This is Evidence for the Bible part 12: How did we get our NEW Testament? And what about the LOST Gospels accidently left out of the Bible, the FORBIDDEN books banned from the Bible and the SECRET books that could have been in the Bible but weren’t?

First things first

Most important issue!o If there is a canon, it exists with or without man’s recognition!o If there is NO canon, it doesn’t matter what books we shove

together, they aren’t inspired by God. Starting point

There is a canono Do we have it right?

There is no canono We DON’T have it righto Any group of books is a lie

o Prophecy alone proves there is a canon Videos 1-10

Daniel, Ezekiel, Zechariah, Malachi, Deuteronomy

Answered objections And these were just a sampling!

o The OT is that canon Because it contains this prophecy

And it ALONE Jesus clenches it

Prophecy of Christ 400 years goes by Jesus fulfills it

This shows the OT is from God When it comes to NT

o A lot of our groundwork is already done Prophecy, OT canonicity

o So, is our NT what it should be? Why am I doing this?

o 1 – Because of modern attackso 2 – Because those attacks are almost ALWAYS based on lies/distortions of historyo 3 – Because there is support from history that these 27 books were organically embraced by the people of Godo 4 – Because common “lost books” are ridiculously suggested as having credibility equal to or above these 27o Because we see it wasn’t a willy nilly process

Many think – secret council of powerful bearded white guys Davinci Code –

Council of Nicaea – Constantine decided which books would be in the Bible

YouTube doesn’t help “the trick is on you!” Though popular, these ideas are utterly, provably false Critics tend to be completely uncritical of their

criticisms If it supports the Bible

o Question it incessantly and reject it If it attacks the Bible

o Believe it immediately Blind faith or blind unfaith Myth of neutrality

o What they really mean is “non-Christian”

o Issues of creation/science NOT in a dark room by a select group of old white guys

o There was no central authority in the time of the Church’s reception of the Canon

Persecution until 300 years after Christ No authority except for the texts themselves Impossible to have an authority control

o Many will start their histories in the Councils of the 4th and 5th centuries

o Others will go back to the 2nd century with the early fatherso We will go back to the 1st century, when the NT documents

were first written When the apostles and their companions walked the

earth and wrote the books in question Actually –

o Gradual – not at one event. Piecemeal Written over time in different places

o Organic – not by one person deciding, by the Church, overall, gaining access to and recognition of the various documents

o General format of reception Apostolic teaching = authoritative Apostolic writing = written authoritative teaching

Makes sense (see OT) Is historically confirmed

o How the church received Gradual

With a clear core With a few debatable books Until those last debatable books were settled by the 4th century

About the same amount of time for the OT to be settled

NEW TESTAMENT CANON General format

o Jesus was a real historical person (Josephus, Tacitus, NT) STEP ONE: Jesus had actual teachings that are

authoritative as to Christianity I hope I don’t have to try and prove this

Even Bart Ehrman agrees! o Jesus speaks with authority

Hebrews 1:1-2 God, who at various times and in various ways spoke in time past to the fathers by the prophets, 2 has in these last days spoken to us by His Son, whom He has appointed heir of all things, through whom also He made the worlds

He claimed to John 12:49 For I have not spoken on My own

authority; but the Father who sent Me gave Me a command, what I should say and what I should speak.

o See also Jn 8:28, 8:38, 12:50, 14:10 Matt 28:18 And Jesus came and spoke to

them, saying, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth.

Jesus backs this up byo Fulfilling prophecy, rising from the deado The testimony of the Holy Spirit to us

The OT predicted thiso Deut 18:17-19 And the LORD said to

me: ‘What they have spoken is good. 18 I will raise up for them a Prophet like you from among their brethren, and will put My words in His mouth, and He shall speak to them all that I command Him. 19 And it shall be that whoever will not hear My words,

which He speaks in My name, I will require it of him.

o “MY WORDS”o Like Moses – who brought the

Pentateuch o He really had apostles who became His spokesmen

Even their existence is verified in extra-biblical sources Not to mention the NT documents

1st century historical sourceso Some treat them as if they aren’t even

this! Why? Because even treating

them as historical pushes you toward them as canonical

More on that LATER in this really long series

John 20:21 “So Jesus said to them again, “Peace to you! As the Father has sent Me, I also send you.”

Acts 10:39-43 And we are witnesses of all things which He did both in the land of the Jews and in Jerusalem, whom they killed by hanging on a tree. 40 Him God raised up on the third day, and showed Him openly, 41 not to all the people, but to witnesses chosen before by God, even to us who ate and drank with Him after He arose from the dead. 42 And He commanded us to preach to the people, and to testify that it is He who was ordained by God to be Judge of the living and the dead. 43 To Him all the prophets witness that, through His name, whoever believes in Him will receive remission of sins.”

“apostle” one who is SENT STEP TWO: The apostles spoke with the authority of

Christ to the church and established the rule of what

Christianity IS, what Christians believe and how they are to live.

