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Assignment: Write a three-page report on The Council of
Trent telling of its date(s), its
purpose, and its effect upon the canon of scripture.
Reference articles to read: Catholic view
--
http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/15030c.htm
Other articles --
http://www.forerunner.com/chalcedon/X0020_15._Council_of_Trent.html
http://www.wayoflife.org/fbns/trent.htm
Click here to write
your report online
The Apocrypha
Lesson #6 -- Bibliology
The word "apocrypha" means "hidden" or "concealed." In the middle of the
fifth century it came to refer to the non-canonical books of the Bible,
especially those of the Old Testament.
The Apocrypha usually includes the highly contentious issue of additional
books contained in Roman Catholic bibles and in several modern Protestant
versions.
1. THE NATURE OF THE APOCRYPHA
The Apocrypha consists of from 13 to 15 books of Jewish literature
(depending upon what you read) written during the inter-testament period. Some
of them have historic value but all are spurious, of unknown
authorship, and without claim of inspiration or authority. Some are legendary
and fantasy. Many of them are written to reinforce post-exilic Jewish
opposition to idolatry.
All extant copies of the Apocrypha are written in Greek. The
Apocrypha is added to the Old Testament and has nothing to do with the canon
of the New Testament.
2. THE NUMBER OF BOOKS IN THE APOCRYPHA
The following list gives the books generally referred to as the Apocrypha:1
|
Wisdom of Solomon |
30 B.C. |
Didactic |
|
Ecclesiasticus |
32 B.C. |
Didactic |
|
Tobit |
c. 200 B.C. |
Religious Novel |
|
I Esdras |
c. 150 B.C. |
Historic & Legendary |
|
I Maccabees |
c. 110 B.C. |
Historic |
|
II Maccabees |
c. 100 B.C. |
Historic & Legendary |
|
Judith |
c. 150 A.D. |
Romantic Novel |
|
Baruch |
c. 100 A.D. |
Prophetic |
|
Letter of Jeremiah |
c. 200 B.C. |
Prophetic |
|
II Esdras |
c. 100 A.D. |
Prophetic |
|
Additions to Esther |
c. 130 B.C. |
Legendary |
|
defaulter of Azariah* |
c. 100. B.C. |
Legendary |
|
Suzanna (Daniel 13) |
c. 100 B.C. |
Legendary |
|
Bel & the Dragon (Daniel 14) |
c. 100 B.C. |
Legendary |
|
defaulter of Manasseh |
c. 150 B.C. |
Legendary |
*The "defaulter of Azariah" is also called the "Song of the Three Hebrew
Children," and follows after Daniel 3:23.
3. THE NON-ACCEPTANCE/ACCEPTANCE OF THE APOCRYPHA
As a general summary:
The Jews do not accept the Apocrypha as part of their Scriptures.
Protestants do not accept the Apocrypha as Scripture, though some ascribe to
them value as "good and useful reading" and "for example of life and
instruction of manners."
The Roman Catholic 'Church' in effect accepts 12 of the
apocryphal books as canonical (omitting I & II Esdras and the defaulter of
Manassah from the above list.) Because of this the Roman Catholic Church
speaks of the Apocrypha as "deutero-canonical" books, and in turn labels as
apocrypha what we may term "pseudo-epigraphical" books.
4. THE INCLUSION OF THE APOCRYPHA
The Apocrypha are contained in the following:
a. The Septuagint (LXX) - Except II Esdras.
b. Codex Alexandrinus (A) -
Also contains III & IV Maccabees
c. Codex Vaticanus (B) - Except I & II
Maccabees and The defaulter of Manassah
d. Codex Sinaiticus (Aleph)
e. Codex Ephraemi Rescriptus (C) - Includes Wisdom of Solomon and Ecclesiasticus
f.
Chester Beatty Papyri - Fragments of Ecclesiasticus
g. The Dead Sea Scrolls - Some apocryphal writing was found among the
Dead Sea Scrolls - interestingly written in Greek.
h. The Writings of Church Fathers
In general, the Apocrypha was more favored by the Western (Latin) Church
Fathers. For example, Irenaeus (115-200 A.D.) quoted from the Book of
Wisdom.
However, in the East, Clement of Alexandria (150-217 A.D.)
recognized II Esdras. Origen (185-254 A.D.) inserted II Esdras, the
Maccabees, and the Letter of Jeremiah to his canonical list.
Jerome (340-420 A.D.) reluctantly inserted Judith, Tobit, the
Additions to Esther, and the Additions to Daniel into his Latin Vulgate
after some persuading. The rest of the apocryphal books were added to the
Vulgate after his death.
The most influential benefactor of the Apocrypha was Augustine
(354-420 A.D.), the "Father of corrupt theology." He influenced the Councils
of Hippo (393 A.D.) and Carthage (397 A.D.) to declare the Apocrypha
canonical.
In his usual form, Augustine also saw to it that any opposition to the
Apocrypha was suppressed.
