BIBLE-CANON
Neither
individuals nor councils created the canon; instead they came to recognize and
acknowledge the self-authenticating quality of these writings, which imposed
themselves as canonical upon the church.
Bruce Metzger
The
New Testament, Its Background, Growth and Content, Abington Press, 2003, p.
318.
It is the
simple truth to say that the New Testament books became canonical because no
one could stop them doing so.
William Barclay
Quoted in: The New Covenant Scriptures by Charles E.
Hill, Tabletalk, October 2008, p. 14. Used by Permission of Ligonier Ministries.
Picking up
any of a number of recent works on the NT canon, one is likely to find the
author seeking the roots of the NT canon somewhere in the needs of the early
church. One says it was the battle against heresy that prompted the church to
find some authoritative texts on which to take its stand. Another
points to the catechetical and liturgical need for new scriptures to
nourish the spiritual life of the church. Another looks to Constantine the Great’s campaign to unify the empire, which allegedly
required an agreed-upon set of scriptures as an essential tool to promote
concord. These all, and more, may have played limited roles in bringing about
the church’s agreement on the contents of the NT. But the ultimate foundations
for the existence of a NT canon must be sought not in any of these historical
exigencies, but in the gracious purpose of a self-revealing God whose word
carries His own divine authority.
Charles E. Hill
The
New Covenant Scriptures, Tabletalk, October 2008, p. 14. Used by Permission of
Ligonier Ministries.
It is
important to realize that in all its deliberations about the books that make up
the canon of Scripture, the church did not sovereignly “determine” or “choose”
the books it most preferred. It saw itself as empowered only to receive what
God had provided, in books handed down from the apostles and their immediate
companions. “Apostolicity,” “antiquity,” and “orthodoxy,” are
not criteria by which the church autonomously judged which documents it wanted,
but qualities the church recognizes in the voice of its Savior. Likewise,
“liturgical use” and “church consensus” are reflections of the testimony of the
Holy Spirit in the life of the church.
Charles E. Hill
The
New Covenant Scriptures, Tabletalk, October 2008, p. 17. Used by Permission of
Ligonier Ministries.
Canon of the
New Testament:
1.
Early
Christian writings gradually collected. Gospels. Paul’s writings (2 Peter
3:16).
2.
Marcion,
Gnostic heretic (139 A.D.) determined list of writings. Rejected O.T., revised
Luke’s gospel, ten Pauline epistles. Restricted list.
3.
Montanus
claimed divine revelation. Expanded list.
4.
Church
responded to these attempts to expand or restrict.
5.
Irenaeus,
180 A.D. cites 22 writings as acceptable: 4 gospels, Acts, 13 Pauline epistles,
1 Peter, 1, 2 John and Revelation.
6.
Muratorian
list - named after Italian Muratori (1740) who
discovered such. Fragment dated late 2nd to 4th century. 22 books plus
Apocalypse of Peter. Hebrews, 1,2 Peter, 3 John and James
omitted.
7.
Tertullian
(150-230) – 22 books accepted: 4 gospels, Acts, 13 Pauline epistles, 1 Peter, 1
John, Jude, Revelation.
8.
Origen
(185-255). Three categories of writings:
a.
Acknowledged:
4 gospels, 13 Pauline epistles, 1 Peter, 1 John, Acts, Revelation.
b.
Disputed:
2 Peter, 2, 3 John, Hebrews, James and Jude; also Epistle of Barnabas, Shepherd
of Hermas, Didache.
c.
Heretical:
Gospel of Thomas, Gospel of Peter, etc.
9.
Eusebius
(260-340).
a.
Acknowledged:
4 gospels, 14 Pauline epistles (Hebrews included), I Peter, I
John, Acts.
b.
Disputed:
James, Jude, 2 Peter, 2, 3 John, Revelation. Spurious: Shepherd of Hermas, Epistle of Barnabas, Didache, Acts
of Paul.
c.
Heretical:
Gospel of Thomas, Peter, Acts of Andrew etc.
10. Codex Sinaiticus
(4th century). 27 books plus Epistle of Barnabas and Shepherd of Hermas.
11. Council of Laodicea (363) - 26 books.
Revelation omitted.
12. Athanasius (367) - first time list
includes the 27 books of present N.T.
13. Jerome's Vulgate included 27 books of
N.T.
14. Augustine (397), 3rd Council of
Carthage, accepted 27 books of N.T.
James Fowler
Excerpted from: Canon of Scripture, Study Outlines, 1999,
www.christinyou.net.