What is Deuterocanonical really means, and Why Protestants called it Apocrypha?

Let’s lay everything out clearly and completely so you can see the whole picture — what “Deuterocanonical” really means, why Protestants call them “Apocrypha,” and how the early Church understood these books.

I’ll explain this in simple, solid, well-grounded terms.

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✅ 1. What “Deuterocanonical” Really Means

Deuterocanonical comes from two Greek words:

• deutero — “second”

• kanon — “canon” or “rule”

Meaning:
👉 Books that were recognized later (“second”) as part of the official list of inspired Scripture.

These books were not “second-class” or “less inspired.”
The term was coined by St. Jerome and St. Sixtus of Siena (16th century) to describe books that:

• were used by early Christians,

• were in the Septuagint,

• but were not universally accepted early on by a few Jewish or early Christian communities.

The Catholic Church declared them FULLY canonical at the Councils of:

• Hippo (393)

• Carthage (397 & 419)

• Florence (1442)

• Trent (1546)

The Church did not add them — she simply confirmed what had always been used in the liturgy and by the Apostles.

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⭐ Which Books Are Deuterocanonical?

1. Tobit

2. Judith

3. Wisdom (of Solomon)

4. Sirach (Ecclesiasticus)

5. Baruch + Letter of Jeremiah

6. 1 Maccabees

7. 2 Maccabees

8. Additions to Esther

9. Additions to Daniel

   • Susanna

   • Bel and the Dragon

   • Song of the Three Young Men

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✅ 2. Why Protestants Call Them “Apocrypha”

Apocrypha means:

👉 “hidden,” “obscure,” or “not publicly read”

Historically, Jews used the word for:

• books considered valuable,

• but not part of the Hebrew canon.

🔹 Why Protestants adopted the term

During the Reformation:

• Martin Luther removed any Old Testament book not found in the later Jewish Masoretic Text.

• These excluded books were labeled “Apocrypha”, meaning:

  “good and useful to read, but not Scripture”

Even in the 1611 King James Version, these books WERE INCLUDED under the heading “Apocrypha.”

But later, Protestants fully removed them (about the 1800s) for financial and doctrinal reasons (Bible printing societies removed them to save cost).

So:

• Catholics = Deuterocanonical (inspired Scripture)

• Protestants = Apocrypha (valuable but NOT Scripture)

   

👍 3. What’s the Big Difference Between the Terms?

Term	Who Uses It	Meaning
Deuterocanonical	Catholic & Orthodox	Inspired Scripture recognized later
Apocrypha	Protestants	Books not considered Scripture
Anagignoskomena	Eastern Orthodox	Books “worthy to be read” in Church

So the disagreement is historical, not about content.

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📘 4. Why the Catholic Church Includes Them

1. They were in the Bible of Jesus and the Apostles (the Septuagint).

The early Church overwhelmingly used the Septuagint, which includes these books.

2. The New Testament quotes or alludes to them over 300+ times.

Examples:

• Matthew 27:43 parallels Wisdom 2:18–20

• Hebrews 11 references 2 Maccabees 6–7

• James 1:19–27 reflects Sirach 5:9–13

3. Early Church Fathers used them as Scripture

• Augustine

• Athanasius

• Irenaeus

• Cyprian

• Clement of Alexandria

• Origen

4. Ancient Christian liturgy used them

The books were publicly read during worship for centuries.

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🏛️ 5. Why Protestants Removed Them

Protestants removed them because:

1. They followed the Rabbinic Jewish canon, not the Christian canon.
   The Jewish canon was finalized around AD 90–100 (Council of Jamnia) — after Christianity had already begun.

2. Some Deuterocanonical teachings conflicted with Protestant doctrines, such as:

   • Prayer for the dead (2 Macc 12:44–46)

   • Intercession of saints (Tobit 12:12, 15)

   • Almsgiving as atonement (Sirach 3:30; Tobit 4:10)

   • Immortality of the soul (Wisdom 3)

Luther himself famously said:

“There is enough in 2 Maccabees to support purgatory.”

So he excluded it.

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🎯 FINAL SUMMARY (Short and Clear)

Deuterocanonical
= “Second-canon,” fully inspired Scripture, used by early Christians, included in the Septuagint, accepted by Catholics & Orthodox.

Apocrypha
= Protestant term meaning “not Scripture,” based on the later Jewish Hebrew canon.

The early Church and the Apostles used the Septuagint, which contained the Deuterocanonicals.
That is why Catholics and Orthodox still include them today.

1. What “Deuterocanonical” Really Means

• Origin of the Term:
  The word Deuterocanonical comes from Greek roots: deutero- = “second,” and canonical = “relating to the canon (official list of sacred books).”

• Meaning:
  It refers to books that were included in the Septuagint (the Greek translation of the Hebrew Scriptures used in Jesus’ time) but were not originally part of the Hebrew Bible (the Tanakh).

• Books Usually Considered Deuterocanonical:
  Tobit, Judith, Wisdom (of Solomon), Sirach (Ecclesiasticus), Baruch, 1 & 2 Maccabees, parts of Esther and Daniel.

So, Deuterocanonical literally means: “Secondarily canonical” — recognized as scripture later than the Hebrew texts, but accepted as inspired in the Roman Catholic and Eastern Orthodox traditions.

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2. Why Protestants Call Them “Apocrypha”

• Origin of “Apocrypha”:
  The Greek word apokryphos means “hidden” or “secret.” In early usage, it could mean writings of uncertain authenticity or those not universally recognized.

• Protestant Use:
  During the Reformation (16th century), Reformers like Martin Luther decided that these books were not authoritative for establishing doctrine, because they were not part of the Hebrew Bible.

• Effect:
  So, Protestants call them Apocrypha, implying “non-canonical” or “useful but not inspired scripture.”

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3. Which Tradition Uses the “Correct” Term?

• Roman Catholics: use Deuterocanonical — emphasizing these books are part of the canon recognized by the Church.

• Protestants: use Apocrypha — emphasizing these books are not canonical for teaching or doctrine.

• Historical Accuracy:

  • Jesus Christ and the Apostles primarily quoted from the Septuagint, which included these books in Greek.

  • Therefore, the term “Deuterocanonical” aligns more closely with early Christian usage because the early Church often used the Greek Scriptures (LXX), which contained these books.

  • The term “Apocrypha” is later Protestant terminology reflecting a later doctrinal decision, not the usage of the first-century Christians.

4. Summary Table

Term	Who Uses It	Meaning	Historical Alignment with Early Christians
Deuterocanonical	Catholic, Orthodox	“Second canon,” books added after Hebrew canon	Closely aligned — used in the Septuagint, quoted in early Church
Apocrypha	Protestant	“Hidden, non-canonical”	Less aligned — reflects Reformation-era view, not first-century practice

✅ Key Takeaway:
Historically, the early Christians used the Septuagint, so they would have treated these books as scripture. Therefore, the term “Deuterocanonical” is closer to the reality of early Christian practice, whereas “Apocrypha” reflects a later, Protestant judgment.

 

 

 

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