Case for the Deuterocanon

by Gary G. Michuta

The term Deuterocanon first appeared in the sixteenth century. It literally means "second canon." The "first canon" (or Protocanon) consists of all of the Old Testament books (and sections of books) that Jewish, Catholic, Orthodox, and most modern Protestant Bibles have in common. The "second canon" consists of those books and sections of books that Catholic and Orthodox Bibles share, but Jewish Bibles and most modern Protestant Bibles omit, namely the book of Sirach (sometimes called Ecclesiasticus or Ben Sira), Wisdom (sometimes called the Wisdom of Solomon), Tobit, Judith, Baruch, and First and Second Maccabees. The Deuterocanon also includes two chapters in the book of Daniel, several Greek sections of the book of Esther, and the Epistle of Jeremiah.