Books Jesus Read

Introduction I am eager to introduce you to the “hidden writings,” for that is what “Apocrypha” 1 means. First, however, I must confess that my own adventures into the Apocrypha did not begin until, as an adult reader, I developed a passion for ancient literature. Before then, the history and many fascinating stories of the Apocrypha simply did not exist for me. For someone raised and educated in the Judeo- Christian heritage, that is a serious lack! As a compound term, “Judeo-Christian heritage” signifies the historical continuity between the Jewish religion and the Christian faith. “Judeo-Christian spirituality” may be a less familiar term, but it is important to know about the type of spirituality that historical Judaism passed on to Christianity. This Sacred Roots Spiritual Classic aims to 1 Apocrypha – a plural noun that refers to the various writings included within its collection. We say, for example, “the Apocrypha were read” instead of “the Apocrypha was read.” The Apocrypha includes the books of Tobit, Judith, 1–2 Maccabees, Wisdom of Solomon, and Wisdom of Sirach, together with various additions to the Old Testament books of Esther and Daniel. Roman Catholics call the Apocrypha “deuterocanonical,” or secondarily canonized.

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