The Jews, who were the custodians of the Word of God from the time of Moses until the coming of Christ and His church, consistently rejected the Apocrypha as canonical.
Ø The Apocrypha was never included as a part of the Hebrew Bible.
Ø Philo (20 B.C. – A.D. 40) Alexandrian Jewish philosopher - quoted the Old Testament prolifically, but never quoted from the Apocrypha
Ø Josephus (A.D. 30 – 100) Jewish historian – excluded the Apocrypha when he listed the books of the Old Testament. Nor does he ever quote from the Apocrypha as scripture.
Ø Jewish scholars of Jamnia (A.D.90) rejected the Apocrypha
The New Testament makes 260 direct quotations from and about 370 allusions to passages in the Old Testament. The New Testament quotes from nearly every book of the Old Testament. Yet Jesus and the New Testament writers never once quote from the Apocrypha. Below are some of the places where the New Testament writers refer to the Old Testament:
(Mt 1:23 Isa 7:14) (Mt 2:6 Mic 5:2) (Mt 2:15 Ho 11:1) (Mt 2:18 Jer 31:15) (Mt 3:3 Isa 40:3) (Mt 4:4 De 8:3) (Mt 4:6 Ps 91:11,12) (Mt 4:7 De 6:16) (Mt 4:10 De 6:13 10:20) (Mt 4:15,16 Isa 9:1,2 42:7) (Mt 5:21 Ex 20:13 De 5:17) (Mt 5:27 Ex 20:14 De 5:18) (Mt 5:31 De 24:1) (Mt 5:33 Ex 20:7 Le 19:12 De 5:11) (Mt 5:38 Ex 21:24) (Mt 7:23 Ps 6:8) (Mt 8:17 Isa 53:4) (Mt 9:13 Ho 6:6) (Mt 11:10 Mal 3:1) (Mt 12:7 Hos 6:6) (Mt 12:17-21 Isa 42:1-4) (Mt 13:14,15 Isa 6:9,10) (Mt 13:35 Ps 78:2) (Mt 15:4 Ex 20:12 21:17) (Mt 15:7-9 Isa 29:13) (Mt 19:4 Ge 1:27 2:24) (Mt 19:18,19 Ex 20:12-16) (Mt 21:5 Zec 9:9) (Mt 21:9 Ps 118:26) (Mt 21:13 Isa 56:7 Jer 7:11) (Mt 21:16 Ps 8:2) (Mt 21:42 Ps 118:22,23) (Mt 22:24 De 25:5) (Mt 22:32 Ex 3:6) (Mt 22:37 De 6:5) (Mt 22:38,39 Le 19:18) (Mt 22:39 Ex 20:12-16) (Mt 22:44 Ps 110:1) (Mt 23:39 Ps 118:26) (Mt 26:31 Zec 13:7) (Mt 27:9,10 Zec 11:12,13) (Mt 27:35 Ps 22:18) (Mt 27:46 Ps 22:1) (Mr 1:2 Mal 3:1) (Mr 1:3 Isa 40:3) (Mr 4:12 Isa 6:9,10) (Mr 7:6,7 Isa 29:13) (Mr 7:10 Ex 20:12 21:17) (Mr 9:44 Isa 66:24) (Mr 10:6 Ge 1:27) (Mr 10:7,8 Ge 2:24) (Mr 10:19 Ex 20:12-17) (Mr 11:9 Ps 118:26) (Mr 11:17 Isa 56:7 Jer 7:11) (Mr 12:10 Ps 118:22,23) (Mr 12:19 De 25:5) (Mr 12:26 Ex 3:6) (Mr 12:29 De 6:4) (Mr 12:30 De 6:5) (Mr 12:31 Le 19:18) (Mr 12:36 Ps 110:1) (Mr 14:27 Zec 