2 Peter 3:2 “that you may be mindful of the words which were spoken before by the holy prophets, and of the commandment of us,[a] the apostles of the Lord and Savior”

o Groups the apostles with the prophets Hebrews 2:2-3 “For if the word spoken through

angels proved steadfast, and every transgression and disobedience received a just reward, 3 how shall we escape if we neglect so great a salvation, which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed to us by those who heard Him,”

o Their message is on par with the OT 2 Thes 3:6 “But we command you, brethren, in

the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you withdraw from every brother who walks disorderly and not according to the tradition which he received from us”

o Not “human tradition” but “apostolic tradition/teaching”

o Excommunicable offense Luke 1:1-4 “ministers of the word” 1 Thes 2:13-15 “ For this reason we also thank

God without ceasing, because when you received the word of God which you heard from us, you welcomed it not as the word of men, but as it is in truth, the word of God, which also effectively works in you who believe.”

o A reference to apostolic teachings as the word of God

Eph 2:20 having been built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ Himself being the chief cornerstone

Jude 1:3 “contend earnestly for the faith which was delivered once and for all to the saints”

What the apostles taught is forever the foundation

o Eph 2:20 “having been built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ Himself being the chief cornerstone”

o 1 Cor 3:10-11 According to the grace of God which was given to me, as a wise master builder I have laid the foundation, and another builds on it. But let each one take heed how he builds on it. 11 For no other foundation can anyone lay than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ

What they taught is Christianity o indisputably!o Some pretend Christianity is everything

that anyone who claims to be Christian says it is!

Gnostics, Mormons, JWs, Average Americans

Can’t be Christian because they disagree with Jesus

o That’s irrational Christianity is what the

commissioned Apostles taught. MANY quotes from later church leaders (church

fathers) agree that this apostolic teaching was the standard for the faith of the church)

o 1 Clement (95AD) 2:1-1 “The Apostles received the Gospel for us from the Lord Jesus Christ, Jesus the Christ was sent from God. The Christ therefore is from God and the Apostles from Christ”

But this pales in comparison to the NT texts

Being earlier STEP 3: the Apostle’s writings carry the same authority

they did It was natural for them to write these things The written words of the Apostles are not less

authoritative than what they said, they are a careful record of their teachings

o How could these be less authoritative???

o A record that is permanent!o The NT records this as being the reason

for it being written To combat heresy, to give a

sure message of the gospel, (Luke, John, Peter, Judge, Paul)

And THEY knew ito Scripture referenceso Mark 1:1 “The beginning of the gospel

of Jesus Christ the Son of God” Gospel = the authoritative

message of Christ o John 20:31 “but these are written that

you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing you may have life in His name.”

A basis for belief A promise of salvation

2 Thes 2:15 “Therefore, brethren, stand fast and hold the traditions which you were taught, whether by word or our epistle”

o Tradition doesn’t equal Catholic teaching

o Tradition = oral teaching or written word

“hold fast” 1 Cor 14:37-38 “If anyone thinks himself to be

a prophet or spiritual, let him acknowledge that the things which I write to you are the commandments of the Lord. 38 But if anyone is ignorant, let him be ignorant.”

Rev 1:1-3 The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave Him to show His servants—things which must shortly take place. And He sent and signified it by His angel to His servant John, 2 who bore witness to the word of God, and to the testimony of Jesus Christ, to all things that he saw. 3 Blessed is he who reads and those who hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those things which are written in it; for the time is near

o Directly claims to be the written word of God

o “who reads” 2 Peter 3:16 as also in all his epistles, speaking

in them of these things, in which are some things hard to understand, which untaught and unstable people twist to their own destruction, as they do also the rest of the Scriptures

o “rest of the scriptures”o “all his epistles”o Even if you thought Peter didn’t write it

(100AD) it shows an environment where Paul’s writings are scripture

o Now, I want to readdress a passage we went to earlier…

o 2 Peter 3:1-2 Beloved, I now write to you this second epistle (in both of which I stir up your pure minds by way of reminder), 2 that you may be mindful of the words which were

spoken before by the holy prophets, and of the commandment of us, the apostles of the Lord and Savior,

I’m writing to give you a reminder of our commands – that’s exactly what the Epistles ARE

The context is where he also lists Paul’s writings as Scripture

***1Tim 5:18 For the Scripture says, “You shall not muzzle an ox while it treads out the grain,” and, “The laborer is worthy of his wages.”

o Deut 25:4 You shall not muzzle an ox while it treads out the grain

o Luke 10:7 “for the laborer is worthy of his wages. Do not go from house to house.

o “the Scripture says”o This IS Luke quoted

Identical Greek ONLY in Luke Some hypothesize other

sources… no evidence Resisting the obvious “the lady doth protest

too much, methinks” I like the way Theologian John Meier put it

o “The only interpretation that avoids contorted intellectual acrobatics or special pleading is the plain, obvious one. [first Timothy] is citing Luke’s Gospel. Alongside Deuteronomy as normative Scripture for the ordering of the church’s ministry”

- The Inspiration of Scripture, pg 77

Note that, 1 Tim, 2 Peter… they are NOT making a case for these other writings being scripture, they are assuming it and assuming it is KNOWN!

