for the dead

[Rozzy]

Something that has always been a point of interest for people is the Ark of the Covenant and whatever happened to it.

2 Maccabees ch.2:4-8 speaks to this issue and then Revelations ch. 11:19 picks up where Maccabees leaves off.

2 Maccabees
(2Ma 2:4) It was also contained in the same writing, that the prophet, being warned of God, commanded the tabernacle and the ark to go with him, as he went forth into the mountain, where Moses climbed up, and saw the heritage of God.

(2Ma 2:5) And when Jeremy came thither, he found an hollow cave, wherein he laid the tabernacle, and the ark, and the altar of incense, and so stopped the door.

(2Ma 2:6) And some of those that followed him came to mark the way, but they could not find it.

(2Ma 2:7) Which when Jeremy perceived, he blamed them, saying, As for that place, it shall be unknown until the time that God gather his people again together, and receive them unto mercy.

(2Ma 2:8) Then shall the Lord shew them these things, and the glory of the Lord shall appear, and the cloud also, as it was shewed under Moses, and as when Solomon desired that the place might be honourably sanctified.

Revelations

(Rev 11:19) And the temple of God was opened in heaven, and there was seen in his temple the ark of his testament: and there were lightnings, and voices, and thunderings, and an earthquake, and great hail.

[RG57]

For what ever reason the Ark of the Covenant disappeared without trace. There have been many over the centuries trying to find its whereabouts obviously without success. Can you imagine what would happen if were found? Even though I believe it would wonderful to see it, I hope that it stays hidden.

I have fully read the Bible, but never the Apocrypha as i have always found the writings of interest. The version I have is in the New Jerusalem Bible, and have read some parts in church from the Book of Wisdom.

[Rozzy]

The Ark of the Covenant in itself is a very interesting subject indeed. Concerning the Apocrypha Proper I knew zero about them until I stumbled on to them, once I began to investigate my interest grew and grew because when I asked about them I was given many answers that demeaned them but my research was quickly debunking those answers.

The following is what King James said about these books:

As for the Scriptures, no man doubteth, I will believe them; but even for the Apocrypha, I hold them in the same account that the ancients did: they are still printed and bound with our Bibles, and publicly read in our Churches; I reverence them as the writings of holy and good men:"

Here is another little nugget:

In 1615, The Anglican Archbishop [George] Abbott, a High Commission Court member and one of the original translator of the King James Version, "forbade anyone to issue a Bible without the Apocrypha on pain of one year's imprisonment.

[Rozzy]

Did you know the book of Wisdom in the KJV Apocrypha has one of the best references and prophecies to the coming of Christ in the entire Old Testament?



(Wis 2:12) Therefore let us lie in wait for the righteous; because he is not for our turn, and he is clean contrary to our doings: he upbraideth us with our offending the law, and objecteth to our infamy the transgressings of our education.

(Wis 2:13) He professeth to have the knowledge of God: and he calleth himself the child of the Lord.

(Wis 2:14) He was made to reprove our thoughts.

(Wis 2:15) He is grievous unto us even to behold: for his life is not like other men's, his ways are of another fashion.

(Wis 2:16) We are esteemed of him as counterfeits: he abstaineth from our ways as from filthiness: he pronounceth the end of the just to be blessed, and maketh his boast that God is his father.

(Wis 2:17) Let us see if his words be true: and let us prove what shall happen in the end of him.

(Wis 2:18) For if the just man be the son of God, he will help him, and deliver him from the hand of his enemies.

(Wis 2:19) Let us examine him with despitefulness and torture, that we may know his meekness, and prove his patience.

(Wis 2:20) Let us condemn him with a shameful death: for by his own saying he shall be respected.

(Wis 2:21) Such things they did imagine, and were deceived: for their own wickedness hath blinded them.
KJV

[Rozzy]

Beyond the Apocrypha Proper of the KJV there is a book that stirs the curiosity of many, who have long searched for and today are receiving insight into that very book.

1 Enoch also known as The Ethiopic Book of Enoch

This book has been much maligned over the centuries by a hoste of theologins yet it survives even after being banned, burned and otherwise demonized.

1 Enoch has existed centuries before the time of Christ and in fact it is so old all we can say in fact that it is very old.

In more modern times those who oppose and disregurd this book said it was likely written in the fifth century A.D. and is not worthy of a second glance.
However when the scrolls at Qumran were found there was also fragments of about ten copies of 1 Enoch. The importance of which is that makes the book at least dated to the second century B.C. Something that is not widely known is that the book of Jubilees depends heavily on the book of Enoch and Jubilees was dated to 200 B.C. which dates 1 Enoch prior to that which in a word we can say only that it is very old.

The book of Enoch is a very chritian writing that was quoted and referenced by many of the known early chrisitians for the first three centuries after Christ. 1 Enoch was added to the canon of the Ethiopian Orthodox church and actually the copies that were retreived by James Bruce in 1773 were from Ethiopia. The book of Enoch was actually banned after the council of Laodicea after which it disappeared and many thought it lost for good.

[Rozzy]

1 Enoch which was held in high reguard originally was later termed to be an apocryphal book and after it resurfaced was even demoted to a pseudepigraph .