5. THE EFFECT OF THE COUNCIL OF TRENT ON THE APOCRYPHA
The Apocrypha was formally canonized by the Roman Catholic Church on April
8, 1546 A.D. at the Council of Trent.
The Council of Trent was a series of three Church councils held between
1545 and 1563 A.D. and dominated by the newly formed Jesuits. The Council of
Trent is a part of the counter-Reformation which had begun 28 years earlier,
sparked by Martin Luther. The Papal bull convening this council required three
things:
a. The definition of Catholic dogma
b. The reformation of Catholic Church life
c. The extermination of heresy
One of the terms of the Reformation was
A sola-Scriptura@
(i.e., A Only the Scriptures@
). In order for the Roman Catholics to say the same thing, the Apocrypha was
added to give "Scriptural proof@
for their false teachings.
Some religious scholars use the term "solo-Scriptura," which indicates to
them that all beliefs are based upon the Bible, but that councils and bulls
are trusted as long as they are based upon the foundation of Bibles texts.
So, creeds are trusted in this form of theology.
The resolution of the Council was: "...if anyone receives not as sacred
and canonical the said books entire with all their parts, as they have been
used to be read in the Catholic Church...let him be anathema."
An "anathema" is a curse unto death. Those who did not believe the
doctrine of the Catholic Church were marked for death.
Two of the unscriptural Catholic doctrines supported by the Apocrypha
are:
a. Purgatory - II Maccabees 12:39-45
b. Salvation by Almsgiving - Ecclesiasticus 3:30
c. The justification of suicide (II Maccabees 14:43-46),
d. Slavery and cruelty (Ecclesiasticus 33:24-28), and
e. Reincarnation (Wisdom of Solomon 8:19-20).
f. Lying, assassination and magical incantations are also
approved.
The Douay-Rheims Version (1582 A.D.) lists seven additional books, adds
to Esther and Daniel, and combines the "Letter of Jeremiah" with "Baruch" --
thus including 12 of the 15 apocryphal books to the Old Testament.
The Council did not include the entire Apocrypha, because it did not
include II Esdras.
6. THE INCLUSION OF THE APOCRYPHA IN ENGLISH VERSIONS
Many of the early English versions contained the Apocrypha for two basic
reasons
a. Because of the general acceptance of the Apocrypha during
the Dark Ages,
b. For Scriptural analysis.
In each case, the Apocrypha were put either in an appendix or with an
explanation showing them to be non-canonical.
a. Tyndale's Bible (1525 A.D.) places these books by themselves as
"uninspired." b. Coverdale's Bible (1535 A.D.) does likewise, and with the
following title: "Apocrifa. The bokes & treatises which amonge the Fathers
of old are not rekened to be of authorite with the other bokes of the Byble,
neither are the foude in the Canon of the Hebrews." (1) c. Matthew's Bible
(1537 A.D.) and Taverner's Bible (1539 A.D.) place the Apocrypha between the
Testaments. d. The Authorized, King James Version (1611), like the Great
Bible, (1539 A.D.), the Geneva Bible (1560 A.D.) and the Bishop's Bible
(1568 A.D.) before it, places them in an appendix.
The Apocrypha began to be omitted from the Authorized Version in 1629, and
by 1827 were excluded permanently.
7. ARGUMENTS FOR THE INCLUSION OF THE APOCRYPHA
The following arguments are most generally used for granting the Apocrypha
to have canonical authority:
a. The New Testament alludes to Apocryphal events.
Hebrews 11:35 is thought to refer to II Maccabees & and
12. (In actual fact, it is referring to I Kings 17:22 and II Kings
4:35.
Jude 14 cites the pseudo-epigraphical book of Enoch. Does
it? It actually quotes Enoch by the leadership of the Holy Spirit.
II Timothy 3:8 is also supposed to refer to some
Apocryphal literature. Again, the Holy Spirit named the names of the
Egyptian magicians.
b. Early Manuscripts include the Apocrypha.
c. Early Christian art includes Apocryphal scenes.
d. Early Church Fathers cited them and listed them as Canonical.
8. ARGUMENTS AGAINST THE CANONICITY OF THE APOCRYPHA
a. They are not, and have never been, in the Jewish canon.
b. Josephus explicitly excluded them from his list.
c. Philo (20 B.C.-50 A.D.) neither mentions or quotes
them.
d. They were never quoted or alluded to by Jesus
Christ or any of the apostles.
e. The sermons in the Book of Acts, which outline
Jewish history, do not included apocryphal events.
f. Jewish scholars meeting at the Council of Jabneh
did not recognize them.
g. Most Church Fathers in fact rejected them.
h. None of the Apocrypha claim inspiration or divine
authority.
i. Many of the Apocryphal books contain historical,
geographical, and chronological errors.
j. Many of the Apocryphal books teach heresy, contrary
to the Word of God.
k. Their literary style is legendary and fantasy. Some
stories are grotesque and demonic. They lack the power and distinctive
elements of the Word of God.
1http://watch.pair.com/apocrypha.html
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