Good Day, Renton
BTW Luthers German translation had them, historically your implication is incorrect.
The LXX, was a Jewish Translation?? Do you have primary source infomation that the apostles used the LXX, I would be interested in reading your info, as Jerome says differently.
Not sure I get the point....
Peace to u,
Bill
First off the KJV came from the septuagint..
the Septuagint, the Greek translation from the original Hebrew, and which contained all the writings now found in the Douay version, as it is called, was the version used by the Saviour and his Apostles and by the Church from her infancy, and translated into Latin, known under the title of Latin Vulgate, and ever recognized as the true version of the written word of God" —Preface,1914 edition
It is important to understand that the Bible the apostles generally quoted from was the Septuagint (LXX, or, 'the 70'). The LXX was a Greek translation of the Old Testament, made by the Jews in Egypt during the inter-testamental period. It actually became the most popular Bible of that period. Yet the LXX did have the apocrypha in it. (The Greek Church still uses the LXX for their Old Testament.)
Which brings us to something of note --- Most Old Testament quotations found in the New Testament actually come from the Greek Septuagint. This knowledge gives us pause, but also causes certain questions to arise in our minds. Think about this:
(1) Knowing that the LXX was extensively used by the early believers, which included the Apocrypha, why was the Apocrypha not included in the King James version that became so popular over time?
Answer: The original KJV did have the apocrypha in it. It was later removed because these books were not considered canonical.
(2) Knowing that the LXX was a translation made by Jews, and was the most popular translation used by Jewish peoples during the time of Christ, why then was this translation later rejected by the compilers of the Hebrew canon? Keep in mind that the Hebrew canon as we know it today was fixed until 95 A.D.
Answer: The apocrypha was rejected for a number of reasons, such as, the books contained were either history (Macabbees, etc.), or had to do with fables, or were written under a pseudonym. But there was a much greater reason.
The Septuagint itself gave the clearest prophetic references to Christ that were to be found. The Christians used it extensively to prove that Jesus Christ was God's Anointed. It became so useful for witnessing that the Jewish authorities turned away from it in its entirety. They not only rejected the Septuagint, but they also turned from the writings of Philo, and the writings of Josephus. Why? Because all three writings could be used to reinforce that Jesus was indeed God's Messiah.
But this brings me back to the apocrypha. Certain writings in the Apocrypha could be used to testify to Jesus. And it is possible that some New Testament passages even had these writings in view. This is especially true in the case of 'The Wisdom of the Son of Sirach (Ecclesiasticus).'
The inter-testimonial period was a time in which both the Greek world and the Hebrew world was undergoing changes in thinking. It was these changes that helped prepare the world for Jesus Christ.
I've often spoken of how the Hebrews and Greeks shared a common understanding about God's hidden mystery in which He created the world. The Greeks called this mystery 'Logos.' The Hebrews call the mystery 'Memra.' (Both terms speak of the 'Word' in creative activity. The terms 'Word' and 'Wisdom' were often interchanged.)
And this is what we see in the wisdom books of the Apocrypha. But again we have to be cautious in applying exactness to any of these writings. Here are New Testament quotes that show some kinship to the wisdom writings in the Apocrypha:
(1) Luke 7:35; "[Jesus said] Yet wisdom is vindicated by all her children."
Ecclesiasticus 4:11; "Wisdom raises her sons to greatness and cares for those who seek her."
(2) Gal6:6; "The one who is taught the word is to share all good things with the one who teaches him."
Ecclesiasticus 7:30; "Love your Maker with all your might and do not leave his ministers without support."
(3) 1Tim6:12; "Fight the good fight of faith; take hold of the eternal life to which you were called, and you made the good confession in the presence of many witnesses."
Ecclesiasticus 4:28; "Fight to the death for truth, and the Lord God will fight on your side."
(4) John 6:35; "Jesus said to them, 'I am the bread of life; he who comes to Me will not hunger, and he who believes in Me will never thirst.'"
This one is very interesting. Jesus actually reverses a quote from the Apocrypha.
Ecclesiasticus 24:21; "[Wisdom says] Whoever feeds on me will be hungry for more, and whoever drinks from me will thirst for more."
(5) 1Co2:7,8; "... but we speak God's wisdom in a mystery, the hidden wisdom which God predestined before the ages to our glory, the wisdom which none of the rulers of this age has understood...."
Another interesting one in that Jesus fulfills what remained unfulfilled prior to His coming.
Ecclesiasticus 24:28,29; "No man has ever fully known wisdom; from first to last no one has fathomed her; for her thoughts are vaster than the ocean and her purpose deeper than the great abyss."
Luther may have included some of the apocrypha in an index in his bible. But later on they were totally discarded. The problem is they are many messianic prophetic utterances in the apocrypha that add to the prophecy of Christ. I personally think that people should perserve and hold to the tradition that happened in the times of Christ and not alter things later on. The inclusion of the apocrypha does not hurt anyone..
Seeing I am not bound to the authority you attribute to your church, nor do I belive they have said authority. I can see why you have chossen to follow them, bad choice IMHO, but your fallible choice none the less.
