Got Questions – The Apocrypha

During our current sermon series (Got Questions), I received several questions related to last week’s sermon topic. I want to address another one of those questions in this blog:

How do we discuss differences with Catholic friends regarding the Protestant Bible versus the Catholic Bible?

While we could find a number of theological differences between Protestants and Catholics, the main difference in bibles relates to an additional seven books added to the Old Testament. These books are called the “Apocrypha.” The word apocrypha comes from a Greek word (translated into Latin) that means to hide or to keep hidden. 

Because the question is about how to discuss the difference, I would discourage trying to convince someone who embraces the Apocrypha that these books shouldn’t be in the Bible. Although I believe they shouldn’t be included, we can use the other sixty-six books to lead someone with a Catholic background, who may not be a Christian, to recognize that all have sinned and salvation is found only in Jesus.

What is the Apocrypha? 

The Apocrypha is a collection of books that were included in the Greek translation of the Old Testament, called the Septuagint, that came out around 200 BC. Additional books were written after 200 BC that have been added to this collection. The Catholic church included seven books from this collection in their Bible.

Why Don’t Protestants Include Them in their Bible?

1. None of the apocryphal writers claimed inspiration.
2. None of the apocryphal books were ever quoted or referred to in the New Testament, and the Jewish people rejected the Apocrypha after Jerusalem was destroyed in 70 AD and even destroyed it.
3. The Apocrypha has errors and contradictions within itself as well as with the rest of the books of the Bible. For example, For example, in the two Books of Maccabees, Antiochus Epiphanes is made to die three different deaths in three different places. 
4. The Apocrypha includes some doctrines that disagree with teachings in other places in the Bible (like prayers for the dead and sinless perfection).

Discussions about our differences is very healthy and valuable. Remember that just because a person believes the Apocrypha (and attends a Catholic church) doesn’t mean they are not a Christian. It’s possible that they’re not, but they could be. It’s also possible to attend a Baptist church, and even be a member, but not be a Christian. It shouldn’t be possible, but it is. Sharing with our Catholic friends why we do not accept the Apocrypha is valuable, but if we want to lead someone with a Catholic background to faith in Jesus, use the same verses from their New Testament that you would use from yours (Romans 3:23, Romans 6:23, Romans 5:8, Romans 10:9-10, John 1:12, John 14:6). Instead of proving Catholicism wrong, prove Jesus and the Bible right.

Thanks for reading my thoughts about this question. I’d love to hear your input. I’ll be sharing thoughts on additional questions in future blogs.