The Canonicity Of The New Testament
THE CANONICITY OF THE NEW TESTAMENT
The church was born with a completed canon in her hands. The earliest church already recognized the Old Testament as their Scriptures. It was not until more than 10 years after the church had begun that the first of the New Testament books began to be written. The New Testament books were written between 40-95 A.D. (it is my own personal view that it might have been completed prior to 70 A.D.). There were several different types of writing.
• Historical format (the Gospels and Acts).
• Letters to the churches and to individuals.
• The Apocalyptic format of Revelation.|
Apostolic Authorship: Every book of the New Testament was either written by an apostle or by someone who had apostolic sanction.
• Mark was given his information by Peter.
• Luke was a disciple of Paul.| The word “apostle” come from a root meaning “to send.” The Greek word avpostoloj (apostolos) is related to the inter-Testamental use of xylv (shelyach), describing a messenger. The emphasis was not so much on the fact of sending, but rather on the authority of the person who was to perform the task. The xylv fully represents the one who sent him.
Truly, truly, I say to you, he who receives whomever I send receives Me; and he who receives Me receives Him who sent Me. (John 13:20). The apostles had authority to act in the name of Jesus. Their authority was a delegated authority.
Therefore, holy brethren, partakers of a heavenly calling, consider Jesus, the APOSTLE and High Priest of our confession (Hebrews 3:1).
Jesus was our Apostle. He was sent by God from heaven with authority. Thus, when people received Paul, they received him "as an angel of God, as Christ Jesus Himself" (Galatians 4:14). Ancronicus and Junias (Romans 16:7), Titus (2 Corinthians 8:23) and Epaphroditus (Php_2:25) are also referred to as apostles. 1 Corinthians 15:7 indicates a broader group known as the apostles that went beyond the Twelve. The Jewish xylv was a temporary status. The Christian Apostle seems to have been permanent. Thus, while there is a similarity to the xylv, there was also a difference.
There was a radical change in the apostles after Christ rose from the dead.
These apostles were authorized representatives. They had authority, identifying them fully with the One who had commissioned them. They had a “power of attorney” with Christ. The apostles themselves were given their authority by Jesus Christ, both to teach and to preach in His name. The early church fathers recognized that they themselves did not have this kind of authority. The apostles received the gospel for us from the Lord Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ was sent from God, so then the apostles are sent from Christ. (Clement of Rome, 95 A.D.).
I do not, as Peter and Paul, issue commandments to you. They were apostles. I am but a condemned man. (Ignatius, 117 A.D.). The testimony of all of the early church fathers is that the apostles were given their authority from Jesus Christ. Therefore, their writings were considered to be authoritative.
Consistency: It was recognized by early Christians that all of the books of the New Testament were consistent with previous revelation. That is, when certain writings were seen to contradict prior Scriptures, it was obvious that they were not to be considered a part of the Canon.
Reception by the Churches.
Books that were initially questioned. By 180 A.D. a total of 20 out of 27 of the New Testament documents were widely accepted as canonical. Only 7 were not. The issues were...
Authorship.
Content.
Controversy.
Circulation (if you don't have a copy of a certain epistle or book, you aren't likely to accept it as authoritative). The following books were accepted at this time as being on par with the Old Testament:
Four Gospels.
Acts.
13 epistles of Paul.
1st Peter.
1st John.
Irenaeus and the Muratorian Canon bear witness to this list. During the next two centuries there was debate over the remaining seven books. The Easter letter of Athenasius (written in 367) points to the accepting of all 27 books of the New Testament.
Marcion's canon...
Edited version of Like.
13 of Paul's epistles.
Tried to rid the church of Jewish influences.
Factors which led to the recognition of the New Testament Canon.
(1) Heretics influenced the New Testament church to formalize an official canon. One thing that gave rise to a greater recognition of the canonicity of the New Testament books was the rise of certain heretics who denied that certain of these books ought to be in the Bible. For example, Marcion published his own limited canon and thereby had a catalytic effect that drove the church to account for what it already had and accepted.
(2) The presence of other Christian writings. Another factor that led to the recognition of a canon was the writing of many Christian books are letters. As Christianity grew and spread, believers began to write books and letters, outlining their beliefs and urging others to good works. We have letters which were written by many of the church fathers. The question arose as to whether they were to consider these new writings to be on par with the books of the New Testament.
(3) The coming of intense persecution. The Roman emperor Diocletian (303 A.D.) passed a law that made it illegal to possess a Bible. This brought to light the question, “For what books am I willing to die? Will I die for the Gospel According to Thomas? What about Paul's Epistle to the Romans?”
