Invitation to the ApocryphaIn this volume a leading biblical scholar helps readers rediscover the ancient books of the Old Testament Apocrypha. INVITATION TO THE APOCRYPHA provides a clear, basic introduction to these important--but often neglected--ancient books that is ideal for personal study, churches, and classroom settings. Using the latest and best scholarship yet writing for those new to the Apocrypha, Daniel Harrington guides readers through the background, content, and message of each book. A distinctive feature of this primer is that it focuses throughout on the problem of suffering, highlighting what each book of the Apocrypha says about this universal human experience. |
Contents
Reading the Old Testament Apocrypha | 1 |
Tobit We Are Family | 10 |
Judith By the Hand of a Woman | 27 |
The Additions to Esther These Things Have Come from God | 44 |
The Wisdom of Solomon Immortality Wisdom and History | 55 |
EcclesiasticusSirach Fear of the Lord | 78 |
Baruch Sin Exile Repentance and Return | 92 |
The Letter of Jeremiah The Folly of Idolatry | 103 |
2 Maccabees Gods Temple | 137 |
1 Esdras Rebuilding the People of God | 152 |
The Prayer of Manasseh The Prayer of the Repentant Sinner | 166 |
Psalm 151 Gods Care for David | 170 |
3 Maccabees Israel in Crisis and the Divine Deliverer | 173 |
2 Esdras Prophecies and Visions of Ezra | 185 |
4 Maccabees The Sovereignty of Devout Reason | 207 |
| 219 | |
Common terms and phrases
Achior Addition Antiochus IV Epiphanes Aramaic army Assyrian Babylon Baruch Ben Sira Bethulia biblical book of Daniel book of Judith canon celebration century B.C.E. chapter Christian crisis Daniel dead death decree Demetrius devout reason Diaspora divine Egypt Egyptians Eleazar enemies Esdras Esther evil exile exodus Ezra Ezra's fear God's Greek version Haman Hebrew Bible high priest historical Holofernes holy honor human idolatry idols immortality Israelites Jeremiah Jerusalem temple Jewish Jews Jonathan Judaism Judas Judas's Judea Judith justice king king's Letter of Jeremiah living Lord Maccabean Maccabees martyrs Menelaus mercy Mordecai narrative Nebuchadnezzar Nicanor Old Testament Apocrypha Persian Philopator praise pray Prayer of Manasseh present Psalm punishment Raguel Raphael religious repentance righteous Roman Sarah Seleucid seven Simon sins Sira Sira's Sirach Solomon story suffering Susanna Testament Apocrypha theological tion Tobias Tobit Torah tradition ungodly Uriel wicked wisdom woman worship