13:7) (Mr 15:28 Isa 53:12) (Mr 15:34 Ps 22:1) (Lu 1:17 Mal 4:6) (Lu 2:23 Ex 13:2,12) (Lu 2:24 Le 12:8) (Lu 2:32 Isa 9:1,2 42:7) (Lu 3:4-6 Isa 40:3-5) (Lu 4:4 De 8:3) (Lu 4:8 De 6:13 10:20) (Lu 4:10,11 Ps 91:11,12) (Lu 4:12 De 6:16) (Lu 4:18,19 Isa 61:1,2) (Lu 7:27 Mal 3:1) (Lu 8:10 Isa 6:9) (Lu 10:27 Le 19:18) (Lu 13:35 Ps 118:26) (Lu 18:20 Ex 20:12-16) (Lu 19:46 Isa 56:7 Jer 7:11) (Lu 20:17 Ps 118:22,23) (Lu 20:37 Ex 3:6) (Lu 20:42,43 Ps 110:1) (Lu 22:37 Isa 53:12) (Lu 23:30 Ho 10:8) (Lu 23:46 Ps 31:5) (Joh 1:23 Isa 40:3) (Joh 2:17 Ps 69:9) (Joh 6:31 Ps 78:24) (Joh 6:45 Isa 54:13) (Joh 7:38 Pr 18:4 Isa 58:11) (Joh 10:34 Ps 82:6) (Joh 12:13 Ps 118:26) (Joh 12:15 Zec 9:9) (Joh 12:38 Isa 53:1) (Joh 12:40,41 Isa 6:9,10) (Joh 13:18 Ps 41:9) (Joh 15:25 Ps 35:19 69:4 109:3 119:161 La 3:52) (Joh 19:24 Ps 22:18) (Joh 19:36 Ex 12:46 Ps 34:20) (Joh 19:37 Zec 12:10) (Ac 1:20 Ps 69:25 109:8) (Ac 2:17-21 Joe 2:28-32) (Ac 2:25-28 Ps 16:8-11) (Ac 2:34,35 Ps 110:1) (Ac 3:22,23 De 18:15-19) (Ac 3:25 Ge 12:3 22:18) (Ac 4:11 Ps 118:22,23) (Ac 4:25,26 Ps 2:1,2) (Ac 7:3 Ge 12:1) (Ac 7:6,7 Ge 15:13,14) (Ac 7:14 Ge 46:26) (Ac 7:26-28 Ex 2:13,14) (Ac 7:31,32 Ex 3:6) (Ac 7:33,34 Ex 3:5-10) (Ac 7:37 De 18:15) (Ac 7:40,41 Ex 32:1-6) (Ac 7:42,43 Am 5:25-27) (Ac 7:49,50 Isa 66:1,2) (Ac 8:32,33 Isa 53:7,8) (Ac 13:22 1Sa 13:14 Ps 89:20) (Ac 13:33 Ps 2:7) (Ac 13:34 Isa 55:3) (Ac 13:35 Ps 16:10) (Ac 13:41 Hab 1:5) (Ac 13:47 Isa 49:6) (Ac 15:16,17 Am 9:11,12) (Ac 23:5 Ex 22:28) (Ac 28:25-27 Isa 6:9,10) (Ro 1:17 Hab 2:4) (Ro 2:24 Isa 52:5) (Ro 3:4 Ps 51:4) (Ro 3:10-12 Ps 14:1-3) (Ro 3:13 Ps 5:9 140:3) (Ro 3:14 Ps 10:7) (Ro 3:15-17 Isa 59:7,8) (Ro 3:18 Ps 36:1) (Ro 4:3 Ge 15:6) (Ro 4:7,8 Ps 32:1,2) (Ro 4:17 Ge 17:5) (Ro 4:18 Ge 15:5) (Ro 7:7 Ex 20:17) (Ro 8:36 Ps 44:22) (Ro 9:7 Ge 21:12) (Ro 9:9 Ge 18:10) (Ro 9:12 Ge 25:23) (Ro 9:13 Mal 1:2,3) (Ro 9:15 Ex 33:19) (Ro 9:17 Ex 9:16) (Ro 9:25 Ho 2:23) (Ro 9:26 Ho 1:10) (Ro 9:27,28 Isa 10:22,23) (Ro 9:29 Isa 1:9) (Ro 9:33 Ps 118:22,23 Isa 8:14 28:16) (Ro 10:5 Le 18:5) (Ro 10:6-8 De 30:12-14) (Ro 10:13 Joe 2:32) (Ro 10:15 Isa 52:7) (Ro 10:16 Isa 53:1) (Ro 10:18 Ps 19:4) (Ro 10:19 De 32:21) (Ro 10:20,21 Isa 65:2) (Ro 11:3 1Ki 19:14) (Ro 11:4 1Ki 19:18) (Ro 11:8 Isa 6:9,10 29:10 Eze 12:2) (Ro 11:9 Ps 69:22) (Ro 