The Apocrypha

[RZehr]

Of note, none of the OT quotes in the New Testament are from the Apocrypha. There is an interesting piece on the subject in Walter Kaiser’s “The Uses of the Old Testament in the New.” Many of the Old Testament quotes are from the Septuagint, but clearly not all.

None of the New Testament quotes are from the Apocrypha? That doesn't seem accurate.

Here is Paul:
Has the potter no right over the clay, to make out of the same lump one vessel for beauty and another for menial use? - Romans 9:21
For when a potter kneads the soft earth and laboriously molds each vessel for our service, he fashions out of the same clay both the vessels that serve clean uses and those for contrary uses, making all in like manner; but which shall be the use of each of these the worker in clay decides. - Wisdom 15:7

And Paul again:
By faith Enoch was translated that he should not see death; and was not found, because God had translated him: for before his translation he had this testimony, that he pleased God. - Hebrews 11:5
Enoch pleased the Lord, and was translated, being an example of repentance to all generations. - Sirach 44:16 (I've heard, but haven't been able to double check the Hebrew in Sirach, that Hebrews and Sirach mentions that Enoch was "translated" or "metatithēmi" or but Genesis does not use this word.)

...

Here is James. Note that James says "the scripture was fulfilled which says". What scripture says that?
And the scripture was fulfilled which says, "Abraham believed God, and it was reckoned to him as righteousness"; and he was called the friend of God. - James 2:23
Was not Abraham found faithful when tested, and it was reckoned to him as righteousness? - 1 Maccabees 2:52

And James again:
Let no one say when he is tempted, “I am tempted by God”; for God cannot be tempted with evil and he himself tempts no one; but each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desire. Then desire when it has conceived gives birth to sin; and sin when it is full-grown brings forth death. - James 1:13-15
Do not say, “Because of the Lord I left the right way”; for he will not do what he hates. Do not say, “It was he who led me astray”; for he had no need of a sinful man. The Lord hates all abominations, and they are not loved by those who fear him. It was he who created man in the beginning, and he left him in the power of his own inclination. If you will, you can keep the commandments, and to act faithfully is a matter of your own choice. He has placed before you fire and water: stretch out your hand for whichever you wish. Before a man[c] are life and death, and whichever he chooses will be given to him. For great is the wisdom of the Lord; he is mighty in power and sees everything; his eyes are on those who fear him, and he knows every deed of man. He has not commanded any one to be ungodly, and he has not given any one permission to sin. - Sirach 15:11-20

...

Certainly Jesus didn't quote from Ezra, Nehemiah, Esther, or Ecclesiastes.
But there are a few times that Jesus either quoted, or alluded to Apocryphal verses:

Jesus:
Look toward the east, O Jerusalem, and see the joy that is coming to you from God! Behold, your sons are coming, whom you sent away; they are coming, gathered from east and west, at the word of the Holy One, rejoicing in the glory of God. - Baruch 4:36-37
There you will weep and gnash your teeth, when you see Abraham and Isaac and Jacob and all the prophets in the kingdom of God and you yourselves thrust out. And men will come from east and west, and from north and south, and sit at table in the kingdom of God. - Luke 13:28-29
I tell you, many will come from east and west and sit at table with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven, while the sons of the kingdom will be thrown into the outer darkness; there men will weep and gnash their teeth.” - Matthew 8:11-12

And Jesus here, with a very unique and colorful description of chicks and mother hen:
“Thus says the Lord Almighty: Have I not entreated you as a father entreats his sons or a mother her daughters or a nurse her children, that you should be my people and I should be your God, and that you should be my sons and I should be your father? I gathered you as a hen gathers her brood under her wings. But now, what shall I do to you? I will cast you out from my presence. - 2 Esdras 1:28-30
“O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, killing the prophets and stoning those who are sent to you! How often would I have gathered your children together as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, and you would not! 38Behold, your house is forsaken and desolate. 39For I tell you, you will not see me again, until you say, ‘Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.’ ” - Matthew 23:37-39 (& Luke 13:34-35)

And the Jesus prayer:
Forgive your neighbor a wrong, and then, when you pray, your sins will be forgiven. - SIrach 28:2
And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors; - Matthew 6:12

...

