Apocrypha (RV 1885/1895)
48 study questions and answers, quoted from the Revised Version (1885/1895).
Which books appear in the Revised Version's Apocrypha section?
1-2 Esdras, Tobit, Judith, additions to Esther, Wisdom, Sirach (Ecclesiasticus), Baruch, Letter of Jeremiah, Song of the Three, Susanna, Bel and the Dragon, Prayer of Manasses, and 1-2 Maccabees.
RV Apocrypha (1895)
What does the Greek word "apocrypha" literally mean?
"Hidden away" — used by Jerome to mark books outside the Hebrew canon.
Jerome, Prologus Galeatus
What does "deuterocanonical" mean, and who coined it?
"Second canon" — coined in 1566 by Sixtus of Siena, over a millennium after "Apocrypha."
Sixtus of Siena, Bibliotheca Sancta
What is the story of Tobit about?
A blinded righteous Israelite in exile, his son Tobias, the angel Raphael in disguise, and Sarah delivered from a demon.
Tob 3-12
What does Judith recount?
A widow who saves her city by beheading the Assyrian general Holofernes.
Jdt 13
What is the Wisdom of Solomon known for?
Its portrait of immortality of the righteous and its personification of Wisdom.
Wis 3:1-4; 7:22-27
What kind of book is Sirach (Ecclesiasticus)?
A long collection of practical wisdom by Jesus ben Sira, with a famous "praise of famous men" section.
Sir 44:1
Who was Susanna, and how was she vindicated?
A virtuous wife falsely accused by two elders, cleared when young Daniel cross-examined them separately.
Sus 1:45-59
What does Bel and the Dragon demonstrate?
Daniel exposing idol-priests' fraud and destroying a dragon — polemic against idolatry.
Bel 1:14-27
What is the Prayer of Manasses?
A penitential prayer attributed to the repentant king Manasseh of Judah.
Pr Man 1:9-15; cf. 2 Chr 33:12-13
What historical events does 1 Maccabees record?
The Maccabean revolt against Antiochus IV Epiphanes and the rededication of the temple.
1 Macc 4:36-59
Which Apocryphal passage is cited in the purgatory debate?
2 Maccabees 12:43-46, where offerings are made for the dead.
2 Macc 12:43-46
What is the Song of the Three Children?
A hymn of praise placed in the mouths of Daniel's companions inside the fiery furnace.
Song Three 1:29-68
What does Article VI of the Thirty-Nine Articles say about these books?
They may be read "for example of life and instruction of manners," but not used to establish doctrine.
Article VI
How many books did the Revised Version issue in its Apocrypha volume?
Fourteen titles in the traditional English arrangement, published separately in 1895.
RV Apocrypha, 1895
What are 1 and 2 Esdras in the English Apocrypha?
Two books distinct from canonical Ezra–Nehemiah; 1 Esdras retells Josiah to Ezra, 2 Esdras is apocalyptic.
1 Esd; 2 Esd
What famous question contest appears in 1 Esdras?
Three guardsmen debate what is strongest; Zerubbabel answers 'truth,' and truth prevails.
1 Esd 3-4
What are the Additions to Esther?
Six Greek passages supplying prayers and explicit mention of God, absent from the Hebrew text.
Add Esth
What does Wisdom of Solomon say about death's origin?
'God made not death'; through envy of the devil came death into the world.
Wis 1:13; 2:24
What famous verse of Wisdom concerns the souls of the righteous?
'The souls of the righteous are in the hand of God, and there shall no torment touch them.'
Wis 3:1
Who was the author of Sirach, and who translated it?
Jesus ben Sira; his grandson translated it into Greek and wrote the prologue.
Sir, Prologue
Which Sirach passage is widely read at funerals and memorials?
'Let us now praise famous men, and our fathers that begat us.'
Sir 44:1
What does Baruch contain?
A confession of exile, a wisdom poem, and a consolation to Jerusalem, attributed to Jeremiah's scribe.
