SPRING 2020 - 2nd Pres

SPRING 2020

SECOND PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH

The Bible

▪ Library of books

▪ Written over 1100 years

▪ Many different genres/types of literature

▪ Written to different audiences

▪ Different purposes

▪ One overarching theme

Canon (kanon) = standard of measurement

Canon

approved list of books of Old & New Testament

Hebrew Scriptures (Tanakh)

▪ Torah (Pentateuch)

▪ Historical Books

▪ Prophets

▪ Writings

Hebrew Scriptures (Tanakh)

▪ Torah (Pentateuch)

▪ Prophets

▪ Writings

Hebrew Scriptures (Tanakh)

▪ Torah (Pentateuch)

▪ Prophets (Former & Latter Prophets)

▪ Writings

Torah

▪ First 5 books of Bible

▪ Genesis – Exodus – Leviticus – Numbers -Deuteronomy

▪ Also called “The Law”

641-610 BC

Reign of Josiah

Timeline of Hebrew bible Canonization

8The high priest Hilkiah said to Shaphan the secretary, ‘I have

found the book of the law in the house of the LORD.’ When

Hilkiah gave the book to Shaphan, he read it. 9Then Shaphan the

secretary came to the king…11When the king heard the words

of the book of the law, he tore his clothes. 12Then the king

commanded the priest Hilkiah, 13‘Go, inquire of the LORD for

me, for the people, and for all Judah, concerning the words of

this book that has been found; for great is the wrath of

the LORD that is kindled against us, because our ancestors did

not obey the words of this book, to do according to all that is

written concerning us.’

- 2 Kings 22:8,11-13

1All the people gathered together into the square before the

Water Gate. They told the scribe Ezra to bring the book of the

law of Moses, which the LORD had given to Israel. 2Accordingly,

the priest Ezra brought the law before the assembly, both men

and women and all who could hear with understanding.

- Nehemiah 8:1-2

586 BC

Destruction of 1st

Temple

Return from Exile

538 BC641-610 BC

Reign of Josiah

Timeline of Hebrew bible Canonization

586 BC

Destruction of 1st

Temple

Return from Exile

538 BC641-610 BC

Reign of Josiah

Timeline of Hebrew bible Canonization

440-400 BC

Ezra returns from Exile

586 BC

Destruction of 1st

Temple

Return from Exile

538 BC641-610 BC

Reign of Josiah

Timeline of Hebrew bible Canonization

440-400 BC

Ezra returns from Exile

Torah not known

586 BC

Destruction of 1st

Temple

Return from Exile

538 BC641-610 BC

Reign of Josiah

Timeline of Hebrew bible Canonization

440-400 BC

Ezra returns from Exile

Torah not known

375? BC

JudeanSamaritan schism

Shared Torah

586 BC

Destruction of 1st

Temple

Return from Exile

538 BC641-610 BC

Reign of Josiah

Timeline of Hebrew bible Canonization

440-400 BC

Ezra returns from Exile

Torah not known

375? BC

JudeanSamaritan schism

Shared Torah

Torah

Prophets

▪ Former Prophets (Historical books)

▪ Latter Prophets

586 BC

Destruction of 1st

Temple

Return from Exile

538 BC641-610 BC

Reign of Josiah

Timeline of Hebrew bible Canonization

440-400 BC

Ezra returns from Exile

Torah not known

375? BC

JudeanSamaritan schism

Shared Torah

Torah

586 BC

Destruction of 1st

Temple

Return from Exile

538 BC641-610 BC

Reign of Josiah

Timeline of Hebrew bible Canonization

440-400 BC

Ezra returns from Exile

Torah not known

375? BC

JudeanSamaritan schism

Shared Torah

Torah

Do not share prophets

586 BC

Destruction of 1st

Temple

Return from Exile

538 BC641-610 BC

Reign of Josiah

Timeline of Hebrew bible Canonization

440-400 BC

Ezra returns from Exile

Torah not known

375? BC

JudeanSamaritan schism

Shared Torah

330 BC

Alexander the Great

Torah

Do not share prophets

586 BC

Destruction of 1st

Temple

Return from Exile

538 BC641-610 BC

Reign of Josiah

Timeline of Hebrew bible Canonization

440-400 BC

Ezra returns from Exile

Torah not known

375? BC

JudeanSamaritan schism

Shared Torah

330 BC

Alexander the Great

Torah

Do not share prophets

Prophets

Writings

▪ 2nd Temple period (538-70 BC)

▪ After Prophets closed (ca. 350 BC)

586 BC

Destruction of 1st

Temple

Return from Exile

538 BC641-610 BC

Reign of Josiah

Timeline of Hebrew bible Canonization

440-400 BC

Ezra returns from Exile

Torah not known

375? BC

JudeanSamaritan schism

Shared Torah

330 BC

Alexander the Great

Torah

Do not share prophets

Prophets

175 BC

Ben Sira

On the other hand, he who devotes himself to the study

of the law of the Most High (Torah) will seek out the

wisdom of all the ancients (Writings), and will be

concerned with prophecies (Prophets).

- Ben Sira 39:1

180-175 BC

…the Law and the prophets and the other

books of our fathers.