Here is Revelation:
Then I saw the seven angels who stand before God, and seven trumpets were given to them. And another angel came and stood at the altar with a golden censer; and he was given much incense to mingle with the prayers of all the saints upon the golden altar before the throne; - Revelation 8:2-3
I am Raphael, one of the seven holy angels who present the prayers of the saints and enter into the presence of the glory of the Holy One." - Tobit 12:15

And Revelation again:
And the dead were judged by what was written in the books, by what they had done. - Revelation 20:12b
As great as his mercy, so great is also his reproof; he judges a man according to his deeds. - Sirach 16:12

[Nomad]

Of note, none of the OT quotes in the New Testament are from the Apocrypha. There is an interesting piece on the subject in Walter Kaiser’s “The Uses of the Old Testament in the New.” Many of the Old Testament quotes are from the Septuagint, but clearly not all.

None of the New Testament quotes are from the Apocrypha? That doesn't seem accurate.

Here is Paul:
Has the potter no right over the clay, to make out of the same lump one vessel for beauty and another for menial use? - Romans 9:21
For when a potter kneads the soft earth and laboriously molds each vessel for our service, he fashions out of the same clay both the vessels that serve clean uses and those for contrary uses, making all in like manner; but which shall be the use of each of these the worker in clay decides. - Wisdom 15:7

And Paul again:
By faith Enoch was translated that he should not see death; and was not found, because God had translated him: for before his translation he had this testimony, that he pleased God. - Hebrews 11:5
Enoch pleased the Lord, and was translated, being an example of repentance to all generations. - Sirach 44:16 (I've heard, but haven't been able to double check the Hebrew in Sirach, that Hebrews and Sirach mentions that Enoch was "translated" or "metatithēmi" or but Genesis does not use this word.)

...

Here is James. Note that James says "the scripture was fulfilled which says". What scripture says that?
And the scripture was fulfilled which says, "Abraham believed God, and it was reckoned to him as righteousness"; and he was called the friend of God. - James 2:23
Was not Abraham found faithful when tested, and it was reckoned to him as righteousness? - 1 Maccabees 2:52

And James again:
Let no one say when he is tempted, “I am tempted by God”; for God cannot be tempted with evil and he himself tempts no one; but each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desire. Then desire when it has conceived gives birth to sin; and sin when it is full-grown brings forth death. - James 1:13-15
Do not say, “Because of the Lord I left the right way”; for he will not do what he hates. Do not say, “It was he who led me astray”; for he had no need of a sinful man. The Lord hates all abominations, and they are not loved by those who fear him. It was he who created man in the beginning, and he left him in the power of his own inclination. If you will, you can keep the commandments, and to act faithfully is a matter of your own choice. He has placed before you fire and water: stretch out your hand for whichever you wish. Before a man[c] are life and death, and whichever he chooses will be given to him. For great is the wisdom of the Lord; he is mighty in power and sees everything; his eyes are on those who fear him, and he knows every deed of man. He has not commanded any one to be ungodly, and he has not given any one permission to sin. - Sirach 15:11-20


...

Certainly Jesus didn't quote from Ezra, Nehemiah, Esther, or Ecclesiastes.
But there are a few times that Jesus either quoted, or alluded to Apocryphal verses:

Jesus:
Look toward the east, O Jerusalem, and see the joy that is coming to you from God! Behold, your sons are coming, whom you sent away; they are coming, gathered from east and west, at the word of the Holy One, rejoicing in the glory of God. - Baruch 4:36-37
There you will weep and gnash your teeth, when you see Abraham and Isaac and Jacob and all the prophets in the kingdom of God and you yourselves thrust out. And men will come from east and west, and from north and south, and sit at table in the kingdom of God. - Luke 13:28-29
I tell you, many will come from east and west and sit at table with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven, while the sons of the kingdom will be thrown into the outer darkness; there men will weep and gnash their teeth.” - Matthew 8:11-12

