EARLY CHRISTIAN WRITINGS / CHURCH FATHERS
90 – 400 A.D.: Rabbis begin to discuss the extent of the canon and, over time, include in their canon only 39 books, since only these can be found in Hebrew (scholars are no longer sure when or how a final decision was reached).
51 – 125 A.D.: The books of today’s New Testament are written.
But during this same period other early Christian writings are produced:
The Didache (70 A.D.)
1st Clement (96 A.D.)
The Epistle of Barnabas (100 A.D.)
7 Letters of Ignatius of Antioch (110 A.D.)
The Shepherd of Hermes (100 A.D.)
200 BC: Rabbis translate the Jewish Bible from Hebrew to Greek, a translation called "The Septuagint" (abbreviation: "LXX"). The LXX ultimately includes 46 books.
30 – 100 A.D.: Christians use the LXX as their scriptures (because most cannot read Hebrew).
51 – 125 A.D.: The books of today’s New Testament are written.
But during this same period other early Christian writings are produced:
The Didache (70 A.D.)
1st Clement (96 A.D.)
The Epistle of Barnabas (100 A.D.)
7 Letters of Ignatius of Antioch (110 A.D.)
The Shepherd of Hermes (100 A.D.)
200 BC: Rabbis translate the Jewish Bible from Hebrew to Greek, a translation called "The Septuagint" (abbreviation: "LXX"). The LXX ultimately includes 46 books.
30 – 100 A.D.: Christians use the LXX as their scriptures (because most cannot read Hebrew).
Lost Passion Narrative (30– 60 A.D.?)
‘Q’ (40 – 80 A.D.)
Paul’s Epistles (48 – 58 A.D.)
‘Signs’ Gospel (50 – 90 A.D.)
Hypothetical source for 4th Gospel
Gospel of Thomas (50 – 140 A.D.)
Gospels (65 – 120 A.D.)
Allusions to the destruction of Jerusalem
Clement of Rome (95 A.D.)...Popular in early churches...Never quotes a Gospel, including Mark...If Mark wrote to a Roman audience Clement should have known...Considered scripture by many in the early church...Referred to Pauline Epistles as wise council...Only Old Testament writings are referred to as scripture...His quotations of Jesus are from no known source
Didache (50 – 120 A.D.)...Most likely 110 A.D....Manual on Christianity and Church Hierarchy...Quotes the Gospel of Matthew, verbatim, calling it ‘The Gospel’...Regarded as canonical scripture by Clement of Alexandria, Origen an others...Source attributed to itinerant evangelists
‘Q’ (40 – 80 A.D.)
Paul’s Epistles (48 – 58 A.D.)
‘Signs’ Gospel (50 – 90 A.D.)
Hypothetical source for 4th Gospel
Gospel of Thomas (50 – 140 A.D.)
Gospels (65 – 120 A.D.)
Allusions to the destruction of Jerusalem
Clement of Rome (95 A.D.)...Popular in early churches...Never quotes a Gospel, including Mark...If Mark wrote to a Roman audience Clement should have known...Considered scripture by many in the early church...Referred to Pauline Epistles as wise council...Only Old Testament writings are referred to as scripture...His quotations of Jesus are from no known source
Didache (50 – 120 A.D.)...Most likely 110 A.D....Manual on Christianity and Church Hierarchy...Quotes the Gospel of Matthew, verbatim, calling it ‘The Gospel’...Regarded as canonical scripture by Clement of Alexandria, Origen an others...Source attributed to itinerant evangelists
Polycarp and contemporaries (115 A.D. ) John’s disciple...“as it is said in these scriptures”
Ignatius (50 – 115 A.D. ) “I do not wish to command you as Peter and Paul; they were apostles”
Justin Martyr (100 – 165 A.D. ) “as it is said in these scriptures”
Irenaeus (180 A.D. ) Disciple of Polycarp, became Bishop of Lyons in Gaul, writings attest to his belief in the following as God’s Word:
4 Gospels, Acts, Romans, 1st and 2nd Corinthians, Galatians, Ephesians, Philemon, Colossians, 1st and 2nd Thessalonians, 1st and 2nd Timothy, Titus, 1st Peter, 1st John, Revelations
Athanasius of Alexandria (367 A.D.)
Earliest list of books exactly as what we have now, called them the “New Testament”
Shortly thereafter: Jerome and Augustine agree, define the New Testament canon of 27 books.
Ignatius (50 – 115 A.D. ) “I do not wish to command you as Peter and Paul; they were apostles”
Justin Martyr (100 – 165 A.D. ) “as it is said in these scriptures”
Irenaeus (180 A.D. ) Disciple of Polycarp, became Bishop of Lyons in Gaul, writings attest to his belief in the following as God’s Word:
4 Gospels, Acts, Romans, 1st and 2nd Corinthians, Galatians, Ephesians, Philemon, Colossians, 1st and 2nd Thessalonians, 1st and 2nd Timothy, Titus, 1st Peter, 1st John, Revelations
Athanasius of Alexandria (367 A.D.)
