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(2:) Doctrinal inaccuracy.--Prayers for the dead, and prayers of the
dead, in II Macc. 12: 43, 44, and Baruch 3: 4 are clearly unscriptural. The
doctrine of the transmigration of souls is found in Wisdom 8: 19, 20.
Almsgiving is said to "deliver from death, and shall purge away all sin" in
Tobit 12: 8, 9.
"Atonement for sins" is made by honouring our father, and alms not only saves
one's own soul, but gives repentance to one's children.
"to forsake
unrighteousness is a propitiation" (Ecclesiasticus 3: 3, 30; 17: 22; 35: 3).
Magical incantations are introduced into Tobit 6: 16, 17.
Internal evidence is against the inspiration of these apocryphal books:--
"A book cannot be from God which contains falsehood, or which expressly
contradicts doctrines which we know to be from God. The self-evidencing power of the
Scriptures attests their divine authority; but the self-contained evidence of the apocryphal
books tends to prove that they have not the character of the oracles of God, and have no
right place among them" (Dewar).
Josephus, whose testimony we have cited as to the Canon of the O.T. Scriptures, says
of the apocryphal books:--
"It is true, our history has been written since Artaxerxes, very particularly, but hath
not been esteemed by our forefathers, because there hath not been a succession of
prophets since that time" (Against Apion Bk. 1: 8).
While we have hinted at the possible influence of religious phraseology exercised by
the Apocrypha upon the writers of the N.T., such influence was largely unconscious.
There are no definite quotations from the Apocrypha in the N.T.
Whatever sins may be laid to the charge of Israel one fact remains, that to them were
entrusted the oracles of God, and with a jealousy bordering upon fanaticism, and a
reverence akin to superstition and idolatry, they have watched over the letter of the Word,
even though dead to its spirit. Modern Jewish opinion is the same as ancient Jewish
opinion as to the Apocrypha, and interested readers can find these in Thesaurus
Philologicus of Hottingeri.
Since the dispersion of Israel, it is utterly impossible to have brought about a universal
alteration of the canon, and the testimony of scattered Israel is united in this respect, viz.,
that the Apocrypha never had a place in the canon.
Without unduly lengthening this article, the testimony of two whose evidence is
weighty might be profitably included.
Athanasius (A.D.326).
"Forasmuch as there are some who have undertaken to compose for themselves books
called the apocryphal, and to mingle these with the inspired Scriptures, respecting which
we have been fully persuaded, as eye-witnesses and ministers of the Word from the