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Canonicity. How We Got Our Bible. Upon what do Christian base their beliefs?. The Greek Kanon. It had to be unbendable It had to be dependable as to its straightness. KANWN. Galatians 6:16. Those who will walk by this RULE, peace and mercy be upon them, and upon the Israel of God.
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Canonicity How We Got Our Bible
The Greek Kanon • It had to be unbendable • It had to be dependable as to its straightness KANWN
Galatians 6:16 Those who will walk by this RULE, peace and mercy be upon them, and upon the Israel of God.
Canonicity refers to the church’s recognition of the authority of the inspired writings.
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?
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).
Canonicity & the Old Testament • The Testimony of Jesus • The Testimony of the Septuagint
The Septuagint • Translation of Hebrew Bible into Greek • Ptolemy II • Great Library of Alexandria Alexandria ●
The Septuagint • 70 Scholars • Entire Old Testament translated • Apocrypha also included
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
Canonicity & the Old Testament • The Testimony of Jesus • The Testimony of the Septuagint • The Testimony of the New Testament • The Testimony of Josephus
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).
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).
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 Many great teachings have been given to us through the Law and the Prophets and the others that followed them… (Prologue of Sirach).
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 Encouraging them from the law and the prophets, and reminding them also of the struggles they had won, he made them the more eager (2 Maccabees 15:9).
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
The Existence of the Canon The Recognition of the Canon =
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
Marcion’s Canon comprised Luke and ten epistles of Paul minus quotations from the Old Testament Factors Necessitating aNew Testament Canon • The Problem of Heretics
Factors Necessitating aNew Testament Canon • The Problem of Heretics • The Presence of other Christian Writings • Didache • Epistles of Ignatius and other church fathers
Irenaeus points to a canon that includes the Shepherd of Hermes, but does not mention Hebrews, 2nd Peter, Philemon, 2nd & 3rd John Factors Necessitating aNew Testament Canon • The Problem of Heretics • The Presence of other Christian Writings
Factors Necessitating aNew Testament Canon • The Problem of Heretics • The Presence of other Christian Writings • The Persecutions against the church and laws against ownership of the Scriptures
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
Timeline New Testament written Muratorian Canon Apostolic Fathers Nicaea 1 50 100 150 200 250 300 350 Paul Constantine Polycarp John Ignatius Marcion