M O N D A Y , M A R C H 3 1 , 2 0 0 8
The Hebrew CanonWhile those in the Eastern Orthodox Church claim the Jews once
had a wider canon than they do now, such a statement far exceeds
the actual evidence. Rather, when looking at the evidence, we find
that the early Church, "with regard to the Old Testament",
"appears to have remained in conscious and intentional accord
with the Jewish community”(Ellis). Along with other reasons for
thinking this is the case (which will be covered later), there are
multiple sources that point us in the direction of a canonical list
much like the Protestant and Hebrew Old Testament.
Josephus proves helpful again as he gives his gentile audience
some information on the Hebrew Scriptures. "For we have not an
innumerable multitude of books among us, disagreeing from and
contradicting one another [as the Greeks have], but only
twenty-two books, which contain the records of all the past times;
which are justly believed to be divine.” Josephus goes on to explain
somewhat the content of these books, their threefold division,
along with the time frame in which they were written. From this
record as well as what can be gathered from other lists, the
content is almost if not exactly what we have in our Protestant
Bibles.
Jubillees, a book widely known in the earlier Christian Church and
reflected in Christian literature in the mid second century,
supports Josephus’ claims. While a significant piece to this
discussion is missing in the Ethiopic text, there are several sixth
century Greek writers and others from the third century who quote
or show that they had access (some independent) to Jubilees. The
quotation itself reads something like, "God, as it says, created (22)
works in the six days, wherefore also there are 22 letters among
the Hebrews and 22 books, and 22 founding fathers from Adam to
Jacob." The number twenty-two has shown up again and, is
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B Y W H O S E A U T H O R I T Y ?" N O W T H E SE J E W S W E R E MO R E N O B L E T H A N T H O SE I N T H E SSA L O N I C A ; T H E Y
R E C E I V E D T H E W O R D W I T H A L L E A G E R N E SS , E X A MI N I N G T H E SC R I P T U R E S D A I L YT O SE E I F T H E SE T H I N G S W E R E SO . " ( A C T S 1 7 : 1 1 )
By Whose Authority?: The Hebrew Canon http://bywhoseauthority.blogspot.com/2008/03/22-books.html
1 of 3 09/02/2010 01:21
A B O U T T H I S B L O G
This blog is devoted to addressing
questions of Church authority and
other doctrinal issues surrounding
the Protestant, Eastern Orthodox
and Roman Catholic churches. Our
hope is to foster a charitable and
winsome dialog in the pursuit of
God’s truth.
“We are concerned about Sola
Scriptura for many reasons. But we
affirm it in the final analysis not
because it was the view of the
Reformers, not because we
slavishly revere A.A. Hodge and
B.B. Warfield…We defend it and
express our deep concern for it
because we believe it is the truth.”
-R.C. Sproul
C O N T R I B U T O R S
David N.
Danielle
--paul
Catz206
Nathanael Taylor
J O I N O U R F A C E B O O KN E T W O R K
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Name:By Whose Authority?Topics:Religion, Theology,
By Whose Authority?: The Hebrew Canon http://bywhoseauthority.blogspot.com/2008/03/22-books.html
2 of 3 09/02/2010 01:21
By Whose Authority?: The Hebrew Canon http://bywhoseauthority.blogspot.com/2008/03/22-books.html
3 of 3 09/02/2010 01:21