History of the

Church I:Week Four

The Canon:

How did weget the Bible?

Why the Bible is important: read p. 57/show video

Early Christians considered the Bible as one book (Jerome – 4th century)

In the ancient world testament meant a covenant or a special relationship between two parties

The word canon meant measuring stick in Greek

Split in two: the O.T. promised; N.T. fulfilled

The Canon “The Scriptures were composed

through the Spirit of God, and have both a meaning that is obvious, and another which is hidden from most readers…The whole law is spiritual, but the inspired meaning is not recognized by all-only by those who are gifted with the grace of the Holy Spirit in the world of wisdom and knowledge.” - Origen

Apocrypha

Luke 24:44 – Jesus referred to the 39 books in Palestine which were the O.T. – these are the same 39 books in the modern Protestant Bible

Elsewhere, the Greek Septuagint added the books of the Apocrypha which others outside of Palestine accepted as canon

There is evidence to suggest Jesus nor the apostles never quoted the Apocrypha

Augustine/Reformation

How did we get the New Testament?

1. Self-evidencing quality – Justin Martyr, Tatian, Augustine

2. Used in Christian worship (Col. 4:16)

3. It had to have a tie to an apostle (either written by or had close contact with)

Canon Trials

First threat to the Canon: Marcion1. A.D. 1402. Wealthy ship owner3. Thought O.T. was evil – Only

accepted parts of Luke and Paul’s letters as canonical

4. He was ex-communicated in A.D. 144 but his churches flourished

5. Church now had to face heresy about what was the real Bible

Marcion Solution

Church decided to restore the Gospels and link them to the book of Acts to form the N.T.

O.T. was needed to understand N.T. so it was restored as well

Two important points: 1) The faith of the Christian

had to reconcile wrath/love 2) Christianity is a historical

faith

Montanus

Late in the 2nd century, the church started to become ecclesiastical or an accepted institution in the Roman world

With this change came new problems. In particular, the church became more secularized

Some believed the church was becoming too much a part of the world

Montanus

Sometime between A.D. 156 and 172, a man and his two prophetesses appeared in Asia Minor

They claimed to be filled with H.S. and said the end times were upon us

They spoke in a state of ecstasy in which in their bodies appeared to be in-dwelt

They also claimed that anyone who spoke against them blasphemed the H.S.

Montanus Solution

Montanus believed the age of Christ and a new age of the Spirit was upon us

How could the church keep the message of Christ and the apostles witness central to the teachings of the Church?

The answer is to make all later Christian teachings center in Christ – to do this the Church set apart all apostolic teachings as authoritative

The New Testament As It Gained Acceptance by the Early Church

.......100........ 200 250 300 400

[All the] different parts of our New Testament were written by this time, but not collected and defined as "Scripture." Early Christian Writers (for example Polycarp and Ignatius) quote from the Gospels and Paul's letters, as well as from other Christian writing and oral sources.

Paul's letters were collected late in the first century. Matthew, Mark, and Luke were brought together by 150.

New Testament used in the church at Rome

(the "Muratorian Canon")

Four Gospels Acts Paul's letters:

Romans 1 & 2 Corinthians Galatians Ephesians Philippians Colossians 1 & 2 Thessalonians 1 & 2 Timothy Titus Philemon

James 1 & 2 John Jude Revelation of John Revelation of Peter Wisdom of Solomon

To be used in private, but not public, worship

The Shepherd of Hermes

New Testament used by Origen

Four Gospels Acts Paul's letters:

Romans 1 & 2 Corinthians Galatians Ephesians Philippians Colossians 1 & 2 Thessalonians 1 & 2 Timothy Titus Philemon

1 Peter 1 John Revelation of John

Disputed

Hebrews James 2 Peter 2 & 3 John Jude The Shepherd of Hermes Letter of Barnabus Teaching of Twelve Apostles Gospel of the Hebrews

New testament used by Eusebius

Four Gospels Acts Paul's letters:

Romans 1 & 2 Corinthians Galatians Ephesians Philippians Colossians 1 & 2 Thessalonians 1 & 2 Timothy Titus Philemon

1 Peter 1 John Revelation of John (authorship in doubt)

Disputed but well known

James 2 Peter 2 & 3 John Jude

New Testament fixed for the West by the Council of Cathage

Four Gospels Acts Paul's letters:

Romans 1 & 2 Corinthians Galatians Ephesians Philippians Colossians 1 & 2 Thessalonians 1 & 2 Timothy Titus Philemon

Hebrews James 1 & 2 Peter 1, 2, & 3 John Jude

Revelation of John

To be excluded

The Shepherd of Hermes Letter of Barnabus Gospel of the Hebrews Revelation of Peter Acts of Peter Didache

Chart from Bruce L. Shelley, 1995, Church History in Plain Language, 2nd ed., Nashville: TN, Thomas Nelson Publishers, p. 67.

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