But as for you, continue in what you have
learned and have firmly believed, knowing from whom you learned it and how from
childhood you have been acquainted with the sacred writings, which are able to
make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. All Scripture is
breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction,
and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete,
equipped for every good work. 2Tim
3:14-17
For we did not follow cleverly devised myths
when we made known to you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but we
were eyewitnesses of his majesty. For when he received honour and glory from
God the Father, and the voice was borne to him by the Majestic Glory,
"This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased," we ourselves
heard this very voice borne from heaven, for we were with him on the holy
mountain. And we have the prophetic word more fully confirmed, to which you
will do well to pay attention as to a lamp shining in a dark place, until the
day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts, knowing this first of all,
that no prophecy of Scripture comes from someone's own interpretation. For no
prophecy was ever produced by the will of man, but men spoke from God as they
were carried along by the Holy Spirit. 2Pet
1:16-21
And count the patience of our Lord as
salvation, just as our beloved brother Paul also wrote to you according to the
wisdom given him, as he does in all his letters when he speaks in them of these
matters. There are some things in them that are hard to understand, which the
ignorant and unstable twist to their own destruction, as they do the other
Scriptures. 2Pet 3:15-16
So let us
draw the reasons why we
should appreciate the Scriptures as inspired: Unless the question of why is
firmly addressed, you will expect all sorts of problems.
1)
The
Scriptures claim to be from God – all
Scripture is God-breathed
2)
Because
Scriptures are profitable - to make you wise for salvation through faith
in Christ Jesus, and to make you complete (or compete) and so equip you for
every good work.
The
Scriptures that Paul is talking about here are obviously the OT books.
The question
that you would like me to address is how did we obtain the Scriptures? Apostle
Peter provides us with the answer, when he says … no prophecy of Scripture
comes from someone's own interpretation … men spoke from God as they were
carried along by the Holy Spirit.
Men who wrote Scriptures were not interpreters, they spoke as God
required and instructed them. Neither were they copyists, or computers. Their
personalities, era, and styles comes out, yet, they effectively communicated
God’s Word. How exactly they did we have the books that we now call the OT? The
following was the criteria used to acknowledge the inspired OT Scriptures:
1)
Did the book indicate divine authorship?
2)
Did it reflect God speaking through a mediator (e.g. Ex. 20:1; Joshua 1:1; Isa. 2:1)
3)
Was the human author a spokesman of God?
4)
Was he a prophet or did he have the prophetic gift?
(.e.g. Deut. 31:24-26; 1 Sam. 10:25; Neh. 8:3)
5)
Was the book historically accurate? Did it
reflect a record of actual facts?
6)
How was the book received by Jews?
The
formation of the Old Testament canon was gradual, and was composed of the
writings which spread into about 1500 years! Moses commanded that the books of
the law be placed in the ark (with the addition of the book of Joshua) was done.
They were kept during the wilderness journey, and later in Jerusalem. (Deuteronomy 31:9,26, cf. 2 Kings 22:8; Joshua
24:26; 1 Samuel 10:25.)
Then were
gathered and placed in the temple the historical and prophetical books from
Joshua to David's time. On the construction of the temple Solomon deposited in
it the earlier books (2 Kings 22:8, Isaiah 34:16), and enriched the collection
with inspired writings from his own pen, and also some prophetic writings. So
we find Daniel (9:2, R.V.) referring to "the books," Isaiah to
"the book of the Lord" (29:18, 34:16).
After
Solomon's day a succession of prophets arose, Jonah, Amos, Isaiah, Hosea, Joel,
Micah, Nahum, Zephaniah, Jeremiah, Obadiah, and Habakkuk. These all flourished
before the destruction of the temple, and enlarged the collection of existing
sacred books by valuable additions. After the Babylonian capture, when the
temple was rebuilt and worship re-established, then doubtless were added the
writings of Haggai and Zechariah.
