The Apocrypha

I'll be reading the Bibliotheca version of The Apocrypha. I have never read it before.

Wow! I thoroughly enjoyed The Apocrypha. This was my first reading. I always viewed it with hesitation not understanding why it wasn't included in the Bible I grew up reading. I didn't really know what to expect, but here's what I encountered. A few of the books were expanded versions of what I was accustomed to (Esther, Daniel). Some were books of history (Maccabees). There were two wisdom books (Solomon & Jesus son of Sirach), and a few other books with fascinating stories. In fact, I've seen a number of paintings that depict the stories from the Book of Judith.

It was fun reading it straight through and noticing themes throughout all of the books. It was also interesting to read Maccabees and see some familiar names like Alexander (the Great), Cleopatra, and Ptolemy. And the final book of Maccabees (book 4) started with a philosophical inquiry answered by stories of martyrdom to prove the point.

The Apocrypha provided some helpful context about occurrences between the Old & New Testaments as well as some memorable stories, deep wisdom, and areas requiring further research. I can't wait to read this again some day.