Am only now discovering/reading the Apocrypha

by Muddy Waters 17 Replies latest watchtower bible

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  Muddy Waters

  I was never a born-in JW, got baptized when I was 20 after being raised and belonging to a denomination of a Protestant church. So I never even knew that there was a "Catholic" Bible or extra bible books (the authenticity of their belonging in the canon or not is a debatable issue, and one I certainly have no answers about it!)

  I knew through my study with JWs that there were some "extra" books written, but since I believed everything the WT said hook, line, and sinker, I just went along with their explanation that they were not part of the Bible canon.

  (Did anyone notice that in a recent WT study article, from a couple of weeks ago or so, they had a reference to 1 Maccabbees!)

  Well, I've gone and picked up a bunch of different Bible translations (am finding the NWT to be very clumsy and weirdly worded, eg. Eph. 6:4, about bringing children up in the discipline and mental regulating of Jehovah... Ph. 2:6, about Jesus giving no consideration to a seizure that he would be equal to God, and many other examples).

  I've got the NRSV with APROCRYPHA and the New Jerusalem Bible and the Douhey-Rheims (might have spelled that wrong) and the NIV, Amplified Bible and NAS, lol.... that should keep me busy for awhile.

  Anyway, I've been reading the Aprocrypha and while some of the books are a bit strange to me, I am finding that I'm really liking 1 Maccabbees and a book called "Sirach"! Sirach is like Proverbs with more etiquette.... very interesting stuff. I don't know if these books belong in the bible canon or not, but to me, they are ancient writings and are very interesting and historical! They do seem to add a lot of insight (and violence and bloodshed, etc., all the things you'd expect from the OT) and neat viewpoints. Am actually enjoying these writings very much!
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  sabastious

  I don't know if these books belong in the bible canon or not

  The "Bible cannon" comes from the Roman Catholic church. There is no reason to give that outfit a superior position in any regard. Any writings as old as the Apocrypha are worth reading carefully and within context. I think it's really cool that you are branching out in your reading of ancient texts. It's a path that will lead you to many places of wonderment and mystique.

  -Sab
• 

  InterestedOne

  There is a book of excerpts from Jewish and Christian apocryphal writings called "The Other Bible." Although it doesn't contain the writings in their entirety, it would give you a working list to go look up.
• 

  strymeckirules

  sacred-texts.org

  all the apocrapha you could dream of.

  first book of adam and eve

  second book of adam and eve

  the book of enoch

  all these books were found with the dead sea scrolls, but not allowed into the "officail cannon" because they were too powerful for the common man.

  basiclly, there is information in these books that they don't want you to know.

  read on man.
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  Bella15

  Loved Sirach too ... how about the book of Judith? Have you read it?
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  Shanagirl

  MW, I've been reading a lot of the Apocrypha, and find it very facinating. I especially recommend the Apocryphon of John. I don't think you can take these books literally like people do with the Bible but they are like extra pieces to the puzzle of the organized religions of Jewish, Christian and Islamic religions of the Abrahamic biblical writings. I think there's a lot to learn from them regarding awareness of cosmology and Gnositism in ancient writings. From what I've read so far, the Catholic Church fathers did everything to eliminate them from the Bible Canon. I also have enjoyed reading Origin of the World, as well as the Book of Enoch.

