a correction

Last week I said that 2Maccabees was prophetic. It isn't; it's a historical book that focuses on Judas Maccabeus and his followers. That's what I get for doing this from memory.

I should also note that I used the KJV Apocrypha, mostly because I had it handy. There are a couple of different presents of the Apocrypha. Some Bibles just have the books as part of the Old Testament, and others have them in a separate section, There are many versions, also, ranging from that of the Ethiopian Orthodox Church, which as I understand it has the largest Apocrypha, to the many Protestant groups that accept none of these books.

I belong to one of those groups, the Southern Baptist Convention. So why spend so much time on books I don't believe are Scripture? For two reasons. The first is that these Wednesday posts are mostly written to new Christians. They've most likely seen, heard about, or been given a Bible with more than 66 books. I feel I have a duty to address that.

The second reason is that I've always been interested in the Apocrypha. Why? The answer is simple, and it's the same reason I've spent time learning about Islam, Hinduism, Buddhism, and a thousand other things I don't believe: I like to learn. I'm curious, especially about religion, and there was so much misinformation from all sides regarding the Apocrypha that I wanted to find out the truth for myself.

I don't read Greek or Hebrew, but I know of many who do who are generally trustworthy. I depend on them, and on the many who have gone before, when I say the Apocrypha is good reading, but not the word of God.

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