The importance of this book has been greatly understated and played down but yet it has played an important role for millenia.

There is the famous quote in Jude of course

(Jud 1:14) And Enoch also, the seventh from Adam, prophesied of these, saying, Behold, the Lord cometh with ten thousands of his saints,

(Jud 1:15) To execute judgment upon all, and to convince all that are ungodly among them of all their ungodly deeds which they have ungodly committed, and of all their hard speeches which ungodly sinners have spoken against him.

Enoch 1:9, translated from the Ethiopic:

And behold! He cometh with ten thousands of His holy ones To execute judgement upon all, And to destroy all the ungodly: And to convict all flesh Of all the works of their ungodliness which they have ungodly committed, And of all the hard things which ungodly sinners have spoken against Him.

The fact that Jude quotes Enoch would make me to believe it had some authority in the early church.

[Rozzy]

In chapter 1 in the book of 1 Enoch we see it written that it was for a remote generation.

1 The words of the blessing of Enoch, wherewith he blessed the elect and righteous, who will be 2 living in the day of tribulation, when all the wicked and godless are to be removed. And he took up his parable and said -Enoch a righteous man, whose eyes were opened by God, saw the vision of the Holy One in the heavens, which the angels showed me, and from them I heard everything, and from them I understood as I saw, but not for this generation, but for a remote one which is 3 for to come.

Perhaps it was God's plan that this book disappeared for over a millenia and perhaps it is by Him that it resurfaces now?

Rozzy

[RG57]

I agree that they are great writings, we in the Catholic church still use them. Why were they removed from the Anglican Bibles. Apart from the NJB and the American Catholic Bible, I have only ever seen it in the New English Bible. Many years ago I a copy of the Apocrypha which had a leather binding, I gave it away to someone who I thougt was interested in the contents, but found later they dumped it in a second hand book shop, wish I had kept, it was handy having a seperate copy from a full Bible.

[Rozzy]

Hi RG57

The history of the Apocrypha is definitely a long and twisting trail forsure. The RCC uses seven of the Apocrypha Proper and the Anglican church did use the rest as well in the early days. There was some split off the church by the Puritans along the way, but the Apocrypha really disappeared when the Bible societies banned them around 1880-1885. The reasoning I have never got to the root of, in my humble little investigations on these books only by digging did I find out just how venerable and useful they are. Over the years they have been demeaned and denigrated because of some sort of bias that is hard to figure out. I never knew they existed for years, when I found them it sure answered some questions I had that were unanswered.

Rozzy

[RG57]

Hi Rozzy

I discovered the Apocrypha by accident in the 80's when I bought a copy of the NEB, the only reason I bought it I was intrigued by the extra books especially Maccabees. I think that they are a great source of knowledge and wisdom. I had not ever heard them read in church, infact they were ignored and I was brushed off with that they are not accpted in the cannon. This was before I became a catholic. As you probably know these scriptures are accepted as a natural part of the Bible and not an addition to the Bible which was refreshing. Did you know that there are other Apocryphical writings out there. When I was doing an all too brief look into the subject I came across them. I think I have them in my study somewhere, will have to look them out or start a search again. These I have to admit are dubious and border on blasphmey. Back to the original subject, I think that the churches would find that there is a great wealth if they put them back.
One thought, could the Bible societies and protestant churches banned them because the Catholic church accepted them?

RG57

[Rozzy]

RG57

Yes there are many apocryphal books, some are from Old testament and some are New testament times. The books that are now called The Apocrypha Proper are the texts that were in the bible but have been removed by the prejudice brought against them. They were not originally so named, the term apocrypha began to be used as a derogatory term against these sacred books.
The real apocryphyl books both pre christian and post christian era are a fanciful read forsure but have never been held up as any thing more than that as far as I know. The attempt was made to subjugate the sacred books of the now called Apocrypha Proper to the status of the others in the apocrypha category, over time they succeeded. However today many people are investigating for themselves and these books are finding favor with those who do an honnest investigation. Those who hold prejudice against them still put forth a flood of the same old stuff hoping to overwelm an interested individual but under the surface of all the propaganda the truth is still there.

My library has a whole section of apocrypha and pseudepigrapha that I have got much enjoyment from. There are some more serious ones in that category as well, like The Book of Jubilees which is considered to be a pseudepigraph but also known as The Little Genesis. because of the era it was written the writer would not dare call it scripture because it would likely have meant his life. Another book I recall is 2 Baruch, that book especially had my attention because one time I had a vision of black rain and 2 Baruch is the only place I found the explanation, I came to read 2 Baruch and there it was in black and white. It was pretty kewl anyway.

Rozzy

[RG57]

Rozzy

You've wetted my appetite to find out the old papers and go back to reading them again. I just that they are buried and not put through the shredder in a fit of tidiness. On the bright side I found a sight last night that has them all. so, it should be too difficult to get a bit of late night reading.

I found that there is only one small problem. Being as I belong to a church that use the apocrypha you tend to study it less. I had enthusiasm once to read and searh this subject, perhaps now that vigour is on the return.

RG57