“canon consciousness” There are many other verses which could be

quoted… Scripture reading ordered for the church

o Col 4:16 Now when this epistle is read among you, see that it is read also in the church of the Laodiceans, and that you likewise read the epistle from Laodicea

o 1 Thes 5:27 I charge you by the Lord that this epistle be read to all the holy[a] brethren

o 2 Cor 10:9 – speaks of how well known Paul’s letters were at that time

o Rev 1:3 – Assumes public reading in the manner of Scripture and offers a divine blessing on those who do - Blessed is he who reads and those who hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those things which are written in it; for the time is near

This is very Jewish 1 Tim 4:13 (in context) teach no

other doctrine… A common mistake – looking for a council

where we simply see an organic reception of these books by the church

It could be said that this teaching (once spoken OR written) had MORE authority than the apostles

o Gal 1:8-9 “But even if we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel to you than what we have preached to you, let him be accursed. 9 As we have

said before, so now I say again, if anyone preaches any other gospel to you than what you have received, let him be accursed.”

o There is one difference between what the apostles said and the writings that find their source in the apostles

The writings are permanent To the true early church (1st century) the apostle’s

writings are clearly seen as the next step in God’s revelation following the prophets

Next Week – the individual books, non-canon books… secret/lost booksCouncils, arguments, differing canonical lists through history

We’ve seen the NT evidence, now we will look at extra-biblical sources

Review (go over the “steps”)o In 1st century it was already known

Apostolic writing/teaching was the word of Godo 1- Jesus is the standard for Christianityo 2- The Apostles were chosen and sent by Himo 3- Their teaching becomes the foundation since it lays out

Christianity from Jesus with His authorityo 4- Their writings are all that is left of thiso 5- the culture of the OT expects new scripture

What do we look for today?o What did God give the church?o Today I’m not proving its inspired but showing that God

preserved it Tour through the 2nd-5th century

o Gradual universal acceptance Expectations smuggled in

Total universal immediate agreement??? No It took about as long as the OT did

Books written by non-apostleso Mark – According to Peter (very early tradition says he got

his info from Peter)o Luke – Companion of apostles, interviewer of themo All 4 gospels were repeatedly called “of the apostles” even

by those who KNEW their authors weren’t.o Hebrews – Apostolic teaching

Possible Paul, maybe not, but, it’s apostolic It refers to its content as coming from the apostles

(Heb 2)o James – He is apostolic, Acts attests to it and his role in

Jerusalem Also an associate

o Jude – brother of Jesus (with the apostles at Pentecost) Says that it is carrying forward apostolic teaching

o This all mirrors OT books Acceptance by the Church in general

o 95AD – Clement of Rome Quotes Matthew, Luke 1 Clement (95AD) 42:1-1 “The Apostles received the

Gospel for us from the Lord Jesus Christ, Jesus the Christ was sent from God. The Christ therefore is from God and the Apostles from Christ”

Talks about 1 Corinthians as an apostolic epistle of Paul written “in the Spirit”

Uses Romans, Galatians, Philippians and Hebrews - Canon Revisited loc. 6027-6039

Didache (c. 100)o Seems to call Matthew scriptureo Curse on those who change it

Ignatius (bishop of Antioch, died 110)o Called the gospels scriptureo Spoke of numerous letters from Paul

Specifically knew 1 Cor, Eph, and 1+2 Tim Also seems to know Rom, Philippians and Gal.

Marciono Butchered Luke

Used Paul’s epistles Rejected the rest Anti-semite

Muratorian fragmento Accepts Revelation but says some do not want it to be read

in the church. This list is about what is widely received, not what is

declared Polycarp (Bishop of Smyrna – letter to Philippi c. 110AD)

o http://bibletranslation.ws/down/ Polycarp_Epistle_To_The_Philippians.pdf This is the letter itself with in a few translations

o Disciple of Johno Quotes Ephesians and calls it “Scared Scripture”o Alludes to other epistles of Paul; Romans, 1 Cor, Gal, Philip,

2 Thes, 1+2 Tim Canon Revisited, loc. 6080

o Also quotes from Matthew, Luke, Acts, 1 Peter, and 1 John. (General Intro… pg.291) – see also the epistle itself

o First three church fathers (Clement, Polycarp, Ignatius) Use most of the NT in a casual manner, quoting it as if it were scripture Only Mark, 2+3 John, Jude, 2 Peter are not clearly attested

o He probably wouldn’t view the other letters of Paul as less than Ephesians

Papias (c. 125)o Bishop of Hierapolis

According to Irenaeus he was a friend of Polycarp, and he heard the apostle John preach

o “The Elder used to say: Mark became Peter’s interpreter and wrote accurately all that he remembered.”

o Seems to know all four gospelso Received Revelation, 1 John, 1 Peter and some of Paul’s

epistles

Canon Revisited, loc. 6155-6180 Epistle of Barnabas (c. 130)

o Says “it is written, ‘Many are called, but few are chosen’” Matt 22:14 Notice “It is written”

Shepherd of Hermas (c. 140) Citations in this time (Apostolic Fathers)

o 1) NT core cited 50 times more than OT!o 2) Peripheral books cited a loto 3) Apocryphal books hardly at allo Canon Revisited, loc. 6213

