Well I never did.  Today my lovely Bible Study group finished a series on 1 Peter, which has proved both challenging and very interesting.  They are very keen to pick up something after Easter and after we'd tossed around a few ideas they decided they'd be curious to look at some of the Apocrypha (the bit after the OT and before the NT that proddy non-conformists threw out somewhere along the line, but from which chunks appear on plaques in chapels up and down England of not the rest of the UK*).  The thought is to set some of the material alongside OT and or NT passages.

I am excited by this but have no resources to help me here, and a quick google hasn't helped much - just threw up a few forty year old commentaries at high prices.  Anyone out there point me at anything they've used when working with this material?  Just to clarify, we'll be looking at those books which appear in Catholic or Orthodox Bibles not the other weird and wonderful that are generally excluded but found their way into the middle of the "NRSV anglicised edition with apocrypha"  so beloved of UK theological establishments.

I'll leave the gnostic stuff for another time...!

* By way of an example, Ecclesiasticus 44:1-15 (aka Sirach 44:1-15) in KJV, part of which adorned the wall at Dibley (the plaque that was located nearest the organ console, in case anyone from there is reading)

Let us now praise famous men, and our fathers that begat us.
The Lord hath wrought great glory by them through his great power from the beginning.
Such as did bear rule in their kingdoms, men renowned for their power, giving counsel by their understanding, and declaring prophecies:
Leaders of the people by their counsels, and by their knowledge of learning meet for the people, wise and eloquent are their instructions:
Such as found out musical tunes, and recited verses in writing:
Rich men furnished with ability, living peaceably in their habitations:
All these were honoured in their generations, and were the glory of their times.
There be of them, that have left a name behind them, that their praises might be reported.
And some there be, which have no memorial; who are perished, as though they had never been; and are become as though they had never been born; and their children after them.
But these were merciful men, whose righteousness hath not been forgotten.
With their seed shall continually remain a good inheritance, and their children are within the covenant.
Their seed standeth fast, and their children for their sakes.
Their seed shall remain for ever, and their glory shall not be blotted out.
Their bodies are buried in peace; but their name liveth for evermore.
The people will tell of their wisdom, and the congregation will shew forth their praise.