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© John Stevenson, 2013
CanonicityCanonicity
Upon what do Christian base Upon what do Christian base their beliefs?their beliefs?
The Greek KanonThe Greek Kanon
• It had to be unbendable
• It had to be dependable as to its straightness
KANWN
Galatians 6:16Galatians 6:16Those who will walk by this
RULE, peace and mercy be upon them, and upon the Israel of God.
How do we know the right How do we know the right books are in the Bible?books are in the Bible?
Canonicity refers to the church’s Canonicity refers to the church’s recognition of the authority of recognition of the authority of
the inspired writings.the inspired writings.
Questions on CanonicityQuestions on Canonicity• How are we to determine if we
have the right books in the Bible?
• What about the Apocrypha?
• Are there certain books in our Bible which should not be there?
• Are we missing some books?
Canonicity & the Old TestamentCanonicity & the Old Testament
• The Testimony of Jesus
Now He said to them, “These are My words which I spoke to you, while I
was still with you, that all things which are written about Me in the Law of Moses and the Prophets and the
Psalms must be fulfilled.” (Luke 24:44).
Canonicity & the Old TestamentCanonicity & the Old Testament
• The Testimony of Jesus
• The Testimony of the Septuagint
The Septuagint• Translation of
Hebrew Bible into Greek
• Ptolemy II• Great Library
of AlexandriaAlexandria●
The Septuagint• 70 Scholars• Entire Old
Testament translated
• Apocrypha also included
Canonicity & the Old TestamentCanonicity & the Old Testament
• The Testimony of Jesus
• The Testimony of the Septuagint
• The Testimony of the New Testament– Full of quotations from the Old
Testament– Not a single quotation from the
Apocrypha
Canonicity & the Old TestamentCanonicity & the Old Testament
• The Testimony of Jesus
• The Testimony of the Septuagint
• The Testimony of the New Testament
• The Testimony of Josephus
JosephusJosephus"For we have not an
innumerable multitude of books among us, disagreeing
from and contradicting one another [as the Greeks have],
but only twenty-two books, which contain the records of all the past times; which are justly believed to be divine...
(Contra Apion 1:8).
JosephusJosephus"It is true, our history has
been written since Artaxerxes, very peculiarly,
but has not been esteemed of the like authority with the former by our forefathers,
because there has not been an exact succession of
prophets since that time." (Contra Apion 1:8).
Canonicity & the Old TestamentCanonicity & the Old Testament
• The Testimony of Jesus
• The Testimony of the Septuagint
• The Testimony of the New Testament
• The Testimony of Josephus
• The Testimony of the Apocrypha
Many great teachings have been given to us Many great teachings have been given to us through the Law and the Prophets and the others through the Law and the Prophets and the others
that followed them… (Prologue of Sirach).that followed them… (Prologue of Sirach).
Canonicity & the Old TestamentCanonicity & the Old Testament
• The Testimony of Jesus
• The Testimony of the Septuagint
• The Testimony of the New Testament
• The Testimony of Josephus
• The Testimony of the Apocrypha
Encouraging them from the law and the Encouraging them from the law and the prophets, and reminding them also of the prophets, and reminding them also of the
struggles they had won, he made them the struggles they had won, he made them the more eager (2 Maccabees 15:9).more eager (2 Maccabees 15:9).
The ApocryphaThe Apocrypha• Meaning: “Hidden away”
• The Apocrypha speaks of the division of the Scriptures into the Law and the Prophets (Prologue of Sirach 1:1; 2nd Maccabees 15:9; 4th Maccabees 18:10).
• You do not find the Old Testament mentioning this division
The church was born The church was born with a completed canon with a completed canon
in her handsin her hands
The Existence of the Canon
The Recognition of the Canon
=
The Muratorian CanonThe Muratorian Canon
• Our oldest copy dates to the 7th Century
• Originally written in latter part of 2nd Century
• It is a partial list (starts with Luke, but refers to it as the 3rd Gospel)
• Includes Gospels, Epistles of Paul, John, & Jude
Latin Manuscript
Factors Necessitating aFactors Necessitating aNew Testament CanonNew Testament Canon
• The Problem of Heretics
Marcion’s Canon comprised Luke
and ten epistles of Paul minus
quotations from the Old Testament
Factors Necessitating aFactors Necessitating aNew Testament CanonNew Testament Canon
• The Problem of Heretics
• The Presence of other Christian Writings– Didache– Epistles of Ignatius and other church
fathers
Factors Necessitating aFactors Necessitating aNew Testament CanonNew Testament Canon
• The Problem of Heretics
• The Presence of other Christian Writings
Irenaeus points to a canon that includes the Shepherd of Hermes, but does not mention Hebrews, 2nd Peter, Philemon, 2nd & 3rd John
Factors Necessitating aFactors Necessitating aNew Testament CanonNew Testament Canon
• The Problem of Heretics
• The Presence of other Christian Writings
• The Persecutions against the church and laws against ownership of the Scriptures
Criteria for Criteria for New Testament CanonicityNew Testament Canonicity
• Apostolic AuthorshipApostolic Authorship
• ConsistencyConsistency
• Reception by the ChurchesReception by the Churches
The church did not make certain books canonical; the church
recognized certain books to be canonical
1 50 100 150 200 250 300 350
New Testament
written
Apostolic Fathers
Muratorian Canon
Marcion
Paul
JohnPolycarp
Ignatius
Nicaea
Constantine
The DaVinci CodeThe DaVinci Code
• Constantine chose the books of the Bible and ordered other non-canonical books to be burned
• Gospels were edited after Council of Nicaea (325)
• Gnostic gospels are older than four canonical gospels