And Jesus here, with a very unique and colorful description of chicks and mother hen:
“Thus says the Lord Almighty: Have I not entreated you as a father entreats his sons or a mother her daughters or a nurse her children, that you should be my people and I should be your God, and that you should be my sons and I should be your father? I gathered you as a hen gathers her brood under her wings. But now, what shall I do to you? I will cast you out from my presence. - 2 Esdras 1:28-30
“O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, killing the prophets and stoning those who are sent to you! How often would I have gathered your children together as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, and you would not! 38Behold, your house is forsaken and desolate. 39For I tell you, you will not see me again, until you say, ‘Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.’ ” - Matthew 23:37-39 (& Luke 13:34-35)

And the Jesus prayer:
Forgive your neighbor a wrong, and then, when you pray, your sins will be forgiven. - SIrach 28:2
And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors; - Matthew 6:12

...

Here is Revelation:
Then I saw the seven angels who stand before God, and seven trumpets were given to them. And another angel came and stood at the altar with a golden censer; and he was given much incense to mingle with the prayers of all the saints upon the golden altar before the throne; - Revelation 8:2-3
I am Raphael, one of the seven holy angels who present the prayers of the saints and enter into the presence of the glory of the Holy One." - Tobit 12:15

And Revelation again:
And the dead were judged by what was written in the books, by what they had done. - Revelation 20:12b
As great as his mercy, so great is also his reproof; he judges a man according to his deeds. - Sirach 16:12

Aren't the majority of these quotes/ allusions found in the OT without the Apocrypha as well?

[Bootstrap]

Worth mentioning: "The Apocrypha" does not refer to any one set of books.

Protestants often use it to mean "books that Catholics accept as canonical but Protestants do not". Most of these were written after the Hebrew Old Testament. Most Orthodox have a different list. Ethiopian Orthodox have yet another list, including some books that are more like the New Testament.

And FWIW, the books the Ethiopians call Maccabees are not the same as the books that most other traditions call Maccabees.

So pick your canon. Books that aren't in your canon, but are in someone else's canon, are apocryphal to you. Your church says that the books in your canon are Scripture and the others are not, though they may be valuable. For instance, I can't imagine how much less we would know about the New Testament without the books that describe the history after the Hebrew Bible and before the New Testament.

Are they Scripture? Well, that's the same as asking if they are in a canon that I accept, isn't it? They aren't in the Protestant canon, which is the one I use. But I do think there is wisdom or useful history or other things in these books.

[MaxPC]

None of the New Testament quotes are from the Apocrypha? That doesn't seem accurate.

Here is Paul:
Has the potter no right over the clay, to make out of the same lump one vessel for beauty and another for menial use? - Romans 9:21
For when a potter kneads the soft earth and laboriously molds each vessel for our service, he fashions out of the same clay both the vessels that serve clean uses and those for contrary uses, making all in like manner; but which shall be the use of each of these the worker in clay decides. - Wisdom 15:7

And Paul again:
By faith Enoch was translated that he should not see death; and was not found, because God had translated him: for before his translation he had this testimony, that he pleased God. - Hebrews 11:5
Enoch pleased the Lord, and was translated, being an example of repentance to all generations. - Sirach 44:16 (I've heard, but haven't been able to double check the Hebrew in Sirach, that Hebrews and Sirach mentions that Enoch was "translated" or "metatithēmi" or but Genesis does not use this word.)

...

Here is James. Note that James says "the scripture was fulfilled which says". What scripture says that?
And the scripture was fulfilled which says, "Abraham believed God, and it was reckoned to him as righteousness"; and he was called the friend of God. - James 2:23
Was not Abraham found faithful when tested, and it was reckoned to him as righteousness? - 1 Maccabees 2:52

