1. Session 3: WCF Chapter I
Of the Holy Scripture,
Sections 2 and 3

2. CHAPTER I - Of the Holy Scripture
2. Under the name of Holy Scripture, or the Word of God written, are now contained all the books of the Old and New Testaments, which are these, The Old Testament …[the 39 books we use] The New Testament …[the 27 books we use], All which are given by inspiration of God to be the rule of faith and life.

3. Old Testament
Law
History
Poetry
“Major” Prophets
“Minor” Prophets
Genesis
Joshua
Job
Isaiah
Hosea
Exodus
Judges
Psalms
Jeremiah
Joel
Leviticus
Ruth
Proverbs
Lamentations
Amos
Numbers
1 Samuel
Ecclesiastes
Ezekiel
Obadiah
Deuteronomy
2 Samuel
Song of Solomon
Daniel
Jonah
1 Kings
Micah
2 Kings
Nahum
1 Chronicles
Habakkuk
2 Chronicles
Zephaniah
Ezra
Haggai
Nehemiah
Zechariah
Esther
Malachi
New Testament
Gospels
Church History
Pauline Epistles
General Epistles
Apocalypse
Matthew
Acts
Romans
Hebrews
Revelation
Mark
1 Corinthians
James
Luke
2 Corinthians
1 Peter
John
Galatians
2 Peter
Ephesians
1 John
Philippians
2 John
Colossians
3 John
1 Thessalonians
Jude
2 Thessalonians
1 Timothy
2 Timothy
Titus
Philemon

4. Four Views on Inspiration
1. The Neo-orthodox View – God is so transcendent that words are inadequate; only direct revelation is possible. The Bible only serves as a witness of God, a human account.
2. The Dictation View – God directly wrote the Bible, verbatim. Humans merely took dictation. Jeremiah 30:2, Luke 1:1–4
3. The Limited Inspiration View – God gave general, doctrinal guidance, but human authors expressed themselves. Thus the Bible contains non-doctrinal human errors, e.g., history.
4. The Plenary Verbal Inspiration View – God inspired the entire Bible, down to every word.
theopneustos – “God-breathed.” 2 Peter 1:21
The Chicago Statement on Bible Inerrancy (1978)

5. CHAPTER I - Of the Holy Scripture
3. The books commonly called Apocrypha, not being of divine inspiration, are no part of the canon of the Scripture, and therefore are of no authority in the Church of God, nor to be any otherwise approved, or made use of, than other human writings.

6. Apocrypha (“hidden” or “concealed”) – texts that are of unknown authorship, of doubtful authenticity, or not considered to be within a particular canon.
Pseudepigrapha (“false texts”) – texts that falsely purport their authorship or have a falsely attributed authorship.
Historic Works – texts that don’t purport themselves to speak on behalf of God or be divinely inspired. (e.g., Jewish Antiquities by Flavius Josephus)

7. Old Testament Apocrypha New Testament Apocrypha
Pseudepigrapha
1 Esdras
Dead Sea Scrolls
The Apostles' Creed
The Report of Pilate to Caesar
The Books of Adam and Eve -- Translation of the Latin Version
2 Esdras
Community Rule
The Epistle of Paul the Apostle to the Laodiceans
Gospel of Bartholomew
Life of Adam and Eve -- Translation of the Slavonic Version
1 Maccabees
The 'Zadokite' Document
The Epistles of Paul the Apostle to Seneca (W/Seneca's to Paul)
Gospel of Thomas
Life of Adam and Eve -- Translation of the Greek Version (a/k/a The Apocalypse of Moses)
2 Maccabees
Narrative of Joseph of Arimathaea
The Acts of Paul and Thecla
Gospel of Phillip
The Apocalypse of Adam
3 Maccabees
Epistle of the Apostles
The First Epistle of Clement to the Corinthians
Secret Gospel of Mark
The Book of Adam
4 Maccabees
Report of Pilate the Procurator
The Second Epistle of Clement to the Corinthians
Book of Marcion
The Second Treatise of the Great Seth
Letter of Jeremiah
History of Joseph the Carpenter
The General Epistle of Barnabas
Excerpts From the Gospel of Mary
1 Enoch (Ethiopic Apocalypse of Enoch)
The Prayer of Azariah
Apocryphon of James (Another Version)
The Epistle of Ignatius to the Ephesians
The Letter of Aristeas
1 Enoch Composit (Inc. Charles, Lawrence & Others)
Baruch
The Letter of Peter to Philip
The Epistle of Ignatius to the Magnesians
The Didache
2 Enoch (Slavonic Book of the Secrets of Enoch)
Prayer of Manassas
Book of John the Evangelist
The Epistle of Ignatius to the Trallians
Enoch (Another Version)
Bel and the Dragon
Ptolemy's Commentary on the Gospel of John Prologue
The Epistle of Ignatius to the Romans
Melchizedek
Wisdom of Sirach
Avenging of the Saviour
The Epistle of Ignatius to the Philadelphians
The Book of Abraham
Wisdom of Solomon
The Apocryphon of John (Long Version)
The Epistle of Ignatius to the Smyrnaeans
The Testament of Abraham
Additions to Esther
The Sentances of Sextus
The Epistle of Ignatius to Polycarp
The Apocalypse of Abraham
Tobit
Book of Thomas the Contender
The Epistle of Polycarp to the Philippians
The Story of Asenath
Judith
Lost Books of the Bible
Hermas
Selections From the Book of Moses
Susanna
The Gospel of the Birth of Mary
The First Book of Hermas (or Visions)
Revelation of Moses
Psalm 151
The Protevangelion (Another Version)
The Second Book of Hermas (or Commands)
The Assumption of Moses (Aka: the Testament of Moses)
The First Gospel of the Infancy of Jesus Christ
Letters of Herod and Pilate
The Martyrdom of Isaiah
The Infancy Gospel of Thomas Composit
The Lost Gospel According to Peter
The Ascension of Isaiah
Greek (A)
The Gospel of Peter – Last
The Revelation of Esdras
Greek (B)
The Epistle of Ignatius to the Philippians
The Book of Jubilees
Latin
The Martyrdom of Ignatius
Tales of the Patriarchs
Infancy Compilation (All)
The Martyrdom of Polycarp
The Gospel of Pseudo-Matthew
Tertullian on Specticals
The Book of the Apocalypse of Baruch (Aka: 2 Baruch)
The Epistles of Jesus Christ and Abgarus King of Edessa (Another Version)
Tertullian on Prayer
The Greek Apocalypse of Baruch (Aka: 3 Baruch)
The Gospel of Nicodemus (or Acts of Pontius Pilate) (Another Version)
Tertullian on Patience
Fragments of a Zadokite Work (Aka: the Damascus Document)
Tertullian on Martyrs
The Testament of Solomon

8. Inspiration Issues? The “Synoptic” Gospels – Matthew, Mark and Luke
Hebrews

9. Controversy
of the Week!

10. Apocrypha and Pseudepigrapha
Would you study Apocryphal or Pseudepigraphal works?
Have you studied any of the Apocrypha or Pseudepigrapha?

11. Personal
Personal
Focus
Focus

12. What does the canonization of the Bible say to you about God’s sovereignty?
What does your interpretational view say about your view on the sovereignty of God?