Apocryphal Books of the Bible

by nativenyr23 39 Replies latest watchtower bible

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  onacruse

  Some of these "lost"/apocryphal books are quite apparently fictional works, but others have significant historical value, and even the WTS quotes the ante-Nicene Fathers (selectively and non-contextually)(Should You Believe the Trinity, p. 7, etc) to support Arianism, e.g. Justin Martyr, Irenaeus, Clement of Alexandria, Hippolytus, and Origen. The Forgotten Books of the Bible contains writings by Clement of Rome (a disciple of Peter), Barnabus (Paul's companion), Ignatius (bishop of Antioch), Polycarp (bishop of Smyrna and disciple of John). The sources and associations of these writers (and their writings) is subject to some dispute, but the popularity and general acceptance of many of them as worthy of official church use, sometimes over a span of several centuries, shows the influence they had.

  It's hard to get a clear picture of the development of the early Christian church, even with these writings in hand. Without them, we'd be totally in the dark. Well worth reading. They give us a perspective on the fluidity and investigative nature of early Christian doctrine, in contrast to the "we have the truth, here it is, take or leave it" attitude that marks the WTS (along with most cultic movements).

  Craig
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  pseudoxristos

  
  The "APOCRYPHAL BOOKS OF THE BIBLE" are just the tip of the iceberg as far as the non-canonical writings are concerned.

  I have the two volume set of "The Old Testament Pseudepigrapha" by James H. Charlesworth.

  Of the many writings contained in the two volumes, 1 Enoch is one of the most interesting. It is much like Daniel and the Book of Revelation. Several parallels can be found between it and the New Testament.

  The book of Daniel should really be a part of the following list. Internal and external evidence, indicates that it was written during the same time period as the other eschatological books.

  The fact that these books were written prior to and during the time of the New Testament, indicates how common it was for the Jews to create fictious works. But, of course Christians believe that the books of the bible were somehow immune to this process.

  The following is a list of the Pseudepigrapha works, most are contained in the two volume set:

