Apocryphal Literature

Disclaimer

Although scholars refer to the apocrypha as if it were a closed collection of texts, they are all aware that it isn’t (see Apocryphal Literature: A Complete Overview). None of the apocryphal texts saw themselves as an addition to a collection and, in fact, they often openly disagreed with each other. However, due to the fact that scholarly circles tend to use the term “the Apocrypha” to refer to texts with debatable canonicity (and books are bound and published as “apocrypha” with such assumed collections), these notes will rely on this assumption. Due to the fact that apocrypha and pseudepigrapha often overlap, notes on some apocrypha are included here for convenience (since all references in these notes are based on the Oxford Annotated Apocrypha and it would be odd to omit some based on personal preference) but are also available with Pseudepigrapha Notes. Texts that are complete on their own have their own introductions, but texts also found among the pseudepigrapha have introductions only with the pseudepigraphal section despite having references and questions noted with the apocrypha. Texts that are only additions (like LXX Esther and Daniel [the Prayer of Azariah and the Three Jews, Susanna, Bel and the Dragon] as well as 1 Esdras) and not significant enough in length or novelty do not have introductions either (but do have podcast episodes with explanations).

Individual Apocryphon Overviews

Reference

These notes on the Apocrypha with page numbers are based on the text that I read: the Oxford Annotated Apocrypha: New Revised Standard Version. To find all the texts included in this Apocrypha edition, reference: https://www.biblestudytools.com/nrsa/.

Index

Sources on Apocryphal Literature

TRANSLATIONS

2004. The Apocrypha and Pseudepigrapha of the Old Testament: Apocrypha. Edited by R H. Charles. Berkeley: Apocryphile Press.


2018. The New Oxford Annotated Bible: New Revised Standard Version with the Apocrypha. 5th ed. New York: Oxford University Press.



PODCASTS

Beckman, Peter. "47.Peter Beckman: How the wisdom of Ben Sira has impacted the church (Sirach, Ecclesiasticus)." Interview with Matthew Delaney. Hebrew Bible Insights. Podcast Audio. December 2022. https://open.spotify.com/episode/6YHdHrAhPVCPfgej48rolz?si=_P96BjPtTE-eaKV9APep5Q.


Cereno, Benito and Christ Sims. "2: One Weird Trick (The Book of Daniel with Apocrypha)." Apocrypals. Podcast Audio. April2019. https://apocrypals.libsyn.com/2-one-weird-trick-the-book-of-daniel-with-apocrypha.


Cereno, Benito and Christ Sims. "13: Bonus Goat (The Deuterocanonical Book of Tobit)." Apocrypals. Podcast Audio. July 2018. https://apocrypals.libsyn.com/13-bonus-goat-the-deuterocanonical-book-of-tobit.


Cereno, Benito and Christ Sims. "22: Ocean's Two (The Book of Judith)." Apocrypals. Podcast Audio. October 2018. https://apocrypals.libsyn.com/22-oceans-two-the-book-of-judith.


Cereno, Benito and Christ Sims. "27: The Book of the Dynasty of God's Resisters (The First Book of Maccabees)." Apocrypals. Podcast Audio. December 2018. https://apocrypals.libsyn.com/27-the-book-of-the-dynasty-of-gods-resisters-the-first-book-of-maccabees.


Cereno, Benito and Christ Sims. "28: Second Maccabees Second Furious (The Second Book of Maccabees)." Apocrypals. Podcast Audio. December 2018. https://apocrypals.libsyn.com/28-second-maccabees-second-furious-the-second-book-of-maccabees.


Cereno, Benito and Christ Sims. "37: Bigger Esther (The Book of Esther and Greek Esther)." Apocrypals. Podcast Audio. March 2019. https://apocrypals.libsyn.com/37-bigger-esther-the-book-of-esther-and-greek-esther.


DeSilva, David. "Why does the Apocrypha matter? (A discussion with David DeSilva)." Interview with J M Smith. Disciple Dojo. Podcast Audio. February 2023. https://open.spotify.com/episode/1uIYWJx8waRLXLu7b5fVaf?si=9CHl3R9tR8uhpjR0AqzI2Q.


Dodson, Joey. "S8 Ep893: Why Christians Need to Read the Apocrypha: Dr. Joey Dodson." Interview with Preston Sprinkle. Theology in the Raw. August 2021. https://open.spotify.com/episode/6mVFvT3tqTl2kr53uKytZ3?si=jXjtTcuzTC6idRVsOzC2JA.


Stevens, Garry. "2.10 Grappling with the Greeks I: Josephus and the Books of Maccabees." History in the Bible. November 2017. https://open.spotify.com/episode/1ozUCSozDA5yeO2mc3SeE1.



LECTURES

DeSilva, David. "Dr. David deSilva, Apocrypha: Witness Between the Testaments, Lecture 1, General Introduction." Ted Hildebrandt Biblicalelearning. July 19, 2016. Video, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=46yVpR1Pghk. 


DeSilva, David. "Dr. David deSilva, Apocrypha: Witness Between the Testaments, Lecture 2, 1 Esdras, Ben Sira, 1-2 Mac." Ted Hildebrandt Biblicalelearning. July 19, 2016. Video, https://youtu.be/msk1gsOc_Fg?si=KaDsYICLxQ_yo1nQ. 


DeSilva, David. "Dr. David deSilva, Apocrypha: Witness Between the Testaments, Lecture 3, 1-2 Macc, Judith." Ted Hildebrandt Biblicalelearning. July 19, 2016. Video, https://youtu.be/cDXYeA1GyCw?si=6Bs7SvlbBq1vcVJ1. 


DeSilva, David. "Dr. David deSilva, Apocrypha: Witness Between the Testaments, Lecture 5, Tobit, Susanna, Baruch, Bel." Ted Hildebrandt Biblicalelearning. July 19, 2016. Video, https://youtu.be/jr2dSuBFuJE?si=F-akAGQroaqX0Ehu.


DeSilva, David. "Dr. David deSilva, Apocrypha, Lecture 6, Wisdom of Solomon, Greek Esther, 3 Macc." Ted Hildebrandt Biblicalelearning. July 19, 2016. Video, https://youtu.be/KLt9Z_S7_q0?si=PmkAyCOf68HFaSKp.


DeSilva, David. "Dr. David deSilva, Apocrypha, Lecture 8, Impact of the Apocrypha on the New Testament." Ted Hildebrandt Biblicalelearning. July 21, 2016. Video, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Blhlhao5hDo. 


DeSilva, David. "Dr. David deSilva, Apocrypha, Lecture 9, Apocrypha in the Christian Church and Canon." Ted Hildebrandt Biblicalelearning. July 21, 2016. Video, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kyb4BXD1uHs. 



VIDEOS

"Maccabees & King Herod Family Tree." UsefulCharts. September 11, 2020. Video, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1osahsb_K2A. 


"Who Wrote the Bible? Episode 4: The Apocrypha." UsefulCharts. August 13, 2021. Video, https://youtu.be/HYlZk4Hv-E8.