God’s Preservation of His Word (Canon)

Can We Trust the Bible? God’s Preservation of His Word Review • God’s Commitment to His Word • God’s Preservation of His Word • Copying • Criticism Preview • Canon: Which books belong in the Bible? The Bible is a product of man, my dear. Not of God. The Bible did not fall magically from the clouds. Man created it as a historical record of tumultuous times, and it has evolved through countless translations, additions, and revisions. History has never had a definitive version of the book.” … “More than eighty gospels were considered for the New Testament, and yet only a relative few were chosen for inclusion— Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John “Who chose which gospels to include?” Sophie asked. “Aha! … The fundamental irony of Christianity! The Bible, as we know it today, was collated by the pagan Roman emperor Constantine the Great.” Dan Brown, The Da Vinci Code (p 251) What is a Canon? • What it is not • Not a man-made list of Bible books • Not a council’s declaration • Not a regionally-controlled decision • Not giving authority to books What is a Canon? • What it is • God’s selection of his spoken words • Universal orthodox agreement • Recognition of internal authority [Many] apocryphal books were rejected—some for obvious reasons. The Gospel of Thomas, for example, records Peter telling Mary to leave, for “females are not worthy of the life”, to which Jesus responds that he will make her male so that she can enter the kingdom of heaven. Scribes and Scripture, p. 161 (quoted from Thomas 114) It is not the antiquity, authenticity, or religious community that makes a book canonical or authoritative. A book is valuable because it is canonical, and not canonical because it is or was considered valuable. Its authority is established by God and merely discovered by Geisler, L. (1999). Bible, Canonicity Of. In Baker God’s N. people. Encyclopedia of Christian Apologetics (p. 80). Baker Books. Who recognized the Canon? • Early Canonical Lists (question is mostly about NT books) • Irenaeus (130–202): 22 of the 27 NT books It is not possible that the Gospels be more or fewer than these in number. Irenaeus in Against Heresies 3.11.8 (around AD 180) The Church has four Gospels. Heresy has many. Irenaeus in Sermons in Luke 1.2 Who recognized the Canon? • Early Canonical Lists (question is mostly about NT books) • Irenaeus (130–202): 22 of the 27 NT books • Muratorian Fragment (170): 22 of the 27 NT books • Origen’s non-formal list (250): may lack Revelation • Formal recognition of the canon • Council of Nicea (325): recognized what was universally accepted. • Athanasius’ Festal (Easter) letter (367): all 27 NT books Let no one add to these or subtract anything from them. Athanasius, Festal Letter 39.19 What are marks of the Canon? • Apostolicity: connected to Christ's apostles “I still have many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now. When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth, for he will not speak on his own authority, but whatever he hears he will speak, and he will declare to you the things that are to come. He will glorify me, for he will take what is mine and declare it to you. All that the Father has is mine; therefore I said that he will take what is mine and declare it John 16:12–15 to you.” And we impart this in words not taught by human wisdom but taught by the Spirit, interpreting spiritual truths to those who are spiritual. 1 Corinthians 2:13 What are marks of the Canon? • Apostolicity: connected to Christ's apostles • Uniqueness: internal evidence of inspiration • Universal acceptance: widely circulated and believed • Early lists • Ancient statements • Manuscripts • Scripture quotations Conclusions • Providence: God has secured his Word in public history. • Authority: God has given us the rule for faith and life. • Sufficiency: God’s Word is more than enough! Can We Trust the Bible? God’s Preservation of His Word