Justin Martyr, early apologist (150)o Calls the gospels the “memoirs of the Apostles” or “the

Memoirs” He also describes them as “drawn up by the

apostles and those who followed them” (Dia. 103) He cites from all three synoptic gospels (M, M, L) He calls Mark’s gospel “Peter’s Memoirs” They had apostolic testimony

o Also quotes most of Paul’s epistles, 1 Peter and Revelation (as John the Apostle’s work)

Tatian (170)o Made a harmony of the 4 gospels

Diatessaron (through the four) Only used them… no others

Muratorian Fragment – 175ADo A rather detailed list of what is scriptureo The four gospelso Actso Paul’s letters

1&2 Corinthians, Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, Galatians, 1&2 Thessalonians, Romans,

o Revelation etc (accepted but some don’t want it read in church)o The muratorian fragment excludes the Shepherd of Hermas

because “it was written in our time” Apostolic!

Irenaeus (180)o Four and ONLY four gospelso Quoted a LOT

Except Philemon, James, 2 Peter and 3 Johno “We have learned from none others the plan of our

salvation, than from those through whom the Gospel has come down to us, which they did at one time proclaim in public, and, at a later period, by the will of God, handed down to us in the Scriptures, to be the ground and pillar of our faith”

P46 (codex c. 200)o Grouping of Christian textso Paul’s epistles

Romans, HEBREWS, 1+2 Cor, Eph, Gal, Phil, Col, 1+2 Thes

We don’t have the end of it Pastoral epistles could have been

included... we don’t knowo NT Scholar James Dunn wrote that, “the de facto canon of

Jesus and Paul, gospel and epistle, was already functioning with effect within the first thirty years of Christianity’s existence”

Dunn, “How the New Testament Began,” pg. 137 Attitudes toward forgeries!

o 3 Corinthians – said he did it out of love for Paulo Even Ehrman agrees

Clement of Alexandria (c. 200)o Quoted all but

2 Tim, Philemon, 2+3 John, 2 Peter, Jameso By his time “New Covenant” was firmly established as the

official title of the church’s canon. Origen (c. 235) http://www.ntcanon.org/Origen.shtml

o Said that the four gospels “alone are unquestionable in the Church of God under heaven” (Eusebius, Hist. eccl. 6.25.3)

It’s Church-wide already

o “we approve nothing else but that which the Church approves, that is, four Gospels only as proper to be received” (Hom. Luc. 1)

o On Hebrews – He wasn’t certain who wrote it because of

linguistics But acknowledged that tradition attributed it to

Paul Also said it WAS the thoughts of Paul and was

Apostolico On 2 + 3 John – thought John may have written them but

acknowledged the church as a whole wasn’t resolved on the issue

o Revelation – accepted as from Johno Also accepted Jude

Eusibius (320-330)o Recognized 22 o Disputed 5 – James, Jude, 2 Pet, 2+3 John

Question of authorshipo Denied – apocryphal

Cyril of Jerusalem (350) http://www.bible-researcher.com/cyril.html o Including 26 of our NTo Didn’t mention Revelation (but why?)

Some say he was unsure of its authorship Some say it was in reaction to the misuse of

Revelation by the Montanist cults. Perhaps in the same way Luther had issue

with James because of its misuse by Catholic apologists

Laodicea Synod (363)o 26 of our NT texts, by nameo No mention of Revelation

Athanasius (367)o All 27 including Revelationo “Let no one add to these, let nothing be taken away”

Gregory of Nazianzus (390)

o All 27 African Canons (393-419)

o All 27 Jerome (394)

o All 27 Augustine (395-400)

o All 27 Carthage Synod (397)

http://www.bible-researcher.com/carthage.html o All 27

On this Licona disagrees but I can’t see why. The text in question specifically lists the Revelation of John as canon

Perhaps he thinks Rev was added in 419 at Carthage and the person who gives this list is offering an addition to reflect that.

But, why then doesn’t he say Hebrews was added later because that’s the thing I read being questioned here. Or perhaps again it Hebrews authorship, not its canonicity, is added or seen as so.

Carthage Synod (419)o All 27

Translations o McGarvey said: Consequently we find the existence of every

book of the New Testament except II Peter attested by translations as early as the middle of the second century. They were translated because they were the authoritative books of the churches, and they were authoritative because the churches believed them to have come from the apostolic hands. Is it possible that these churches could have been totally mistaken about such facts when the interval had been so short? (I:80).

McGarvey, J.W. (1974), Evidences of Christianity (Nashville, TN: Gospel Advocate).

