The Apocrypha, the Dead Sea Scrolls, and Bible Inspiration

Keller Church of Christ November 26, 2017

“For whatever was written in former days was written for our instruction, that through endurance and through the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope.”

–Romans 15:4

“Scriptures”?

(1) Understanding the Apocrypha and the Pseudepigrapha

Apocrypha

Deuterocanonical

Pseudepigrapha

Council of Trent

ἀπόκρυφος

ἀποκρύπτειν

κανών

1 & 2 Esdras

Tobit

Judith

Esther additions

Wisdom

Ecclesiasticus

Baruch and the Epistle of Jeremiah

Song of the Three Children

Story of Susanna

Bel and the Dragon

Prayer of Manasseh

1 & 2 Maccabees

1 EsdrasSometimes called Third Esdras.

Esdras is Greek for the Hebrew name Ezra meaning “help”.

This book attempts to revise the Bible book of Ezra with supplemental material from II Chronicles and Nehemiah.

It also contains a story of three young men who debate the question, “What is the strongest thing in the world?” in front of the King of Persia, who promises to give the winner a prize.

2 EsdrasSometimes called the Ezra Apocalypse or Fourth Esdras

This book mostly contains conversations between Ezra and some angels sent to answer his theological questions.

It also contains a fantastic story of how all the Hebrew Scriptures were lost during the Jew’s Babylonian exile, but were perfectly restored when Ezra, under God’s inspiration, dictated them word-for-word to 5 scribes.

Ezra supposedly dictated an additional 70 “secret books” that were only to be read by those who were wise. (Second Esdras is supposed to be one of those secret books.)

TobitIt is a story about a blind man named Tobit who sends his son to collect a debt for him.

He is led on his journey by an angel who takes him to the house of a virgin who has been married 7 times. (Each of her husbands was slain by a demon on their wedding night.)

Tobit’s son marries the virgin and manages to drive away the demon by burning the heart of a fish in their bedroom on their wedding night.

He then goes and collects his father’s debt, and returns to Tobit with the money, his new bride and the remains of the fish. When he gets home he heals his father’s blindness using some bile extracted from the fish.

Judith It is the story of a beautiful widow who saves her city from a military siege.

When the city is surrounded, and all appears lost, she sneaks out to the enemy commander’s camp, endears herself to the general, gets him drunk, chops off his head, and brings it back to her city.

When she shows her people the enemy commander’s head, they are a encouraged and go off to battle their enemies.

Esther Additions 6 paragraphs designed to be inserted at various places in the book of Esther.

Their main purpose is to give the book a more Jewish and religious tone.

You may be aware that the word “God” does not appear in the actual book of Esther. Perhaps the apocryphal writer sought to “correct” that.

Wisdom of Solomon Also called Wisdom

It contains devotional and theological essays written so that they appear to have come from King Solomon.

It compares Jewish religion with Greek philosophy, and it attempts to prove that the highest form of wisdom is faith.

Ecclesiasticus Also called The Wisdom of Jesus son of Sirach, or just Sirach

This book contains discourses, proverbs and wise sayings from a teacher named Joshua Ben Sirach.

Originally written in Hebrew, it was translated into Greek by Ben Sirach’s grandson. It is the most highly respected of all the Apocryphal books, and in early times was read in some church services. Again, it was not considered inspired Scripture.

Baruch & The Letter of JeremiahBaruch was the prophet Jeremiah’s secretary — ”Baruch wrote from the mouth of Jeremiah all the words of The Lord” (Jer 36:4).

This is a rather disjointed book, and it includes exhortations against idolatry, promises to faithful Jews, and affirmations that the Law of God is real wisdom.

It is written as if by Baruch during the Babylonian exile.

The last chapter (Letter of Jeremiah) purports to be from Jeremiah to the Jews in exile in Babylon.