Earliest list of books exactly as what we have now, called them the “New Testament”
Shortly thereafter: Jerome and Augustine agree, define the New Testament canon of 27 books.
400: Jerome translates the Bible from Hebrew and Greek into Latin (called the "Vulgate").
He knows that the Jews have only 39 books, and he wants to limit the Old Testament to these. The 7 he would leave out (Tobit, Judith, 1st Maccabees, 2nd Maccabees, Wisdom of Solomon, Sirach [or "Ecclesiasticus"], and Baruch) he calls "apocrypha," that is, "hidden books." But Pope Damascus wants all 46 traditionally-used books included in the Old Testament, so the Vulgate has 46.
Tatian converted around 150 A.D. by Justin Martyr
After training with Justin, heads to Syria in 172 A.D. to found a church
Bans wine, meat and marriage
Selects 4 gospels and writes the Diatessaron
“That which is through the four”...Harmonized account of the current 4 gospels
This establishes the Syrian canon as: Diatessaron
Paul’s Epistles (no idea which ones), Acts
Shepherd of Hermas (95 – 150 A.D.)...Universally popular (along with The Epistle of Barnabas)...Was included (with Barnabas) as the final books of the New Testament in the oldest codex.
Codex Sinaiticus)...Never quotes or names any New Testament text...Relies on Jewish texts now considered apocryphal
(Eldad and Modat)
He knows that the Jews have only 39 books, and he wants to limit the Old Testament to these. The 7 he would leave out (Tobit, Judith, 1st Maccabees, 2nd Maccabees, Wisdom of Solomon, Sirach [or "Ecclesiasticus"], and Baruch) he calls "apocrypha," that is, "hidden books." But Pope Damascus wants all 46 traditionally-used books included in the Old Testament, so the Vulgate has 46.
Tatian converted around 150 A.D. by Justin Martyr
After training with Justin, heads to Syria in 172 A.D. to found a church
Bans wine, meat and marriage
Selects 4 gospels and writes the Diatessaron
“That which is through the four”...Harmonized account of the current 4 gospels
This establishes the Syrian canon as: Diatessaron
Paul’s Epistles (no idea which ones), Acts
Shepherd of Hermas (95 – 150 A.D.)...Universally popular (along with The Epistle of Barnabas)...Was included (with Barnabas) as the final books of the New Testament in the oldest codex.
Codex Sinaiticus)...Never quotes or names any New Testament text...Relies on Jewish texts now considered apocryphal
(Eldad and Modat)
1536: Martin Luther translates the Bible from Hebrew and Greek to German....He assumes that, since Jews wrote the Old
Testament, theirs is the correct canon...He puts the extra 7 books in an appendix that he calls the "Apocrypha." ...This is the Old Testament that most Protestants use (Anglicans also use the Apocrypha devotionally).
In his translation of the Bible from Greek into German, Luther removes 4 New Testament books (Hebrews, James, Jude, and Revelation) from their normal order and places them at the end, stating that they are less than canonical.
Most other Protestants do not agree with him.
Testament, theirs is the correct canon...He puts the extra 7 books in an appendix that he calls the "Apocrypha." ...This is the Old Testament that most Protestants use (Anglicans also use the Apocrypha devotionally).
In his translation of the Bible from Greek into German, Luther removes 4 New Testament books (Hebrews, James, Jude, and Revelation) from their normal order and places them at the end, stating that they are less than canonical.
Most other Protestants do not agree with him.
Erasmus (1466 – 1536)
Chastised by the church for doubting the authorship of Hebrews and other books
Renounced his former questions and said “the opinion formulated by the Church has more value in my eyes than human reasons, whatever they may be”
Went on to create the Textus Receptus
Chastised by the church for doubting the authorship of Hebrews and other books
Renounced his former questions and said “the opinion formulated by the Church has more value in my eyes than human reasons, whatever they may be”
Went on to create the Textus Receptus
Tests for Inclusion into The Canon (Geisler/Nix)
1. Was it written by a prophet of God?
2. Was the writer confirmed by acts of God? (Exodus 4:1-9; 1st Kings 18; Acts 2:22)
3. Did the message tell the truth about God? (2nd Corinthians 1:17-18; Hebrews 6:18)
4. Does it come with the power of God? (Hebrews 4:12; 2nd Timothy 3:17; 1st Peter 1:23;)
5. Was it accepted by the people of God? (1st Thessalonians 2:13)
2. Was the writer confirmed by acts of God? (Exodus 4:1-9; 1st Kings 18; Acts 2:22)
3. Did the message tell the truth about God? (2nd Corinthians 1:17-18; Hebrews 6:18)
4. Does it come with the power of God? (Hebrews 4:12; 2nd Timothy 3:17; 1st Peter 1:23;)
5. Was it accepted by the people of God? (1st Thessalonians 2:13)
If you want to read them: www.earlychristianwritings.com/