With respect to the NT Canon, the NT laid the preparatory groundwork for it. Jesus “pre-authenticated” His Apostles to be conduits through whom His truth would come to the Church He was going to build (John 16:12-13). We noted how Paul accepted Luke (1 Tim. 5:18) and Peter recognized Paul (2 Pt. 3:15-16). Luke, of course, refers to his first book in the beginning of the second book (Ac. 1:1).
We can also see, from the history of the early
Church (perhaps from 100-200 AD), that the Christian writers made use of the
NT. All the books of the NT, with the
single exception of 2 Peter, were not only received as genuine, but were used
in more or less collected form, in the latter half of the 2nd century. The Apostolic Fathers who lived in the first
half of the 2nd century not only quote from these books and allude to them, but
testify that they were written by the apostles themselves. This includes Irenaeus (120-200), Justin
Martyr (died 148), Papias (80-164), Clement of Rome (died 101), Ignatius of
Antioch (martyred 115) and Polycarp (80-166), who were all companions and
friends of the Apostles. They left in
their writings over 100 quotations from or allusions to the NT writings, and every
book except four epistles (2 Peter, Jude, 2 & 3 John) were represented.
What about the Apocrypha; should it be included
in the Bible? These include: 1-2 Esdras,
Tobit, Judith, The Rest of Esther, Wisdom of Solomon, Ecclesiasticus, Baruch
with the Epistle of Jeremiah, Song of the Three Holy Children, History of
Susanna, Bel and the Dragon, The Prayer of Manasses, and 1-2 Maccabees.
Catholics accept some of these as Scripture. In the Old Testament, Catholic bibles have
seven more books than most non-Catholic versions. Though some early Christian writers had
reservations about the seven Old Testament books, scholars today agree that
they were generally accepted and used throughout the Christian Church from the
beginning. The books, called the
Apocrypha or deuterocanonical (second canon) books, are Tobias, Judith, Wisdom,
Sirach (Ecclesiasticus), 1 and 2 Maccabees, and parts of Daniel and Esther.
Here is a lengthy list of reasons for
rejecting these books as Scripture. In
order to complete this topic we will put the list here, from H. S. Miller, General
Biblical Introduction. For me, this
list contributes to an exalted view of Scripture.
1. It is universally acknowledged they never had
a place in the Hebrew Canon.
2. They are never quoted in the NT.
3. Josephus expressly excludes them.
4. Philo, the great Jewish philosopher of
Alexandria, never quoted from them or even mentioned them.
5. They are never found in any catalogue of
canonical books made during the first four centuries AD.
6. Jerome (who translated the Latin Vulgate, the
Catholic Bible) rejected the Apocrypha emphatically.
7. Divine inspiration is claimed by none of the
writers, and disclaimed by some.
8. They are entirely without the true prophetic
element; the "succession of prophets" had ceased.
9. The books contain many errors and distortions
of Old Testament narratives.
10. They teach doctrines and practices
which are contrary to Scripture.
11. Weakness of style, stiffness, lack of
originality, etc. in comparison with Scripture are noticeable.
12. Much of the literature is legendary, containing
many absurdities.
13. So-called miracles and deeds of
supernatural beings contain much that is fabulous, grotesque and silly.
14. The spiritual, and even moral, level
is, as a whole, far below the OT.
15. The books were written much later than
those of the OT, long after the canon was closed.
16. Some were read for instruction but were
not considered canonical.
17. The Christian Church received the same
OT canon of 39 books.
18. The use of "Scripture" by
Christ and Apostles indicated the OT Canon had long been fixed.
19. While each canonical book in the OT had
a "Targum" (a paraphrase for interpretation) no Apocryphal (with the
possible exception of Tobit) had such a provision.
20. The
bottom line: these books simply are not on the same footing with the Law and
the Prophets.
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