Canon Group Essay 1

For one of Twenty-Four Seven's classes, students may post essay assignments as blog posts so I thought I might share with any readers I have.

1. An Apocryphal Writing

Stories or statements of doubtful authenticity but widely circulated as true are called apocryphal. Thus, Apocryphal writings include any which do not meet the criteria for acceptance into the canonical, or genuine, Scriptures. Many false writings like the Apocalypses of Baruch, stories like Bel and the Dragon, additional chapters like Psalm 151, and series like the first through fourth Esdras do not meet the standards and get grouped into the Apocrypha. Based on the principles of canonicity – authority, prophetic authorship, authenticity, dynamic nature, and acceptance – the Apocryphal passages do not qualify as biblical canon. Not only do these books lack prophecies like those found in canon Scriptures, but also they do not claim to be prophetic. Typically Protestants and Jews do not accept these writings as part of the Bible, but some Catholics do. Also, the books of the Apocrypha are not accepted by Jesus, early church fathers, notable scholars, and even some Roman Catholic scholars. The New Testament cites no Spiritual inspiration for these books, and neither does God provide them with any authority like true canon. Other reasons against the canonicity of the Apocrypha include historical errors and theological heresies as well.

Throughout the Western world primarily, the Apocrypha has greatly contributed to culture. According to gamefaqs and the elder scrolls wikia, in the popular Skyrim video game series, Dragonborn contains a twisted realm titled Apocrypha. This plane apparently contains books of forbidden knowledge. From the Fall of Man in Genesis, under a sinful nature humans have sought knowledge, even above God. Second Timothy also describes a time when people will “not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear.” These canon verses show that man can stray from the truly inspired Word of God to find knowledge, just as players in Dragonborn can visit this dark place in-game to find information in shadowy books. Satan still deceives humanity with false writings like the Apocrypha to lead people away from the reality of Christ. One example of this is the cult practice from the Apocrypha of praying for the dead. Although the Bible strictly forbids this activity, Second Maccabees almost disregards the all sufficiency of Christ’s sacrifice and priesthood by saying people should pray for those dead in the flesh but alive to God. Because all of sin was paid for through Christ, people need only accept Him as Lord and confess with their mouths to receive salvation. However, verse 12:45 of second Maccabees tells the world that “it is … a holy and wholesome thought to pray for the dead, that they may be loosed from sins.” Christ already loosed all people from all sins, but not everyone has taken hold of that truth or been born again in Him.

Word Count: 478

This last isn't part of my essay, but I still thought it was a cool thought on the topic.

"Even the discovery of the New World was due in part to the influence of a passage from 2 Esdras upon Christopher Columbus.  Although erroneously interpreted, this verse played a significant part in his discovery of the New World.

“On the third day you commanded the waters to be gathered together in a seventh part of the earth; six parts you dried up and kept so that some of them might be planted and cultivated and be of service before you.”  (2 Esdras 6:42)

These words led Columbus to reason that, if only one-seventh of the earth’s surface is covered with water, the ocean between the west coast of Europe and the east coast of Asia could be no great width and might be navigated in a few days with a fair wind.  It was partly by quoting this verse from what was regarded as an authoritative book that Columbus managed to persuade King Ferdnando and Queen Isabela of Spain to provide the necessary financial support for his voyage."

http://my.execpc.com/~gto/Apocrypha/Summaries/culture.html