1. Church History
The Canonical Church
© John Stevenson, 2016

2. Upon what do Christian base their beliefs?

3. Christianity as a Text-Based Religion
Pagan religions were practice-based
Sacrifices
Prayers
Belief was not considered to be important and therefore texts were not important
Judaism was the sole exception
Christianity built on Judaism’s text-based faith

4. The Greek Kanon KANWN It had to be unbendable
It had to be dependable as to its straightness

5. Galatians 6:16
Those who will walk by this RULE, peace and mercy be upon them, and upon the Israel of God.

6. Definition
Canonicity is the process by which the books of the Bible were gathered and collected so that they came to be regarded as the standard and norm for Christians.

7. Canonicity refers to the church’s recognition of the authority of the inspired writings.

8. Questions 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?

9. A Timeline of Church History
1000 1
500
1500
2000
Recognized
Canon
New Testament
The
Ancient
Church
The
Medieval
Church
The
Reformed
Church

10. Canonicity & 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).

11. Canonicity & the Old Testament
The Testimony of Jesus
The Testimony of the Septuagint

12. The Septuagint Translation of Hebrew Bible into Greek Ptolemy II
Great Library of Alexandria
Alexandria ●

13. The Septuagint 70 Scholars Entire Old Testament translated
Apocrypha also included

14. Canonicity & 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

15. Canonicity & the Old Testament
The Testimony of Jesus
The Testimony of the Septuagint
The Testimony of the New Testament
The Testimony of Josephus

16. Josephus
"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).

17. Josephus
"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).

18. Canonicity & 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

19. The 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

20. The Apocrypha 1st & 2nd Esdras Tobit Judith Esther Sequel
Wisdom of Solomon
Sirach
Baruch
Additions to Daniel
Susanna
Bel and the Dragon
1st & 2nd Maccabees

21. The church was born with a completed canon in her hands

22. The New Testament Canon

23. The Existence of the Canon
The Recognition of the Canon =

24. The 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

25. The Muratorian Canon
Includes a Book of Wisdom written by friends of Solomon in his honor
Mentions Shepherd of Hermes but says it is written more recently
Mentions apocalypse of John and of Peter, but says the latter not received by all
Latin Manuscript

26. The Muratorian Canon
…the Blessed Apostle Paul himself followed the order of his predecessor, John, and wrote only seven Churches by name. They are in this order:
Corinthians
Ephesians
Philippians
Colossians
Galatians
Thessalonians
Romans

27. The Muratorian Canon
Besides these there is one to Philemon, and one to Titus, and two to Timothy, in affection and love, but nevertheless regarded as holy in the Catholic Church, in the ordering of churchly discipline.

28. The Muratorian Canon
“There is also circulated one to the Laodiceans and another to the Alexandrians, forged under the name of Paul, in regard to the heresy of Marcion; and there are several others which cannot be received by the Church, for it is not suitable that gall be mixed with honey.”

29. The Muratorian Canon
“The Shepherd, moreover, was written by Hermas quite recently in our time, in the city of Rome, while he brother, Bishop Pius, sat in the chair of the Church in the city of Rome; and therefore, it too should certainly be read. But it cannot be read publicly to the people in church, for it is neither among the Prophets, whose number is complete to the end of time, nor among the Apostles.”

30. Factors Necessitating a New Testament Canon
The Problem of Heretics
Marcion’s Canon comprised Luke and ten epistles of Paul minus quotations from the Old Testament

31. Factors Necessitating a New Testament Canon
The Problem of Heretics
The Presence of other Christian Writings
Didache
Epistles of Ignatius and other church fathers

32. Factors Necessitating a New Testament Canon
The Problem of Heretics
The Presence of other Christian Writings
Irenaeus points to a canon that includes the Shepherd of Hermes, but excludes Hebrews, 2nd Peter. Philemon, 2nd & 3rd John

33. Factors Necessitating a New Testament Canon
The Problem of Heretics
The Presence of other Christian Writings
The Persecutions against the church and laws against ownership of the Scriptures

34. Criteria for New Testament Canonicity
Apostolic Authorship
Consistency
Reception by the Churches
The church did not make certain books canonical; the church recognized certain books to be canonical

35. Apostolic Authorship Testimony of Papias
“Matthew indeed composed the saying in the Hebrew language; and each one interpreted them to the best of his ability” (Eusebius, relating the tradition of Papias).

