Early Christian Views on the Deuterocanonical Books
Early Christians often read Tobit, Judith, Wisdom, Sirach, and Maccabees as sacred and useful books, and some listed them with Scripture. Writers like Clement of Alexandria, Cyprian, Hippolytus, and the Apostolic Constitutions give the clearest support. But the list was not always the same everywhere, so the pattern is broad but mixed.
144 early-church witnesses · 242 source quotations · compared with Scripture
What did early Christians believe about the deuterocanonical books?
Early Christian writers often treated Tobit, Judith, Wisdom, Sirach, and 1–2 Maccabees as useful Scripture or as books to be read in the church, but the evidence is not fully uniform. The clearest witnesses here are the Apostolic Constitutions, Clement of Alexandria, Cyprian, and Hippolytus, who quote or list several of these books alongside other sacred writings. At the same time, some writers also spoke of a narrower set of books, so the overall picture is mixed rather than simple.
This means early Christians did not all use the same Old Testament list, and the deuterocanonical books were clearly valued by many of them, though not always in the same way or with the same level of authority. Many more early Christian quotations, Bible passages, and source links are gathered below so you can study the evidence for yourself.
Key Takeaways
- Many early Christians quoted or listed deuterocanonical books with Scripture.
- Clement of Alexandria, Cyprian, Hippolytus, and the Apostolic Constitutions are the strongest witnesses here.
- The early record is mixed because some writers used a narrower Old Testament list.
Questions Answered by the Sources
Did early Christians quote or use the deuterocanonical books?
Several early Christian writers explicitly cite or refer to Tobit, Wisdom/Sirach, Judith, and the books of the Maccabees as part of their teaching and exhortation. The evidence shows real use of these writings, even though the sources do not all frame their authority in exactly the same way.
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Apostolic Constitutions, Apostolic Constitutions Direct teaching
...ves, also keeping silence. In the middle, let the reader stand in some high place. Let him read the books of Moses, of Joshua the son of Nun, of the Judges, and of the Kings and of the Chronicles, and those written after the return from captivity. Besides these, let him read the books of Job and of Solomon, and of the sixteen prophets. But when two lessons have been read separately, let some other person sing the hymns of David, and let the people join at the ends of the verses. Afterward let our Acts be read, and the Epistles of Paul our fellow worker, which he sent to the churches under the guidance of the Holy Spirit. Afterward let a deacon or a presbyter read the Gospels, both those which I, Matthew, and John have delivered to you, and those which Luke and Mark, the fellow workers of Paul, received and left to you. While the Gospel is being read, let all the presbyters and deacons, and all the people, stand up in great silence, for it is written, "Be silent, and hear, O Israel," Deuteronomy 27:9. And again, "But stand there, and hear," Deuteronomy 5:31. Next, let the presbyters exhort the people one by one, not all together, and let the bishop speak last, as the commander. L
Did early Christians warn against apocryphal or forged books?
The supplied sources also include repeated warnings against apocryphal, harmful, or forged writings. These warnings suggest that early Christians did not treat every religious writing as equally trustworthy.
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Hippolytus, Exegetical Fragments Supporting witness
and all these assumed crowns, as Daniel prophesies, and as it is written in the first book of Maccabees.
Common Questions
Did early Christians treat the deuterocanonical books as Scripture?
Many early Christians did use them as Scripture or as church reading, especially Tobit, Wisdom, Sirach, Judith, and Maccabees. But the level of authority was not the same in every writer.
Which early Christian writers support the deuterocanonical books?
Clement of Alexandria, Cyprian, Hippolytus, and the Apostolic Constitutions are the clearest witnesses in this set.
Was the early Christian Old Testament list settled?
No. The early list was not fully settled, and writers did not all use the same books in the same way.
Source Index for the deuterocanonical books
The guided sections above show the strongest quotations. This compact index highlights 160 ranked source links from 242 compiled sources for deeper study.
Source index 160 ranked links shown
Early Christian Writings 80 shown of 144
Primary-source quotations from early Christian writers and church documents.
Bible Passages 80 shown of 98
Related Bible passages saved for comparison with the early Christian quotations.