Origin of the New Testament

[Open]

I would like to raise a number of questions regarding the origin of the new Testament.

It is my understanding that most of the writings were comitted to paper in the decades after Christ's death/resurresction, perhaps say up to the first 100years thereafter.

I also understand that the new Testament as we know it today was compiled as late as 300 years or so AD.

Why was this so?
What books were discarded and why?
Who made the decision as to what stayed in and what stayed out? Why do we accept he current books without question as the word of God and not other books written around that time?

 

[dimwhitt]

I would like to raise a number of questions regarding the origin of the new Testament.

It is my understanding that most of the writings were comitted to paper in the decades after Christ's death/resurresction, perhaps say up to the first 100years thereafter.

I also understand that the new Testament as we know it today was compiled as late as 300 years or so AD.

Why was this so?
What books were discarded and why?
Who made the decision as to what stayed in and what stayed out? Why do we accept he current books without question as the word of God and not other books written around that time?

there is alot of internal and external evidence that strongly implies that 90% of the NT was in circulation as written letters prior to the deaths of Peter and Paul in Rome by about 65 AD.

the view that you are expressing was very popular more than a hundred years ago by critics of the Scriptures; these views are no longer held by even critical scholars many of whom believe certain key books such as Romans, I Corinthians, and others

THE CASE FOR CHRIST by Lee Strobel contains most of the answers to these questions

 

[JacktheCatholic]

All the books chosen were before 100AD because 100 AD is when John the Apostle died, the last of the Apostles.

From about 50 AD to 100 AD the books that we know as the New Testament were written. There were copies made and it is the surviving copies that were used in the New Testament.

The Four Gospels were pretty much decided on in the 2nd century and it was said that there should be four as the there are four winds (North, South, East, and West). However the other books took much longer to decide on. Revelations was one book that was questioned for awhile.

With more than 200 books to choose from that the Church had been using for more than 2 centuries only 27 were chosen. The Vulgate is the book that took and translated all 27 books in to Latin which was the predominant language in Rome at this time, around 385 AD. The Vulgate became the standard for all New Testament and Old Testament for ALL until the 16th century. It is still the standard for the Catholic Church and some others.

Here are two good sources for information on the New Testament:

http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/14530a.htm

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_testament


Of the 250+ books that they had to choose from they narrowed it down over decades to what was taught without error and had the full teaching of the Apostles. In choosing the writings to preserve to show Jesus' salvation and new convenant with us the Church would only choose the writings that were inerrant. Writings that contained even a margin of error or pssibly not taught by the Apostles was discarded. Of course this was decided with the help of the Holy Spirit. But it was the Holy Spirit working through men of the church.

 

[LamorakDesGalis]

I would like to raise a number of questions regarding the origin of the new Testament.

It is my understanding that most of the writings were comitted to paper in the decades after Christ's death/resurresction, perhaps say up to the first 100years thereafter.

Jesus' death and resurrection was around 30 AD. Most of the NT was written within 30 years of that event (i.e. by 65 AD). Most of Paul's letters were written between 49-61 AD, and a few are dated from 62-68 AD. The last NT book, Revelation, was written around 95 AD.

I also understand that the new Testament as we know it today was compiled as late as 300 years or so AD.

NT books were in circulation long before 300 AD. The Muratorian Canon, dating from the 200s, listed the NT books we have today.

Why was this so?
What books were discarded and why?
Who made the decision as to what stayed in and what stayed out? Why do we accept he current books without question as the word of God and not other books written around that time?

In the 100s and 200s, Christians were enduring persecutions and the seizure of property which included Scriptures. The 300s were important because that was when Christianity was recognized as one of the legal religions, and as a consequence, the persecutions eventually stopped. Then Christians from various parts of the Roman empire could compare and collate together what they thought were the inspired NT books.

Some parts of the empire esteemed some books very highly that are not a part of the NT canon, such as the Shepherd of Hermas. These books were not included for various reasons, such as a lack of tradition, not universally recognized, etc. The "decisions" of the NT canon were essentially affirmed through a wide range of consensus among the church congregations and church leaders from the 100s through the 300s. The books had always been accepted through tradition. Affirmation of the books as inspired occurred through various disputes, both from within and without the church.


LDG

 

[Open]

Many thanks. this is the type of information I've been looking for. Anyone else got an angle???

 

[cyberlizard]

a lot of people suggest that the book of revelation was written around 95a.d. however, there is some evidence that suggests that it was actually written long before this, at least just prior to the destruction of the temple. (people tend to opt for the later period due to theological positions rather than historico/archeological ones)

Steve

 

[Stinker]

I would like to raise a number of questions regarding the origin of the new Testament.

It is my understanding that most of the writings were comitted to paper in the decades after Christ's death/resurresction, perhaps say up to the first 100years thereafter.

I also understand that the new Testament as we know it today was compiled as late as 300 years or so AD.

Why was this so?
What books were discarded and why?
Who made the decision as to what stayed in and what stayed out? Why do we accept he current books without question as the word of God and not other books written around that time?

After a lot of study, I have discovered that the New Testament canon we have today is not as formidable as we have been led to believe. I do believe that it cantains the way for a person to inherit eternal life at the resurrection. However, in the course of time that it came to be put into book form, a lot of things occurred that the honest seeker should be made aware of. For if later they find what things occurred in it's history after they have committed, it could be very upsetting.

I think that concerning the 4 Gospels we have, were aided greatly to their being placed in our canon, due to their containing a narrative. Just study them without any narrative, and see if they are not so much different than say the Gospel of Thomas and the Gospel of Phillip, etc.

Our 4 Gospels are exremely difficult to defend at the post-crucifixion. The reason being that the accounts contradict each other so badly. Even the best Apologist in Christendom (William Lane Craig) gave up trying to defend the 'soldiers garding the tomb' account.

