Heidegger's Bible Handbook: OT Apocrypha: The Public Reading of the Apocrypha Impugned

10.  The public reading and exposition of them is impugned.

But, although we readily acknowledge the use, at least in private reading, of the Apocryphal books, especially of Wisdom, Ecclesiasticus, Baruch, and 1 Maccabees, which we prefer as better and more useful than the others; yet that they might be read publicly and explained from the pulpit, as Lutheran and other Orthodox Theologians were wont to do, we judge it neither necessary, nor advantageous, nor sufficiently safe.  It is not necessary, because the Canonical books undoubtedly set forth the whole business and counsel of salvation, and are able to make the man of God perfect.[1]  It is not advantageous, because they, here and there sprinkled with many blemishes, and gushing forth with faults, are not able solidly to shape Christian faith and life.  Finally, it is not safe, because the public reading of them appears to produce a disgust and contempt for the Canonical books, and at least fosters the danger of diminishing the value of the Canonical books, as experience and the sad result in the Papacy has taught.  Finally, the σεσοφισμένοι μύθοι, fables composed by art,[2] which occur in them, could pervert the judgment of the faithful, especially the simple.  Upon this matter, the Celebrated Gernler[3] ὁ  μακαρίτης, of blessed memory, in his Dissertatione de libris Aprocryphis, section 33, thus speaks:  The public reading of the Apocryphal books is not to be preferred.  For, they were not ever read with Apostolic authority:  only reluctantly admitted to this degree of honor in some Churches.  It is certain, that the reading of them gave occasion to the error of the Canonizing of them.  For, the Carthaginians render this as the reason why they receive them into the Canon, that they receive them from the Fathers as to be read in the Church.  Let the reading of them be customary, only as long as it was without vice.  We, imitating Hezekiah, 2 Kings 18:9, with good reason cast them from the sanctuary, because we perceive incense to be offered to them, and Divine honor to be attributed to them.  The public reading of books not Divine struck the Divine books from the hands of the people.  That it is going to happen, that, with the order repeating, just as the Canonical books were read, in progress of time they would be canonized, is no vain fear, since it appears, that, even where they are not read, the common people attribute it to them.  Let them be read privately, especially Wisdom, Ecclesiasticus, and Baruch, which generally have fewer impurities.  Let them be read, where there is place for human comments concerning sacred argument.  In the Church, let the Word of God alone be set forth to the people; and let both the pericopes of the readings, and the texts of the Sermons, be sought out of the Canonical books alone.  Hitherto that great man.  Similar things are also found in the Celebrated Gisbertus Voetius,[4] Politicæ Ecclesiasticæ, Part I, Book II, Tractate II, chapter 3.

[1] See 2 Timothy 3:15-17.

[2] 2 Peter 1:16:  “For we have not followed cunningly devised fables (σεσοφισμένοις μύθοις), when we made known unto you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but were eyewitnesses of his majesty.”

[3] Lucas Gernler (1625-1675) was a Swiss Reformed theologian, serving as Professor of Theology at Basel (1656).

[4] Gisbertus Voetius (1589-1676) was a Dutch Reformed minister and theologian.  In 1619, he attended the Synod of Dort as its youngest member.  Some years later he was appointed as Professor of Theology at Utrecht (1636-1676).