Where all the books of the Bible come from? Did the just appear or did they just fall from the sky? Did a group of people randomly gather different writings, put them together and proclaim them to be the inspired word of God.
There’s a lot of confusion about how the Bible came into existence. Many people believe a committee came together and compiled a large number of ancient writings. That same committee then decided to designate some of the writings as the Word of God and to leave the others out of the Bible. If indeed a group of people did this on a random basis, there would invariably be some mistakes and inconsistencies in the text and continuity of the story. Perhaps some God-inspired writings were overlooked and can now be found in other great religious books.
The Bible is a historical book. It didn’t appear miraculously, nor was it simply found and assembled subjectively. Its sixty-six books were written over a period of 1500 years by about forty different authors on three continents and in three different original languages. It is true that specific church councils were formally confirm the writings of the Bible. It’s also noteworthy that for hundreds of years prior to these councils, the Jewish church also accepted the Old Testament as the inspired word of God. The early Christian church also accepted the New Testament books for hundreds of years before the first council. The main purpose of the councils was to sanction the books already established and widely accepted throughout history.
These councils validated what we call the canon of scripture. Canon comes from the root word reed, originally a measurement tool. In later years the word reed came to mean a standard. So a canon of scripture is the standard of what was to be considered the inspired Word of God. The Old Testament canon was confirmed at the council of Jamnia in A.D. 90. We need to keep in mind that the Old Testament books of the law, the prophets, and the writings had been recognized and accepted by the Jewish people long before Christ made his appearance on planet earth.
The twenty-seven books of the New Testament were progressively circulated, collected, and recognized as Scripture throughout the first hundred years of the church. They were then officially accepted as the New Testament canon at the council of Hippo in A.D. 393 and the council of
1. Authorship. Did a widely accepted follower of God write it? Did the author hold great authority and respect from within the church community?
2. Confirmation. Was the author confirmed by God as a recognized prophet or leader? Was the author an apostle or an eyewitness to the ministry of Jesus and the early church?
3. Accuracy. Does the book tell the truth about God? Is its message consistent with other accepted books of the Bible?
4. Power. Does the book demonstrate the life-transforming power of God? How does this book impact the lives of its readers?
5. Acceptance. Has the book been widely accepted by the Jewish or Christian communities as being the authoritative Word of God? Was the book wholly recognized as the Word of God as it circulated through the community of faith?
This is how the church community pulled together sixty-six books and recognized them as the authoritative Word of God? Each book was under tremendous scrutiny. Nothing in this process was neither accidental nor arbitrary. The uniqueness and power of the Bible is clear to anyone who has experienced its life-changing message. The Bible is exactly what it claims to be, the “inspired (God-breathed) word of God and the power of God unto salvation”.
Part of the credibility of the Bible comes from its ability to change lives. What are some of the ways the truths of the Bible have changed your life or the lives of others you may know?
Read Romans 1:1-16
1 comment:
When I was first married, my view of marriage was whatever was passed down from my parents. My mother complained and nagged all day and my dad would eventually get annoyed and do what she asked. Well, I learned real fast this was not the way our marriage was going to work (just ask Jonathan about our first couple years of marriage). I ran across a few verses in Proverbs that all reference the same thing.
Proverbs 19:13; 21:9; 21:19; 25:24.
"It is better to live alone in the desert than with a quarrelsome, complaining wife." 21:19
This was a huge revelaition to me. My husband would be better of living alone in the desert, no water, no food, with intense heat than to live with me nagging and complaing all the time. Such perspective.
I printed this verse out and hung it everywhere. No matter where I was in my home, it was starring at me. It caused me to choose my words better. Now, I don't always get this right, but I know I am making my husband happier and I am passing on a better example to my children. So this hasn't just changed my life, but the lives of others, too. -Lisa Caupp
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