This is Evidence for the Bible part 12: How did we get our NEW Testament? And what about the LOST Gospels accidently left out of the Bible, the FORBIDDEN books banned from the Bible and the SECRET books that could have been in the Bible but weren’t?

First things first

  • Most important issue!
  • If there is a canon, it exists with or without man’s recognition!
  • If there is NO canon, it doesn’t matter what books we shove together, they aren’t inspired by God.
  • Starting point
  • There is a canon
  • Do we have it right?
  • There is no canon
  • We DON’T have it right
  • Any group of books is a lie
  • Prophecy alone proves there is a canon
  • Videos 1-10
  • Daniel, Ezekiel, Zechariah, Malachi, Deuteronomy
  • Answered objections
  • And these were just a sampling!
  • The OT is that canon
  • Because it contains this prophecy
  • And it ALONE
  • Jesus clenches it
  • Prophecy of Christ
  • 400 years goes by
  • Jesus fulfills it
  • This shows the OT is from God
  • When it comes to NT
  • A lot of our groundwork is already done
  • Prophecy, OT canonicity
  • So, is our NT what it should be?
  • Why am I doing this?
  • 1 – Because of modern attacks
  • 2 – Because those attacks are almost ALWAYS based on lies/distortions of history
  • 3 – Because there is support from history that these 27 books were organically embraced by the people of God
  • 4 – Because common “lost books” are ridiculously suggested as having credibility equal to or above these 27
  • Because we see it wasn’t a willy nilly process
  • Many think – secret council of powerful bearded white guys
  • Davinci Code –
  • Council of Nicaea – Constantine decided which books would be in the Bible
  • YouTube doesn’t help
  • “the trick is on you!”
  • Though popular, these ideas are utterly, provably false
  • Critics tend to be completely uncritical of their criticisms
  • If it supports the Bible
  • Question it incessantly and reject it
  • If it attacks the Bible
  • Believe it immediately
  • Blind faith or blind unfaith
  • Myth of neutrality
  • What they really mean is “non-Christian”
  • Issues of creation/science
  • NOT in a dark room by a select group of old white guys
  • There was no central authority in the time of the Church’s reception of the Canon
  • Persecution until 300 years after Christ
  • No authority except for the texts themselves
  • Impossible to have an authority control
  • Many will start their histories in the Councils of the 4th and 5th centuries
  • Others will go back to the 2nd century with the early fathers
  • We will go back to the 1st century, when the NT documents were first written
  • When the apostles and their companions walked the earth and wrote the books in question
  • Actually –
  • Gradual – not at one event. Piecemeal
  • Written over time in different places
  • Organic – not by one person deciding, by the Church, overall, gaining access to and recognition of the various documents
  • General format of reception
  • Apostolic teaching = authoritative
  • Apostolic writing = written authoritative teaching
  • Makes sense (see OT)
  • Is historically confirmed
  • How the church received
  • Gradual
  • With a clear core
  • With a few debatable books
  • Until those last debatable books were settled by the 4th century
  • About the same amount of time for the OT to be settled
  • NEW TESTAMENT CANON
  • General format
  • Jesus was a real historical person (Josephus, Tacitus, NT)
  • STEP ONE: Jesus had actual teachings that are authoritative as to Christianity
  • I hope I don’t have to try and prove this
  • Even Bart Ehrman agrees!
  • Jesus speaks with authority
  • Hebrews 1:1-2 God, who at various times and in various ways spoke in time past to the fathers by the prophets, 2 has in these last days spoken to us by His Son, whom He has appointed heir of all things, through whom also He made the worlds
  • He claimed to
  • John 12:49 For I have not spoken on My own authority; but the Father who sent Me gave Me a command, what I should say and what I should speak.
  • See also Jn 8:28, 8:38, 12:50, 14:10
  • Matt 28:18 And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth.
  • Jesus backs this up by
  • Fulfilling prophecy, rising from the dead
  • The testimony of the Holy Spirit to us
  • The OT predicted this
  • Deut 18:17-19 And the Lord said to me: ‘What they have spoken is good. 18 I will raise up for them a Prophet like you from among their brethren, and will put My words in His mouth, and He shall speak to them all that I command Him. 19 And it shall be that whoever will not hear My words, which He speaks in My name, I will require it of him.
  • “MY WORDS”
  • Like Moses – who brought the Pentateuch
  • He really had apostles who became His spokesmen
  • Even their existence is verified in extra-biblical sources
  • Not to mention the NT documents
  • 1st century historical sources
  • Some treat them as if they aren’t even this!
  • Why? Because even treating them as historical pushes you toward them as canonical
  • More on that LATER in this really long series
  • John 20:21 “So Jesus said to them again, “Peace to you! As the Father has sent Me, I also send you.”
