The Apocrypha
The Roman Catholic Bibles have books in the Old Testament that are not found in the Protestant Bible. These books are called the Apocrypha or Deuterocanonical books. Apocrypha means “hidden,” while the word deuterocanonical means “second canon.” The Apocrypha/Deuterocanonicals were written during the era between the Old and New Testaments, as well as additions to the books of Esther and Daniel. These books are: 1 Esdras, 2 Esdras, Tobit, Judith, Wisdom of Solomon, Ecclesiasticus, Baruch, the Letter of Jeremiah, Prayer of Manasseh, 1 Maccabees, 2 Maccabees.
Unbiblical Teachings
The Hebrews never accepted these books as part of the Hebrew Bible. And the New Testament writers never quoted from Apocryphal/Deuterocanonical books simply because these books contained many doctrinal errors. The Deuterocanonical books teach many things that are not true and are not historically accurate. While many Catholics accepted these books previously, the Roman Catholic Church officially added the Apocrypha/Deuterocanonicals to their Bible at the Council of Trent in the mid 1500’s A.D because of the Reformation.
The Catholic church included the Apocrypha/Deuterocanonicals because these books support some of the beliefs that it teaches and practices which are not in agreement with the Bible such as praying for the dead, petitioning “saints” in Heaven, worshiping angels, and “alms giving” atoning for sins, purgatory and other un-biblical beliefs. It is because of the historical and theological errors that the Apocrypha contains that these books must be regarded as fallible and not authoritative as the inspired Word of God.
The Test of Truth
The Bible gives us the test for deciding between truth and falsehood: “To the law and to the testimony! If they do not speak according to this word, it is because there is no light in them” (Isaiah 8:20). The Word of God is the standard of truth and the guide to right living. God has revealed Himself in His Word. Whatever men may speak or write that is not in harmony with that Word is because they have “no light.”
In His service,
BibleAsk Team