Functional vs officialo There was no such thing as “official”

o Function by mid 2nd century (mid 100s) we have the gospel and Paul pretty universally accepted. Others are regionally and gradually accepted

o Even the canonical lists seem to come from this function position

These books are used in the church NOT these books are to be used

Tendency to EXCLUDE not INCLUDE bookso No book was widely thought to be scripture and later

rejected. Rather, they fought their way in

o No book was rejected by the majority and then allowed in

BIG PICTUREo This is what the liberal/unbelieving scholars always leave outo Books NEVER disputed

4 gospels Acts Paul’s 10 letters 1 John 1 Peter

o Books debated but finally accepted Hebrews James 2 Peter Jude 2 + 3 John Revelation 3 of Paul’s (1 + 2 Tim, Titus)

o Book never accepted (though some used and loved them) 1 Clement Didache Shepherd of Hermas Letter of Polycarp to Philippi Gospel of Thomas Ignatius’ letters

Letter of Barnabaso Books wholly rejected

Gospel of Mary Gospel of Thomas Gospel of the Egyptians Gospel of Philip Acts of Paul Gospel of Peter Gospel according to the Hebrews Etc…

True colors – o Which texts are presented as modern rediscoveries of the real

Bible? The last category

THE WORK OF THE HOLY SPIRITo Yes, you just trust… this is good

These really were the books received by the church o How can this be argued

No cleansing/authority changing ito It worked in the OTo It worked in the NT

The people of God were given the word of God and God preserved it.o God preserves His word

From this generation for ever My words will never pass away

o Revelation – Montanists Gaius and Algaloi reject it BECAUSE it is used by them so frequently (research this!!) Iranaeus (disciple of Polycarp disciple of John) said John wrote it (he doesn’t qualify which John but clearly calls it Scripture in which case it seems to indicate John the Apostle, and being in contact with those who saw John the Apostle face to face he likely refers to this John)

Such, then, being the state of the case, and this number being found in all the most approved and ancient copies [of the Apocalypse], and those men who saw John face to face bearing their testimony [to it (Against Heresies, book 5 ch 30) This significance of this is in his claim that those who saw John face to face said he wrote it. So, he is delivering an earlier tradition from reliable sources.

Justin Martyr acknowledges John the Apostle as it’s author (which is logically the end of the debate if John wrote it) in c.135AD Moreover also among us a man named John, one of the apostles of Christ, prophesied in a revelation made to him that those who have believed on our Christ will spend a thousand years in Jerusalem; and that hereafter the general and, in short,

the eternal resurrection and judgment of all will likewise take place. Dialogue with Trypho 81.4 Papias (c.150)

“bore witness to it’s trustworthiness” (Canon Revisited, location 8185) Who wrote it?

John the Apostle, so sayso Justin Martyr, Melito of Sardis, the Muratorian fragment, Irenaeus, Clement of Alexandria, Tertullian, Hippolytus, Origen, and others (Guthrie, New Testament Introduction pgs. 929-932)

o The core of gospels and paul, the divine nature of apostolic teaching!o Obviously, a 4th century council can’t make something canon which already was known to be so in the 1 st centuryo This is what stumbles a lot of people when they begin studying this topic

If there IS a NT Canon – it’s what the apostles provided us with And the early church knew this!

o Apostolicity is the key to which books are received

Critics – o Want to make it seem like their was complete disunity on the canon

BUT – what are we to expect?o Complete agreement or consensus?o Reasons to see some disagreement

Geography, time and authors It took time to expose the whole church to any given writing

Apostasy – some groups were intending to twist Christianity and rejected certain writings or added new ones Obviously, any group that thinks the God of the Old Testament is evil would NOT represent the Church

Today “the lost gospels and banned books of the Bible”

Popular but non-canonical books - o 1 Clement (95AD)

Quick facts A letter from the church in Rome to the church

in Corinth Why it was written

o Church split – elders driven out – they are told to submit to their elders

Important – Catholic historical apologetics o Plurality of elders, submit to themo Not one bishop over the church in

Corintho ROME TOO! A plurality of elders

No papacy, no cardinalso Monarchical Episcopate (one bishop

over the whole city of Rome) not until half way through the 2nd century)

Skeptics aren’t interested because it’s not heresy Didache (c.100)

Presented as the secret book of true Christianity in a recent BBC documentary

o “the only copy” – implies it’s never been seen by the world as a whole

o We’ve had it since 1883o “It may predate the gospels”

It quotes the gospels (90 at earliest)o “one of the most contested early Christian

documents” – no, it’s not.

o Good example of non-scholarshipo No mention of “virgin birth” “res” “Jesus as

God” 1- it doesn’t deny those things either

Does every text need to rehash every doctrine?

2- It’s AFTER the gospels, after the epistles of Paul

Which firmly establish those doctrines

New believers packet Very short, instructions for godliness

o Baptism – immersion if possible Trinitarian formula (in the name of the

Father and of the Son and of the Spirit)o Traveling preachers

If they ask for money, reject them They can only stay a day or two

o Abortion – “do not murder a child by abortion or kill a newborn infant”

http://www.earlychristianwritings.com/didache.html Cited as scripture by a couple writers but only in

Alexandria (not church-wide or even in a majority) Shepherd of Hermas (c.140)

Written by a brother of one of the elders in Rome Muratorian fragment/canon excludes it because “it was

written in our time” Not really theological Visions, parables, ethical instruction

o Would especially encourage a man who had ungodly wife and children.

