How We Got the BibleDissemination and Canon of the New Testament

General Outline

5. Early Gospel Sources6. The Writing of the New Testament7. The Dissemination of the New Testament8. The New Testament Canon

Conclusions from Last Week• The writing of the New Testament comes

from a variety of authors, contexts, and episodes that fit within the middle of the first century.

• The books comprise a snapshot of the early church wrestling with difficult issues.

• It stands alone as the definitive picture of the identity and function of the church.

New Testament Scribes• Matthew 13:52 (ESV) And he said to them,

“Therefore every scribe who has been trained for the kingdom of heaven is like a master of a house, who brings out of his treasure what is new and what is old.”

• Matthew 23:34 (ESV) “Therefore I send you prophets and wise men and scribes, some of whom you will kill and crucify, and some you will flog in your synagogues and persecute from town to town,”

New Testament Scribes

Notable New Testament Scribes include:• Silas, 1 Peter 5:12 (a prophet?, Acts 15:32)• Tertius, Romans 16:22• Timothy, Colossians 1:1, 23; 4:18

Dissemination of the NT

The church, from the earliest times, worked to spread the writings of the early church, Acts 15:22-30.• Acts 15:22-23 (ESV) Then it seemed good to

the apostles and the elders, with the whole church, to choose men from among them and send them to Antioch with Paul and Barnabas. They sent Judas called Barsabbas, and Silas, leading men among the brothers, with the following letter: …

Dissemination of the NTThe church, from the earliest times, worked to spread the writings of the early church, Acts 15:22-30.• Acts 15:22-23 (ESV) … “The brothers, both the

apostles and the elders, to the brothers who are of the Gentiles in Antioch and Syria and Cilicia, greetings.

• Acts 15:30 (ESV) So when they were sent off, they went down to Antioch, and having gathered the congregation together, they delivered the letter.

Dissemination of the NT• Not only was a letter written, but Luke

records that this letter was sent and delivered.

• Not only was the letter sent and delivered, but the contents of the letter survived so that Luke could include it in the text of the history of Acts.

Dissemination of the NT

It is implicit in several texts that they were to be spread to various churches.• Seven churches of Asia, Revelation 1:4• Churches of Galatia, Galatians 1:2• Churches of Rome, Romans 16:1-16

Dissemination of the NT• Exchanging of letters was commanded by the

apostles and became common practice, Colossians 4:15-16.

• Letters from apostles were considered as if the apostles had said it themselves in person, 2 Thessalonians 2:15.

• Letters were considered to carry great authority, 2 Thessalonians 3:14.

Critical Reading & Listening

John emphasize the need to listen critically.• 2 John 7-11• 3 John 9-12• Revelation 2:2

Critical Reading & Listening

Discerning of Spirits• 1 Corinthians 12:7-11 (note v. 10)• 1 Corinthians 14:29, 37-38• 1 John 4:1-3Receiving the Word as From God• 1 Thessalonians 2:13• Galatians 1:6-9 (note preached/received)

What Is Scripture?• 2 Peter 3:15-16 (ESV) And count the patience

of our Lord as salvation, just as our beloved brother Paul also wrote to you according to the wisdom given him, as he does in all his letters when he speaks in them of these matters. There are some things in them that are hard to understand, which the ignorant and unstable twist to their own destruction, as they do the other Scriptures.

Historical Canons

Marcion the Heretic (Early Second Century)• Tried to become a bishop in Rome.• Rejected all of the Hebrew canon and its

God.• Accepted only an edited version of Luke from

the Gospels.• He also accepted 10 edited Pauline letters.• The church as it existed at that time rejected

both his teachings and his canon.

Historical CanonsMuratorian Canon (Late Second Century)• Gospels: Mathew, Mark, Luke, and John, Acts• Church Epistles: Romans, 1 & 2 Corinthians, Galatians,

Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, 1 & 2 Thessalonians• Individual Letters: Philemon, Titus, 1 & 2 Timothy• General: Jude, Two letters of John• Revelation of John• Book of Wisdom (not written by Solomon)• [Revelation] “of Peter” (some rejected it)• Shepherd of Hermas (good but not be read in church)

Historical Canons• Eusebius (4th Century) writes about 22 books

and then mentions 5 more that he claimed were somewhat disputed.

• Athanasius (367 AD) lists 27 books that form true Christian teaching.

• Jerome (342-420 AD) lists the same 27 books as Athanasius but mentions that the Western church questioned Hebrews and the Eastern church questioned Revelation.

• Jerome’s Latin Vulgate contained all 27 books.

Debated Books• James– Con: Lacks “gospel”; Jewish content– Pro: James seems to be the brother of Jesus.

• Hebrews– Con: Jewish content; Strange style; No clear

author– Pro: Quoted from early times; Associated with

Paul• Revelation– Con: Association with mysticism and Montanism– Pro: Associated with John from very early