And James again:
Let no one say when he is tempted, “I am tempted by God”; for God cannot be tempted with evil and he himself tempts no one; but each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desire. Then desire when it has conceived gives birth to sin; and sin when it is full-grown brings forth death. - James 1:13-15
Do not say, “Because of the Lord I left the right way”; for he will not do what he hates. Do not say, “It was he who led me astray”; for he had no need of a sinful man. The Lord hates all abominations, and they are not loved by those who fear him. It was he who created man in the beginning, and he left him in the power of his own inclination. If you will, you can keep the commandments, and to act faithfully is a matter of your own choice. He has placed before you fire and water: stretch out your hand for whichever you wish. Before a man[c] are life and death, and whichever he chooses will be given to him. For great is the wisdom of the Lord; he is mighty in power and sees everything; his eyes are on those who fear him, and he knows every deed of man. He has not commanded any one to be ungodly, and he has not given any one permission to sin. - Sirach 15:11-20

...

Certainly Jesus didn't quote from Ezra, Nehemiah, Esther, or Ecclesiastes.
But there are a few times that Jesus either quoted, or alluded to Apocryphal verses:

Jesus:
Look toward the east, O Jerusalem, and see the joy that is coming to you from God! Behold, your sons are coming, whom you sent away; they are coming, gathered from east and west, at the word of the Holy One, rejoicing in the glory of God. - Baruch 4:36-37
There you will weep and gnash your teeth, when you see Abraham and Isaac and Jacob and all the prophets in the kingdom of God and you yourselves thrust out. And men will come from east and west, and from north and south, and sit at table in the kingdom of God. - Luke 13:28-29
I tell you, many will come from east and west and sit at table with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven, while the sons of the kingdom will be thrown into the outer darkness; there men will weep and gnash their teeth.” - Matthew 8:11-12

And Jesus here, with a very unique and colorful description of chicks and mother hen:
“Thus says the Lord Almighty: Have I not entreated you as a father entreats his sons or a mother her daughters or a nurse her children, that you should be my people and I should be your God, and that you should be my sons and I should be your father? I gathered you as a hen gathers her brood under her wings. But now, what shall I do to you? I will cast you out from my presence. - 2 Esdras 1:28-30
“O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, killing the prophets and stoning those who are sent to you! How often would I have gathered your children together as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, and you would not! 38Behold, your house is forsaken and desolate. 39For I tell you, you will not see me again, until you say, ‘Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.’ ” - Matthew 23:37-39 (& Luke 13:34-35)

And the Jesus prayer:
Forgive your neighbor a wrong, and then, when you pray, your sins will be forgiven. - SIrach 28:2
And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors; - Matthew 6:12

...

Here is Revelation:
Then I saw the seven angels who stand before God, and seven trumpets were given to them. And another angel came and stood at the altar with a golden censer; and he was given much incense to mingle with the prayers of all the saints upon the golden altar before the throne; - Revelation 8:2-3
I am Raphael, one of the seven holy angels who present the prayers of the saints and enter into the presence of the glory of the Holy One." - Tobit 12:15

And Revelation again:
And the dead were judged by what was written in the books, by what they had done. - Revelation 20:12b
As great as his mercy, so great is also his reproof; he judges a man according to his deeds. - Sirach 16:12

Quite right; spot on.

[RZehr]

Of note, none of the OT quotes in the New Testament are from the Apocrypha. There is an interesting piece on the subject in Walter Kaiser’s “The Uses of the Old Testament in the New.” Many of the Old Testament quotes are from the Septuagint, but clearly not all.

None of the New Testament quotes are from the Apocrypha? That doesn't seem accurate.

Here is Paul:
Has the potter no right over the clay, to make out of the same lump one vessel for beauty and another for menial use? - Romans 9:21
For when a potter kneads the soft earth and laboriously molds each vessel for our service, he fashions out of the same clay both the vessels that serve clean uses and those for contrary uses, making all in like manner; but which shall be the use of each of these the worker in clay decides. - Wisdom 15:7

And Paul again:
By faith Enoch was translated that he should not see death; and was not found, because God had translated him: for before his translation he had this testimony, that he pleased God. - Hebrews 11:5
Enoch pleased the Lord, and was translated, being an example of repentance to all generations. - Sirach 44:16 (I've heard, but haven't been able to double check the Hebrew in Sirach, that Hebrews and Sirach mentions that Enoch was "translated" or "metatithēmi" or but Genesis does not use this word.)

