Early Christian Views on the Apocrypha
Early Christian writers did not all treat the apocrypha the same way. Irenaeus and Tertullian warn against forged and spurious writings, while the Apostolic Constitutions list Judith, Sirach, and 1–3 Maccabees for reading. Origen uses the word apocrypha and also speaks of books not found in the Hebrew Apocrypha, so the term was used more than one way. That makes the early record mixed, not flatly one-sided.
142 early-church witnesses · 234 source quotations · compared with Scripture
What did early Christians believe about the apocrypha?
Early Christian writers do not treat the apocrypha as one simple category. Some, like Irenaeus and Tertullian, reject false and forged writings, while the Apostolic Constitutions list Judith, Sirach, and 1–3 Maccabees among books to be read. Origen also refers to apocryphal writings and says some passages are not found in the Hebrew Apocrypha, which shows that the term was used in more than one way. Overall, the evidence is broad but mixed:
some fathers exclude apocryphal books as non-canonical or harmful, while others include certain books that later Christians often called apocrypha or deuterocanonical. Many more early Christian quotations, Bible passages, and source links are gathered below so you can study the evidence for yourself.
Key Takeaways
- Some early Christian writers rejected apocryphal or forged books as harmful.
- The Apostolic Constitutions list Judith, Sirach, and 1–3 Maccabees among books to be read.
- Origen shows that “apocrypha” could be used in different ways, not just as a simple yes-or-no label.
Questions Answered by the Sources
What did early Christians mean by apocrypha?
Early Christian writers used “apocrypha” in more than one way. Origen speaks of “apocryphal books” and also of a “Hebrew Apocrypha,” while the Apostolic Constitutions call some writings apocryphal and harmful. That means the word could mean hidden, disputed, non-canonical, or false depending on the writer and setting.
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Apostolic Constitutions, Apostolic Constitutions Supporting witness
and that you may not receive those books which obtain in our name, but are written by the ungodly.
Did early Christians reject apocryphal books as false?
Yes, many early Christian writers warn that some apocryphal books were forged, harmful, or used to mislead people. Irenaeus calls some writings “apocryphal and spurious,” and the Apostolic Constitutions say some books were “pernicious and repugnant to the truth.” Origen also says some apocryphal material was tampered with, showing a real concern about false writings.
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Irenaeus, Against Heresies: Book I Direct teaching
In addition to the above misrepresentations, they present an indescribable number of apocryphal and fake writings, which they themselves have created, to confuse the minds of foolish people and those who are ignorant of the true Scriptures. Among other things, they bring up that false and wicked story which claims our Lord, when He was a boy learning His letters, responded to the teacher, when instructed to say “Alpha” as usual, by saying “Alpha.” But when the teacher asked Him to say “Beta,” the Lord replied, “You first tell me what Alpha is, and then I will tell you what Beta is.” They interpret this as meaning that He alone knew the Unknown, which He revealed as Alpha.
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Irenaeus, Against Heresies: Book I Supporting witness
1. Besides the above [misrepresentations], they adduce an unspeakable number of apocryphal and spurious writings, which they themselves have forged, to bewilder the minds of foolish men, and of such as are ignorant of the Scriptures of truth.
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Apostolic Constitutions, Apostolic Constitutions Supporting witness
And among the ancients also some have written apocryphal books of Moses, and Enoch, and Adam, and Isaiah, and David, and Elijah, and of the three patriarchs, pernicious and repugnant to the truth.
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Apostolic Constitutions, Apostolic Constitutions Supporting witness
...r to deceive you who love Christ, and us His servants. And among the people of old, some also wrote apocryphal books of Moses, and Enoch, and Adam, and Isaiah, and David, and Elijah, and of the three patriarchs, books that are harmful and opposed to the truth. Even now the wicked heretics have done the same thing. They speak against creation, marriage, providence, the begetting of children, the law, and the prophets. They write down certain barbarous names, and names which they think are the names of angels, but, to speak the truth, are the names of demons that suggest these things to them. Avoid their teaching, so that you may not share in the punishment due to those who write such things for the seduction and destruction of the faithful and blameless disciples of the Lord Jesus.
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Apostolic Constitutions, Apostolic Constitutions Supporting witness
For we know that Simon and Cleobius, and their followers, have compiled poisonous books under the name of Christ and of His disciples, and do carry them about in order to deceive you who love Christ, and us His servants.
