ABSTRACT
The story of the Old Testament ends with Malachi in fifth-century Jerusalem, newly rebuilt after the Exile; on the next page in most Bibles, Matthew opens with the birth of Jesus. The ‘Writings’ were written in the space between the two, but in no way fill in the narrative. Attached to the Old Testament, in both Jewish and Christian traditions, are the Apocrypha (see p. 16). This is a mixed group of writings in Greek, which do include some history (1–2 Maccabees), dealing principally with the years 168–160 bc, besides fictional narrative (e.g. Susannah, Bel and the Dragon, Tobit); and some ‘Wisdom’ and mystic literature. Although they contain much fine writing, and some very attractive narrative, they have never won whole-hearted admission to either canon.
