Theological Term of the Day

Apocrypha

The word apocrypha means hidden.  It is used in a general sense to describe a list of books written by Jews between 300 and 100 B.C.  More specifically, it is used of the seven additional books accepted by the Catholic church as being inspired.  The entire list of books of the apocrypha are: 1 Esdras, 2 Esdras, Tobit, Judith, the Rest of Esther, the Wisdom of Solomon, Sirach, (also titled Ecclesiasticus), Barach, The Letter of Jeremiah, Song of the Three Young Men, Susanna, Bel and the Dragon, The Additions to Daniel, The Prayer of Manasseh, and 1and 2 Maccabees.

The books accepted as inspired and included in the Catholic Bible are Tobit, Judith, 1 and 2 Maccabees, Wisdom of Solomon, Sirach (also known as Ecclesiasticus), and Baruch.

The Jews never recognized these books as being canonical (inspired).  There is no record that Jesus or the apostles ever quoted from the apocryphal books.  The Septuagint (LXX) includes the books, not as scripture, but as part of the translation of the Hebrew manuscripts as a whole.

                                                                                                        - carm.org