The deuterocanonical books of the Apocrypha include Tobit, Judith, 1 and 2 Maccabees, Wisdom of Solomon, Sirach, Baruch, and additions to Esther and Daniel. Although much debate has occurred over their divine inspiration, both sides of the argument agree that these writings are good to read. We’ll now look at these books and why Christians should read them.
What Does Deuterocanonical Mean?
The term “deuterocanonical” refers to a secondary canon of sacred books or literary works. It is most commonly applied to writings of the Christian Old Testament (OT), which are not found in the Hebrew Bible. Consequently, the deuterocanonical books are not viewed as Scripture by Jews or by most Protestants. Deuterocanonical books are considered Scriptural by the Catholic and Eastern Orthodox Churches. Surprisingly, the original meaning of “deuterocanonical” separated these writings from non-canonical books and from “protocanonical” books. Protocanonical refers to books accepted early into the first canon without much controversy. Some Bible editions include both deuterocanonical and non-canonical sources in one section called “the Apocrypha.”
The word “apocrypha” comes from the Greek combination of apo (“off, away”) and kryptein (“to hide”). Together, these words form apokryphos (“hidden; obscure, hard to understand”). Thus, the term referred to sacred texts considered too dignified for public consumption. It eventually became derogatory since the authority of the books was often questioned.
How Many Deuterocanonical Books Are There?
What is commonly known as “The Apocrypha” includes 15 books. All but one of these (2 Esdras) are Jewish and are found in the Septuagint. The custom of separating the Apocrypha came from the Jewish OT canon. As a result, the Apocrypha became a different section of the Protestant Bible or sometimes was completely omitted.
In the Council of Trent, the Catholic church labeled 12 of these 15 books as canonical Scripture, thus naming them “deuterocanonical” (second canon). The three books still not accepted by Catholics are 1-2 Esdras and the Prayer of Manasseh. Popular Bible versions with the Apocrypha include the Latin Vulgate, the King James Version, and the Revised Standard Version. Additional books of the secondary canon can be found in the Douay-Rheims Catholic Bible.
Are Some of the Deuterocanonical Books Extended Versions of Bible Books?
An intriguing fact about deuterocanonical books, especially the ones found in the Apocrypha, is that some are extended versions of canonical books. Prime examples are Apocryphal Daniel and Esther.
The deuterocanonical Book of Daniel has three additional sections known as “Bel and the Dragon,” “The Prayer of Azariah,” and “Susanna.” “Bel and the Dragon” is Daniel’s fourteenth chapter in the Septuagint. It recounts several stories centering on the prophet Daniel and his interactions with a false god Bel and a dragon worshipped as a false god. In one episode, Daniel defeats the priests of Bel who were deceiving King Cyrus. In another event, Daniel slays a revered dragon. Thus, Daniel humiliates the Persian-Babylonian gods twice in one book. One final scene includes the Judean prophet Habbakuk. During Daniel’s second visit to the lion’s den, an angel commands Habbakuk to take some food to Daniel. Habakkuk is naturally confused by this directive, so the angel carries him by the hair to Babylon—right next to the den. Daniel receives the meal and thanks God. The angel quickly returns Habbakuk to his home in Judea.
“The Prayer of Azariah” (fully named “The Prayer of Azariah and Song of the Three Holy Children”) can be read between Daniel 3:23-24. This apocryphal book expands upon the canonical book of Daniel by adding 67 verses. In the first 22 verses, Azariah (Abednego) prays to the Lord. Azariah and his two companions then sing a praise song to the Lord while inside the fiery furnace (verses 28-67). Interestingly, the prayer laments Israel’s sin of forsaking God and asks Him to forgive and deliver the nation. The three young men do not petition God to save them but only thank Him after He has done so. Verses 23-27 provide more details about the flame’s intensity and how the angel of the Lord saved the three young men. In particular, we read that “the flame mounted up above the furnace nine and forty cubits: and it broke forth, and burnt such of the Chaldeans as it found near the furnace” (vv. 24-25). We also read the angel “drove the flame of the fire out of the furnace, and made the midst of the furnace like the blowing of a wind bringing dew” (vv. 26-27). Therefore, “the fire touched them not at all, nor troubled them, nor did them any harm.”
The third apocryphal addition to Daniel is known as “Susanna” (or “Susanna and the Elders”). In it, a wealthy Babylonian Jewess named Susanna is the victim of a wicked conspiracy. Two judges plot to trap her with a false adultery charge if she refuses to have sexual relations with them. They base their plan on Old Testament law, specifically Deuteronomy 17:6: “On the testimony of two or three witnesses, a person is to be put to death, but no one is to be put to death on the testimony of only one witness.”
Susanna denies their sexual advances and is thus falsely accused in court. She pleads for God to stop her execution, which God accomplishes using the prophet Daniel. Through separate examinations, Daniel determines that each elder bore false witness against Susanna. One elder says he saw Susanna and a young man under a mastic tree (vv. 54). The other says he saw them under an evergreen oak tree (vv. 58). Both wicked judges are promptly executed, and the people rejoice over Susanna and Daniel.
The apocryphal “Greek Esther” (also known as “Additions to Esther”) forms chapters 11-16 in Catholic Bibles, often designated A-F. Although many details remain the same as in the Hebrew text, several details differ. The text portrays Esther as weak and helpless, ultimately allowing her to save the Jews. Another important change is the over 50 additions of God’s name to the text. This is a stark difference from the Hebrew book of Esther, which never mentions God by name.
