"The Lord gave the word: great was the company of those that published it." —Psalm 68:11
Understanding the Formation of the
Bible
The collection of writings
historically referred to as the Bible—also known as the Scriptures—speaks to us
about the nature of God, who He is, and how He reveals Himself through His Son,
Jesus Christ. This is especially true for the writings known as the New
Testament. But where did the New Testament come from, and how was it assembled?
Many Bible-believing Christians may
not fully understand the process by which these sacred texts, recognized as
speaking on behalf of God, came into existence.
The Need for Scripture
In the early Church, many writings
circulated—some legitimate and inspired by the Holy Spirit, others of
questionable origin. Those recognized as having divine authority are described
by the Greek word theopneustos, meaning “God-breathed”—indicating
that God, through His Holy Spirit, inspired the biblical writers to convey His
message to humanity.
As the Primitive Apostolic Church
grew, there arose a pressing need to establish a recognized body of
writings—those deemed inspired by God. This was essential to provide a
consistent foundation for teaching about Jesus Christ, His life, and His role
in humanity's relationship with God and one another.
St. Luke acknowledges this
proliferation of written accounts in his Gospel:
"Many have undertaken to draw up
an account of the things that have been fulfilled among us." —Luke 1:1
At the time, many churches may have
had only one copy of a Gospel or an epistle to teach from. These documents were
often shared and circulated between congregations. Few early Christian
communities possessed a complete or multiple copies of the accepted writings.
Establishing the Canon
Given the abundance of
writings—especially various Gospel accounts and epistles—the early Church had
to determine which texts should be considered authoritative.
Over time, some documents began to
promote ideas that exceeded orthodox Christian teaching. Such writings were
often unknown until individuals or groups started proclaiming them, leading
many to doubt their authenticity. In contrast, the last known manuscript
written by an Apostle—traditionally attributed to St. John—faced skepticism due
to its apocalyptic style.
As Christianity spread and time
passed, the Post-Apostolic Church convened councils to assess and debate which
writings were truly inspired and spoke for God. This was a lengthy process,
marked by disagreements:
- Some questioned the inclusion of 2 & 3 John
and Jude due to their brevity.
- Revelation faced scrutiny, with some believing it
was written by St. John the Presbyter rather than the Apostle John.
- The Epistle to the Hebrews was debated due to its
anonymous authorship.
- 2 Peter was questioned due to stylistic differences from 1 Peter.
Other writings were excluded because
they did not meet established standards, including:
- Acts of Paul and Thekla
- Gospel of Thomas
- Acts of Andrew
- Gospel of Peter
- Revelation of Peter
- Revelation of the Twelve
Many of these rejected texts contained
Gnostic ideas or, as 2 Peter 1:16 describes, “cunningly devised
fables.” Some claimed special revelation or insight but lacked intrinsic
evidence of divine inspiration.
Those responsible for assembling the
canon sought the Holy Spirit’s guidance to reach agreement on what should—and
should not—be included in Scripture.
Sorting It Out
By the time of the Patristic
Writers (roughly 100–400 AD), early Church Fathers played a significant
role in finalizing the canon.
These Fathers are generally
categorized into:
- Ante-Nicene Fathers (before the Council of Nicaea in 325 AD)
- Post-Nicene Fathers (after 325 AD)
They were further divided into:
- Greek Fathers: Justin Martyr, John Chrysostom, Cyril of Alexandria
- Latin Fathers: Tertullian, Cyprian, Jerome, Ambrose of Milan, Gregory the Great,
Augustine of Hippo
Church Fathers examined manuscripts,
grouping writings into basic categories—a method formulated by Church historian
Eusebius (270–340 AD), which helped resolve controversies surrounding
the canon. His approach was similar to the method used to canonize the Old
Testament.
Homologoumena, Antilegomena,
Pseudepigrapha, and the Apocrypha
- Homologoumena – Writings that were universally accepted by the Church.
- Antilegomena – Writings that faced some debate regarding their inclusion.
- Pseudepigrapha – Writings considered forgeries or heretical.
- The Apocrypha – Books written after the Hebrew Bible (Old Testament) was
completed. These were never written in Hebrew nor referenced by Jesus or
the Apostles, except possibly in Jude 1:14, where Jude may have
quoted The Book of Enoch.
Early Mentions by Church Leaders
Following the sacking of Jerusalem
by the Roman armies around 70 AD, the New Testament writings existed in
scattered pieces, passed from congregation to congregation. Some fortunate
churches had multiple copies of certain writings, but for many, oral
transmission remained the primary way the Gospel was spread, supplemented
by occasional epistles.
Among the first to recognize and
reference these writings was Clement of Rome (Bishop of Rome, 88–99
AD), who quoted and affirmed many of the texts later accepted into the
Bible.
Similarly, the Epistle of Barnabas—which
some scholars believe may have been authored by St. Barnabas himself—draws
upon both Old and New Testament references.
Another early collection, The
Didache, presents a highly Jewish quality and serves as an introduction
to Christian living, detailing church order and sacraments such as Communion
and Baptism. This document, also known as The Teaching of the Twelve
Apostles, includes quotes from Matthew and Luke, affirming their inspired
authorship.
Several other early Church
leaders—including Polycarp, Papias, Justin Martyr, and Ignatius—quoted
from Matthew, John, and Paul's epistles, granting the Apostolic writings
the same recognition they gave to the Old Testament.
Just a note: There is a difference
between the Old Covenant and the Old Testament:
- The Old Covenant refers to God's agreement
with Israel at Mount Sinai, which ended at Mount Calvary.
- The Old Testament records Israel’s covenant
relationship with God and remains eternally valuable as part of
God’s Word.
Later church figures—including Clement
of Alexandria, Irenaeus, and Tertullian—continued referencing and affirming
these writings.
Canonical Councils
Four major councils discussed the
official assembly of Scripture:
- Council of Laodicea (336 AD)
- Council of Damascus (382 AD)
- Council of Carthage (397 AD)
- Council of Hippo (419 AD)
At Laodicea, the New
Testament—excluding Revelation—was officially canonized. Revelation was
later accepted at subsequent councils.
While the details of these proceedings
are vast, their outcomes have blessed generations, ensuring that God's
Word remains available across ages and lands.
How Were the Writings Chosen?
The leaders of the Church applied a
structured method when compiling the New Testament:
1. Apostolicity
– The author had to be an Apostle or a minister from the Apostolic era.
2. Universal Acceptance
– Churches universally recognized and accepted the text.
3. Uniformity
– The writing had to be consistent with other accepted texts and teachings.
4. Inspiration
– The Holy Spirit’s inspiration had to be evident.
1. Early Acceptance – The text was referenced, used, and listed as Scripture by the earliest Church Fathers.
2. Exhortation of Proclamation – The writing needed to direct believers to preach,
proclaim Jesus, and read God's Word.
By applying these standards, the
Church determined which writings were canonical—leading to the New
Testament we have today.
Conclusion
The Bible is a living document,
speaking to us about Jesus and transforming lives for eternity.
Benediction: May each and all give thanks to God for His preserved Holy
Word—today, tomorrow, and forevermore. Amen.
Rev. Todd Crouch, Pastor
Topinabee Community Church
Topinabee, Michigan
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