- Ben Sira Prologue

132 BC

586 BC

Destruction of 1st

Temple

Return from Exile

538 BC641-610 BC

Reign of Josiah

Timeline of Hebrew bible Canonization

440-400 BC

Ezra returns from Exile

Torah not known

375? BC

JudeanSamaritan schism

Shared Torah

330 BC

Alexander the Great

Torah

Do not share prophets

Prophets

175 BC

Ben Sira

BC/AD

75 AD

Josephus

586 BC

Destruction of 1st

Temple

Return from Exile

538 BC641-610 BC

Reign of Josiah

Timeline of Hebrew bible Canonization

440-400 BC

Ezra returns from Exile

Torah not known

375? BC

JudeanSamaritan schism

Shared Torah

330 BC

Alexander the Great

Torah

Do not share prophets

Prophets

175 BC

Ben Sira

BC/AD

75 AD

Josephus

150 AD

2 Esdras

45…the Most High spoke to me, saying, “Make public the

twenty-four books that you wrote first and let the worthy and

the unworthy read them;

- 2 Esdras 14:45

586 BC

Destruction of 1st

Temple

Return from Exile

538 BC641-610 BC

Reign of Josiah

Timeline of Hebrew Bible Canonization

440-400 BC

Ezra returns from Exile

Torah not known

375? BC

JudeanSamaritan schism

Shared Torah

330 BC

Alexander the Great

Torah

Do not share prophets

Prophets

175 BC

Ben Sira

BC/AD

75 AD

Josephus

150 AD

2 Esdras

Writings

New Testament

▪ All within 100 years of each other

▪ Gospels

▪ Acts

▪ Letters/Epistles

No Canon Needed

▪ Had the Hebrew Scriptures

▪ Had the words of Jesus

▪ Had the Holy Spirit

▪ Not going to be around long

1st Steps

▪ Paul’s letters

33 AD

Resurrection

Timeline of Christian Bible Canonization

51-57

Paul’s Letters written

Pauls’ Letters Read in Worship

1st Steps

▪ Paul’s letters

▪ Gospels

EARLY CHRISTIAN GOSPELS

•Thomas

•Philip

•Mary Magdalene

•The Hebrews

•The Ebionites

•Bartholomew

•Nicodemus

• Secret Gospel of Mark

INFANCY GOSPELS

•of James

•of Thomas

•of Pseudo-Matthew

•Arabic Gospel of the

Infancy

•Armenian Gospel of the

Infancy

•History of Joseph the

Carpenter

•Assumption of the Virgin

33 AD

Resurrection

Timeline of Christian Bible Canonization

51-57

Paul’s Letters written

Pauls’ Letters Read in Worship

65-100

Gospels Written

Four Gospels Read in Worship

15065

Gnosticism

▪ gnosis = knowledge

▪ (agnostic = doesn’t know)

Gnosticism

▪ gnosis = knowledge

▪ (agnostic = doesn’t know)

▪ God of Old Testament (Creator) not the Father of Jesus

Gnosticism

▪ gnosis = knowledge

▪ (agnostic = doesn’t know)

▪ God of Old Testament (Creator) not the Father of Jesus

▪ Jesus was just pretending to be human (Docetism)

RESPONSES TO GNOSTICISM

Church known as catholic

RESPONSES TO GNOSTICISM

Church known as catholic

Apostles’ Creed

RESPONSES TO GNOSTICISM

Church known as catholic

Apostles’ Creed

Criteria for Evaluation

CANONICAL CRITERIA

Apostolic Authorship?

CANONICAL CRITERIA

Apostolic Authorship?

Ancient & Accepted?

CANONICAL CRITERIA

Apostolic Authorship?

Ancient & Accepted?

Inspiring & Necessary?

MARCION

ca. 140 AD

Marcionism

▪ Discounted anything that is “too Jewish”

▪ Rejected all Gospels except an edited Luke

▪ Edited Paul’s writings

▪ Rejected Hebrew Scriptures

33 AD

Resurrection

Timeline of Christian Bible Canonization

51-57

Paul’s Letters written

Pauls’ Letters Read in Worship

65-100

Gospels Written

Four Gospels Read in Worship

15065

150

Muratorian Canon

Muratorian Canon (180 AD)

• Four Gospels and Acts

• 13 Epistles of Paul

• James

• 1,2 John

• Jude

• Revelation of John

• Wisdom of Solomon

• Revelation of Peter (?)

• Shepherd of Hermas

(devotional purposes only)

APOSTOLIC FATHERS

• 1& 2 Clement

• Letters of Ignatius

• Polycarp, to the Philippians

• Didache (Teaching of the Twelve)

• Barnabas

• Shepherd of Hermas

33 AD

Resurrection

Timeline of Christian Bible Canonization

51-57

Paul’s Letters written

Pauls’ Letters Read in Worship

65-100

Gospels Written

Four Gospels Read in Worship

15065

150

Muratorian Canon

Bound Books

EMPEROR DIOCLETIAN284-305 AD

33 AD

Resurrection

Timeline of Christian Bible Canonization

51-57

Paul’s Letters written

Pauls’ Letters Read in Worship

65-100

Gospels Written

Four Gospels Read in Worship

15065

150

Muratorian Canon

Bound Books

367

Athanasius’ Easter Letter

Closing of Canon

27 Books We Have Today

Apocrypha (hidden)

▪ History – 1&2 Maccabees

▪ Romantic Tales – Tobit, Judith, Bel and Dragon

▪ Psalms – Prayer of Manasseh, Psalm 151

▪ Wisdom – Ecclesiasticus, Wisdom of Solomon

▪ Apocalytpic – 2 Esdras

▪ Additions – Esther, Jeremiah, Daniel

▪ Others – Susanna, 3&4 Maccabees, 1 Esdras

The books commonly called Apocrypha, not being of

divine inspiration, are not part of the Canon of

Scripture; and therefore of no authority in the Church

of God, nor to be in any otherwise approved, or made

use of, than other human writings.

- Westminster Confession of Faith (1647)