Biblical Canon?

[GoldenEagle]

What is the Biblical Canon? When, why, and how was it closed?

So I know I posted this here somewhere but I can't find it at the moment. And the search function doesn't seem to be working again. So posting this for a

 

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

[GoldenEagle]

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)

[GoldenEagle]

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)
 

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.

[GoldenEagle]

V. GENRES IN THE NT

                A. Gospels (Lea says Biography)

                B. Letters

                C. History

                                1. Not exhaustive

                                2. theological interpretation.

                D. Apocalyptic

 

VI. TEXTUAL CRITICISM

                A. This is “Lower Criticisim” (analyzing the text)

                B. The science of “sorting and comparing the existing manuscripts of an ancient document with a view to reconstructing the text of the original as accurately as possible (Craig Blomberg, Jesus & the Gospels).”

                                1. Use judgment & skill.

                C. Basic principles (Westcott & Hort,  1881)

                                1. Prefer the oldest reading with the best geographical distribution.

                                2. Prefer the shortest reading

                                3. Perfer the more difficult reading

                                4. Prefer the reading which best ex-plains the origin of the other readings.

                D. The materials of Textual Criticism

                                1. Greek manuscripts

                                2. Ancient Versions of the NT

                                                a. Latin & Syriac versions are important

 

VII. 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% (.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.

[coheir]

fantastic work GE

[other one]

What is the Biblical Canon? When, why, and how was it closed?

So I know I posted this here somewhere but I can't find it at the moment. And the search function doesn't seem to be working again. So posting this for a

 

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

 

 

 

[FreeinChrist]

Thanks GE, some good information to know.

[Ozzy]

The Biblical cannon is simply a collection of some of the historical/spiritual writings of some of the people of God. Around the point that GE is talking about, the Romans met in councils to determine which writing would go in there. Keep in mind, these were not apostles or prophets, just men holding a political station in the empire. Think of our politicians today taking all the records and determining which ones would be compiled into an "authorized record" in which they would say no one else can change the configuration that they have chosen. It would turn out to be a political power struggle. This is what happened with the compilation of the Bible. These guys fought, argued, compromised, and came up with a record that best fit their political needs and the needs of the emperor. Many of the writings were left out because they did not agree with what these politicians wanted to achieve. At any rate, they did leave a lot of great stuff in there. For the most part, the cannon serves as a great teacher of repentance, redemption, and righteous living. But do be careful when you think it is everything. Remember how it was compiled.

 

On a side note, for those of you who believe that the verses in Revelation that talk about not adding to or taking away from this book is wrong, - this is exactly what these politicians did in the 4th century. The added and took away from the scriptures and compiled their own record.

[Sevenseas]

 

4/4....at least you are consistent

[Guest Judas Machabeus]

Here is where I get lost.... I have read very similar information in a book given to me by and Alliance Church Pastor.  The book says the Council of Carthage was the closure of the Canon and GE mentioned the Council as well. Here is what I found regarding the Council of Carthage: http://www.bible-researcher.com/carthage.html

 

 

It was also determined that besides the Canonical Scriptures nothing be read in the Church under the title of divine Scriptures. The Canonical Scriptures are these: Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy, Joshua the son of Nun, Judges, Ruth, four books of Kings, ³ two books of Paraleipomena, ⁴ Job, the Psalter, five books of Solomon, ⁵ the books of the twelve prophets, Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezechiel, Daniel, Tobit, Judith, Esther, two books of Esdras, ⁶ two books of the Maccabees. Of the New Testament: four books of the Gospels, one book of the Acts of the Apostles, thirteen Epistles of the Apostle Paul, one epistle of the same [writer] to the Hebrews, two Epistles of the Apostle Peter, three of John, one of James, one of Jude, one book of the Apocalypse of John. Let this be made known also to our brother and fellow-priest Boniface, or to other bishops of those parts, for the purpose of confirming that Canon. because we have received from our fathers that those books must be read in the Church. Let it also be allowed that the Passions of Martyrs be read when their festivals are kept.

 

In the the list of OT books are the deuterocanonical books being listed as Canonical. Before the council there was a lot of debate regarding these books but after the council they become accepted as part of Canon. So if the Canon was closed at the Council of Carthage how can these books be removed?.