36. Apostolic Authorship Testimony of Papias
“When Mark became the interpreter of Peter, he wrote down accurately whatever he remembered, though not in order, of the words and deeds of the Lord” (Eusebius, relating the tradition of Papias).

37. Apostolic Authorship Testimony of Ignatius
“Not as Peter and Paul did, do I command you. They were apostles, and I am a convict. They were free, and I even to the present time am a slave.” (Ignatius, Letter to the Romans).

38. Apostolic Authorship Testimony of Irenaeus
“Matthew also issued among the Hebrews a written gospel in their own language, whle Peter and Paul were evangelizing in Roma and laying the foundation of the church. After their departure, mark the disciple and interpreter of Peter, also handed down to us in writing what had been preached by Peter.” (Irenaeus, Against Heresies).

39. Apostolic Authorship Testimony of Irenaeus
“Luke also, the companion of Paul, set down in a book the Gospel preached by him. Afterwards, John, the disciple of the Lord who reclined at His bosom, also published a Gospel, while he was residing at Ephesus in Asia.” (Irenaeus, Against Heresies).

40. Apostolic Authorship Testimony of Irenaeus
“There is such certainty surrounding the Gospels that the heretics themselves bear witness to them; and starting from the Gospels, each one of them attempts to establish his own doctrine. The Ebionites, using only the Gospel of Matthew, are confuted by it when they make false suppositions concerning the Lord.” (Irenaeus, Against Heresies).

41. Apostolic Authorship Testimony of Irenaeus
“Marcion, who mutilates that of Luke, is proved a blasphemer of the only existing God, by those parts which are still retained.” (Irenaeus, Against Heresies).

42. Apostolic Authorship Testimony of Irenaeus
“Those who follow Valentine, making copious use of the Gospel of John to illustrate their conjugation, will by that very Gospel be proved to have and said nothing rightly.” (Irenaeus, Against Heresies).

43. Testimony of Tertullian
Apostolic Authorship
Testimony of Tertullian
“The same authority of the apostolic churches will defend the other Gospels, which we possess through them and because of their using them. I mean the Gospels of John and Matthew, while that issued by Mark may be affirmed to be Peter’s, whose interpreter Mark was. And the digest by Luke men are accustomed to ascribe to Paul.” (Tertullian, Against Marcion).

44. The Antilegomena
Among the disputed writings [των αντιλεγομένων], which are nevertheless recognized by many, are extant the so-called epistle of James and that of Jude, also the second epistle of Peter, and those that are called the second and third of John, whether they belong to the evangelist or to another person of the same name. (Eusebius).

45. The Antilegomena
Among the rejected writings must be reckoned also the Acts of Paul, and the so-called Shepherd, and the Apocalypse of Peter, and in addition to these the extant epistle of Barnabas, and the so-called Teachings of the Apostles; and besides, as I said, the Apocalypse of John, if it seem proper, which some, as I said, reject, but which others class with the accepted books. (Eusebius)

46. Homologoumena (Books Accepted by all)
Antilegomena
(Books Questioned by some)
Four Gospels
Acts
Epistles of Paul
First Peter
First John
Hebrews
James
Second Peter
Second & Third John
Jude
Revelation

47. Council of Laodicea
363
Asked that only canonical books be read from the pulpit
Listed all books of our New Testament except Revelation

48. Easter Letter of Athanasius
367
Lists the 22 books of the Hebrew Scriptures (the same as our 39 books in our Old Testament)
Lists our 27 books of the New Testament

49. Easter Letter of Athanasius
See
Page 119

50. Synod of Hippo Regius Held at Carthage
397
Held at Carthage
Recognized the New Testament Canon (including Revelation)
Declared that nothing else should be read from the pulpit

51. Timeline New Testament written Muratorian Canon Apostolic Fathers
Nicaea
Paul
Polycarp
Constantine
John
Ignatius
Marcion

52. The DaVinci Code Fiction
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