  • Acts 10:39-43 And we are witnesses of all things which He did both in the land of the Jews and in Jerusalem, whom they killed by hanging on a tree. 40 Him God raised up on the third day, and showed Him openly, 41 not to all the people, but to witnesses chosen before by God, even to us who ate and drank with Him after He arose from the dead. 42 And He commanded us to preach to the people, and to testify that it is He who was ordained by God to be Judge of the living and the dead. 43 To Him all the prophets witness that, through His name, whoever believes in Him will receive remission of sins.”
  • “apostle” one who is SENT
  • STEP TWO: The apostles spoke with the authority of Christ to the church and established the rule of what Christianity IS, what Christians believe and how they are to live.
  • 2 Peter 3:2 “that you may be mindful of the words which were spoken before by the holy prophets, and of the commandment of us,[a] the apostles of the Lord and Savior”
  • Groups the apostles with the prophets
  • Hebrews 2:2-3 “For if the word spoken through angels proved steadfast, and every transgression and disobedience received a just reward, 3 how shall we escape if we neglect so great a salvation, which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed to us by those who heard Him,”
  • Their message is on par with the OT
  • 2 Thes 3:6 “But we command you, brethren, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you withdraw from every brother who walks disorderly and not according to the tradition which he received from us”
  • Not “human tradition” but “apostolic tradition/teaching”
  • Excommunicable offense
  • Luke 1:1-4 “ministers of the word”
  • 1 Thes 2:13-15 “ For this reason we also thank God without ceasing, because when you received the word of God which you heard from us, you welcomed it not as the word of men, but as it is in truth, the word of God, which also effectively works in you who believe.”
  • A reference to apostolic teachings as the word of God
  • Eph 2:20 having been built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ Himself being the chief cornerstone
  • Jude 1:3 “contend earnestly for the faith which was delivered once and for all to the saints”
  • What the apostles taught is forever the foundation
  • Eph 2:20 “having been built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ Himself being the chief cornerstone”
  • 1 Cor 3:10-11 According to the grace of God which was given to me, as a wise master builder I have laid the foundation, and another builds on it. But let each one take heed how he builds on it. 11 For no other foundation can anyone lay than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ
  • What they taught is Christianity
  • indisputably!
  • Some pretend Christianity is everything that anyone who claims to be Christian says it is!
  • Gnostics, Mormons, JWs, Average Americans
  • Can’t be Christian because they disagree with Jesus
  • That’s irrational
  • Christianity is what the commissioned Apostles taught.
  • MANY quotes from later church leaders (church fathers) agree that this apostolic teaching was the standard for the faith of the church)
  • 1 Clement (95AD) 2:1-1 “The Apostles received the Gospel for us from the Lord Jesus Christ, Jesus the Christ was sent from God. The Christ therefore is from God and the Apostles from Christ”
  • But this pales in comparison to the NT texts
  • Being earlier
  • STEP 3: the Apostle’s writings carry the same authority they did
  • It was natural for them to write these things
  • The written words of the Apostles are not less authoritative than what they said, they are a careful record of their teachings
  • How could these be less authoritative???
  • A record that is permanent!
  • The NT records this as being the reason for it being written
  • To combat heresy, to give a sure message of the gospel, (Luke, John, Peter, Judge, Paul)
  • And THEY knew it
  • Scripture references
  • Mark 1:1 “The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ the Son of God”
  • Gospel = the authoritative message of Christ
  • John 20:31 “but these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing you may have life in His name.”
  • A basis for belief
  • A promise of salvation
  • 2 Thes 2:15 “Therefore, brethren, stand fast and hold the traditions which you were taught, whether by word or our epistle”
  • Tradition doesn’t equal Catholic teaching
  • Tradition = oral teaching or written word
  • “hold fast”
  • 1 Cor 14:37-38 “If anyone thinks himself to be a prophet or spiritual, let him acknowledge that the things which I write to you are the commandments of the Lord. 38 But if anyone is ignorant, let him be ignorant.”
  • Rev 1:1-3 The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave Him to show His servants—things which must shortly take place. And He sent and signified it by His angel to His servant John, 2 who bore witness to the word of God, and to the testimony of Jesus Christ, to all things that he saw. 3 Blessed is he who reads and those who hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those things which are written in it; for the time is near
  • Directly claims to be the written word of God
  • “who reads”
  • 2 Peter 3:16 as also in all his epistles, speaking in them of these things, in which are some things hard to understand, which untaught and unstable people twist to their own destruction, as they do also the rest of the Scriptures
  • “rest of the scriptures”
  • “all his epistles”
  • Even if you thought Peter didn’t write it (100AD) it shows an environment where Paul’s writings are scripture
  • Now, I want to readdress a passage we went to earlier…
  • 2 Peter 3:1-2 Beloved, I now write to you this second epistle (in both of which I stir up your pure minds by way of reminder), 2 that you may be mindful of the words which were spoken before by the holy prophets, and of the commandment of us, the apostles of the Lord and Savior,
  • I’m writing to give you a reminder of our commands – that’s exactly what the Epistles ARE
  • The context is where he also lists Paul’s writings as Scripture
  • ***1Tim 5:18 For the Scripture says, “You shall not muzzle an ox while it treads out the grain,” and, “The laborer is worthy of his wages.”