About fifty
years after the temple was rebuilt Ezra made a collection of the sacred
writings (Neh. 8:2,3,14). To this collection were added the writings of
Nehemiah, Malachi, and Ezra. It is a fact of history that Nehemiah gathered the
"Acts of the Kings and the Prophets, and those of David," when
founding a library for the second temple, 432 B.C. The canon of the Old
Testament in the form we now have it, was the work of Ezra. This fact is
borne witness to in the most ancient Jewish writings. There is no doubt but
that such a collection of books existed in the time of our Lord and the
apostles (Luke 24:27, 44).
The most
important thing to highlight is that almost all the OT books are directly
quoted in the NT or alluded to. A table below from Crossway would show the
distribution of these quotations as distributed.
Book
|
Matt
|
Mar
|
Luke
|
Joh
|
Acts
|
Ro
|
1 Corr
|
2 Cor
|
Gal
|
Eph
|
1 Tim
|
Heb
|
Jas
|
1 Pet
|
Total
|
Gen
|
1
|
3
|
|
|
3
|
7
|
2
|
|
3
|
1
|
|
3
|
1
|
|
24
|
Ex
|
7
|
4
|
3
|
1
|
4
|
4
|
1
|
1
|
|
1
|
|
3
|
2
|
|
31
|
Lev
|
3
|
1
|
2
|
|
|
1
|
|
1
|
2
|
|
|
|
1
|
1
|
12
|
Num
|
|
|
|
1
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
1
|
Deut
|
8
|
2
|
5
|
|
4
|
6
|
1
|
|
2
|
|
1
|
3
|
|
|
32
|
Josh
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
1
|
|
|
1
|
1 Sam
|
|
|
|
|
1
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
1
|
2 Sam
|
|
|
|
|
|
1
|
|
|
|
|
|
1
|
|
|
2
|
1 Kgs
|
|
|
|
|
|
3
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
3
|
Neh
|
|
|
|
1
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
1
|
Job
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
1
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
1
|
Ps
|
7
|
3
|
5
|
6
|
8
|
14
|
3
|
2
|
|
1
|
|
18
|
|
2
|
69
|
Prov
|
|
|
|
|
|
3
|
|
|
|
|
|
1
|
1
|
|
5
|
Isa
|
8
|
3
|
5
|
4
|
5
|
13
|
5
|
2
|
1
|
|
|
1
|
|
4
|
51
|
Jer
|
1
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
3
|
|
|
4
|
Hos
|
3
|
|
|
|
|
2
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
5
|
Joel
|
|
|
|
|
1
|
1
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
2
|
Amos
|
|
|
|
|
2
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
2
|
Mic
|
1
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
1
|
Hab
|
|
|
|
|
1
|
1
|
|
|
1
|
|
|
1
|
|
|
4
|
Hag
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
1
|
|
|
1
|
Zech
|
3
|
1
|
|
2
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
6
|
Mal
|
1
|
1
|
1
|
|
|
1
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
4
|
Total
|
43
|
18
|
21
|
15
|
29
|
57
|
13
|
6
|
9
|
3
|
1
|
36
|
5
|
7
|
263
|
At the time when Peter was
writing second letter, there was no question that Paul’s letters were being
given equal treatment as the OT - Paul also wrote to you … in all his letters …
are hard to u
nderstand, which the ignorant and unstable twist to their own
destruction, as they do the other Scriptures.
So how was the NT Letters
collected to form the canon of Scripture we now possess? With the following consideration,
1) Spurious
writings as well as attacks on genuine writings were a factor
2) The
content of the NT writings testified to their authenticity and they naturally
were collected, being recognized as canonical (canon means the standard).
3) Apostolic
writings were used in public worship, hence it was necessary to determine which
of those writings were canonical
4) Ultimately,
the edict by Emperor Diocletian in AD 303, demanding that all sacred books be
burned, resulted in the NT collection.
