There are 66 books in the Bible recognized by the Christian Church. But how were they chosen? How do we know they truly belong? Who determined this? These are common and excellent questions to be asking when you study the Bible.
There are a couple of different thoughts on how the books were written, but the overall belief is that the word is inspired through divine interpretation. But again, we must ask how do we know that the 66 books of the Bible were truly inspired?
The early church had these same questions, and as other books were brought to the forefront, they had to find a way to determine which ones were canon. Therefore certain criteria were established to decide which books belonged.
1. Apostolic Authorship: The book has to be written by a recognized apostle, prophet, or person closely associated with an apostle or prophet.
2. Antiquity: The book had to be written within the right time period. If someone claimed to find a book that belonged in the New Testament, but it was written after the first century, it would not be accepted.
3. Orthodoxy (Right Teaching): The book’s teaching has to align with the other books of the Bible. For example, if a certain book said Jesus was born of a woman named Elizabeth, it would not be accepted. If the word were truly from God, it would be accurate.
4. Catholicity (Universal): The teaching of the book needs to be practiced by the Christian church as a whole. Meaning, the non-negotiables, such as Jesus is the son of God, The Holy Trinity, and the Virgin birth, could not be questioned in the text. The teaching had to be widely accepted.
It is important to note that the Old Testament was a lot easier to determine due to Jesus confirming the text himself in Luke 24: 25-27, 44.
He said to them, “How foolish you are, and how slow to believe all that the prophets have spoken! Did not the Messiah have to suffer these things and then enter his glory?” And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he explained to them what was said in all the Scriptures concerning himself.
He said to them, “This is what I told you while I was still with you: Everything must be fulfilled that is written about me in the Law of Moses, the Prophets and the Psalms.”
The New Testament was harder to determine due to some books with no confirmed authorship. However, if they were dated at the right time, taught correct teaching, and even filled in blanks that other books did not, they could be accepted.
Canon Fast Facts:
At the Council of Hippo in AD 393, the council reaffirmed the requirement for Apostolic Authorship.
At the Council of Carthage AD 397, the final acceptance of the 66 books of the Bible took place.
Councils were made up of church leaders, and their purpose was to come to conclusions on major church questions, determine what was heretical teaching, and clarify beliefs.
There are many other councils that occurred within church history.
Whenever a thought of doubt occurs because the criteria were made by humans, I am reminded that God is at work in all of our lives and has made a way for us to continually meet with him. I have to believe he laid this criteria on the hearts of the early church and that of the councils who confirmed his word. Nevertheless, we can trust that when we read the word of God, we read his message to us to inspire, encourage, convict, and challenge us as believers.
Sources:
What criteria were used to determine the canon of scripture? BiblicalTraining.org. (n.d.). Retrieved October 1, 2022, from https://www.biblicaltraining.org/blog/curious-christian/7-10-2012/what-criteria-were-used-determine-canon-scripture
Notes from Theology 101 class, Professor Jonathon Morgan.