  • Deut 25:4 You shall not muzzle an ox while it treads out the grain
  • Luke 10:7 “for the laborer is worthy of his wages. Do not go from house to house.
  • “the Scripture says”
  • This IS Luke quoted
  • Identical Greek
  • ONLY in Luke
  • Some hypothesize other sources… no evidence
  • Resisting the obvious
  • “the lady doth protest too much, methinks”
  • I like the way Theologian John Meier put it
  • “The only interpretation that avoids contorted intellectual acrobatics or special pleading is the plain, obvious one. [first Timothy] is citing Luke’s Gospel. Alongside Deuteronomy as normative Scripture for the ordering of the church’s ministry”
  • - The Inspiration of Scripture, pg 77
  • Note that, 1 Tim, 2 Peter… they are NOT making a case for these other writings being scripture, they are assuming it and assuming it is KNOWN!
  • “canon consciousness”
  • There are many other verses which could be quoted…
  • Scripture reading ordered for the church
  • Col 4:16 Now when this epistle is read among you, see that it is read also in the church of the Laodiceans, and that you likewise read the epistle from Laodicea
  • 1 Thes 5:27 I charge you by the Lord that this epistle be read to all the holy[a] brethren
  • 2 Cor 10:9 – speaks of how well known Paul’s letters were at that time
  • Rev 1:3 – Assumes public reading in the manner of Scripture and offers a divine blessing on those who do - Blessed is he who reads and those who hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those things which are written in it; for the time is near
  • This is very Jewish
  • 1 Tim 4:13 (in context) teach no other doctrine…
  • A common mistake – looking for a council where we simply see an organic reception of these books by the church
  • It could be said that this teaching (once spoken OR written) had MORE authority than the apostles
  • Gal 1:8-9 “But even if we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel to you than what we have preached to you, let him be accursed. 9 As we have said before, so now I say again, if anyone preaches any other gospel to you than what you have received, let him be accursed.”
  • There is one difference between what the apostles said and the writings that find their source in the apostles
  • The writings are permanent
  • To the true early church (1st century) the apostle’s writings are clearly seen as the next step in God’s revelation following the prophets

Next Week – the individual books, non-canon books… secret/lost books

Councils, arguments, differing canonical lists through history

We’ve seen the NT evidence, now we will look at extra-biblical sources

  • Review (go over the “steps”)
  • In 1st century it was already known
  • Apostolic writing/teaching was the word of God
  • 1- Jesus is the standard for Christianity
  • 2- The Apostles were chosen and sent by Him
  • 3- Their teaching becomes the foundation since it lays out Christianity from Jesus with His authority
  • 4- Their writings are all that is left of this
  • 5- the culture of the OT expects new scripture
  • What do we look for today?
  • What did God give the church?
  • Today I’m not proving its inspired but showing that God preserved it
  • Quotes and councils
  • Gradual universal acceptance
  • Expectations smuggled in
  • Total universal immediate agreement???
  • No
  • It took about as long as the OT did
  • Books written by non-apostles
  • Mark – According to Peter (very early tradition says he got his info from Peter)
  • Luke – Companion of apostles, interviewer of them
  • All 4 gospels were repeatedly called “of the apostles” even by those who KNEW their authors weren’t.
  • Hebrews – Apostolic teaching
  • Possible Paul, maybe not, but, it’s apostolic
  • It refers to its content as coming from the apostles (Heb 2)
  • James – He is apostolic, Acts attests to it and his role in Jerusalem
  • Also an associate
  • Jude – brother of Jesus (with the apostles at Pentecost)
  • Says that it is carrying forward apostolic teaching
  • This all mirrors OT books
  • Acceptance by the Church in general
  • 95AD – Clement of Rome
  • Quotes Matthew, Luke
  • 1 Clement (95AD) 42:1-1 “The Apostles received the Gospel for us from the Lord Jesus Christ, Jesus the Christ was sent from God. The Christ therefore is from God and the Apostles from Christ”
  • Talks about 1 Corinthians as an apostolic epistle of Paul written “in the Spirit”
  • Uses Romans, Galatians, Philippians and Hebrews
  • - Canon Revisited loc. 6027-6039
  • Didache (c. 100)
  • Seems to call Matthew scripture
  • Curse on those who change it
  • Ignatius (bishop of Antioch, died 110)
  • Called the gospels scripture
  • Spoke of numerous letters from Paul
  • Specifically knew 1 Cor, Eph, and 1+2 Tim
  • Also seems to know Rom, Philippians and Gal.