11:10 Ps 69:23) (Ro 11:26,27 Isa 27:9 59:20,21) (Ro 11:34 Isa 40:13) (Ro 12:19 De 32:35) (Ro 12:20 Pr 25:21,22) (Ro 13:9 Ex 20:13-17 Le 19:18) (Ro 14:11 Isa 45:23) (Ro 15:3 Ps 69:9) (Ro 15:9 Ps 18:49) (Ro 15:10 De 32:43) (Ro 15:11 Ps 117:1) (Ro 15:12 Isa 11:1,10) (Ro 15:21 Isa 52:15) (1Co 1:19 Isa 29:14) (1Co 1:31 Jer 9:24) (1Co 2:9 Isa 64:4) (1Co 2:16 Isa 40:13) (1Co 3:19 Job 5:13) (1Co 3:20 Ps 94:11) (1Co 6:16 Ge 2:24) (1Co 9:9 De 25:4) (1Co 10:7 Ex 32:6) (1Co 10:20 De 32:17) (1Co 10:26 Ps 24:1 50:12) (1Co 14:21 Isa 28:11,12) (1Co 15:25 Ps 110:1) (1Co 15:27 Ps 8:6) (1Co 15:32 Isa 22:13) (1Co 15:45 Ge 2:7) (1Co 15:54 Isa 25:8) (1Co 15:55 Ho 13:14) (2Co 3:13 Ex 34:33) (2Co 4:13 Ps 116:10) (2Co 6:2 Isa 49:8) (2Co 6:16 Le 26:11,12) (2Co 6:17 Isa 52:11,12) (2Co 6:18 2Sa 7:14) (2Co 8:15 Ex 16:18) (2Co 9:9 Ps 112:9) (2Co 10:17 Jer 9:24) (2Co 13:1 De 19:15) (Ga 3:6 Ge 15:6) (Ga 3:8 Ge 12:3 18:18) (Ga 3:10 De 27:26) (Ga 3:11 Hab 2:4) (Ga 3:12 Le 18:5) (Ga 3:13 De 21:23) (Ga 3:16 Ge 22:18) (Ga 4:27 Isa 54:1) (Ga 4:30 Ge 21:10) (Ga 5:14 Le 19:18) (Eph 4:8 Ps 68:18) (Eph 4:25 Zec 8:16) (Eph 4:26 Ps 4:4) (Eph 5:31 Ge 2:24) (Eph 6:2,3 Ex 20:12 De 5:16) (1Ti 5:18 Le 19:13 De 24:14,15 25:4) (2Ti 2:19 Nu 16:5) (Heb 1:5 2Sa 7:14 Ps 2:7) (Heb 1:6 Ps 97:7) (Heb 1:7 Ps 104:4) (Heb 1:8,9 Ps 45:6,7) (Heb 1:10-12 Ps 102:25-27) (Heb 1:13 Ps 110:1) (Heb 2:6-8 Ps 8:4-6) (Heb 2:12 Ps 22:22) (Heb 2:13 Isa 8:17,18) (Heb 3:7-10 Ps 95:7-11) (Heb 4:3 Ps 95:11) (Heb 4:4 Ge 2:2 Ex 20:11) (Heb 4:7 Ps 95:7-11) (Heb 5:5 Ps 2:7) (Heb 5:6 Ps 110:4) (Heb 6:14 Ge 22:16,17) (Heb 8:5 Ex 25:40) (Heb 8:8-12 Jer 31:31-34) (Heb 9:20 Ex 24:8) (Heb 10:5-7 Ps 40:6-8) (Heb 10:13 Ps 110:1) (Heb 10:16,17 Jer 31:33,34) (Heb 10:30 De 32:35,36) (Heb 10:38 Hab 2:3,4) (Heb 11:18 Ge 21:12) (Heb 12:5 Pr 3:11) (Heb 12:6 Pr 3:11,12) (Heb 12:26 Hag 2:6) (Heb 13:5 De 31:8 Jos 1:5) (Heb 13:6 Ps 118:6) (Heb 13:15 Ho 14:2) (Jas 2:8 Le 19:18) (Jas 2:11 Ex 20:13,14) (Jas 2:23 Ge 15:6) (Jas 4:6 Pr 3:34) (1Pe 1:16 Le 11:44 19:2 20:7) (1Pe 1:24,25 Isa 40:6-8) (1Pe 2:6,7 Ps 118:22,23 Isa 8:14 28:16) (1Pe 2:9 Ex 19:6) (1Pe 2:22 Isa 53:9) (1Pe 2:24 Isa 53:5) (1Pe 3:10-12 Ps 34:12-16) (1Pe 3:14,15 Isa 8:12,13) (1Pe 5:5 Pr 3:34) (2Pe 2:22 Pr 26:11) (Re 2:27 Ps 2:9)
