How was the Bible formed?

[Reformed Baptist]

This discussion came up in another thread

 

 

Before we proceed, could you tell me whether Jesus Christs, or, perhaps, Apostles, or, perhaps, God (through His prophet) directed people to build a collection of literature called Bible?

 

 

1. How as the Bible formed?

2. Who inspired it?

3. Who wrote it?

4. How was it compiled or canonized?

5. Why was it compiled or canonized?

 

Feel free to answer one or all the questions.

Before you ask that question, it is worth addressing what is the Bible

[enoob57]

 

This discussion came up in another thread

 

 

Before we proceed, could you tell me whether Jesus Christs, or, perhaps, Apostles, or, perhaps, God (through His prophet) directed people to build a collection of literature called Bible?

 

1. How as the Bible formed?

2. Who inspired it?

3. Who wrote it?

4. How was it compiled or canonized?

5. Why was it compiled or canonized?

 

Feel free to answer one or all the questions.

 

Before you ask that question, it is worth addressing what is the Bible

 

with all do respect that is what all these questions answer

[other one]

 

This discussion came up in another thread

 

 

Before we proceed, could you tell me whether Jesus Christs, or, perhaps, Apostles, or, perhaps, God (through His prophet) directed people to build a collection of literature called Bible?

 

 

1. How as the Bible formed?

2. Who inspired it?

3. Who wrote it?

4. How was it compiled or canonized?

5. Why was it compiled or canonized?

 

Feel free to answer one or all the questions.

Before you ask that question, it is worth addressing what is the Bible

 

Is not the answer to what the Bible is actually the answered by the answers to these questions?   I'm kind of confused by your question.....

[Spock]

I read through this thread quickly but I don't recall reading the name Constantine or the First Council of Nicaea in 325 AD.. Does no one think these were important in God's plan?

[Littlelambseativy]

The Bible is a history of the Love of God toward man. I would imagine that since Adam could name each animal he would be able to write the history of the Garden of Eden and the expulsion to Enoch and Noah, Abraham, Sodom and Gomorrah to Isaac and Jacob, David and the Prophets to the coming of the Lord Jesus whose birth we celebrate. The Disciples/Apostles and the their experiences with the Lord and the vision of John the Revelator, the fall of the great cherub becoming the archenemy of Almighty God and God's plan of Salvation,  all words inspired by the Holy Spirit. Though each wrote from his own experience with Jesus, they tell a complete picture of the Son of God, more like looking at view by 4 people - each looking at the same view but seeing different things from their own perspective yet telling of the whole view.

The Bible is in no way contradictory and where it may seem to be it is backed or clarified in another. God chose ordinary humble men who were willing to submit to His leading to write and teach and tell the history of His actions of love, and punishment for mans rebellion against Him. The Bible is a constant history of God wanting man, created to love Him, rebel against that love and the righteous punishment for that rebellion.

The compiling of the Word of God was done by men willing to submit to the leading of the Holy Spirit to serve God's purpose. Men yielded to God for that purpose. God in control of His Word not man.

[GoldenEagle]

Before you ask that question, it is worth addressing what is the Bible

 

Okay what is the Bible Reformed Baptist?

[GoldenEagle]

I read through this thread quickly but I don't recall reading the name Constantine or the First Council of Nicaea in 325 AD.. Does no one think these were important in God's plan?

 

Excellent point Spock... Here are some thoughts and observations:

 

I. TERMS

                A. “Bible” from Greek biblos (“book”)

                B. New “Testament” = New “Covenant”

                C. “canon” from Greek kanon (“rod,” “ruler,” “rule”)

 

II. CANONIZATION OF THE NT

                A. God guided it.

                B. The process was slow.

                                1. Communication was slow:

                                2. Many noncanonical writings to test

                                3. Some canonical writings were slow   to be accepted

                C. Canonization was informal--the church approved what godly Christians accepted.

                D. Three informal tests of inspiration:

                                1. Apostolicity (eyewitness)

                                2. Orthodoxy (sound doctrine)

                                3. Universality (wide application)

 

III. THREE EVIDENCES OF A DEVELOPING CANON

                A. Early Christian writers using the canonical writings

                B. Opinions of church councils or individual Christians about canonical writings

                                1. heretic Marcion’s canon, AD 140

                                2. Muratorian canon, AD 170

                                3. Eusebius in Church History, AD 320

                                4. Athanasius letter, AD 367

                                5. 3rd Council of Carthage, AD 397               

                C. Contents of certain ancient manuscripts.

                                1. Codex Sinaiticus (AD 350)

                                2. Codex Vaticanus (AD 325)

[GoldenEagle]

(Cont. Part 2)

IV. TIME FRAME

                A. 1st century - Canon is open. 

                                1. All NT books & epistles written

                                2. No concrete list yet.

                                3. Patristics quoted from NT writings, beginning with 1 Clement in AD 95.

                B. 2d–3d century - Canon is open

                                1. Much of NT quoted by Patristics early 2d century

                                2. Canon of Marcion, AD 140

                                3. Tatian’s Diatessaron (Gospel harmony) AD 170

                C. 4th century - canon closed

                                1. Church historian Eusebius (270-340), Church History gave 4 groupings.

                                2. 367 AD - an Easter letter by Athanasius, lists all 27 books.

                                3. Council of Carthage (AD 397) & Council of Hippo (419) confirmed the 27 canonical books.

V. GENRE IN THE NT

                A. Gospels (Lea says Biography)

                B. Letters

                C. History

                                1. Not exhaustive

                                2. theological interpretation.

                D. Apocalyptic

 

Source: Lea, Thomas D., and David Alan Black. The New Testament: Its Background and Message. Second Edition. Nashville: Broadman and Holman, 2003

[GoldenEagle]

One more thing.

 

When some texts are brought out to seem to contradict the other, there are two things that come to mind.

 

1. copyist error / editorializing (Genesis 14:14 and 1 John 5:7)

2. the imperfection of human language (speech / understanding)

 

To this...

 

VI. ACCURACY OF THE NT

                A. NT has smallest % of textual errors of any ancient writing.

                                1. About 200,000 textual variants.

                                2. Scholars estimate it is ½ of 1% (or .5%) of the NT.       

                                3. So small as to be negligible.

                                4. None of this involves a doctrinal or    historical truth.

                B. Most of the differences are in spelling, word order, & less important features.

[enoob57]

One more thing.

 

When some texts are brought out to seem to contradict the other, there are two things that come to mind.

 

1. copyist error / editorializing (Genesis 14:14 and 1 John 5:7)

2. the imperfection of human language (speech / understanding)

 

To this...

 

VI. ACCURACY OF THE NT

                A. NT has smallest % of textual errors of any ancient writing.

                                1. About 200,000 textual variants.

                                2. Scholars estimate it is ½ of 1% (or .5%) of the NT.       

                                3. So small as to be negligible.

                                4. None of this involves a doctrinal or    historical truth.

                B. Most of the differences are in spelling, word order, & less important features.

their is no other foundation as I have went to deaths door and was unafraid

knowing what was on the other side by that self same Word...