Most Protestant Christians are only vaguely aware of the seven books called the Apocrypha contained in the Roman Catholic canon. The Pseudepigrapha is even less commonly known but has a history of inspiring wild extrabiblical speculations and conspiracy theories. Consequently, many Christians avoid reading both. Yet these books can be valuable aids in understanding Judaism after the end of the exile and before the events of the New Testament.
Biblical scholar Phillip J. Long helps readers ask and answer the most pertinent questions regarding these books, covering authorship, sources, history, doctrines, relationships to Scripture, and more, including
- Why is the Apocrypha accepted as canon by Roman Catholics?
- Why did Protestants reject the Apocrypha?
- Did the writers of the New Testament use the Apocrypha?
- What is the Pseudepigrapha?
- Are the books of the Apocrypha historically reliable?
Accurate yet accessible to the nonexpert reader, 40 Questions About the Apocrypha and Pseudepigrapha demonstrates the value of understanding these books for New Testament studies.