read the apocrypha

but right now it’s making me feel inadequate not to be able to make progress. After the addition, I’m thinking, I will return to this goal…

is telling the story – I told the story of the Maccabees for bedtime last week (my kids have unusual bedtime story requests!). I think with retelling, I must more deeply understand the tale.

I’m nearly done (just finishing up 2 Esdras) and am very
glad that I put this on my reading list.

One thing I’ve learned is that a lot of these books are
extensions to or variations on OT books; many times I’ve had
to page back to the OT to understand some context. Here are
the OT books I’d recommend reading as part of the Apocrypha:

• Esther
• Ezra
• Daniel
• Nehemiah

Also, I hadn’t realized that different churches have
different books that are considered Apocryphal; this time
around I’ve read the “standard” Apocrypha, but perhaps after
reading the OT I’ll come back and read them too.

I think there is a general loss to the bulk of the Protestant church which has never read 1 & 2 Maccabees from how one is able to better understand the cultural context from which the NT Gospels take place within. Sure I can understand concerns about using the Apocrypha as a source of theology for ideas which are not also found in the Old and New Testaments from the clear blending of history and folklore at times, but that does not nullify its value to understand the Jewish people at the time of the birth of the church as knowing their history and stories helps you understand them better.

a few years ago, such great stories! Many more to go!

According to Wikipedia, the books of the apocrypha are:

*1 Adam and Eve
*2 Adam and Eve
*Apocalypse of Adam
*Ascension of Isaiah
*Assumption of Moses
*Barnabus
*Baruch
*Bel and the Dragon
*Clement
*Enoch
*Esdras (4)
*Irenaeus
*Jeremy/Jeremiah
*Jubilees
*Judas
*Judith
*Laodiceans
*Maccabees (4)
*Odes
*Prayer of Azarias
*Prayer of Manasses
*Prayer of Solomon
*Psalm 151
*Revelation of Moses
*Shepherd of Hermas
*Sirach
*Song of the Three Children
*Susanna
*Testament of Adam
*Testaments of the Twelve Patriarchs
*Thomas
*Tobit
*Vulgate Esther
*Wisdom

Esdras is a strange case: Ezra and Nehemiah are sort of 1 and 2 Edras, so it’s only 3 and 4 that are apocryphal—but because 1 and 2 have other names, 3 and 4 are called 1 and 2.

Can’t say I noticed much difference between it and in the OT Esther, apart from the extra books. Probably worth a re-read at some future point.

One interesting thing I ran across is that I’m also reading Moby Dick on Daily Lit (you get a page a day in your email). Ishmael makes a reference to Ahsuerus (sp?), a word I wasn’t familiar with. I looked it up and it’s an alternative spelling of Xerxes, king of Assyria and Esther’s husband. Found some good stuff on Wikipedia about Assyria as well, including maps.

I’m starting this, but I’m going to have to find some sort of reference, since I’m not sure how the Apocrypha fit in with the rest of the Bible. I suppose I’ll try wikipedia first, then see what the local public library has to offer…

Definately a worthwhile endeavor! Of course I read an NIV version which probably made it easier to understand. Also, a dive into the book of Enoch and the lost books of Eden, which was included in what is called the Pseudepigrapha.

The whole thing as well as many other ancient archives can be found at sacred-texts.com