The significance of the apocryphal Greek Additions to Esther for the church today

Abstract

Over the centuries, the Protestant church has increasingly ignored the apocryphal books of the Old Testament, including the Additions to the book of Esther. This article first outlines the extent of the apocryphal material; it then discusses its origins, purported theology, and its “canonicity” in various religious traditions; it then provides a detailed examination of the content of the Greek Additions to Esther and comments on how the Additions alter or add to an understanding of the book of Esther; finally, it offers some comments on the significance of the Greek Additions to Esther for the Church today. The study concludes that the Greek Additions to Esther are a rich resource for the Christian community, providing insight into the issues confronting the diaspora Jews as they made their way in a Gentile world and essential background information for understanding the early Christian world view, enhancing an understanding of what it means to be faithful in a world that seems not to be, and showing the evolving and ever-changing status of what is considered “scripture” today.