1. National Capital Bible Church
Welcome to the
National Capital Bible Church 1

2. Chafer Theological Seminary Annual 2017 Pastors’ Conference
1. Who was Chafer? Do you mean Francis Schaeffer?
2. What does John’s warning mean at the end of Revelation 22?
3. How did we get our Bible? What is Canonicity?

3. 1. Who was Lewis S. Chafer?
Lewis Sperry Chafer ( )

4. 2. What did the Apostle John mean at the end of Revelation when he wrote (Rev 22:18-19):
18 For I testify to everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book: If anyone adds to these things, God will add to him the plagues that are written in this book; 19 and if anyone takes away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part [μέρος (meros)] from the Book Tree of Life, from the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book. (Meros refers to inheritance!!)
a. Specific to the book of Revelation, but ….
b. by extension it referred to other books of the Canon as well. As the last living apostle, John was closing the Canon. It is appropriate that this warning is found here.

5. 3. How was the Canon formed?
The answer to this question rests solidly on the character and actions of God. You must understand this was an act of God, not man.
Canonicity: The canon of Scripture is a closed collection of writings, consisting of all writings and only those writings inspired by God. The 39 books of the Hebrew OT and the 27 books of the Greek NT contain the whole canon of Scripture (2 Timothy 3:16; Jude 3; Revelation 22:18-19). Because Scripture is God’s only written revelation to men, it is our sole source of infallible guidance. We do not accept the apocryphal books as canonical (Matthew 5:17-18; cp. Revelation 22:18-19; Jude 3).

6. I. The Authority of Scripture.
A. The authority of Scripture is derived from the authority of its ultimate Author: God.
B. The authority of Scripture is inviolately assured by the method of the composition of Scripture: verbal, plenary inspiration.

7. C. The authority of Scripture is infallible, because the Bible is inerrant.
D. The authority of Scripture is supreme and absolute, because it is directly from God.
E. The authority of Scripture is attested and imposed by GHS, because He inspired and illuminates the words of Scripture.

8. II. The Canonicity of Scripture.
The Meaning of Kanon.
κανών (kanon) = “rod, measuring rule, standard”
B. The Source of the Canonicity of Scripture.
1. Canonicity was not conferred on Scripture by the Church.
2. Canonicity was conferred on Scripture by God by virtue of His authorship of the Bible by means of verbal, plenary inspiration.

9. II. The Canonicity of Scripture.
C. The Conferral of the Canonicity of Scripture.
1. The canonicity of Scripture was conferred through the inspiration of the words of Scripture itself.
2. The canonicity of Scripture was conferred through the testimony of GHS in the Divine authority of the various books of the Bible.

10. II. The Canonicity of Scripture.
D. The Recognition of the Canon of Scripture.
1. The History of the Recognition of the OT Canon.
a. By Israel.
(1) The Law (Torah) of Moses, the Pentateuch, was recognized as canonical from the time of its writing.
(2) The Prophets (Neviim) were a succession of men through whom God gave direct revelation.
(3) The Writings (Kethuvim) are properly classed among the Prophets, but a threefold designation gained acceptance.

12. II. The Canonicity of Scripture.
D. The Recognition of the Canon of Scripture.
1. The History of the Recognition of the OT Canon.
b. By the Church.
(1) Except for heretics, like Marcion, the Church always recognized the Jew’s OT Canon.
(2) The OT Canon was the very prophetic foundation for the Person and work of the LJC.
(3) Jesus’ recognition of the OT Canon would have been especially determinative.

13. II. The Canonicity of Scripture.
D. The Recognition of the Canon of Scripture.
2. The History of the Recognition of the NT Canon.
a. Period of Separate Circulation (AD ), Individual books circulating.
b. Period of Separation ( ), Separating canonical books from non-canonical works.
c. Period of Completion ( ), Recognition and Solidification.
N.B. – No books in the early period that were first accepted were later rejected.

14. II. The Canonicity of Scripture.
D. The Recognition of the Canon of Scripture.
4. The Stimuli for the Recognition of the NT Canon.
a. Influence of Marcion (AD 150) and other Heretics.
b. Gnostic esoteric speculation and traditions.
c. Apocryphal literature – mainly by Gnostics.
d. Persecutions. Which books would you give your life?

15. II. The Canonicity of Scripture.
D. The Recognition of the Canon of Scripture.
5. The Criterion for the Recognition of the NT Canon.
a. Apostolic authority.
b. Testimony of Christ.
c. Acceptance by the churches

16. II. The Canonicity of Scripture.
D. The Recognition of the Canon of Scripture.
5. The Criterion for the Recognition of the NT Canon.
d. Internal Witness.
e. Agreement with previous revelation.
f. Finally, it was oversight of Christ for His Church through GHS that directed the collection of the Canon.