Apocrypha Presented by Nikola Stoikov

1. Apocrypha Presented by Nikola Stoikov

2. What does Apocrypha means? The term Apocrypha is used with various meanings, including "hidden", "esoteric", "spurious", "of questionable authenticity", ancient Chinese "revealed texts and objects" and "Christian texts that are not canonical". The word is originally Greek (ἀπόκρυφα) and means "those hidden away". Specifically, ἀπόκρυφα is the neuter plural of ἀπόκρυφος, an adjective related to the verb ἀποκρύπτω [infinitive: ἀποκρύπτειν] (apocriptein), "to hide something away."

3. During 16th-century controversies about the biblical canon, the word acquired a negative connotation, and has become a synonym for "spurious" or "false". This usage usually involves fictitious or legendary accounts that are plausible enough to be commonly considered true. For example, Laozi's alleged authorship of the Tao TeChing and the Parson Weems account of George Washington and the cherry tree are considered Apocryphal.

4. Definitions and usage Apocrypha has evolved in meaning somewhat, and its associated implications have ranged from positive to pejorative. Apocrypha, according to Merriam-Webster Dictionary, means "books included in the Septuagint and Vulgate but excluded from the Jewish and Protestant canons of the Old Testament."

5. Esoteric writings and objects The word "Apocryphal" (ἀπόκρυφος) was first applied, in a positive sense, to writings which were kept secret because they were the vehicles of esoteric knowledge considered too profound or too sacred to be disclosed to anyone other than the initiated. For example, it is used in this sense to describe A Holy and Secret Book of Moses, called Eighth, or Moyseos holy books citing esoteric eighth St (Μωυσέωςἱερὰ βίβλος ἀπόκρυφος ἐπικαλούμενη ὀγδόη ἢ ἁγία).

7. Writings of questionable value "Apocrypha" was also applied to writings that were hidden not because of their divinity but because of their questionable value to the church. Many in Protestant traditions cite Revelation 22:18-19 as a potential curse for those who attach any canonical authority to extra-biblical writings such as the Apocrypha. However, a strict explanation of this text would indicate it was meant for only the Book of Revelation. Rv.22:18-19f. (KJV) states: "For I testify unto every man that heareth the words of the prophecy of this book, If any man shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book: And if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the book of life, and out of the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book."

9. Spurious writings In general use, the word "Apocrypha" came to mean "false, spurious, bad, or heretical." This meaning also appears in Origen's prologue to his commentary on the Song of Songs, of which only the Latin translation survives: De scripturis his, quae appellanturApocryphae, pro eo quod multa in iiscorrupta et contra fidemveraminveniuntur a majoribustradita non placuitiisdari locum necadmitti ad auctoritatem.

11. Other meanings Other uses of Apocrypha developed over the history of Western Christianity. The Gelasian Decree refers to religious works by church fathers Eusebius, Tertullian and Clement of Alexandria as Apocrypha. Augustine defined the word as meaning simply "obscurity of origin," implying that any book of unknown authorship or questionable authenticity would be considered as Apocryphal. On the other hand, Jerome (in ProtogusGaleatus) declared that all books outside the Hebrew canon were Apocryphal.[3] In practice, Jerome treated some books outside the Hebrew canon as if they were canonical, and the Western Church did not accept Jerome's definition of Apocrypha, instead retaining the word's prior meaning

13. Conclusion The word Apocrypha may be used with equal application to the non-canonical books of the Old and New Testaments. Generally speaking, however, it is a common designation for a special group of fourteen or fifteen books, most of which are included in the Old Testament of the Roman Catholic Bible. These books are useful but are not to be regarded as Scripture for the following reasons: 1. They were never included in the Hebrew Old Testament. 2. They were never accepted as canonical by Jesus and His Apostles. 3. They were not accepted by early Jewish and Christian writers. 4. They do not evidence intrinsic qualities of inspiration. 5. They have been shrouded with continual uncertainty. 6. They cannot be maintained on a compromise basis. 7. Objections to them cannot be overruled by dictatorial authority.

14. Thank you for your attention