LAKEVIEW MISSIONARY CHURCH

Weekly Update for July 13, 2022

RECOGNIZING AND COMPILING THE BIBLE

Sitting next to the window at Starbucks with a steaming cup of coffee and warm sun beaming in through the window, I asked the man discipling me, “How did the Bible come to be put together?” I think I jokingly said, “Was there an explosion in a paper factory, and the Bible got put together in that explosion? How did it happen?” With that story, let’s take a look at the methodical and God-directed way that the Bible was compiled.
     The Completion Date of Scripture. The Old Testament was finished being written about 435 B.C. The last books of the Old Testament written were Nehemiah and Malachi near the reign of the Persian King Artaxerxes II. The last New Testament book was completed A.D. 95. The last book of the New Testament that was written was the book of Revelation during the reign of Emperor Nero of Rome.
     The Early Acceptance of Scripture. Both the Old Testament and the New Testament were recognized as Scripture soon after they were written.
     There are at least five examples of the Old Testament being accepted as Scripture. These are mentions in the book of 1 Maccabees, writings of Josephus the historian (born A.D. 38), Rabbinic literature (such as the Babylonian Talmud), the Qumran Community (a group of people that lived during same time as Jesus), and Melito of Sardis (lived around A.D. 170 and was a church historian).
     There are at least four examples of the New Testament being accepted as Scripture very early on. These are 1 Timonthy 5:17-18 (Paul quoting Luke 10:7 which was written four years before Paul wrote his letter), 2 Peter 3:15-16 (Peter reference’s Paul’s letters as Scripture even though Peter was writing just three years after Paul died), Athanasius’s Letter in A.D. 367 (over time there began to be controversy about what was and was not Scripture so the Bishop of Alexandria—Athanasius—gave a list of what made up the New Testament books), and the Council of Carthage in A.D. 397 (the Council of Carthage brought together pastors from northern African and they officially recognized the twenty-seven books of the New Testament as Scripture).
     The Criteria for New Testament Scripture. There were four basic criteria used to determine what books made it into the New Testament. First, an eye-witness source. While the person that was writing the book might not have actually seen Jesus in person, in order to be recognized as Scripture he had to get his material from an eye-witness of Jesus. Second, is agreement with the Old Testament. Since the Old Testament was recognized as Scripture during the life of Jesus, then any new writings that would be considered as Scripture had to agree with the Old Testament teachings. Third, is early recognition as inspired writings. This point I have explained above. Fourth, is Jesus Christ as the central focus. After thousands of years of waiting for the Messiah, any writing after Jesus’s death and resurrection had to have Christ as the central focus.
     From the beginning God has guided the process of providing the Bible to Christians as his Word. As soon as these books were written you can see God guiding the local churches to recognize and use the books that He wanted them to use. These books and letters were written and quickly circulated, copied, and used in many churches. God had a hand in the process of ensuring what He wanted the church to use. And because of that, we as Christians can trust what He has given us.
Pastor Christopher L. Scott