© 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