...

Here is James. Note that James says "the scripture was fulfilled which says". What scripture says that?
And the scripture was fulfilled which says, "Abraham believed God, and it was reckoned to him as righteousness"; and he was called the friend of God. - James 2:23
Was not Abraham found faithful when tested, and it was reckoned to him as righteousness? - 1 Maccabees 2:52

And James again:
Let no one say when he is tempted, “I am tempted by God”; for God cannot be tempted with evil and he himself tempts no one; but each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desire. Then desire when it has conceived gives birth to sin; and sin when it is full-grown brings forth death. - James 1:13-15
Do not say, “Because of the Lord I left the right way”; for he will not do what he hates. Do not say, “It was he who led me astray”; for he had no need of a sinful man. The Lord hates all abominations, and they are not loved by those who fear him. It was he who created man in the beginning, and he left him in the power of his own inclination. If you will, you can keep the commandments, and to act faithfully is a matter of your own choice. He has placed before you fire and water: stretch out your hand for whichever you wish. Before a man[c] are life and death, and whichever he chooses will be given to him. For great is the wisdom of the Lord; he is mighty in power and sees everything; his eyes are on those who fear him, and he knows every deed of man. He has not commanded any one to be ungodly, and he has not given any one permission to sin. - Sirach 15:11-20


...

Certainly Jesus didn't quote from Ezra, Nehemiah, Esther, or Ecclesiastes.
But there are a few times that Jesus either quoted, or alluded to Apocryphal verses:

Jesus:
Look toward the east, O Jerusalem, and see the joy that is coming to you from God! Behold, your sons are coming, whom you sent away; they are coming, gathered from east and west, at the word of the Holy One, rejoicing in the glory of God. - Baruch 4:36-37
There you will weep and gnash your teeth, when you see Abraham and Isaac and Jacob and all the prophets in the kingdom of God and you yourselves thrust out. And men will come from east and west, and from north and south, and sit at table in the kingdom of God. - Luke 13:28-29
I tell you, many will come from east and west and sit at table with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven, while the sons of the kingdom will be thrown into the outer darkness; there men will weep and gnash their teeth.” - Matthew 8:11-12

And Jesus here, with a very unique and colorful description of chicks and mother hen:
“Thus says the Lord Almighty: Have I not entreated you as a father entreats his sons or a mother her daughters or a nurse her children, that you should be my people and I should be your God, and that you should be my sons and I should be your father? I gathered you as a hen gathers her brood under her wings. But now, what shall I do to you? I will cast you out from my presence. - 2 Esdras 1:28-30
“O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, killing the prophets and stoning those who are sent to you! How often would I have gathered your children together as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, and you would not! 38Behold, your house is forsaken and desolate. 39For I tell you, you will not see me again, until you say, ‘Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.’ ” - Matthew 23:37-39 (& Luke 13:34-35)

And the Jesus prayer:
Forgive your neighbor a wrong, and then, when you pray, your sins will be forgiven. - SIrach 28:2
And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors; - Matthew 6:12

...

Here is Revelation:
Then I saw the seven angels who stand before God, and seven trumpets were given to them. And another angel came and stood at the altar with a golden censer; and he was given much incense to mingle with the prayers of all the saints upon the golden altar before the throne; - Revelation 8:2-3
I am Raphael, one of the seven holy angels who present the prayers of the saints and enter into the presence of the glory of the Holy One." - Tobit 12:15

And Revelation again:
And the dead were judged by what was written in the books, by what they had done. - Revelation 20:12b
As great as his mercy, so great is also his reproof; he judges a man according to his deeds. - Sirach 16:12

Aren't the majority of these quotes/ allusions found in the OT without the Apocrypha as well?

I noted the one about Enoch and Genesis. There are some quotes or references found in the OT, Apocrypha and the NT. Where in the OT are you thinking, of these that I listed specifically?

I don't know why this reply is in bold.

