In terms of its origin, it just means "hidden." Of course, Protestants in their rebellion against what they saw as the Catholic distortion of Holy Scripture rejected the "Apocryphal" books, and in their polemical rejection they gave the term, with a small "a," the significance of "phony" or "unreliable."
I regret that. I have no interest in participating in post-Reformation apologetics, but it does seem to me that saying a story is "apocryphal" gives a phoney veneer of sophistication to saying, simply, "I don't believe it," or "this can't be trusted."
Just a thought for the day. Loosely inspired by: this.
Enjoy the remains of the Labor Day weekend. In the northeastern United States, it has been a wonderful stretch of days.
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