How Did Christianity Decide What Books Go Into the Bible?
The Hebrew (and later Christian) canon was formed gradually. The English word “canon” comes from the Greek word “kanón,” meaning “a rule, measuring standard, or norm.” E.P. Barrows explains that the Scriptural canon means a “collection of books which the churches receive as given by inspiration of God, and therefore as constituting for them a divine rule of faith and practice.” Accepted books are deemed “canonical” and include four divisions:
- The Pentateuch (five books attributed to Moses: Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy)
- The historical books (books covering Israelite history, like 1 Kings)
- The prophetic books (books containing prophecies about God’s plans, like Jeremiah)
- The poetic books (books containing proverbs or poems, like Psalms)
In the late 300s A.D., St. Jerome expressed doubt about the apocryphal books’ divine inspiration. He translated the Greek Septuagint into Latin Vulgate, but he said that the apocryphal writings were “books of the church” and not “books of the canon.” Despite this, the Council of Rome affirmed their canonicity in 382 A.D. Furthermore, the Council of Trent affirmed almost all of the Latin Vulgate as canonical in 1546 A.D., including most of the Apocrypha. Martin Luther was the first to separate the Apocrypha in his 1534 Bible with a note saying they were not divinely inspired. The Geneva and King James Bibles followed this trend, but the KJV removed it in 1885.
What Are the Most Important Deuterocanonical Books of the Bible?
The best-known deuterocanonical books include the following:
- Wisdom
Each of these is canonical for Catholic and Eastern Orthodox Churches. They are most important for historical study and spiritual growth. 1-2 Maccabees explain the events of Jews in the second century B.C. Both books detail how a group of Jews called the Maccabees rebelled against the invading Seleucid Dynasty. These battles occurred during 175-134 B.C. The first book recounts their efforts to regain Hebrew culture and religious independence from Antiochus IV Epiphanes after he profaned the temple. The second book is a Greek synopsis of Jason of Cyrene’s five-volume account of the Maccabean Revolt.
On the other hand, the books of Sirach and Wisdom are apocryphal/deuterocanonical “wisdom” books that appear in the Catholic Old Testament. Yeshua, son of Eleazar, son of Sirach, is credited with writing Sirach between 200-175 B.C. Like the canonical “wisdom” books such as Proverbs, Sirach includes various expressions of wise and unwise behavior. Many verses in Sirach have OT allusions. Portions of this book are still used in Catholic liturgy, so the book is also called (Liber) Ecclesiasticus or “Church Book.”
The Book of Wisdom focuses on making Biblical traditions pertinent to Jews in new living situations, perhaps during the diaspora. The author emphasizes God’s concern for humanity and uses wisdom teachings to reveal deep spiritual truths. He shares the value of Hebrew culture for contemporary times. The book comprises three sections: the first fosters enthusiasm for Hebrew belief and practice, the second praises Wisdom, and the third argues that Wisdom has guided the Israelites throughout history.
Are the Deuterocanonical Books Divinely Inspired?
The debate about whether the deuterocanonical or apocryphal books are divinely inspired is complex and controversial.
A major detail supporting divine inspiration is several biblical writers allude to or quote deuterocanonical books. Matthew 5:18 quotes Baruch 4:1. Jude 1:14-15 quotes 1 Enoch 1:9; 5:4. Ephesians 6:11-17 quotes Wisdom 5:18-21. Some Christians argue that if the accepted canonical writers quoted from these books, that supports viewing them as canonical too.
Those against the idea argue that just because the canonical writers valued a few ideas in these books does not make the entire books divinely inspired. There is also the fact that history favors skepticism. Wayne Jackson says that “none of these books were ever received into the canon (that which conforms to ‘rule’) of the Hebrew Old Testament.” Furthermore, Josephus, Origen, and Tertullian all rejected the Apocrypha’s canonicity.
Therefore, Christians face a dilemma: do a few quotes from deuterocanonical books in the canon make them inspired Scripture? If so, then why were they made secondary or removed entirely from the Biblical canon? However, if the deuterocanonical books are not inspired, why do references to them appear in canonical books? Why do some believers still include the Apocrypha in their Bibles?
Fortunately, regardless of their denomination, Christians can know they have guidance. They can look at Christian history to see how important leaders within their tradition have treated the deuterocanonical books. They can get advice from their local church’s leaders. Most importantly, they can prayerfully consider what to take from these books. Since the Holy Spirit indwells us, and the Holy Spirit is part of the Trinity, the God who is the true author of Scripture, we know that the Lord will lead and guide us into all truth.
Further Reading:
What Is the Apocrypha? Are Apocryphal Books Really Scripture?
What Is the Book of Enoch and Should it be in the Bible?
Photo Credit: ©GettyImages/artisteer
Charles Johnson is a self-published author and an audiobook narrator for Taylor University's Sacred Roots Project. Two of his devotionals have been featured on Aboite Independent/Great Day Ministry. Charles has answered over 200 questions on Quora. Check out his book Exploring West Chicago on Amazon.
This article is part of our Christian Terms catalog, exploring words and phrases of Christian theology and history. Here are some of our most popular articles covering Christian terms to help your journey of knowledge and faith:
The Full Armor of God
The Meaning of "Selah"
What Is Grace? Bible Definition and Christian Quotes
What is Discernment? Bible Meaning and Importance
What Is Prophecy? Bible Meaning and Examples