This took place in the 1st
centuries of the Christian church. Paul for example recognized Luke’s writing
as being at par with OT (1Tim. 5:18
quotes Deut. 25:4, and Luke 10:7 and refers to both texts as “the scripture says”
But what evidence do we have of how the New Testament was formulated? Clement
of Rome (c. AD.95) mentioned 8 NT
letters in his correspondence. Ignitius of Antioch (c. A.D. 115) also acknowledged
seven; Polycarp, a disciple of John (c.A.D. 108), acknowledged 15 letters.
Irenaeus wrote (c. A.D. 185) acknowledged as 21 books; Hippolytus (AD170-235)
acknowleged 22 and Athanasius recognized 27 in AD 327. In 363 the Council of Laodecia
stated that only the OT and the 27 books of the NT were to be read in in the
churches. The council of Hippo (AD 393) affirmed that only the those canonical
books were to be read in churches.
How did the church recognize
which books were canonical? This was the test:
(a)
Apostlicity. Was the author an apostle or did he have a connection with an apostle? E.g.
Mark wrote under Peter’s direction and authority and Luke under Paul
(b)
Acceptance. Was the book accepted by the church at large? The recognition given
particular book by the church was important. By this canon false books were
rejected (but it also delayed recognition of some legitimate books).
(c)
Content. Did the book reflect consistency of doctrine with what had been
accepted as orthodox teaching? The spurious ‘gospel of Peter’ was rejected as a
result of this principle.
(d)
Inspiration. Did the book reflect the quality of inspiration? The Apocrypha and
Pseudepigrapha were rejected as a result of not meeting this test. The books
should bear evidence of high moral and spiritual values that would reflect a
work of the Holy Spirit. For a book to belong in the canon, it is absolutely
necessary that the book have divine authorship.
Finally what implications does this leave us:
1. We
do not follow cleverly devised myths, we follow God inspired Word, that has
divine power! If anyone brings to you any other gospel apart from the apostolic
gospel, let him be accursed. But do you listen with your eyes open to the
Scriptures
2. Should
we expect any more writings to be added to the Scripture canon? Hebrews 1:1-2
answers this question in the proper historical redemption perspective. The revelation
by the Son (method) is exceptionally greatest and final to mankind in this
period of redemption. The NT contain this final, authoritative and sufficient
interpretation of Christ’s work of redemption. The Apostles and their close
companions report Christ’s words and deeds and interpret them with absolute
divine authority. Having finished, there is nothing more to be added.
Revelation 22:18. I
warn everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book: if anyone adds
to them, God will add to him the plagues described in this book, and if anyone
takes away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God will take away his
share in the tree of life and in the holy city, which are described in this
book. The severity
threatened to those who add or subtract is unnerving- eternal judgment!
3. The
careful assembly & collection and the preservation of the canon of
Scriptures for so many years, just tells you that the divine hand is it. Just as God was at work in the preservation
and assembling of the people of Israel, in the life, death and resurrection of Christ,
and in the early work and writing of the Apostles, so God was at work in the
preservation of and assembling together of the Bible.
4. How
do we become persuaded that the books we now have in the canon are the right
ones? For anyone to be persuaded, (1) the Holy Spirit of God has to be work in
him convincing us that what we read is God’s powerful Word. I began reading the
Bible in its entirety years before I became a Christian, without any doubting
that the Bible is God’s word. Why? Because the Spirit uses the Scriptures to
convict people of sin, judgment and righteousness. And also revealing the Lord Jesus
Christ as the Good News for our salvation. The Bible has spoken to all people
who become Christians in a manner that no other book can, because Scriptures is
living and active – sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division
of soul and spirit, of joints and marrow, and discerning the thoughts and
intentions of the heart (Heb. 4:12). (2) Historical Data – a thorough
investigation of the historical circumstances surrounding the assembling of the
canon is helpful in confirming our conviction that the decisions made by the
early church were correct decisions.
There are no books
in our present canon that should not be there and there are no more that could be added!