Letter of Polycarp to Philippi 14 chapters (generally about 3 verses long) Some good instructions, moral, not theological Quotes the gospels, and Paul (I noticed Gal and 1 Cor,

Eph, Phil) talks a lot about Paul

Polycarp 3:1-2These things, brethren, I write unto you concerning righteousness,not because I laid this charge upon myself, but because ye invitedme. 2 For neither am I, nor is any other like unto me, able to follow the wisdom of the blessed and glorious Paul, who when he came among you taught face to face with the men of that day the word which concerneth truth carefully and surely; who also, when he was absent,wrote a letter unto you, into the which if ye look diligently, ye shall be able to be builded up unto the faith given to you,

o He knows his epistles is inferior to Paul’s Epistle of Barnabas (c.120) – for time I probably will skip this one

From Alexandria, Egypt Seems to draw from the Didache

o It’s a moral work, not a theological one IT’ NOT the “Gospel of Barnabas” –

o A 13th century forgery (or later) Some though it was canonical, for a time, in a limited area (not

representative of the church as a whole)o Alexandria o “my sheep hear my voice”

Who wrote it?o Several thought the NT Barnabas wrote ito But the first is Clement of Alexandria

Moral instruction Allegorizing the OT law Some eschatology

None are apostolic None are affirmed by a large group of the church??? If you WANTED to try to add to the NT, these would be the

options… though, not good ones.o Modern day popular alternate-canon books that skeptics like to bring

up and even use (this is what we are interested in) These fall into the category of REJECTED and often HERETICAL

works Gospel of Thomas – the Jesus Seminar

Quick facts

Mid 2nd century Only 1 copy exists! – obviously not scripture by

comparison to the other gospels Claims to be written by the apostle Thomas…

o Forgery Only 114 verses sayings Many sayings of Jesus…

o Or CLOSE to sayings of Jesuso 71 “I shall destroy this house and no one will be

able to rebuild it” Sayings

o “if the flesh came into being because of spirit, that is a marvel, but if spirit came into being because of body, that is a marvel of marvels. Yet I marvel at how this great wealth has come to dwell in this poverty.” (29)

o Jesus said, "Lucky is the lion that the human will eat, so that the lion becomes human. And foul is the human that the lion will eat, and the lion still will become human." (7)

o “wretched is a body that is dependent on a body and wretched is the sould that is dependent on these two” (87)

Gnostico “Where there are three deities, they are divine.

Where there are two or one, I am with that one”. (30)

o “when you see one who is not born of woman, fall on your faces and worship. That one is your father.” (15)

o “Whoever drinks from my mouth will become like me; I myself shall become that person, and the hidden things will be revealed to him” (108).

o Last saying (114) “Simon Peter said to them, ‘Make Mary leave us, for females don’t deserve life.’ Jesus said, ‘Look, I will guide her to become male, so that she too may become a living spirit to resemble you males. For every female who makes herself male will enter the domain of heaven.”

Infancy gospel of Thomas (c. 150) Claims to be written by Thomas the Israelite

o But the author is clearly NOT Jewish o Borrows from Luke (at the very end)

5 year old Jesus makes 12 sparrows out of clay on the Sabbath (also purifying water)

o Jewish leaders rebuke himo He sends the birds off and says “remember me”o This is in the Korano Another boy drains the water Jesus’ collected.

Jesus “saw what had happened and became angry. Saying, ‘You irreverent fool! What harm did the ponds and water do unto you? From this moment you too will dry up like a tree and you’ll never produce leaves, or root, or bear fruit.’ In an instant, the boy had completely withered away”

“Later he was going through the village again when a boy ran by and bumped him on the shoulder. Jesus got angry and said to him ‘You won’t continue your journey.’ And all of a sudden he fell down and died.”

o Then the parents of the boy come to Joseph to complain “because you have such a boy you can not live with us in our village. Or else teach him to bless and not curse, he’s killing our children!”

o Jesus responds to this by making them blind (remember, he is 5 in this story)

o “When Joseph saw that Jesus had done such a thing he got angry and grabbed his ear and pulled very hard. The boy became infuriated with him and replied, ‘it’s one thing for you to seek and not find, it’s quite another for you to act this unwisely. Don’t you know that I don’t belong to you? Don’t make me upset.”

Jesus keeps terrorizing people who try to teach him the Greek alphabet

14:5 “don’t let him go outside because those who annoy him end up dead”

o Suffer the little children to come to me??? Ends with slightly twisted version of Luke’s story of

Jesus at 12 Gospel of Mary (3rd century work)

About an 8-minute read Then Mary stood up, greeted them all, and said to her

brethren, Do not weep and do not grieve nor be irresolute, for His grace will be entirely with you and will protect you. But rather, let us praise His greatness, for He has prepared us and made us into Men. When Mary said this, she turned their hearts to the Good, and they began to discuss the words of the Savior. Peter said to Mary, Sister we know that the Savior loved you more than the rest of woman. Tell us the words of the Savior which you remember which you know, but we do not, nor have we heard them. Mary answered and said, What is hidden from you I will proclaim to you. And she began to speak to them these words: I, she said, I saw the Lord in a vision

"When the soul had brought the third Power to naught, it went upward and saw the fourth Power. It had seven forms. The first form is darkness; the second is desire; the third is ignorance; the fourth is zeal for death; the fifth is the realm of the flesh; the sixth is the foolish wisdom of the flesh; the seventh is the wisdom of the wrathful person. These are the seven Powers of Wrath.

