What are the specific reasons (e.g. scriptural contradictions) that we can cite from Scripture or other sources, that show that the Apocrypha is not inspired by the Holy Spirit? Again, thanks for the daily encouragement we Filipino Christians receive from your wonderful website! -- Kevin Agot (Manila)
The Apocrypha were written in the centuries between the testaments -- after the Old Testament was completed, yet before the time of the New Testament. Some of these writings contain valuable historical information, while others are basically worthless as trustworthy sources. Another problem are the contradictions with the Bible. There is also the matter of the inferior theology of much of the apocryphal works.
In short, the Apocrypha teach such doctrines as penance, purgatory, almsgiving for forgiveness, sex for procreation only, prayers to/for the dead, and a host of other objectionable notions. During the Catholic Counter-Reformation, the Apocrypha, which had been familiar to believers for 1500 or more years and included in Bibles for over a millennium (though not considered to be inspired Scripture), were now declared to be inspired. Severe penalties were attached to regarding these books as less than fully authoritative. And so, since April 1546, the Roman Catholic Church has considered its extra books as scripture. (We err if we continue to proclaim that they were "added" to Bibles.)
Yet it does not seem that the Apocrypha are ever directly quoted in the Bible.
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