  Pseudepigrapha

  ApAb Apocalypse of Abraham (First to Second Century AD)
  TAb Testament of Abraham
  ApAdam Apocalypse of Adam (First to Fourth Century AD)
  TAdam Testament of Adam (Second to Fifth Century AD)
  LAE Life of Adam and Eve (First Century AD)
  Ah Ahiqar (Seventh to Sixth Century BC)
  AnonSam An Anonymous Samaritan Text
  LetAris Letter of Aristeas (Third Century BC to First Century AD)
  ArisEx Aristeas the Exegete (Prior to the First Century BC)
  Aristob Aristobulus (Second Century BC)
  Art Artapanus (Third to Second Century BC)
  2Bar 2 (Syriac Apocalypse of) Baruch (Early Second Century AD)
  3Bar 3 (Greek Apocalypse of) Baruch(First Century to Third Century AD)
  4Bar 4 Baruch (First to Second Century AD)
  CavTr Cave of Treasures
  ClMal Cleodemus Malchus (Prior to the First Century BC)
  ApDan Apocalypse of Daniel (Ninth Century AD)
  Dem Demetrius (Third Century BC)
  ElMod Eldad and Modad (Prior to the Second Century AD)
  ApEl Apocalypse of Elijah (First to Fourth Century AD)
  HebApEl Hebrew Apocalypse of Elijah
  1En 1 (Ethiopic Apocalypse of) Enoch (Second to First Century BC)
  2En 2 (Slavonic Apocalypse of) Enoch (Late First Century AD)
  3En 3 (Hebrew Apocalypse of) Enoch (Fifth to Sixth Century Ad)
  Eup Eupolemus (Prior to the First Century BC)
  Ps-Eup Pseudo-Eupolemus (Prior to the First Century BC)
  ApocEzek Apocryphon of Ezekiel (First Century BC to First Century AD)
  ApEzek Apocalypse of Ezekiel
  EzekTrag Ezekiel the Tragedian(Second Century BC)
  4Ezra 4 Ezra(Late First Century AD)
  GkApEzra Greek Apocalypse of Ezra(Second to Ninth Century AD)
  QuesEzra Questions of Ezra(Unknown)
  RevEzra Revelation of Ezra(Prior to the Ninth Century AD)
  VisEzra Vision of Ezra(Fourth to Seventh Century AD)
  HecAb Hecataeus of Abdera
  Ps-Hec Pseudo-Hecataeus(Second Century BC to First Century AD)
  HelSynPr Hellenistic Synagogal Prayers(Second to Third Century AD)
  THez Testament of Hezekiah
  FrgsHistWrks Fragments of Historical works
  TIsaac Testament of Isaac
  AscenIs Ascension of Isaiah(Second Century BC to Fourth Century AD)
  MartIs Martyrdom of Isaiah(Second Century BC to Fourth Century AD)
  VisIs Vision of Isaiah
  LadJac Ladder of Jacob(First Century AD)
  PrJac Prayer of Jacob(First Century AD to Fourth Century AD)
  TJac Testament of Jacob
  JanJam Jannes and Jambres(First to Third Century AD)
  TJob Testament of Job(First Century BC to Fifth Century AD)
  JosAsen Joseph and Asenath(First Century BC to Second Century AD)
  HistJos History of Joseph(Prior to the Fourth Century AD)
  PrJos Prayer of Joseph(First Century AD)
  Jub Jubilees(Second Century BC)
  LAB Liber Antiquitatum Biblicarum
  LosTr The Lost Tribes
  3Mac 3 Maccabbes(First Century BC)
  4Mac 4 Maccabees(First Century AD)
  5Mac 5 Maccabees
  PrMan Prayer of Manasseh(Second Century BC to First Century AD)
  SyrMen Syriac Menander(Third Century AD)
  ApMos Apocalypse of Moses(First Century AD)
  AsMos Assumption of Moses(No later than AD 28)
  PrMos Prayer of Moses
  TMos Testament of Moses(First Century AD)
  BkNoah Book of Noah
  Ps-Orph Pseudo-Orpheus
  PJ Paraleipomena Jeremiou
  PhEPoet Philo the Epic Poet(Third Century BC)
  Ps-Philo Pseudo-Philo(First Century AD)
  Ps-Phoc Pseudo-Phocylides(First Century BC to Fourth Century AD)
  FrgsPoetWrks Fragments of Poetical Works
  LivPro Lives of the Prophets(First Century AD)
  HistRech History of the Rechabites(First to Fourth Century AD)
  ApSedr Apocalypse of Sedrach(Second Century AD to Fouth Century AD)
  TrShem Treatise of Shem(First Century BC)
  SibOr Sibyline Oracles(Second Century BC to Seventh Century AD)
  OdesSol Odes of Solomon(Late First Century to Late Second Century AD)
  PssSol Psalms of Solomon(First Century BC)
  TSol Testament of Solomon(First Century to Third Century AD)
  5ApocSyrPss Five Apocryphal Syriac Psalms
  Thal Thallus
  Theod Theodotus(Second Century to First Century BC)
  T12P Testaments of the Twelve Patriarchs(Second Century BC)
  TReu Testament of Reuben
  TSim Testament of Simeon
  TLevi Testament of Levi
  TJud Testament of Judah
  TIss Testament of Issachar
  TZeb Testament of Zebulun
  TDan Testament of Dan
  TNaph Testament of Naphtali
  TGad Testament of Gad
  TAsh Testament of Asher
  TJos Testament of Joseph
  TBenj Testament of Benjamin
  Vita Vita Adae et Evae(First Century AD)
  ApZeph Apocalypse of Zephaniah(First Century BC to First Century AD)
  ApZos Apocalypse of Zosimus

  pseudo
• 

  manon

  Pseudo,

  Nice job, 1 question did you find these volume works in the book store such as B&N or in christian book store or judeo book shop???
• 

  pseudoxristos

  manon,

  I found these volumes in a used book store (it was kind of an upscale used book store, they had mostly general interest books). I believe I paid about $50 for the set.

  I have seen them in Barnes & Noble, it seems like they were $90 for the set. I just checked Amazon, it looks like they have Volume 1 for $38.50. I also checked ebay. Someone has a set that is currently at $43.00.

  http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=3512170369&category=29366

  pseudo

  Sorry, the link doesn't work. Search for OLD TESTAMENT PSEUDEPIGRAPHA and you should find it.
• 

  onacruse

  And then, we also have all those writings that were known to and used by 2nd-4th century Christians, copies of which are not extant today:
  

  Andrew, the acts of Andrew, books under the name of

  Andrew, the gospel of

  Apelles, a gospel under the name of

  Twelve Apostles, the gospel according to

  Barnabus, the gospel of

  Bartholomew, the writings of

  Bartholomew, the gospel of

  Basilides, the gospel of

  Cerinthus, the gospel of

  Cerinthus, the revelation of

  An epistle of Christ to Peter and Paul

  Christ, an epistle of (produced by the Manichees)

