APOCRYPHA. The term is generally applied to distinct groups of religious literature closely associated with the canons of the Old and New Testaments. This literature was not regarded as canonical, although much read and quoted in church and synagogue. The Old Testament group, a collection of 14 books of Jewish origin, is found in the Greek and Latin versions, but not in the Hebrew ver sions. The New Testamentgroup is rather an indefinite body of early Christian literature consisting of parallels and additions to the writings of the New Testament.
The use of the term and "Apoc ryphal)) varies to great extent, especially among Protestants and Roman Catholics. The au thorities of a Protestant persuasion apply the term Apocrypha to the two groups known as the Old and the New Testament Apocrypha proper. However, the term Apocryphal is made not only to include these two groups, but also many of the Jewish pseudoepigraphic writings. The Catholics designate the books of the Old Testament Apocrypha proper as DeuetrorCanonical books (except 1 and 2 Es dras and the Prayer of Manasses), and group all the remaining Jewish and Christian litera ture of a kindred origin under the term Apoc ryphal.
The meaning of the term Apocrypha (com ing from the Greek word meaning has undergone several very significant changes in the course of its use and application. His torically considered three principal changes in the meaning of the word should be noted. In its earliest use it was restricted to the writings of more or less sacred character, but contain ing certain mysterious and esoteric teachings intended only for the wise and the initiated (2 Esdras xiv, 45f). In this case there was no discredit thrown upon the writings, because of authorship or contents. Still another mean ing was given to the term by some of the Church Fathers, especially Origen, wherein it was applied to all writings of a secondary or questionable character. Many of the works thus branded were discredited as to their teachings and withdrawn from public use. Finally the term was used to designate false and heretical literature.
In addition to this general uncertainty much confusion has prevailed in regard to the value of the literature. Some of these differences can be traced back to the different ideas of canonicity as held in Jewish and Hellenistic circles. Some of the Church leaders, especially in the Western Church, ascribed full scrip tural authority and inspiration to the apocry phal writings. This view finally bore fruit in the Council of Trent in 1546 when 11 of the books of the Old Testament Apocrypha were declared canonical. On the other hand a great number of the leaders, because of their close association with Hebrew traditions, denied scriptural authority and value to any of the books. This view was championed by Jerome and finally found expression in the Protestant Christian view of Reformation times. There were some who did not accept either one of these two extreme views. They clearly recog nized the value of the literature, but at the same time they were not willing to place the books on the same level with the Biblical books. This latter view finally found expression in the teachings of the Church of England.
Old Testament Apocrypha.— The Old Tes tament Apocrypha proper contains 14 books, and represents, except for a few minor varia tions, the excess of the Greek canon over the Hebrew canon. The books may be classified in the following way : 1. Parallels or Additions to the Old Testa ment.— The Prayer of Manasses, The Song of the Three Holy Children, The History of Su sanna., Bel and the Dragon, The Rest of Esther, 1 Esdras and Baruch (including the Epistle of Jeremiah).
2. Historical.-1 Maccabees and 2 Mac cabees.
3. Legendary.— Tobit andJudith.
4. Wisdom Literature.— Ecclesiasticus and Wisdom of Solomon.
5. Apocalyptical.-2 Esdras (4 Ezra).
A brief survey of these books is as follows: The Prayer of Manasses.— It is a product of the 1st century Lc., and was intended to be used in connection with the story of Manas seh's Babylonian capacity (2 Chron. xxxiii). Parts of the Prayer have found their way into Protestant liturgy.