OLD TESTAMENT CANON AMONG CHRISTIANS 2ND CENTURY ONWARDS
Whereas for the Jews the Old Testament Canon was fixed by the end of the 2nd Century for the Christians the same period marked the process that began the fixing of the Old Testament Canon.
The Use of the Apocrypha in the New Testament
New Testament Use of the Old Testament
Judges, Ruth & Esther not mentioned by New Testament writers
Jesus does not quote from Judges, Ruth and Esther
Luke 24:44..."Now He said to them, "These are My words which I spoke to you while I was still with you, that all things which are written about Me in the Law of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms must be fulfilled." (NASB)
Only clear reference to the third division of the Old Testament in New Testament.
Therefore Old Testament canon in time of Jesus appears to be the Law, Prophets and an undefined section, the Psalm
Jesus does not quote from Judges, Ruth and Esther
Luke 24:44..."Now He said to them, "These are My words which I spoke to you while I was still with you, that all things which are written about Me in the Law of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms must be fulfilled." (NASB)
Only clear reference to the third division of the Old Testament in New Testament.
Therefore Old Testament canon in time of Jesus appears to be the Law, Prophets and an undefined section, the Psalm
Josephus 22 book Canon
Against Apion 1:37 – 43: "Our books those which are justly accredited, are but two and twenty and contain the records of all time.”
4th Ezra 14:22 – 48: mentioned 24 books in the Hebrew scriptures...does not say which 24.
4th Ezra 14:22 – 48: mentioned 24 books in the Hebrew scriptures...does not say which 24.
Criteria for Canon Among 2nd Century Jews
1. Prophecy ceased by time of Artaxerxes, 465 – 424 B.C., Therefore books written thereafter suspect
2. A book originally written in Hebrew
3. A book used by Christians suspect, e.g. the Apocrypha
4. Conformity to the Torah
5. Practical value among Jews
6. Reject the LXX because Christians used it. Replaced with Aquila’s translations from the Hebrew.
Note: Early Judaism of Jesus’ day had a wider canon than later Judaism of 2nd Century onwards. By 2nd Century Old Testament Canon “decided” among Jews, at the same time the quest for Old Testament Canon began among Christians.
2. A book originally written in Hebrew
3. A book used by Christians suspect, e.g. the Apocrypha
4. Conformity to the Torah
5. Practical value among Jews
6. Reject the LXX because Christians used it. Replaced with Aquila’s translations from the Hebrew.
Note: Early Judaism of Jesus’ day had a wider canon than later Judaism of 2nd Century onwards. By 2nd Century Old Testament Canon “decided” among Jews, at the same time the quest for Old Testament Canon began among Christians.
Disputed Books Among Christians / Jews From 3rd – 6th Century
Esther: Never mentioned the name God
Song of Songs: There seems not be nothing about God therein, other than what is derived from interpretation
Ezekiel: It appears to be in conflict with The Torah
Ecclesiastes: Its authorship by Jeremiah was in doubt
Song of Songs: There seems not be nothing about God therein, other than what is derived from interpretation
Ezekiel: It appears to be in conflict with The Torah
Ecclesiastes: Its authorship by Jeremiah was in doubt
Canon Lists of the of the Early Church
When the early church began to compile lists of Old Testament books none of the various lists were identical.
1. Cyril of Jerusalem (350 A.D.): 22 canon
2. Jerome (342– 420 A.D.): 24 book canon
3. Augustine (354 – 430 A.D.): 44 book canon (includes Wisdom, Sirach, Tobias, Judith, 1st – 2nd Maccabees, Baruch, Jeremiah, etc).
Note: Melito bishop of Sardis was the first to offer a list of books that make up the Old Testament canon of scriptures, his list contains 22 books including Wisdom of Solomon but exclude Esther.
1. Cyril of Jerusalem (350 A.D.): 22 canon
2. Jerome (342– 420 A.D.): 24 book canon
3. Augustine (354 – 430 A.D.): 44 book canon (includes Wisdom, Sirach, Tobias, Judith, 1st – 2nd Maccabees, Baruch, Jeremiah, etc).
Note: Melito bishop of Sardis was the first to offer a list of books that make up the Old Testament canon of scriptures, his list contains 22 books including Wisdom of Solomon but exclude Esther.
Origen: A Christian diet should include Old Testament Apocrypha, Esther, Judith, Tobit, Wisdom the Psalms and the Gospels.
Canon of The Reformation and Beyond
The Protestant Canon is derived from Luther’s choice of books. He rejected the books that supported the Catholic doctrines which he rejected e.g. (2nd Maccabees 12:45 prayer for the dead)
*Note: he also rejected James and Revelation, and Ester*
"I hate Esther and 2nd Maccabees so much that I wish they did not exist, they contain too much Judaism and no little heathen vice." F. F. Bruce, Canon, 101
Separated the Apocrypha from the Old Testament, place in appendix of his Bible
*Note: he also rejected James and Revelation, and Ester*
"I hate Esther and 2nd Maccabees so much that I wish they did not exist, they contain too much Judaism and no little heathen vice." F. F. Bruce, Canon, 101
Separated the Apocrypha from the Old Testament, place in appendix of his Bible
Protestant Canon
“The contracted conservative Jewish canon of the 2nd century eventually became the Protestant canon, not the more elaborate canon of Jesus’ day.”
“This is confirmed by the more than 150 references or allusion to the Apocrypha and pseudepigraphal literature in the New Testament.”
“This is confirmed by the more than 150 references or allusion to the Apocrypha and pseudepigraphal literature in the New Testament.”
Counter Reformation
The Counsel of Trent: April 8,1546...affirmed Jerome’s Latin Vulgate as official Bible of the Catholic Church, but The Protocanonical and Deuterocanonical books should not be distinguished.