3. The Apocrypha Denies Inspiration
The phrase “Thus saith the LORD” alone appears in the King James Version of the Old Testament 415 times! The Apocrypha never makes such a claim. In a few places the Apocrypha seems to actually deny inspiration:
Ø Prologue to Ecclesiasticus . . . It is the duty of those who study the scriptures not only to become expert themselves, but also to use their scholarship for the benefit of the outside world through both the spoken and the written word. So my grandfather Jesus, who had applied himself industriously to the study of the law, the prophets, and the other writings of our ancestors, and had gained a considerable proficiency in them, was moved to compile a book of his own on the themes of discipline and wisdom, so that, with this further help, scholars might make greater progress in their studies by living as the law directs.
Ø 2 Maccabees 15:37b-38 I shall bring my own work to an end here too. If it is well composed and to the point, that is just what I wanted. If it is worthless and mediocre, that is all I could manage.
4. Doctrinal Errors in the Apocrypha
Ø Prayers and Offerings for the Dead
2 Maccabees 12:43-46 And making a gathering, he sent twelve thousand drachms of silver to Jerusalem for sacrifice to be offered for the sins of the dead, thinking well and religiously concerning the resurrection. (For if he had not hoped that they that were slain should rise again, it would have seemed superfluous and vain to pray for the dead,) And because he considered that they who had fallen asleep with godliness, had great grace laid up for them. It is therefore a holy and wholesome thought to pray for the dead, that they may be loosed from sins.
Ø Forgiveness and Salvation by Almsgiving
Tobit 4:11 For alms deliver from all sin, and from death, and will not suffer the soul to go into darkness.
Tobit 12:9 Almsgiving saves from death and purges every kind of sin.
Ø Suicide spoken of as noble
2 Maccabees 14:41-42 Now as the multitude sought to rush into his house, and to break open the door, and to set fire to it, when he was ready to be taken, he struck himself with his sword: Choosing to die nobly rather than to fall into the hands of the wicked, and to suffer abuses unbecoming his noble birth.