The Apocrypha Not Canonical (Belgic Confession 6b)
Rev. Angus Stewart defends the Protestant Reformed distinction between canonical and apocryphal books by examining Article 6 of the Belgic Confession, demonstrating why the Apocrypha lacks the objective marks of God's Word—divine claims, fulfilled prophecy, internal unity, and doctrinal soundness. This resource provides a confessional and hermeneutical foundation for understanding why Reformed churches do not regard the apocryphal books as authoritative Scripture.
Rev. Angus Stewart Belgic Confession 6: The Difference Between the Canonical and Apocryphal Books We distinguish those sacred books from the apocryphal, namely: the third book of Esdras, the books of Tobias, Judith, Wisdom, Jesus Syrach, Baruch, the appendix to the book of Esther, the Song of the Three Children in the Furnace, the History of Susannah, of Bell and the Dragon, the Prayer of Manasses, and the two books of the Maccabees. All of which the church may read and take instruction from...