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THEOLOGICAL
DICTIONARY |
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The Canonicity of the Bible--Part Three
by Dr.
Norman Geisler
(from Baker Encyclopedia of Christian Apologetics,
Baker Book House, 1999) |
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Applying Principles of Canonicity.
Lest the impression be given that these
principles were explicitly and mechanically applied by some
commission, some explanation is needed. Just how did the principles
operate in the consciousness of the early Christian church? Although
the issue of the discovery of the canon center about the Old and New
Testaments alike, J. N. D. Kelly discusses these principles as they
apply to the New Testament canon. He writes,
The main point to be observed is that the fixation of the finally
agreed list of books, and of the order in which they were to be
arranged, was the result of a very gradual process… Three features
of this process should be noted. First, the criterion which
ultimately came to prevail was apostolicity. Unless a book could be
shown to come from the pen of an apostle, or at least to have the
authority of an apostle behind it, it was peremptorily rejected,
however edifying or popular with the faithful it might be. Secondly,
there were certain books which hovered for a long time on the fringe
of the canon, but in the end failed to secure admission to it,
usually because they lacked this indisputable stamp…. Thirdly, some
of the books which were later included had to wait a considerable
time before achieving universal recognition…. By gradual stages,
however, the Church both in East and West arrived at a common mind
as to its sacred books. The first official document which prescribes
the twenty-seven books of our new Testament as alone canonical is
Athanasius’s Easter letter for the year 367, but the process was not
everywhere complete until at least a century and a half later.
[Kelly, 59-60]
Some Principles Are Implicit While Others Are
Explicit. All criteria of inspiration
are necessary to demonstrate the canonicity of each book. The five
characteristics must at least be implicitly present, though some of
them are more dominant than others. For example, the dynamic equipping
power of God is more obvious in the New Testament Epistles than in the
Old Testament historical narratives. "Thus-says-the-Lord" authority is
more apparent in the Prophets than in the poetry. That is not to say
that authority isn’t in the poetic sections, nor a dynamic in the
redemptive history. It does mean the Fathers did not always find all
of the principles explicitly operating.
Some Principles Are More Important Than Others.
Some criteria of inspiration are more
important than are others, in that the presence of one implies
another, or is a key to others. For example, if a book is
authoritatively from God, it will be dynamic—accompanied by God’s
transforming power. In fact, when authority was unmistakably present,
the other characteristics of inspiration were automatically assumed.
Among New Testament books the proof of apostolicity, its prophetic
nature, was often considered a guarantee of inspiration (Warfield,
415). If propheticity could be verified, this alone established the
book. Generally speaking, the church Fathers were only explicitly
concerned with apostolicity and authenticity. The edifying
characteristics and universal acceptance of a book were assumed unless
some doubt from the latter two questions forced a reexamination of the
tests. This happened with 2 Peter and 2 John. Positive evidence for
the first three principles emerged victorious.
The witness of the Holy Spirit.
The recognition of canonicity was not a mere mechanical
matter settled by a synod or ecclesiastical council. It was a
providential process directed by the Spirit of God as he witnessed to
the church about the reality of the Word of God. People could not
identify the Word until the Holy Spirit opened their understanding.
Jesus said, "My sheep hear my voice" (John 10:27). This is not to say
that the Holy Spirit mystically spoke in visions to settle questions
of canonicity The witness of the Spirit convinced them of the reality
that a God-breathed canon existed, not its extent (Sproul, 337-54).
Faith joined science; objective principles were used, but the Fathers
knew what writings had been used in their churches to change lives and
teach hearts by the Holy Spirit. This subjective testimony joined the
objective evidence in confirming what was God’s Word.
Tests for canonicity were not mechanical means to
measure the amount of inspired literature, nor did the Holy Spirit
say, "This book or passage is inspired; that one is not." That would
be disclosure, not discovery. The Holy Spirit providentially guided
the examination process and gave witness to the people as they read or
heard.
Conclusion.
It is important to distinguish between the
determination and the discovery of canonicity. God is
solely responsible for determining; God’s people are responsible for
discovery. That a book is canonical is due to divine inspiration.
How it is known to be canonical is due to a process of human
recognition. Was a book (1) written by a spokesperson for God, (2) who
was confirmed by an act of God, (3) told the truth (4) in the power of
God and (5) was accepted by the people of God? If a book clearly had
the first mark, canonicity was often assumed. Contemporaries of a
prophet or apostle made the initial confirmation. Later church Fathers
sorted out the profusion of religious literature to officially
recognize what books were divinely inspired in the manner of which
Paul speaks in 2 Timothy 3:16.
Sources
R. Beckwith, The Old
Testament Canon of the New Testament Church and Its Background in
Early Judaism
L. Berkhof, The History
of Christian Doctrines
Eusebius, Ecclesiastical History, Loeb ed.
L. Gaussen, Theopnesustia
N. L. Geisler and W. E. Nix,
General Introduction to the Bible
Jerome, Lives of
Illustrious Men
J.N. D. Kelly,
Early Christian Doctrines
J.P. Lange, Commentary on
the Holy Scriptures
C. Leupold, Exposition of
Ecclesiastes
R. C. Sproul, "The Internal Testimony of the Holy
Spirit," in N. L. Geisler, ed. Inerrancy
B. B. Warfield, The
Inspiration and Authority of the Bible
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Theological
Dictionary
Authors
Dr.
Randall Price
Dr. Steve Sullivan
Dr. Norm Geisler
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