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Hippolytus, Refutation of All Heresies Supporting witness
... the same way, they also regarded Montanus as a prophet. Since they have an endless number of their books, the Phrygians are completely overcome by delusion. They do not test what these people say by the standard of reason, nor do they pay attention to those who are able to judge rightly. Instead, they are carelessly carried along because of the trust they place in these impostors. And they claim that through these women they have learned something more than from the Law, the Prophets, and the Gospels. But they exalt these miserable women above the Apostles and every gift of grace, so that some of them even dare to say that there is in these women something greater than Christ. These people acknowledge God as the Father of the universe and the Creator of all things, just as the Church does, and they accept as many things about Christ as the Gospel bears witness to. However, they introduce new practices of fasts and feasts, meals of parched food, and meals of radishes, claiming that they were taught by women. And some of them agree with the heresy of the Noetians, and say that the Father himself is the Son, and that this one came under generation and suffering and death. About th
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Irenaeus, Against Heresies: Book I Supporting witness
...s therefore necessary to first point out what they transform [for their own use] from the prophetic writings, and then to refute them. They claim that Moses, in his way of beginning the account of the creation, has in the beginning indicated the mother of all things when he says, "In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth;" for, as they assert, by naming these four—God, beginning, heaven, and earth—he revealed their Tetrad. Indicating its invisible and hidden nature, he said, "Now the earth was invisible and unformed." They also claim that he referred to the second Tetrad, the offspring of the first, by mentioning an abyss and darkness, in which were also water and the Spirit moving upon the water. Then, proceeding to mention the Decad, he names light, day, night, the firmament, the evening, the morning, dry land, sea, plants, and, in the tenth place, trees. With these ten names, he indicated the ten Æons. The power of the Duodecad was shown by him as follows: He names the sun, moon, stars, seasons, years, whales, fishes, reptiles, birds, quadrupeds, wild beasts, and after all these, in the twelfth place, man. Thus they teach that the Triacontad was revealed through
Were any apocryphal books read in early churches?
Yes, some early church instructions include books often grouped with the apocrypha. The Apostolic Constitutions say to regard Judith and Sirach as holy, and also list three books of Maccabees. They also tell readers to hear those books along with the Law, Prophets, Psalms, Acts, and Paul’s letters.
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Apostolic Constitutions, Apostolic Constitutions Direct teaching
85. Let the following books be regarded as venerable and holy by both the clergy and the laity. Of the Old Covenant, these are the five books of Moses: Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy; one book of Joshua the son of Nun, one of the Judges, one of Ruth, four of the Kings, two of the Chronicles, two of Ezra, one of Esther, one of Judith, three of the Maccabees, one of Job, one hundred and fifty Psalms, three books of Solomon: Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, and the Song of Songs, and sixteen prophets. Besides these, be careful that your young people learn the Wisdom of the very learned Sirach. But our sacred books, that is, those of the New Covenant, are these: the four Gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John; the fourteen Epistles of Paul; two Epistles of Peter, three of John, one of James, one of Jude; two Epistles of Clement; and the Constitutions dedicated to you bishops by me, Clement, in eight books, which it is not fitting to publish before everyone because of the mysteries contained in them; and the Acts of us the Apostles.
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Apostolic Constitutions, Apostolic Constitutions Supporting witness
...ves, also keeping silence. In the middle, let the reader stand in some high place. Let him read the books of Moses, of Joshua the son of Nun, of the Judges, and of the Kings and of the Chronicles, and those written after the return from captivity. Besides these, let him read the books of Job and of Solomon, and of the sixteen prophets. But when two lessons have been read separately, let some other person sing the hymns of David, and let the people join at the ends of the verses. Afterward let our Acts be read, and the Epistles of Paul our fellow worker, which he sent to the churches under the guidance of the Holy Spirit. Afterward let a deacon or a presbyter read the Gospels, both those which I, Matthew, and John have delivered to you, and those which Luke and Mark, the fellow workers of Paul, received and left to you. While the Gospel is being read, let all the presbyters and deacons, and all the people, stand up in great silence, for it is written, "Be silent, and hear, O Israel," Deuteronomy 27:9. And again, "But stand there, and hear," Deuteronomy 5:31. Next, let the presbyters exhort the people one by one, not all together, and let the bishop speak last, as the commander. L
What did Origen say about the apocrypha?
Origen treats apocryphal writings as a real category and sometimes contrasts them with the commonly received books. He says some passages were preserved in “uncanonical writings (Apocrypha),” and in another place says a statement is not even found in the Hebrew Apocrypha. His comments show that early Christians did not always use the word in one fixed way.
