Apocrypha

Apocrypha written during when God was not inspiring!

These books were written during the "silent years" when God was not speaking through His Prophets. (1Peter.1:10-12, Eph.3:5, Amos.3:7) Malachi was the last of the Old Testament Prophets. Even though God was not speaking during these "silent" years, He already spoken through the Prophet Daniel (Dan.8:1-12, 15-25; 9:1-27; 11:1-35) and through Isaiah (Isa.40:3, Matt.3:3) about what was to happen. There are no  (so-called) "lost books!" There are no books that had been forgotten or lost. God is Sovereign and Providential and did not allow any books to be lost. However, He did reject books. (He did reject the Books of the "Apocrypha")

                    
            
The "Apocrypha" was not quoted by Jesus or the Apostles
1. The Old Testament "Apocrypha"
      "The Old Testament books,15 in number, were written during the period from about 150 B.C. to about  A.D. 70, when
      the Jewish people were in rebellion against the repression of foreign military rulers. These books were excluded
      from some early versions of the Old Testament but included in others. This explains why Bibles used by Roman
      Catholics contain the Old Testament Apocrypha, while they are not included in most Protestant editions of the
      Bible."2

                                (Review: Phase One. "Why I use the King James Bible" for full explanation of Chart below)

                         
          Note:  Modern day translations after the King James translation, place the Greek texts of Sinaiticus and
           Vaticanus (which is the Greek text of of Origen, Euseibus, Jerome / the "Apocrypha") as the most accurate,
           the most faithful and reliable Word of God we have today. If this is true then, God would have  to "deny
           Himself," (2Tim.2:13, Heb.6:16-20) and He will NOT do that! (Review:  KJV Page.1)


2. The New Testament and the "Apocrypha"
      The books known as the New Testament Apocrypha were written during the  second and third centuries A.D.,
      long after the death of the apostles and other eyewitnesses to the life and ministry of Jesus. None of these
      books were included in the New Testament because they were judged as unworthy and not authoritative by officials
      of the early church.2
     a. In the 3rd Century AD 
           Origen attempted to clear up translation errors that had crept into the text of the Septuagint (that included the 
           Apocrypha) by copyists'.
      b. Septuagint
           The "text of the Septuagint is contained in a few early, but not necessarily reliable, manuscripts."  The best
           known of these are the Codex Vaticanus (B) and the Codex Sinaiticus (S), both dating from the 4th century AD,
           and the Codex Alexandrinus (A) from the 5th century.3
    
           Note: Origen was not only changing the Septuagint  he was also changing the Greek Textus Receptus
           (The Word of God). The text of the Reformation. 
           (Review: Phase One)
             
      c. Numerous early papyrus             
           There are also numerous earlier papyrus fragments and many later manuscripts.
      d. Printed Septuagint               
           The first printed copy of the Septuagint was in the Complutensian Polyglot (1514–22).        
                     (Encyclopedia Britannica)
      e. Not authoritative           
           None of these books were included in the New Testament because they were judged as  unworthy and not
           authoritative by officials of the early church. (from Nelson's Illustrated Bible Dictionary, Copyright © 1986, Thomas Nelson Publishers)

   
                  .

3. The contents show that they were no part of Scripture. 
      The Old Testament Apocrypha consists of fourteen books, the chief of which are the Books of the Maccabees (q.v.),
      the Books of Esdras, the Book of Wisdom, the Book of Baruch, the Book of Esther, Ecclesiasticus, Tobit, Judith, etc.

4. The Apocrypha in biblical literature
      The "Apocrypha in biblical literature, works outside an accepted canon of scripture. The history of the term's usage
      indicates that it referred to a body of esoteric writings that were at first prized, later tolerated, and finally excluded.
      In its broadest sense apocrypha has come to mean any writings of dubious authority." "Apocrypha per se are
      outside the canon, not considered divinely inspired but regarded as worthy of study by the faithful."2

Conclusion:
The "Apocrypha" should not be included in the doctrine (teaching) of the Bride of Christ. 

Notes-------------------------------
1.  (from Easton's Bible Dictionary, PC Study Bible formatted electronic database Copyright © 2003, 2006 Bibles, Inc. All rights reserved.)
2.  Nelson's Bible Dictionary. (from Nelson's Illustrated Bible Dictionary, Copyright © 1986, Thomas Nelson Publishers)
3.  Encyclopedia Britannica. (1995)