Bar 1-5
Who is the villain of Judith, and how does she prevail?
Holofernes, Nebuchadnezzar's general, whom Judith beheads after gaining his trust.
Jdt 13
What archangel is named in Tobit?
Raphael, who travels with Tobias disguised as a kinsman.
Tob 5:4; 12:15
What does Tobit teach about almsgiving?
'Alms doth deliver from death, and shall purge away all sin.'
Tob 12:9
What festival does 1 Maccabees explain the origin of?
The rededication of the temple, kept as Hanukkah — the feast of dedication of John 10:22.
1 Macc 4:56-59
Who were the Maccabean brothers' father and chief leader?
Mattathias the priest; his son Judas 'Maccabeus' led the revolt.
1 Macc 2-3
What martyrdom story is told in 2 Maccabees?
A mother and her seven sons tortured under Antiochus, confessing resurrection hope.
2 Macc 7
What creation statement appears in 2 Maccabees 7:28?
That God made heaven and earth 'not of things that were' — an early creatio ex nihilo formula.
2 Macc 7:28
How did the Reformers and Rome differ on these books at Trent?
Trent (1546) affirmed them as canonical; the Reformers kept them as edifying but not doctrinally binding.
Council of Trent, Session IV
Where did the King James Version originally print the Apocrypha?
Between the Testaments, as a separate section — the 1611 edition included it.
KJV 1611
What is 3 and 4 Maccabees' status in English Bibles?
Absent from the RV Apocrypha; they appear in Orthodox canons and appendices.
Orthodox canon lists
Why did the Revised Version include the Apocrypha at all?
Because the KJV of 1611 had included it, and the revisers were commissioned to revise the whole.
RV Apocrypha, 1895
What is the difference between 'apocrypha' and 'pseudepigrapha'?
Apocrypha are the disputed books in some canons; pseudepigrapha are works falsely attributed to ancient figures.
General usage
Which New Testament book appears to quote 1 Enoch?
Jude, citing Enoch's prophecy of the Lord coming with ten thousands of his saints.
Jude 14-15; 1 Enoch 1:9
What language was Sirach originally written in?
Hebrew; Hebrew fragments were later found at Masada and in the Cairo Geniza.
Sir, Prologue
What does Wisdom of Solomon say about the righteous man's persecution?
That the ungodly test him with shame and torture to see if God will defend him.
Wis 2:12-20
What is Susanna's place in the book of Daniel?
An addition placed as chapter 13 in the Greek and Latin traditions.
Sus 1-64
How did Daniel expose the priests of Bel?
By scattering ashes on the temple floor to reveal the footprints of the priests who ate the offerings by night.
Bel 1-22
What is 2 Esdras notable for?
Its seven visions wrestling with theodicy after Jerusalem's destruction.
2 Esd 3-14
How does Tobit end?
With Tobit's sight restored, Tobias married, and a hymn of praise for Jerusalem.
Tob 11-13
What is the theological argument of 2 Maccabees 12 regarding the dead?
That Judas made atonement for the fallen, that they might be delivered from sin.
2 Macc 12:43-45
What is the Prayer of Azariah?
A prayer of confession spoken in the fiery furnace, inserted into Daniel 3 in the Greek.
Pr Azar 1-22
What is the Benedicite, and where does it come from?
The canticle 'O all ye works of the Lord, bless ye the Lord,' from the Song of the Three Children.
Song of Three 35-65
What historical value does 1 Maccabees have?
It is a sober, largely reliable account of the Jewish revolt from 175 to 134 BC.
1 Macc 1-16
Who is the villain of the Maccabean books?
Antiochus IV Epiphanes, who desecrated the temple with a pagan altar.
1 Macc 1:54
How did Jerome regard these books?
As edifying for the church but not for establishing doctrine — he coined the term 'apocrypha' for them.
Jerome, Prologus Galeatus