Author Archives: clarevmerry

#20 Little Known Books of the Apocrypha

3 Maccabees 4 Maccabees Book of Odes Apocryphal books not included in Catholic Bibles: 3 and 4 Maccabees The books 3 and 4 Maccabees were written in Greek and conserved only in Constantinople by Orthodox Christians.  They are not used or recognized by Catholics or Protestants. The theme of these two books follows the detailsContinue reading “#20 Little Known Books of the Apocrypha”

#19 Book of Judith

Judith means ‘Jewess’ What is the Value of the Book of Judith? The book of Judith describes how a Jewess used her beauty and charm to trick an Assyrian general into inviting her into his tent as he laid siege to Jerusalem.  The story goes that she takes the opportunity of being alone with himContinue reading “#19 Book of Judith”

#18: 1 Maccabees

Value of 1 and 2 Maccabees These two books are historically valuable.  Maccabees helps fill in the Second Temple time between the last of the Old Testament prophets and the New Testament. They show how Judaism formed during the centuries after the return from exile and how the Jewish nation survived in the years leadingContinue reading “#18: 1 Maccabees”

#13 Book of Esther

Esther chapters 10:4 onwards, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15 and 16 are additional parts of the same text and story belonging to the Apocrypha.  These chapters include the text of the first and second decrees of King Xerxes I / Ahasuerus to governors of the provinces of the Persian Empire. These Apocryphal chapters of theContinue reading “#13 Book of Esther”

#12 Three Apocryphal Stories of Daniel

Prayer of Azariah and Song of the Three Holy Children Susanna and the Elders Bel and the Dragon Exiled Jews Close to Kings When I examined the lives of the Old Testament prophets and the rulers under which they lived, I realized that half of them lived as exiles outside Israel.  I realized that manyContinue reading “#12 Three Apocryphal Stories of Daniel”