[Bootstrap]

Aren't the majority of these quotes/ allusions found in the OT without the Apocrypha as well?

Hmmm, good question. It's hard to know the source when quotes aren't exact, and it's hard to be sure that there isn't a similar quote somewhere else. But it's not THAT hard to generate some data for people to look at and form opinions ...

• Wisdom of Solomon and Romans
  - Wisdom 13:1-9 discusses the natural world's evidence of God.

  For all men who were ignorant of God were foolish by nature; and they were unable from the good things that are seen to know him who exists... (Wisdom 13:1, RSV)

  - Romans 1:20-23 shares a similar sentiment.

  For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse. (Romans 1:20, ESV)

  - Romans 9:21 talks about the potter having authority over the clay.

  Has the potter no right over the clay, to make out of the same lump one vessel for honorable use and another for dishonorable use? (Romans 9:21, ESV)

  - Isaiah 64:8 uses a similar potter and clay imagery.

  But now, O LORD, you are our Father; we are the clay, and you are our potter; we are all the work of your hand. (Isaiah 64:8, ESV)

• The Book of Genesis and Hebrews/James
  - Hebrews 11:5 references Enoch's translation to heaven without seeing death.

  By faith Enoch was taken up so that he should not see death, and he was not found, because God had taken him. Now before he was taken he was commended as having pleased God. (Hebrews 11:5, ESV)

  - Genesis 5:24 is the origin of this account.

  Enoch walked with God, and he was not, for God took him. (Genesis 5:24, ESV)

  - James 2:23 speaks about Abraham's faith being accounted as righteousness.

  And the Scripture was fulfilled that says, “Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness”—and he was called a friend of God. (James 2:23, ESV)

  - Genesis 15:6 is where this statement originates.

  And he believed the LORD, and he counted it to him as righteousness. (Genesis 15:6, ESV)

  - James 1:13-15 talks about temptation not coming from God.

  Let no one say when he is tempted, “I am being tempted by God,” for God cannot be tempted with evil, and he himself tempts no one. But each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desire. (James 1:13-15, ESV)

  - Genesis 22:1 shows a narrative where God tested Abraham, not tempted.

  After these things God tested Abraham and said to him, “Abraham!” And he said, “Here I am.” (Genesis 22:1, ESV)

• Wisdom of Solomon and Romans
  - Wisdom 13:1-9 discusses the natural world's evidence of God.

  For all men who were ignorant of God were foolish by nature; and they were unable from the good things that are seen to know him who exists... (Wisdom 13:1, RSV)

  - Romans 1:20-23 shares a similar sentiment.

  For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse. (Romans 1:20, ESV)

  - Romans 9:21 talks about the potter having authority over the clay.

  Has the potter no right over the clay, to make out of the same lump one vessel for honorable use and another for dishonorable use? (Romans 9:21, ESV)

  - Isaiah 64:8 uses a similar potter and clay imagery.

  But now, O LORD, you are our Father; we are the clay, and you are our potter; we are all the work of your hand. (Isaiah 64:8, ESV)

• The Book of Genesis and Hebrews/James
  - Hebrews 11:5 references Enoch's translation to heaven without seeing death.

  By faith Enoch was taken up so that he should not see death, and he was not found, because God had taken him. Now before he was taken he was commended as having pleased God. (Hebrews 11:5, ESV)

  - Genesis 5:24 is the origin of this account.

  Enoch walked with God, and he was not, for God took him. (Genesis 5:24, ESV)

  - James 2:23 speaks about Abraham's faith being accounted as righteousness.

  And the Scripture was fulfilled that says, “Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness”—and he was called a friend of God. (James 2:23, ESV)

  - Genesis 15:6 is where this statement originates.

  And he believed the LORD, and he counted it to him as righteousness. (Genesis 15:6, ESV)

  - James 1:13-15 talks about temptation not coming from God.

  Let no one say when he is tempted, “I am being tempted by God,” for God cannot be tempted with evil, and he himself tempts no one. But each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desire. (James 1:13-15, ESV)

  - Genesis 22:1 shows a narrative where God tested Abraham, not tempted.

