The Apocrypha: a response . . .

Devin, concerning the inclusion of the Apocrypha in the canon of Scripture since it was included in the Septuagint and that further even Jesus leaves room for its possible inclusion when he said that the Law and Prophets were until John the Baptist. (Luke 16:16)

However, please correct my understanding if I am wrong; but isn’t the Apocrypha used to reinforce doctrine rather than as a source for doctrine as are the 39 OT books and the 27 NT books? I do not wish to argue, I simply ask for clarification considering the following observations:

Despite the fact that New Testament writers quote largely from the Septuagint rather than from the Hebrew Old Testament, there is not a single clear-cut case of a citation from any of the fourteen apocryphal books . . . . The most that can be said is that the New Testament writers show acquaintance with these fourteen books and perhaps allude to them indirectly, but in no case do they quote them as inspired Scripture or cite them as authority (Unger 1951, 101).

Finally, it must be observed that the apocryphal books, unlike the canonical books of the Old Testament, make no direct claims of being inspired of God. Not once is there a, “thus says the Lord,” or language like, “the word of the Lord came unto me, saying . . .” In fact, some of the documents actually confess non-inspiration! In the prologue of Ecclesiasticus, the writer states: “Ye are entreated therefore to read with favor and attention, and to pardon us, if in any parts of what we have labored to interpret, we may seem to fail in some of the phrases.”

Too, there is the matter of literary style. Dr. Raymond Surburg has written:

When a comparison is instituted of the style of the Apocrypha with the style of the Biblical Hebrew Old Testament writings, there is a considerable inferiority, shown by the stiffness, lack of originality and artificiality of expression characterizing the apocryphal books (1980, 7).

In closing, let me say that I am indeed thankful—indebted perhaps is a better choice of words—to the Catholic Church for the canon of Scripture, both old and new; although, I  must say at this juncture in my journey I believe I am more in the Orthodoxy camp than Rome, theologically.

Blessing, I am yours for the journey,

 Jim