"Canonical apocalypses apparently in public circulation since time of claimed authors, no reason to this this true for apocryphal ones.
"Compare Gospel of Thomas: ÒThese are the secret wordsÉÓ
and Joseph Smith ÔfindingÕ golden
plates.
"I think the apocryphal apocalypses were semi-secret works of Mormon-like groups in antiquity.
"Semi-secret because all such groups have occasional cases of apostasy.