The integrity of the New Testament

Löysin omat luento muistiinpanoni UT:n kanonisoinnista kun opetin CBU:ssa. Jos on korjautettavaa tai kommentoitavaa, niin ilolla otetaan vastaan. The New Testament Canonization The Integrity of the Books Mikko Sivonen, 2006 1) Terminology a. kanon – a measuring stick – A common definition: “A collection or list of books accepted as an authoritative rule of faith and practice”[1] b. Concursus – complementary interworking of God and the human writers in the composition of the Bible (Yarbrough & Elwell) c. Inspiration – “Supernatural influence of the Holy Spirit on the Scripture writers which rendered their writings an accurate record of the revelation or which resulted in what they wrote actually being the Word of God”[2] 2 Peter 1:20-21; 2 Tim 3:16. d. Inerrancy – “the inerrancy of Scripture means that Scripture in the original manuscripts does not affirm anything contrary to fact”[3] 2) Period of Oral Transmission (ca 30 AD- 60AD) a. The earliest Gospel (most likely the Gospel of Mark) was written about AD 60, about 30 years after Jesus’ crucifixion and resurrection. b. The oral tradition was common in the culture where people did not know how to write or read. Jesus says: “you have heard” (Matt. 5:27) c. Fixed forms of telling stories; the mistakes are detected (2 Thess. 2:15) d. The stories were not embellished or falsified i. Too many eyewitnesses around ii. The disciples are always presented as fools in the Gospels iii. Disciples were martyred; why would they die for a lie? iv. Extrabiblical material supports the existence of Jesus - Tacitus, a Roman Historian: Annals 15.44 (115-117) - Josephus, A Jewish Historian : Ant. 18.3.3 $$63-64 - The Babylonian Talmud: Sanh. 43a (AD 200-500) 3) Reasons for writing the New Testament books a. The apostles and eyewitness were dying b. Jesus’ parousia (Second Coming) did not happen as quickly as some disciples thought c. Keep the importance of tradition (1 Cor 11.2; 2 Thess. 2:15) d. Combat the heresies such as Gnosticism (1 John) 4) Canonization was a process. Christian Church did not canonize or decreed any book! They recognized the canon! (By ca AD 150 there was some form of canon.) a. Canonization had criteria (Muratorian Canon) (Wegner) i. Apostolic? Was it written by an apostle? (or someone of recognized authority); the writer had to be direct or indirect eyewitness of Jesus - Example 1. What was from the beginning, what we have heard, what we have seen with our eyes, what we beheld and our hands handled, concerning the Word of Life-d the life was manifested, and we have seen and bear witness and proclaim to you the eternal life, which was with the Father and was manifested to us what we have seen and heard we proclaim to you also, that you also may have fellowship with us; and indeed our fellowship is with the Father, and with His Son Jesus Christ. and these things we write, so that our joy may be made complete.(1 John 1:1,3-4) - Example 2. Inasmuch as many have undertaken to compile an account of the things accomplished among us just as those who from the beginning were eyewitnesses and servants of the word have handed them down to us to seemed fitting for me as well, having investigated everything carefully from the beginning, to write it out for you in consecutive order, most excellent Theophilus o that you might know the exact truth about the things you have been taught (Luke 1:1-4) - See also beginning of Paul’s letters (especially his appeal to authority); also 2 Pet 1:16 ii. Orthodox? Did it agree with the canon of truth (i.e regula fidei) - The importance of tradition (1 Cor 11.2; 2 Thess. 2:15); The true stories of Jesus were passed on. - The heretical books were rejected. cf. Gospel of Thomas contains Gnostic ideas) iii. Catholic? Did it enjoy universal acceptance? - The letters and the Gospels were circulated in the churches (eventually in Eastern and Western churches) - They were used in worship and house church meetings -> become accepted as Scripture - Paul asks people to read the letters aloud (1 Thess. 5:27; 1 Tim. 4:13) and pass it around (Col 4:16) iv. Divine? Did it have a self-authenticating divine nature? Inspiration; Inerrancy - Jesus promised the Holy Spirit to give them insights. Example: John 14:26; John 15:26-27; John 16:12-14 - The texts themselves testify: a. Example 1. For the word of God is living and active and sharper than any two-edged sword, and piercing as far as the division of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart. (Hebr. 4:12) b. Example 2. All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work (2 Tim 3:16) c. Example 3. No prophecy was ever made by an act of human will, but men moved by the Holy Spirit spoke from God. (2 Pet 1:21) d. Example 4: “Just as also our beloved brother Paul, according to the wisdom given him, wrote to you, 16 as also in all his letters, speaking in them of these things, in which are some things hard to understand, which the untaught and unstable distort, as they do also the rest of the Scriptures, (2 Peter 3:15-16). Peter considers Paul’s writings as Scripture. e. Example 5: (1 Timothy 5:17-18). The first quotation is found from Deuteronomy 25:4 and second quotation in Luke 10:7. Paul is quoting the Gospel of Luke and calling to Scripture. b. In AD 367 Athanasius mentioned a list of 27 books in his letter to his parishioners c. The church councils recognized the 27 books i. Synod of Laodicea (363). Forbade the readings of noncanonical books but does not name the canonical books ii. Council of Hippo (393) determined the 27 books iii. Synod of Carthage (397) lists the 27 books iv. Council of Carthage (397) reaffirms the 27 books d. Is the Canon closed? Yes i. Apostolic witness to God’s revelation in Christ (Hebr. 1:1-2; 1 Tim. 2:7; 2 Tim. 1:10-11) ii. The later prophets such Muhammed (570-632), Joseph Smith (1805-1844), and Sun Myung Moon (1920-) are condemned (Gal 1:8) Recognition of Early Christian Writings* The Books that were accepted widely (in Eastern and Western Church) Gospel According to Matthew, Gospel According to Mark, Gospel According to Luke, Gospel According to John, Acts of the Apostles, Romans, 1 Corinthians, 2 Corinthians, Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, (Revelation of John) Books that were disputed (accepted by some and rejected by others): Hebrews, James, 2 Peter, 2 John, 3 John, Jude, (Revelation of John), Epistle of Barnabas, The Didache, Shepherd of Hermas, 1 Clement, 2 Clement, Revelation of Peter Books that were rejected widely: Gospel of Peter, Gospel of the Egyptians, Gospel of the Hebrews, Gospel of the Nazorenes, Gospel of Thomas, Infancy Gospel of Thomas, Protoevangelium of James, The Acts of John, The Acts of Paul and Thecla, The Acts of Peter, Letter to the Laodiceans, Third Corinthians *Adopted from Dr. Jeff Cate’s notes (Cal Baptist University). Bibliography Blomberg, Craig L. Making Sense of the New Testament. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Baker Books, 1994. (esp. pgs. 17-70) Metzger, Bruce M. The Text of the New Testament: Its Transmission, Corruption, and Restoration. 3rd ed. New York/ Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1992. This is the standard work in the area of textual criticism. It is a well-written book that is easy to follow. Wegner, Paul D. The Journey from Texts to Translation. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Baker Academic, 1999. This is a good overview with good documentations of the origin and development of the Bible. An excellent resource for anyone who is interested in the origin of the Bible and how we received in English language. [1] R.N. Soulen, Handbook of Biblical Criticism, 2d ed. (Atlanta: John Knox, 1981), 37. [2] Millard Erickson, Christian Theology (Grand Rapids, Michigan: Baker Books, 2000), 225. [3] Wayne Grudem, Systematic Theology (Grand Rapids, Michigan: Zondervan, 1994), 90.