All three of these aspects -- the rise of heretics, the existence of other Christian documents, and the persecutions against Christianity -- had the result of bringing about a series of church councils that publicly recognized the New Testament Canon.
Decisions of the Church Councils.
Council|Date|Result|
Council of Laodicea|363|Asked that only canonical books be read from the pulpit. All our books of the New Testament listed except for Revelation.|
Council of Carthage|397|Recognized our present New Testament Canon including Revelation.| The Questioning of Certain Books: Why were certain books questioned as regards to their canonicity?
• James was questioned because it seemed to contradict the teaching of Justification by Faith.
• 2 Peter Hebrews were questioned because it was not known who was the human author.
• 2 John and 3 John were questioned because they seemed too short.
• Revelation was called into question because of its difficult symbolism.
Criteria Used by the Early Church: The early church used the following criteria in determining the canonicity of the New Testament books.
Apostleship or association with the Apostles. Not all of the writers of the New Testament were apostles, but all were written by people who were associated with the Apostles.
- Mark
- Luke
- Acts
- Hebrews
- James
- Jude
Hebrews was only accepted after Paul was adopted as the author. However, some of the New Testament books do not have apostles as authors.
Association with the apostles: Not all of the books of the New Testament were written by apostles. Mark and Luke had close associations with Peter and with Paul and therefore were considered to be authoritative because of those associations.
Antiquity: Only the earliest documents of the church have been included. It was understood that God's revelatory work had ceased after that first generation had passed.
Public reading: I adjure you by the Lord to have this letter read to all the brethren. (1 Thessalonians 5:27). Paul commanded that his epistle be read in the church. The problem with this is that the same instructions were given in Colossians 4:16 about a letter that Paul wrote to Laodicea - a letter which is not a part of the canon (see also 1 Corinthians 5:9).
Acceptance by the church. Some epistles were not popular everywhere (like 2 Peter). This was especially true it the epistle had a limited audience. Where does Scripture originate? From the Spirit of God (2 Peter 1:20-21; 2 Timothy 3:16).|c|In the Old Testament, the finger of God wrote on tablets of stone.| The “finger of God” was a reference to the Holy Spirit. We no longer have the word on Tablets of Stone. The Word is now written on the hearts of men. And these words, which I am commanding you today, shall be on your heart. (Deuteronomy 6:6). But the word is very near you, in your mouth and in your heart, that you may observe it. Deuteronomy 30:14).
I delight to do Thy will, O my God;
Thy Law is within my heart. (Psalms 40:8). The Law of the Lord is in his heart; His steps do not slip. (Psalms 37:31).
“But this is the covenant which I will make with the house of Israel after those days,” declares the Lord, “I will put My law within them, and on their heart I will write it; and I will be their God, and they shall be My people.” (Jeremiah 31:33). The apostles were to the church what a foundation is to its house. Their function took place during the period between the resurrection of Christ and His return. Our use of the Scriptures is an appeal to the teaching and the authority of the apostles and the prophets. But there is a warning here. The origin of the Canon is not the same as its reception by the church. The church did not create the Canon. The Canon created the church. This is seen in the words of Paul when he points out the instrument that is used by God to bring about faith. So faith comes from hearing, and hearing by the word of Christ. (Romans 10:17).
It is the word of Christ which brings forth faith. It is this faith which is brought forth by the word which leads to the building of the church. The Existence of the Canon|Does not
equal|The Recognition of the Canon| The church did not create the canon. The canon created and still creates the church. The origin of the canon is not the same as its reception by the church. In the 1990's, I had opportunity to visit the Grand Canyon. It is a breathtaking vista and my response was an appropriate, “Wow!” But my recognition of that vista did not create the vista. I was only recognizing that which already existed. In the same way, the church looked at the Scriptures and gave an appropriate, “Wow!” The church looked at the Scriptures and recognized that those Scriptures came from God. Their recognition did not make the Scriptures any more than my own recognition created the Grand Canyon.
Norman Geisler provides the following chart as a study in the contrast between correct and incorrect views of the canon (2002:530).
Incorrect View of the Canon|Correct View of the Canon|
Church Determines Canon Church is Mother of Canon Church is Magistrate of Canon Church Regulates Canon Church is Judge of Canon Church is Master of Canon|Church Discovers Canon Church is Child of Canon Church is Minister of Canon Church Recognizes Canon Church is Witness of Canon Church is Servant of Canon|
Thus we conclude that the canon made the church and not the other way around. The church is not free to make the decision of which books it wishes to accept or reject. Rather, the church is called to recognize that which God has provided.