  After these things God tested Abraham and said to him, “Abraham!” And he said, “Here I am.” (Genesis 22:1, ESV)

[RZehr]

Aren't the majority of these quotes/ allusions found in the OT without the Apocrypha as well?

Hmmm, good question. It's hard to know the source when quotes aren't exact, and it's hard to be sure that there isn't a similar quote somewhere else. But it's not THAT hard to generate some data for people to look at and form opinions ...

• Wisdom of Solomon and Romans
  - Wisdom 13:1-9 discusses the natural world's evidence of God.

  For all men who were ignorant of God were foolish by nature; and they were unable from the good things that are seen to know him who exists... (Wisdom 13:1, RSV)

  - Romans 1:20-23 shares a similar sentiment.

  For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse. (Romans 1:20, ESV)

  - Romans 9:21 talks about the potter having authority over the clay.

  Has the potter no right over the clay, to make out of the same lump one vessel for honorable use and another for dishonorable use? (Romans 9:21, ESV)

  - Isaiah 64:8 uses a similar potter and clay imagery.

  But now, O LORD, you are our Father; we are the clay, and you are our potter; we are all the work of your hand. (Isaiah 64:8, ESV)

I think Romans 9:21 is a much better match for Wisdom 15:7, than it is for Isaiah 64:8.
For when a potter kneads the soft earth and laboriously molds each vessel for our service, he fashions out of the same clay both the vessels that serve clean uses and those for contrary uses, making all in like manner; but which shall be the use of each of these the worker in clay decides. - Wisdom 15:7

[RZehr]

Aren't the majority of these quotes/ allusions found in the OT without the Apocrypha as well?

Hmmm, good question. It's hard to know the source when quotes aren't exact, and it's hard to be sure that there isn't a similar quote somewhere else. But it's not THAT hard to generate some data for people to look at and form opinions ...

• The Book of Genesis and Hebrews/James
  - Hebrews 11:5 references Enoch's translation to heaven without seeing death.

  By faith Enoch was taken up so that he should not see death, and he was not found, because God had taken him. Now before he was taken he was commended as having pleased God. (Hebrews 11:5, ESV)

  - Genesis 5:24 is the origin of this account.

  Enoch walked with God, and he was not, for God took him. (Genesis 5:24, ESV)

Genesis is the story origin, but is it the place that Hebrews is quoting?

[RZehr]

Aren't the majority of these quotes/ allusions found in the OT without the Apocrypha as well?

Hmmm, good question. It's hard to know the source when quotes aren't exact, and it's hard to be sure that there isn't a similar quote somewhere else. But it's not THAT hard to generate some data for people to look at and form opinions ...

• - James 1:13-15 talks about temptation not coming from God.

  Let no one say when he is tempted, “I am being tempted by God,” for God cannot be tempted with evil, and he himself tempts no one. But each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desire. (James 1:13-15, ESV)

  - Genesis 22:1 shows a narrative where God tested Abraham, not tempted.

  After these things God tested Abraham and said to him, “Abraham!” And he said, “Here I am.” (Genesis 22:1, ESV)

This doesn't seem like a very good connection to me. James 1:13-15 to Genesis 22:1. If we expand the lasso to encompass this type, then all of a sudden we could include a lot more references to the Apocrypha too.

[RZehr]

Aren't the majority of these quotes/ allusions found in the OT without the Apocrypha as well?

Hmmm, good question. It's hard to know the source when quotes aren't exact, and it's hard to be sure that there isn't a similar quote somewhere else. But it's not THAT hard to generate some data for people to look at and form opinions ...

- James 2:23 speaks about Abraham's faith being accounted as righteousness.

And the Scripture was fulfilled that says, “Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness”—and he was called a friend of God. (James 2:23, ESV)

- Genesis 15:6 is where this statement originates.

And he believed the LORD, and he counted it to him as righteousness. (Genesis 15:6, ESV)

This could be. James could be quoting either Genesis or 1 Maccabees 2:52. 1 Maccabees is clearly referring to Genesis.