Why the Bible?

Canon: “measuring rod.” To say the Bible is the canon is to say that it is rod by which we measure what we believe and how we act.

Question: How did the Bible come to be the Bible? Why not 65 books? Or 67?

Read Deuteronomy 31:24-29

The Book was placed beside the ark of the covenant as a witness.

The Book was to guide the people after Moses died.

The Book is witnessed by Earth and heaven.

The Book is intended to keep the on the path of God.

**So, the path of Christianity—beginning in Judaism—has a long history of recognized the authority of God’s Word as the supreme judge of Christian belief and conduct.

**Just as we have seen that the Bible was supernaturally given by the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, the Bible was supernaturally preserved by the Holy Spirit.

Three qualification for a book to be considered inspired

Written by an apostle, prophet, or close associate.

Universally recognized by churches as authoritative.

Consistent witness to Christ and doctrine.

The process of canonization for the New Testament

Written between A.D. 45 and 100

The writings were distributed among churches in A.D. 100-200 (1 Tim 4:11-16)

The writings were carefully examined and tested against spurious writings in A.D. 200-300.

Complete agreement was obtained A.D. 300-400

Why not accept the Apocrypha?

**The Apocrypha was a series of books that were written between the Old Testament and the New Testament

Jewish rabbis of the time did not accept the books as canonical

The Apocrypha contains factual errors and theological errors

The Apocrypha was not recognized by the RCC until 1546

The NT authors never cite the Apocrypha as authoritative

Just as God was at work in creation, in the calling of his people Israel, in the life, death, and resurrection of Christ, and in the early work and writings of the apostles, so God was at work in the preservation and assembling together of the books of Scripture for the benefit of his people for the entire church age. Ultimately, then, we base our confidence in the correctness of our present canon on the faithfulness of God. - Wayne Grudem, Systematic Theology, 65.

Put it into practice

Read Psalm 119 throughout this week.

What are the benefits of the Word of God according to this Psalm?

How do you think that your life would be different if you were to spend time every day reading God’s Word?