Question: In one of your articles you claim that the
apocrypha contradict the Scripture. I do not see any contradictions.
Answer: Please take a second look and judge for yourself. Let's
take some examples, starting with the book of Sirach which teaches that
almsgiving makes atonement for sin. “Whoso honoureth his father maketh
an atonement for his sins...Water will quench a flaming fire; and alms
maketh an atonement for sin” (Sirach 3:3, 30).
Now it is the constant teaching of the Law that atonement is made by
a blood sacrifice. For example Leviticus 17:11 states: “For the life
of the flesh is in the blood: and I have given it to you upon the altar
to make an atonement for your souls: for it is the blood that maketh an
atonement for the soul.”
But Sirach teaches that honouring parents and giving alms atones for
sin. Sirach teaches that a person can be justified by another method
apart from substitutionary sacrifice.
Sirach teaches justification by the works of the law (honouring
parents, etc.) which is directly refuted by the Bible: “A man is not
justified by the works of the law” (Galatians 2:16). In fact, the
apostle Paul goes as far as saying that “if righteousness come by the
law, then Christ is dead in vain” (verse 21). If we could obtain
righteousness by such things as obeying the commandment and doing
charity, there would have been no need for Christ dying on the cross.
Similarly Tobit 12:9 states that “alms doth deliver from death, and
shall purge away all sin.” But the Bible states that “the blood of
Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin” (1 John 1:7). Being
assured by the Word of God that Christ’s blood really cleanses from all sin,
we cannot accept that alms-giving is an a different way of purging sin. In fact the Bible makes it clear that ‘without the shedding of
blood there is no remission’ (Hebrews 9:14). Tobit proposes an
alternative way for purging sin apart from the shedding of blood.
Wisdom 8:19,20 is another contradiction between the apocrypha and
Scripture. “For I was a witty child, and had a good spirit. Yea
rather, being good, I came into a body undefiled.” However, the Bible
teaches that all are born with original sin. "Through one man’s
offense judgment came to all men... by one man’s disobedience many
were made sinners" (Romans 5:18, 19). “There is none righteous,
no, not one” (Romans 3:10). The author of Wisdom believes he was an
exception.
Sirach 12:4-7 advices, “Give to the godly man, and help not a
sinner. Do well unto him that is lowly, but give not to the ungodly;
hold back thy bread, and give it not unto him... give unto the good, and
help not the sinner.” This sound more like pagan philosophy rather
than the teaching of God, “But I say to you who hear: Love your
enemies, do good to those who hate you... Give to everyone who asks of
you. And from him who takes away your goods do not ask them back”
(Luke 6:27,30). “If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty,
give him a drink;” (Romans 12:20, Proverbs 25:21).
There are also historical errors in the apocrypha. For example, Tobit
claims to have been alive when Jeroboam revolted (931 B.C.) and when
Assyria conquered Israel (722 B.C.). These two events were separated by
over 200 years and yet the total lifespan of Tobit was 158 years (Tobit
1:3-5; 14:11)! Judith mistakenly identifies Nebuchadnezzar as king of
the Assyrians (1:1, 7) when in fact he was the king of Babylon (2 Kings
24:1).
Surely the doctrinal and historical errors in the apocrypha are clear
evidence against the divine inspiration of these books.