  A Hymn of Christ, which he taught his disciples

  Egyptians, the gospel according to

  Apostles, the acts of (used by the Ebionites)

  Ebionites, the gospel of

  Encratites, the gospel of

  Eve, the Gospel of

  Hebrews, the gospel according to

  Helkesaites, the book of

  Hesychius, the false gospels of

  James, the book of

  James, books forged and published under the name of

  John, the acts of

  John, books under the name of

  Jude, a gospel under the name of

  Judas Iscariot, a gospel under the name of

  Leucius, he acts of the apostles by

  Lentitus, the acts of the apostles by

  Lentitius, the books of

  Leonitius, the acts under the apostle's names by

  Leuthon, the acts of the apostles by

  Luciantes, the false gospels published by

  Manichees, the acts of the apostles used by

  Mrcion, the gospel of

  Matthew, books under the name of

  Matthias, the gospel of

  Matthias, the traditions of

  Matthias, a book under the name of

  Merinthus, the gospel of

  Nazarenes, the gospel according to

  Paul and Thecla, the acts of

  Paul, the acts of

  Paul and Peter, the preaching of

  Paul, a book under the name of

  Paul, the revelation of

  Perfection, the gospel of

  Peter, the acts of

  Peter, the doctrine of

  Peter, the gospel of

  Peter, the judgment of

  Peter, the preaching of

  Peter, the revelation of

  Peter, books under the name of

  Philip, the acts of

  Philip, the gospel of

  Scythianus, the gospel of

  Seleucius, the acts of the apostles by

  Stephen, the revelation of

  Titan, the gospel of

  Thaddeus, the gospel of

  Themison the Montanist, the catholic epistle of

  Thomas, the acts of

  Thomas, the gospel of

  Thomas, books under the name of

  Truth, books under the name of (used by the Valentinians)

  Valentinus, the gospel of These writings were referred to by none less than Eusebius, Augustine, Origen, Epiphanius,

  Clement of Alexandria, Hieronius, Hegesippus, Irenaeus, Tertullian, Ambrose, Cyprian, Heracles, Theodotion...

  OK, enough lists from me My point being: there were many many dozens of writings floating around in the early church; they were written by men, categorized by men, and after a period of several centuries, a certain group of men finally considered a certain few of these men's writings to be divinely inspired.

  Sounds a lot like a crap shoot.

  Craig

  PS: Boy, that formatting worked real good, didn't it? LOLOL

  I'm not even gonna try and fix it.
• 

  manon

  Pseduo,

  Thanks for the reply and taking the time out to research this for me. I usually buy my books from amazon.com, I'll be paying them a visit soon. Fascinating find.

  Ona, your so knowledgeable about this subject.

  Thank you thank you thank you, so much to read such little time.
• 

  seedy3

  Here are a few links to the writings themselves

  www.gnosis.org/library/cac.htm

  www.sullivan-county.com/identity/writings.htm

  http://wesley.nnu.edu/noncanon/apocrypha.htm

  I have others somewhere, if you are interested

  Seedy
• 

  gitasatsangha

  Seedy,

  I didn't know you are on here . (((HUGS))

  -The Irritant otherwise known as Varuna
• 

  seedy3

  HEY Varuna!!!

  How is it? Yeah I've been here for almost 2 years (1 year 9 months), as you can see I don't post a whole lot, just when a subject interests me.

  See ya in yahoo my friend

  Seedy
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  Chap

  If my understanding is correct, the Roman Catholic Bible did not include the Apocryphal books until after the meeting of the hierarchy at what we know as The Council Of Trent. The beliefs and doctrines of the “official” church stated that Mary remained a virgin, (contradicting Matthew and others) that Mary was worthy of worship, purgatory, etc.

  Martin Luther posted his 95 Thesis on the Wittenberg Door stating that these beliefs and others were essentially wrong thereby starting the Protestant Reformation. The Roman Church had to justify these beliefs so in haste they included the Apocrypha into the biblical canon. These books were not included previously because of the obvious contradictions to the other books that were deemed more reliable. I understand that the writer of one of the Maccabees for example got so many historical facts wrong that he seemed confused as to the history he wrote about. I have not read these books so maybe someone can tell me if the doctrines above are in fact in the Apocryphal books.