  • Marcion
  • Butchered Luke
  • Used Paul’s epistles
  • Rejected the rest
  • Anti-semite
  • Muratorian fragment
  • Accepts Revelation but says some do not want it to be read in the church.
  • This list is about what is widely received, not what is declared
  • Polycarp (Bishop of Smyrna – letter to Philippi c. 110AD)
  • This is the letter itself with in a few translations
  • Disciple of John
  • Quotes Ephesians and calls it “Scared Scripture”
  • Alludes to other epistles of Paul; Romans, 1 Cor, Gal, Philip, 2 Thes, 1+2 Tim
  • Canon Revisited, loc. 6080
  • Also quotes from Matthew, Luke, Acts, 1 Peter, and 1 John. (General Intro… pg.291) – see also the epistle itself
  • First three church fathers (Clement, Polycarp, Ignatius)
  • Use most of the NT in a casual manner, quoting it as if it were scripture
  • Only Mark, 2+3 John, Jude, 2 Peter are not clearly attested
  • He probably wouldn’t view the other letters of Paul as less than Ephesians
  • Papias (c. 125)
  • Bishop of Hierapolis
  • According to Irenaeus he was a friend of Polycarp, and he heard the apostle John preach
  • “The Elder used to say: Mark became Peter’s interpreter and wrote accurately all that he remembered.”
  • Seems to know all four gospels
  • Received Revelation, 1 John, 1 Peter and some of Paul’s epistles
  • Canon Revisited, loc. 6155-6180
  • Epistle of Barnabas (c. 130)
  • Says “it is written, ‘Many are called, but few are chosen’”
  • Matt 22:14
  • Notice “It is written”
  • Shepherd of Hermas (c. 140)
  • Citations in this time (Apostolic Fathers)
  • 1) NT core cited 50 times more than OT!
  • 2) Peripheral books cited a lot
  • 3) Apocryphal books hardly at all
  • Canon Revisited, loc. 6213
  • Justin Martyr, early apologist (150)
  • Calls the gospels the “memoirs of the Apostles” or “the Memoirs”
  • He also describes them as “drawn up by the apostles and those who followed them” (Dia. 103)
  • He cites from all three synoptic gospels (M, M, L)
  • He calls Mark’s gospel “Peter’s Memoirs”
  • They had apostolic testimony
  • Also quotes most of Paul’s epistles, 1 Peter and Revelation (as John the Apostle’s work)
  • Tatian (170)
  • Made a harmony of the 4 gospels
  • Diatessaron (through the four)
  • Only used them… no others
  • Muratorian Fragment – 175AD
  • A rather detailed list of what is scripture
  • The four gospels
  • Acts
  • Paul’s letters
  • 1&2 Corinthians, Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, Galatians, 1&2 Thessalonians, Romans,
  • Revelation etc (accepted but some don’t want it read in church)
  • The muratorian fragment excludes the Shepherd of Hermas because “it was written in our time”
  • Apostolic!
  • Irenaeus (180)
  • Four and ONLY four gospels
  • Quoted a LOT
  • Except Philemon, James, 2 Peter and 3 John
  • “We have learned from none others the plan of our salvation, than from those through whom the Gospel has come down to us, which they did at one time proclaim in public, and, at a later period, by the will of God, handed down to us in the Scriptures, to be the ground and pillar of our faith”
  • P46 (codex c. 200)
  • Grouping of Christian texts
  • Paul’s epistles
  • Romans, HEBREWS, 1+2 Cor, Eph, Gal, Phil, Col, 1+2 Thes
  • We don’t have the end of it
  • Pastoral epistles could have been included... we don’t know
  • NT Scholar James Dunn wrote that, “the de facto canon of Jesus and Paul, gospel and epistle, was already functioning with effect within the first thirty years of Christianity’s existence”
  • Dunn, “How the New Testament Began,” pg. 137
  • Attitudes toward forgeries!
  • 3 Corinthians – said he did it out of love for Paul
  • Even Ehrman agrees
  • Clement of Alexandria (c. 200)
  • Quoted all but
  • 2 Tim, Philemon, 2+3 John, 2 Peter, James
  • By his time “New Covenant” was firmly established as the official title of the church’s canon.
  • Origen (c. 235)
  • Said that the four gospels “alone are unquestionable in the Church of God under heaven” (Eusebius, Hist. eccl. 6.25.3)
  • It’s Church-wide already
  • “we approve nothing else but that which the Church approves, that is, four Gospels only as proper to be received” (Hom.