"They interrogated the soul, 'Where are you coming from, human-killer, and where are you going, space-conqueror?' "The soul replied, saying, 'What binds me has been slain, and what surrounds me has been destroyed, and my desire has been brought to an end, and ignorance has died. In a [wor]ld, I was set loose from a world [an]d in a type, from a type which is above, and (from) the chain of forgetfulness which exists in time. From this hour on, for the time of the due season of the aeon, I will receive rest i[n] silence.' " After Mary had said these things, she was silent, since it was up to this point that the Savior had spoken to her.

o Clearly Gnosticism (a non-Christian cult)o This sort of things is where Dan Brown gets his

inspiration Quoting later heretical forgeries as if

they are true Christianity. Repent

Gospel of Peter (mid 2nd century from Syria) Popular Focuses on the death and resurrection of Jesus It says that Jesus felt no pain on the cross

o And didn’t cry out in paino Though the true gospels speak only of Him not

defending Himself in court. Fanciful stuff Shows us what it looks like when people add myth 2 But during the night before the Lord's day dawned, as

the soldiers were keeping guard two by two in every watch, there came a great sound in the sky, 3 and they saw the heavens opened and two men descend shining with a great light, and they drew near to the tomb. 4 The stone which had been set on the door rolled away by itself and moved to one side, and the tomb was opened and both of the young men went in. 10 Now

when these soldiers saw that, they woke up the centurion and the elders (for they also were there keeping watch). 2 While they were yet telling them the things which they had seen, they saw three men come out of the tomb, two of them sustaining the other one, and a cross following after them. 3 The heads of the two they saw had heads that reached up to heaven, but the head of him that was led by them wen beyond heaven. 4 And they heard a voice out of the heavens saying, "Have you preached unto them that sleep?" 5 The answer that was heard from the cross was, "Yes!"

Protoevangelion of James (about 30 minute read) Claims to be written by a James in Jerusalem about the

time of Herod’s death (92 at latest)o Probably 150AD

Really about Mary Mary’s dad (Wahim) and mom (Ana) are barren

o Wahim goes and fastso Ana prays “poor me”o Ana is now pregnant

That’s right, virgin birth At 6 months she walked 7 steps

o Her bedroom is turned into a sanctuary (called the…)

o Mary only eats pure food At 3 years old

o She is taken to the temple where God “showered grace on her” and she danced

o Her parents leave her there At 12 – they are worried she will defile the temple

(puberty)o So, she is given in marriage through miraculous

revelation, to Joseph Who is already an old man with sons

Birth of Jesuso Time freezes

o Surrounded by light and boom, baby Perpetual virginity (you must believe

this) End, with info from Luke (to validate) Also influences the Koran

o Mohammed seemed more familiar with these than with the actual Bible

Gospel of Judas Recently in the spotlight Bart Ehrman said

o NOT… Written by Judas (no scholar thinks it

was) Written by an eyewitness As old as the NT Gospels (170-180) A historically accurate account

o A gnostic work Says that this world was made by two

angels names rebel and fool. It’s “fool” who says “let us make man in

our image”o Gnosticism – bad guys are good guys

Judas is good, delivering Jesus from his body

Etc… Acts of John – Jesus doesn’t leave footprints in the sand Acts of Paul – recounts a tale of Paul facing down a lion

in the Ephesian amphitheater. Paul reminds the lion that he baptized it. Then this book assures the reader that the lion had a confession of faith first. Then Paul jumps on the back of the lion and escapes!

You can see how the NT records events as historical facts, not silly embellishments.

o Christians have nothing to worry about in these “lost books” None are apostolic None 1st century Why are they promoted???

o It’s an unscholarly scholarlish attack. We need more Christian scholars.

o News/BBC, PBS, Discovery… interested in the “real Jesus” Then look at the real gospels. I’m amazed at the willful ignorance

NEXT TIME???TransmissionTranslationContradictionsArchaeology - https://www.google.com/url?

sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=5&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=0ahUKEwitt7Xunb3PAhXJyj4KHaXkCW8QFgg9MAQ&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.biblicalarchaeology.org%2Ffree-ebooks%2Ften-top-biblical-archaeology-discoveries%2F&usg=AFQjCNH_XhI3igM0LOjEO-Hkj1xKmdyE8g&sig2=u8-CrzIIxsApv2uyeYOC0Q

The goodness of the OT LawScience and the BibleRandom critical attacks on the Bible

Make it say anything – bad lip readingSlavery (did)Slaughter of…. Canaanites, flood/babies, etc.

