|
The original New Testament writings were clearly recognized and circulated by Apostolic Age Christians. Unlike the Old Testament which spanned 1,000 years, the authors of the New Testament were all contemporaries who were in direct association with one another. The living disciples of Christ were organized in Jerusalem, Paul and other writers were known to the churches to whom the Epistles were sent and to the churches which received them by circulation. New Testment authors beyond the 12 original disciples, like Mark and Luke, were known by direct association with the 12. The synaptic Gospels were collaboratively related, and the writings of the disciples of Jesus were sealed with the writings of John, the last surviving disciple when he at last penned the Book of Revelation by aound 82-96 AD. There is no known formal canon of the New Testament from the first century.
Adding Confusion: As time went by other church writings were also circulated, some written by early Christian writers, some falsely associated to biblical authors (pseudepigrapha). These extra-biblical writings spanned the range between legitimacy (but not divine inspiration) and cultish fantasy. Some of these new writings were roughly contemporary with the New Testament writings, but others were not written until much later. As these additional writings began to be quoted alongside Scripture, and as churches, institutions, and individuals began collecting these writings, the need for canon began to manifest.
Rejections from Canon include the Gospels of Thomas, Peter, and Mary, the Infancy Gospel of Thomas, the Protoevangelium of James, Acts of Paul and Thecla, Acts of Peter, Epistle of Barnabas, Epistle of 1 Clement, Epistle of Polycarp to the Philippians, the Didache, Shepherd of Hermas, and the Apocalypse of Peter.
On the other hand, some Books which ARE universally accepted as canon faced some early dispute. These Books include James, 2 Peter, Jude, Revelation and some others - generally, the later non-pauline epistles and the Apocalypse.
Establishment of NT Canon
Before the fourth century AD, the idea of 'canon' was a personal matter and is historically judged by which of the Church Fathers cited which books in which context, and what they wrote about them in their various books and letters.
Tertullian's writings from AD 196-212 are some of the most useful early evidences. Scattered through his works are endorsements as Scripture for all but 5 of our current NT Books. Hebrews he held to be on par with the works of Paul but not Scripture, and he makes no mention of James, 2 Peter, 2 John or 3rd John.
Origen (AD 185-254) Agreed with Tertullian in excluding Hebrews and specifically disputed the Books of 2 Peter, 2nd and 3rd John, James, and Jude.
Eusebius Bishop of Caesarea from AD 314-339 was commissioned by Emperor Constantine in AD 330 to create 50 copies of the entire Bible, and these Bibles inclued the same 27 NT Books as we currently use.
By the end of the fourth centrury, the New Testament canon had been specified 'officially' several times over, almost without variation.
- Council of Laodicea (AD 363) - Same NT as current except excluded Revelation.
- Athanasius, Bishop of Alexandria, Festal Letter of AD 367 - Same NT as current.
- Council of Rome, Pope Damasus I (AD 382) - Same NT as current.
- Synod of Hippo (AD 393) - Same NT as current.
- Councils of Carthage (AD 397 and 419) - Same NT as current.
It should be noted that, unlike the Old Testament, New Testament canon has never varied by Christian denominiation (Protestant, Catholic, Orthodox).
|