  Shana

  Click here: Nag Hammadi Library Alphabetical Index

  • The Acts of Peter and the Twelve Apostles
  • Allogenes
  • The Apocalypse of Adam
  • The (First) Apocalypse of James
  • The (Second) Apocalypse of James
  • The Apocalypse of Paul
  • The Apocalypse of Peter
  • The Apocryphon of James :
    • (Williams translation)
    • (Cameron translation)
  • The Apocryphon of John
    • Wisse translation
    • Waldstein & Wisse - Short Version translation
    • Waldstein & Wisse - Long Version translation
    • Davies translation
    • (See the Aprocryphon of John Collection for more information on the text)
  • Asclepius 21-29
  • Authoritative Teaching
  • The Book of Thomas the Contender
  • The Concept of Our Great Power
  • The Dialogue of the Savior
  • The Discourse on the Eighth and Ninth
  • Eugnostos the Blessed *
  • The Exegesis on the Soul
  • The Gospel of the Egyptians *
  • The Gospel of Philip
  • The Gospel of Thomas :
    • (Patterson & Meyer translation)
    • (Lambdin translation)
    • (Patterson & Robinson Translation)
    • (Grondin interlinear translation)
    • (See the Gospel of Thomas Collection for more information on the text)
  • The Gospel of Truth :*
    • (Grant translation)
    • (Attridge & MacRae translation)
  • The Hypostasis of the Archons
  • Hypsiphrone
  • The Interpretation of Knowledge
  • The Letter of Peter to Philip
  • Marsanes
  • Melchizedek
  • On the Anointing
  • On the Baptism A
  • On the Baptism B
  • On the Eucharist A
  • On the Eucharist B
  • On the Origin of the World *
  • The Paraphrase of Shem
  • Plato, Republic 588A-589B
  • The Prayer of the Apostle Paul
  • The Prayer of Thanksgiving
  • The Second Treatise of the Great Seth
  • The Sentences of Sextus
  • The Sophia of Jesus Christ
  • The Teachings of Silvanus
  • The Testimony of Truth
  • The Thought of Norea
  • The Three Steles of Seth
  • The Thunder, Perfect Mind
  • The Treatise on the Resurrection
  • Trimorphic Protennoia
  • The Tripartite Tractate
  • A Valentinian ExpositionZostrianos
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  serenitynow!

  Did anyone else get a weird sensation from even thinking about reading any apocryphal books? I was really scared, like it was apostate or demonic.
• 

  Band on the Run

  I've read Maccabees and the Book of Enoch. It was always something I was going to read but then I focused on the major NT books b/c they were discussed more in academic lit (tho I read a lot of Maccabees in NT books) and used in church. I am Episcopal now and I know sometmes they were used for the Lectionary - though that was at an academic stronghold in Manhattan so it may be very skewed.

  Thank you for your post. I will definitely do it now. Of course, I wish I could study with a group and get feedback from others.
• 

  Azazel

  Good going Muddy Waters just by purchasing various translations of the Bible your progressing.

  I had always had a few different translations of the Bible but didnt really look at them much.When your blinded by the WTS light its hard to look beyond the NWT. You know i was viewed suspiciously for even owning other bibles by ex- mrs Azazel and actually accused by her for being a borderline apostate! At least DF me gave me the chance to start reading the bible free of their doctrines.

  The Bible i have really enjoed using for study is the "The Interlinear Bible"with stongs concordance numbers on each word. Ive been just studying the book of John and its been an eye opening experience for me. The NWT is a poor if not deceitful translation. You need to see that for yourself.Im still going with pulling the WTS doctrine apart piece by piece, deprograming myself if you like.

  Here is a web address for an excellent free study aid called E-Sword. Its one of the best bible study aids ive ever come across.

  http://www.e-sword.net/

  Glad your enjoying reading from the bible.

  IMO it's the word of God and meant for our benefit

  Az
• 

  Morbidzbaby

  I read the bible allegorically, much like one would read a fable or a fairy tale. There are lessons to be learned in some of the stories...one of my favorites has always been the story of Hadassah/Esther. I love tales of female bravery in the face of severe opposition and possible death. She is a strong female character, better than any Disney princess lol. My daughter loves when I read her stories. I might just begin reading that one to her.

  My first "public" show of thumbing my nose at the Society was to purchase a NIV from the book store. It's actually very pretty...leather-bound pink and brown with "Holy Bible" engraved in script on the cover, a satin pink ribbon for marking, and silver foil around the pages. I'm quite proud of it. I was living with my JW parents when I bought it. A while after I quit the meetings, my mom had a talk (read: skit that sisters do because they don't have a penis, so can't stand and speak in front of the congregation). She needed to use a "different" translation of the bible to show that the NWT reads "better" and "easier". I let her borrow my NIV...lol. After trying to use the cited scriptures in the Reasoning book to show that this bible was inferior, she gave up and used one of the really old ones she had on the shelf that was in all old English LOL. Apparently, my purchased Christendom bible read easier and made more sense than the NWT, so she couldn't use it.