1. The Canon of the New Testament
What Books Belong in the Bible?
Robert C. Newman

2. The Term “Canon” Derived from the Greek “Kanon” Our interest here:
Early meaning – a measuring rod
Later meanings:
A standard by which something is judged
A list
Our interest here:
The list of books that belong in the Bible

3. Various Views on the Extent of the Canon
Traditional Protestant View
OT – 39 books
Matching the traditional Jewish view
NT – 27 books
Matching the traditional Christian view

4. Various Views on the Extent of the Canon
Larger Canons:
Roman Catholics and Greek Orthodox add books to the Old Testament
The Apocrypha
Mormons accept three additional collections besides the Bible:
Book of Mormon
Doctrines & Covenants
Pearl of Great Price

5. Various Views on the Extent of the Canon
Smaller Canons:
Marcion – c150 AD
Only Luke & 10 Letters of Paul
Swedenborgians
NT – only 4 Gospels & Revelation
OT – only 29 books
Theological Liberalism
A canon within the canon

6. Divergent Views on the Basis of Canon
Recognition by a church council
Old books are canonical
Valuable books are canonical
Books which agree with previous revelation
God-inspired books are canonical

7. The Recognition of Canon
The importance of time-perspective
Information is lost with the passage of time.
So later people have less information on which to make a judgment.
An important distinction exists between recognition soon after writing and long after writing.

8. Recognition of a Work Recently Written
How recognize inspiration?
Use arbitrary principles?
Use God-given principles?
God-given tests for inspiration:
Connection with supernatural phenomena
Connection with earlier inspired books
Agreement with earlier inspired books

9. A Bible Survey of the Application of These Tests
Mosaic period
Old covenant established
Prophetic period
Old covenant developed
Ministry of Christ
New covenant established
Ministry of Apostles
New covenant developed

10. Connection with Supernatural
Mosaic period
Moses gives signs to Pharoah & Israel
Plagues, exodus, Sinai
Prophetic period
Prophets attested by miracles & short-term prophecies
Ministry of Christ
Miracles, short-term prophecy
Ministry of Apostles

11. Connection with Earlier Revelation
Moses
Rescue predicted to Abraham (Gen 15:13)
Prophets
Prophets predicted by Moses (Deut 18)
Christ
Predicted by prophets (e.g., Isa 53)
Apostles
Chosen by Jesus

12. Agreement with Earlier Revelation
Cannot contradict
See Deut 13:1-3 – no other gods
See Acts 17:11 – responsibility to test
See Gal 1:8-9 – no other gospel
Can explain and clarify
Otherwise, why more revelation?
Looks like book of Revelation designed to close the canon.

13. Recognition of a Work Written Long Ago
We cannot easily re-do what was done long ago.
We suggest the following as a check that the Bible is what it claims to be:
Christian evidences point to Christ and to salvation through Him.
Christ endorses the Bible:
OT explicitly
NT implicitly

14. Recognition of a Work Written Long Ago
Canonicity then reduces to two historical questions:
What writings had Palestinian Jews come to recognize as Scripture at Jesus’ time?
OT canon
What Christian writings did Christians come to recognize as Scripture in the few centuries after Jesus’ time?
NT canon

15. Old Testament Canon We pass the buck to our OT professors
Vannoy, Putnam
But see my paper “The Council of Jamnia and the OT Canon”
Westminster Theological Journal (Spr 76)
IBRI website (
IBRI Research Report #13

16. New Testament Canon Stimuli to recognize NT Scripture
NT evidence for preparation & recognition of Scripture
Indications of recognition in:
The Apostolic Fathers ( AD)
Early Heretical Writers (before 150)
Late 2nd Century (to 200)
Towards formal recognition (to 400)

17. Stimuli to Recognize Scripture
Need for revelation
Problem of persecution
Priorities of translation
Threat of heresy

18. New Testament Evidence
Selection of materials for inclusion
Protection from error
Public reading in the churches
Circulation among the churches
Collection
Quotation as authoritative

19. New Testament Evidence
Quotation as authoritative:
2 Peter 3:15-16 – “Distort Paul’s letters as they do the rest of Scripture”
1 Timothy 5:18 – refers to OT and NT (Luke 10:7) under the heading “Scipture says.”
Jude’s citation of 2 Peter 2 & 3
Concept of “Scripture” applied to NT by NT itself

20. Recognition in the Apostolic Fathers
Many allusions to NT writings
Three explicit references to NT as Scripture:
1 Clement 47 (c95) to 1 Corinthians
Polycarp (c110) to Ephesians 4:26
Pseudo-Barnabas (c130) to Matthew 22:14

21. 1 Clement 47
Take up the epistle of the blessed Paul the Apostle. What wrote he first unto you in the beginning of the Gospel? Of a truth he charged in the Spirit concerning himself and Cephas and Apollos, because that even then you made factions.

22. Polycarp to Philippians 12
For I am persuaded that you are well-trained in the sacred writings, and nothing is hidden from you. But to myself this is not granted, only, as it is said in these scriptures, ‘Be ye angry and sin not,’ and ‘Let not the sun set on your wrath’ [Eph 4:26]

23. Pseudo-Barnabas 4 Very allegorical
In an exhortation, the author quotes Matthew 22:14 “many called, but few chosen,” under the heading, “As it is written.”

24. Recognition in the Early Heretical Writers
Basilides
Ophites
Marcion
Valentinus
Summary
They applied concept of Scripture to NT
All Gospels but Mark, all Pauline epistles but Pastorals

25. Recognition in the Late Second Century
Justin Martyr
Irenaeus
Muratorian Canon
Tertullian
Clement of Alexandria
Some problem books:
Hebrews
Revelation

26. Towards Formal Recognition
Origen
Eusebius
Athanasius
Decisions of Church Councils:
Synod of Laodicea
Synod of Rome
Synod of Hippo
Synod of Carthage

27. Summary on Canon
Final details seem to have been providential, as with OT Canon.
The later scholars and councils seem to have made good use of historical information.
Questions were raised for Hebrews, Revelation and a few of the shortest books.
Category of Scripture applied to NT writings already in apostolic period.
Nearly all the NT canon seen as authoritative in early 2nd century.

28. The End