Podcast Summary: Simply Put – "Apocrypha"

Host: Barry Cooper
Release Date: November 11, 2025
Podcast by: Ligonier Ministries

Episode Overview

In this episode of "Simply Put," Barry Cooper explores the meaning, history, and significance of the term "Apocrypha" within the context of the Christian Bible. With his trademark clarity and illustrative storytelling, Cooper demystifies a frequently misunderstood set of writings—explaining their place in different traditions, reasons for differences among Christian denominations regarding their status, and their value for modern readers.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

What Does "Apocryphal" Mean?

• Cooper begins with an engaging childhood anecdote about a dubious school legend to introduce the idea of something being called "apocryphal."
• Definition:
  • "The Tale of Chisel is an example of what we might call an apocryphal story, a story of dubious authenticity without the historical evidence to back up its claim to be genuine." [01:09]

Apocrypha in the Bible: What Are the Books?

• The Term:
  • “‘Apocrypha’ literally means things that are hidden.” [01:28]
• Biblical Canon:
  • Most modern Bibles include 66 recognized books ("the canon").
  • Differences between Traditions:
    • Roman Catholic Church:
      • Accepts 66 “proto-canonical” books, but also recognizes 12 “deuterocanonical” or “apocryphal” books in the Old Testament.
    • Eastern Orthodox Church:
      • Recognizes three additional books beyond the Catholic list.
    • Protestants:
      • Accept only the original 66 books.
• List of Apocryphal Books:
  • Tobit, Judith, Additions to Esther, Wisdom of Solomon, Ecclesiasticus, Baruch, Letter of Jeremiah, Prayer of Azariah, Song of the Three Young Men, Susanna, Bel and the Dragon, 1 & 2 Maccabees. [02:09 - 02:49]
  • Additional Eastern Orthodox Books: Prayer of Manasseh, 1 & 2 Esdras (bringing the list to 15).

Why Don’t Protestants Accept the Apocrypha?

• Original Canon:
  • “None of them were in the original Hebrew canon received by the ancient Jews. The Scriptures that Jesus himself quotes from extensively as carrying God's authority.” [03:09]
• Historical Position:
  • Protestants see these books as valuable, but not divinely inspired for doctrine.
  • They offer insight into the culture and politics of the 400 years between the Old & New Testaments.
• Key Quote:
  • “Martin Luther, in his 1534 translation of the Bible, refers to the Apocrypha as ‘books which are not held equal to the sacred Scriptures and nevertheless are useful and good to read.’” [04:13]

How the Early Church Approached the Apocrypha

• Church Fathers:
  • “Some of the church fathers do quote regularly from the Apocrypha in the second and third centuries, but many of them didn’t read Hebrew, which meant that they were reading from the Septuagint, the Greek translation of the Old Testament, which included the Apocrypha.” [06:11]
  • Scholars who could read Hebrew, like Jerome, typically rejected the Apocrypha as canonical.
• Council of Trent:
  • Not until 1546 did the Roman Catholic Church officially declare most of the apocryphal books as part of their Old Testament canon.
  • Even then, there was significant debate and some exceptions.

Value of the Apocrypha Today

• Cooper emphasizes that while these books are not viewed by Protestants as divinely inspired, "we shouldn’t mistake them for the real deal, those 66 books of scripture that carry with them the weight of God’s inspiration and authority.” [07:10]
• The Apocrypha remain “worth reading for the background they can give us to the New Testament.”
  • They provide historical, political, and cultural context.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Legends and Authority:
  • "When pressed, nobody seemed to have actually been present during one of these chisel launching events or could explain why on earth Chisel was still actively teaching at a Church of England grammar school." [00:45]
• On the Nature of the Apocrypha:
  • “‘Apocrypha’ literally means things that are hidden.” [01:28]
• Historic Protestant View:
  • "Books which are not held equal to the sacred Scriptures and nevertheless are useful and good to read." — Martin Luther, quoted by Barry Cooper [04:13]
• On Jerome’s Scholarly Approach:
  • “Church fathers who did know Hebrew, such as the great biblical scholar Jerome, tended to reject the Apocrypha as canonical.” [06:32]
• Summing up Protestant Principles:
  • "We shouldn’t mistake them for the real deal, those 66 books of scripture that carry with them the weight of God’s inspiration and authority." [07:10]

Timestamps for Key Segments

• 00:00–01:09
  • Introduction through a school story; defining “apocryphal”.
• 01:10–02:49
  • Canon formation and lists of apocryphal books in different traditions.
• 03:09–04:13
  • Why Protestants exclude the Apocrypha; Luther and Coverdale's views.
• 04:54–06:11
  • Early church usage, the Septuagint, and the Council of Trent.
• 06:12–07:10
  • Summary: Apocrypha’s value for historical context, but not as Scripture.

Podcast Tone and Style

Barry Cooper speaks with clarity, gentle humor, and an educational spirit, using down-to-earth illustrations and a respectful tone toward different Christian traditions. The episode is concise yet rich, offering listeners both factual knowledge and historical insight without jargon or unnecessary complexity.

Summary prepared for listeners seeking a clear, comprehensive understanding of the Apocrypha and its role in Christian history and theology.