Other religious worksBOMKoranNWT

The OT gives an example of how the NT was receivedo Gradually, received by the people of Godo Initially the Gospels were circulatedo Paul’s writings came as a grouping later

o Mo By 200 there were Latin and Syriac versions of the NT

Were these the same 27 books?o By the 300s there was a Coptic oneo Councils

Carthage and Hippo Had a different OT than the current Roman

Catholic one affirmed by Trent in 1546 – (1 and 2 Esdras)

o Site with canon lists in chronological order http://www.bible-researcher.com/canon8.html

http://www.bible-researcher.com/canon1.html - parent page

o Athanasius’ NT canon in festal lettero B.B. Warfield

“It is the most assured result of biblical criticism that every on eof the twenty-seven books which now constitute out New Testament is assuredly genuine and authentic”

So, you see, the criticisms aren’t all bad! They lead to study and the vindication of the

scriptures

Only the NT gospels date back to the 1st century If these historical books aren’t the rule for Christianity than what is?

o Jesus Questo Jesus Seminaro Search for the Historical Jesuso They edit the text according to their own agenda

Come up with a mirror image of themselves in Jesus Proof of this is in the diversity of conclusions!

Feminists find a feminist Jesus, liberals a liberal one, allegorists and allegorical Jesus…

J.D. Crossan, a founding member of the Jesus Seminar, said this about the diversity of conclusions in the Jesus Quest

“[This] stunning diversity is an academic embarrassment. It is impossible to avoid the suspicion that historical Jesus research is a very safe place to do theology and call it history, to do autobiography and call it biography.”

What extra-biblical support is there for the Canon?o OT prophecy – it’s important that there was an OT and then,

years later, an NTo NT prophecyo Historical/archaeological supporto Scientific foresighto Manuscript evidence to authenticateo Unityo Absence of irreconcilable contradictiono “historical Jesus”o Is the Bible really morally good?o

How do I know that these are the books God gave to the church for all time?

Because the church has them

Is the canon “closed”o By nature, yes!

Can any other book or books claim what the Bible can???

NO = they tried and failedo Are we open to new books in it?

The OT ends with a comma The NT ends with a period

o Only the expectation and works of Messiah opened us to the NT books

o What opens us to more??? nothing

Why should we be? “what if?” – people who give “what ifs” as much

weight as facts have trouble in a lot of areas.o Theologically – it’s closedo Historically – it’s closedo Theoretically – it’s open

Theoretically, you could be a

On the historicity of the Apostles James (brother of Jesus)

o Josephus, Antiquities, Book 20, ch. 9"Festus was now dead, and Albinus was but upon the road; so he assembled the sanhedrim of judges, and brought before them the brother of Jesus, who was called Christ, whose name was James, and some others, [or, some of his companions]; and when he had formed an accusation against them as breakers of the law, he delivered them to be stoned: but as for those who seemed the most equitable of the citizens, and such as were the most uneasy at the breach of the laws, they disliked what was done."

Ossuary of James – “James, brother of Jesus, son of Joseph” 63AD (near Jerusalem) http://www.beliefnet.com/faiths/christianity/2002/10/the-most-important-extrabiblical-evidence-of-its-kind.aspx

Writings of Clement and Ignacius Confirm John, Peter, Paul,

INERRANCY

HOW DID WE GET THE OT BOOKS? Critics say…

o The Bible was written by fallible men; how can you trust it?o The books of the Bible were assembled by men, how can you

trust it?o Many books were left out! How can you trust it?o The Bible is just the left-over books of those who fought for

power in the Christian religion… how can you trust it? This critique really gets people going!

Davinci Code “ “lost books of the Bible” “forbidden books of the Bible”

o Some even say Editing, redactions, changes!!!

But what about those “secret books”?o Ba-low-knee!

Random noteso Groups with alternate lists of books

Some branches of the Syriac church don’t include 2 Peter, 2 or 3 John, Jude or Revelation

Roman and Greek churches ADD OT Apocryphal books

o

Archaeology and the BibleScience and the BibleMorality and the Bible

Psalm 33? – dude, Psalms

NT From James White - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LuiayuxWwuI

Why variants are good…o More variants than words???!!!o But, imagine if we had only one copy of the NT…

How many variants would we have? And how certain would we be about the original

wording? 1 meaningful variant every 3 pages But only half of them are viable

o As in, there is any chance at all that it competes to be the original

1500-2000 meaningful NT textual variants (not over 400,000) More manuscripts = more variants

o 5,700+ manuscripts (averaging 200 pages long) These aren’t always Matthew-Revelation They are hand written 1.3 million pages!

1500-2000 meaninful variants!o After 100s of years of transmission!

Dan Wallace on NT copies, transmission etc. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u0v6JItV5-w

For a later video -----http://alwaysbeready.com/extrabiblical-historical-sources-corroborate-the-bible - 50 OT and 30 NT people confirmed, including Herod’s manner of death – also flood accounts – and much more!

Extra-biblical mentions of people/events in NT – including the darkness at the cross https://carm.org/non-biblical-accounts-new-testament-events-andor-people

Ossuary of James - http://www.beliefnet.com/faiths/christianity/2002/10/the-most-important-extrabiblical-evidence-of-its-kind.aspx

Not to be used as a source but it is footnoted - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_biblical_figures_identified_in_extra-biblical_sources