Song of the Three Children Sometimes the Prayer of Azariah

This book was written as an addition to the story of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego. It contains prayers and hymns alleged to be offered to God while the three were in the fiery furnace.

It is typically added to the book of Daniel after Dan 3:23.

SusannaThis is also an addition to the book of Daniel.

It is the story of two men who try to seduce a pious, young wife. When she refuses their advances, the men publicly accuse her of adultery.

Susanna is condemned to death in a trial where the men testify falsely against her.

But Daniel comes to the rescue, exposing the lies of the two men during a second trial. The men are put to death, and Susanna regains her status as a virtuous woman.

Bel and the DragonHere we have two different stories that were expected to be included in the book of Daniel. In the first, Bel is a Babylonian idol that supposedly ate food left for him (although really it was eaten by priests who sneaked in through a secret entrance).

When Daniel refuses to give Bel an offering, he is challenged by the King. Daniel tells the King that the idol does not really eat anything. As a test, food is left at night for the idol — but without the priests’ knowledge, fine ashes are spread over the floor. In the morning the food is gone, but the King can see lots of footprints in the ashes.

In the second story, the people are worshipping a living dragon. Daniel kills it by feeding it a mixture of pitch, fat and hair, which causes it to burst open.

First Maccabees Here is contained an honest and stirring account of Jewish history between 175 BC and 135 BC when the Jews gained their national independence from their Syrian oppressors.

Historians consider this book an accurate account of events at that time. As an historical account, it is valued — but not as Hebrew Scripture.

Second Maccabees This book relates many of the same events as I Maccabees, but in an attempt to add a religious flavor. It includes many legendary and fanciful additions.

Some of the statements in this book are thought to support the Roman Catholic teachings on Purgatory, prayers for the dead, and the intercessory work of deceased saints.

(2) TheApocrypha and the Protestant Bible

The number of O.T. books?

“The church no more gave us the New Testament canon than Sir Isaac Newton gave us the force of gravity. God gave us gravity, by his work of creation, and similarly he gave us the New Testament canon, by inspiring the individual books that make it up.”

–J.I. Packer

(2) TheApocrypha and the Protestant Bible The number of O.T. books?

Providential process

From an internal evidence perspective, does the author claim inspiration?

Do other claimed canonical books, Old or New Testament cite Apocrypha writings?

(2) TheApocrypha and the Protestant Bible (1) Was the book written by a prophet of God?

(2) Was the writer authenticated by miracles to confirm his message?

(3) Does the book tell the truth of God, with no falsehood or contradiction?

4) Does the book transform lives?

(5) Was the book accepted as God’s Word by the people to whom it was first delivered?

(3) The Significance of the Dead Sea Scrolls

The discovery

The manuscript dates

The Qumran community

(4) The Apocrypha Books Discovered in the Dead Sea Scrolls

Tobit (5 copies)

Sirach (3 copies)

The Letter of Jeremiah

The Book of Enoch (25 copies)

Jubilees (21 copies)

Psalm 151

(5) The Rejection of Apocrypha Books Religious libraries

40% Hebrew Scriptures; 30% Apocrypha; 30% Sectarian Writings

Bizarre teachings

Textual and historical errors

“While the Dead Sea scrolls contain copies of several books of the Apocrypha, they contain far more copies of pseudepigraphal books like 1 Enoch that even the Roman Catholic church admits are clearly not inspired. What is important to note here, however, is that owning copies of a book does not imply belief in that book's inspiration. The Dead Sea Scrolls contain a variety of community rules, historical documents, festival calendars, and other uninspired documents that the community found useful. The scrolls do not contain commentaries on the Apocrypha as they do for the Jewish Old Testament books, and they do not cite the Apocrypha authoritatively as scripture. This probably indicates that even the Essene community did not regard the Apocrypha as highly as the Jewish Old Testament books.” - Norman Giesler

The Apocrypha, the Dead Sea Scrolls, and Bible Inspiration

Keller Church of Christ November 26, 2017