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Origen, Commentary on Matthew Background
... sawn asunder by the people. And if anyone does not accept the statement because it is found in the Apocryphal Isaiah, let him believe what is written in the Epistle to the Hebrews, "They were stoned, they were sawn asunder, they were tempted." Hebrews 11:37 For the words, "They were sawn asunder," refer to Isaiah, just as the words, "They were slain with the sword," refer to Zacharias, who was slain between the sanctuary and the altar, as the Savior taught, bearing witness, as I think, to a Scripture not found in the common and widely circulated books, but perhaps in apocryphal books. And they too were dishonored in their own country among the Jews, "who went about in sheep-skins, in goat-skins, being destitute, afflicted," and so on. Hebrews 11:37 "For all who will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution." 2 Timothy 3:12 And probably because Paul knew this, that a prophet has no honor in his own country, though he preached the Word in many places, he did not preach it in Tarsus. And for this reason the Apostles left Israel and did what had been commanded them by the Savior, "Make disciples of all the nations," Matthew 28:19 and, "You shall be My witnesses both in J
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Origen, Exhortation to Martyrdom Direct teaching
The answer is, that they hid from the knowledge of the people as many of the passages which contained any scandal against the elders, rulers, and judges, as they could, some of which have been preserved in uncanonical writings (Apocrypha).
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Origen, Exhortation to Martyrdom Supporting witness
and this is found in some apocryphal work, which probably the Jews have purposely tampered with, introducing some phrases manifestly incorrect, that discredit might be thrown on the whole.
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Origen, Exhortation to Martyrdom Supporting witness
They are not even found in the Hebrew Apocrypha, as I learned from the Jews themselves.
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Origen, Commentary on Matthew Background
Here we must ask separately about the field, and separately about the treasure hidden in it. We must also ask how the man who found this hidden treasure goes away with joy and sells all that he has in order to buy that field. And we must ask what the things are that he sells. The field, it seems to me, is the Scripture, according to these points. It was planted with what is plain in the words of the history, the Law, the Prophets, and the other thoughts. For the planting of the words throughout all Scripture is great and varied. But the treasure hidden in the field is the thoughts concealed and lying beneath what is plain: wisdom hidden in a mystery, that is, Christ, in whom all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge are hidden, Colossians 2:3. But someone else might say that the field is that which is truly full, which the Lord blessed, the Christ of God. And the treasure hidden in it is the things that Paul says were hidden in Christ, when he says about Christ, "in whom are hidden the treasures of wisdom and knowledge." Therefore the heavenly things, even the kingdom of heaven, as it is written figuratively in the Scriptures—which are the kingdom of heaven, or Christ Himself, the
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Origen, Commentary on Matthew Background
At this point you may ask whether the kingdom of heaven is compared only to the treasure hidden in the field, so that we should think of the field as different from the kingdom, or whether it is compared to the whole treasure hidden in the field, so that the kingdom of heaven includes, in the comparison, both the field and the treasure hidden in the field. Now a man who comes to the field, whether to the Scriptures or to Christ, who is made up of both visible things and hidden things, finds the hidden treasure of wisdom either in Christ or in the Scriptures. For as he goes around the field, searches the Scriptures, and seeks to understand Christ, he finds the treasure in it. And when he has found it, he hides it, because he thinks it is not without danger to reveal to everyone the secret meanings of the Scriptures, or the treasures of wisdom and knowledge in Christ. After hiding it, he goes away and works and plans how he may buy the field, or the Scriptures, so that he may make them his own possession, receiving from the people of God the oracles of God, with which the Jews were first entrusted, Romans 3:2. And when the man taught by Christ has bought the field, the kingdom of God
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Origen, Commentary on John Background
For, judging by the words of the phrase, "My son, beware of making many books," it seems to point to two things. First, that we should not own many books. Second, that we should not write many books. If the first is not the meaning, then the second must be. And if the second is the meaning, the first does not necessarily follow. In either case, it seems to tell us that we should not make many books. I could take my stand on this saying now before us and send you the text as my excuse. I could also support this position by appealing to the fact that not even the saints found time to write many books. In that way, I might withdraw from the agreement we made with each other and stop writing what I was supposed to send you. You, on your side, would no doubt feel the force of the text I have quoted, and might excuse me in the future. But we must handle Scripture carefully, and we must not congratulate ourselves that, because we see the first meaning of a text, we understand it completely. Therefore, I do not shrink from presenting the excuse that I think I can offer for myself, and from pointing out the arguments that you would certainly use against me if I acted against our agreement.
Common Questions
Did early Christians accept the apocrypha?
Some did and some did not. A few early writings reject apocryphal or forged books, while the Apostolic Constitutions list Judith, Sirach, and 1–3 Maccabees for reading.
Did early Christians call some books apocryphal?
Yes. Origen and the Apostolic Constitutions both use the word for books outside the normal public Scriptures, but not always with the same meaning.
Were apocryphal books read in church?
Some were. The Apostolic Constitutions say to read Judith, Sirach, and 1–3 Maccabees, which shows that some churches used them.
Source Index for the apocrypha
The guided sections above show the strongest quotations. This compact index highlights 160 ranked source links from 234 compiled sources for deeper study.
Source index 160 ranked links shown
Early Christian Writings 80 shown of 142
Primary-source quotations from early Christian writers and church documents.
Bible Passages 80 shown of 92
Related Bible passages saved for comparison with the early Christian quotations.
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