Even so, I will keep referring people to what I absolutely am convinced is physical proof of Christ's resurrection.........the Shroud of Turin. This, coupled with the differing accounts of the resurrection morning, is still incredible.

 

[JoabAnias]

51-125
The New Testament books are written.

140
Marcion, a businessman in Rome, taught that there were two Gods: Yahweh, the cruel God of the Old Testament, and Abba, the kind father of the New Testament. Marcion eliminated the Old Testament as scriptures and, since he was anti-Semitic, kept from the New Testament only 10 letters of Paul and 2/3 of Luke's gospel (he deleted references to Jesus's Jewishness). Marcion's "New Testament", the first to be compiled, forced the mainstream Church to decide on a core canon: the four Gospels and Letters of Paul.

200
The periphery of the canon is not yet determined. According to one list, compiled at Rome c. AD 200 (the Muratorian Canon), the NT consists of the 4 gospels; Acts; 13 letters of Paul (Hebrews is not included); 3 of the 7 General Epistles (1-2 John and Jude); and also the Apocalypse of Peter.

367
The earliest extant list of the books of the NT, in exactly the number and order in which we presently have them, is written by Athanasius, Bishop of Alexandria, in his Festal letter # 39 of 367 A.D..

382
Council of Rome (whereby Pope Damasus started the ball rolling for the defining of a universal canon for all city-churches). Listed the New Testament books in their present number and order.

393
The Council of Hippo, which began "arguing it out." Canon proposed by Bishop Athanasius.

397
The Council of Carthage, which refined the canon for the Western Church, sending it back to Pope Innocent for ratification. In the East, the canonical process was hampered by a number of schisms (esp. within the Church of Antioch). However, this changed by ...

787
The Ecumenical Council of Nicaea II, which adopted the canon of Carthage. At this point, both the Latin West and the Greek / Byzantine East had the same canon. However, ... The non-Greek, Monophysite and Nestorian Churches of the East (the Copts, the Ethiopians, the Syrians, the Armenians, the Syro-Malankars, the Chaldeans, and the Malabars) were still left out. But these Churches came together in agreement, in 1442A.D., in Florence.

1442
At the Council of Florence, the entire Church recognized the 27 books. This council confirmed the Roman Catholic Canon of the Bible which Pope Damasus I had published a thousand years earlier. So, by 1439, all orthodox branches of the Church were legally bound to the same canon. This is 100 years before the Reformation.

Peace.

 

[JoabAnias]

Writings Which the Catholic Church decided to be the "Canon" of Scripture of the New Testament:

Bolded Writings which the Catholic Church decided to be the "Canon" of Scripture of the New Testament

+ Writings (existing today) which the Church decided would NOT be included in the "Canon"

* Writings (no longer in existence) which the Church decided would NOT be included in the "Canon"

GOSPELS

*Andrew
*Apelles
*Twelve Apostles
*Barnabas
*Bartholomew
*Basilides
+Birth of Mary
*Cerinthus
*Eyptians
*Ebionites
*Encratites
*Eve
*Hebrews
*Hesychius
+Infancy of Jesus Christ
+Infancy (by Thomas)
John
*Jude
*Judas Iscariot
+Lost Gospel of Peter
Luke
*Marcion
Mark
Matthew
*Matthias
*Mernthus
*Nazarenes
+Nicodemus
*Perfection
*Peter
+Philip
+The Protevangelion
*Sythianus
*Titan
*Thaddaeus
+Thomas
+Truth
* Valentinus

REVELATION

*Cerinthus
John
*Paul
*Peter
*Philip
*Stephen
*Thomas

EPISTLES

+Barnabas
*Christ (to Peter & Paul)
*Christ (produced by the Manichees)
+Clement to the Corinthians (1)
+Clement to the Corinthians (2)
Hebrews
+Herod and Pilate
+Igantius to the Ephesians
+Igantius to the Magnesians
+Igantius to the Trallians
+Igantius to the Romans
+Igantius to the Philadelphians
+Igantius to the Smyrnaeans
+Igantius to the Polycarp
James
+Jesus and Abgarus
John (1)
John (2)
John (3)
Jude
+Paul to the Laodicians
+Paul and the Seneca
Paul to Romans
Paul to the Corinthians (1)
Paul to the Corinthians (2)
Paul to the Galatians
Paul to the Ephesians
Paul to the Philippians
Paul to the Colossians
Paul to the Thessalonians (1)
Paul to the Thessalonians (2)
Paul to Timothy (1)
Paul to Timothy (2)
Paul to Titus
Paul to Philemon
Peter (1)
Peter (2)
+Polycarp to the Philippians
*Themison (the Montanist)

ACTS

*Andrew
*Apostles (by Leucius)
*Apostles (by Lentitus)
*Apostles (by Leontius)
*Apostles (by Leuthon)
Apostles (by Luke)
*Apostles (used by the Ebonites)
*Apostles (used by Manichees)
*Apostles (used by Seleucus)
*John
*Paul
*Paul and Thecla
*Peter
*Philip
*Pilate
*Thomas

BOOKS BY

*Andrew
*Christ
*The Helkesaites
+Hermas (His Visions 1)
+Hermas (His Commands 2)
+Hermas (His Similitudes 3)
*James
*John
*Lentitius
*Matthew
*Matthias
*Paul
*Thomas

OTHER

+Apostles' Creed
+The Didache
*The Doctrine of Peter
*The Judgement of Peter
*The Preaching of Paul (and Peter)
*The Preaching of Peter
*The Traditions of Matthias

From David McDonalds site;

The Catholic Church protected the Bible across the ages until the Gutenberg press was invented. Century after century, Monks in Monasteries faithfully copied Scripture. They were incredibly accurate. We have a modern discovery that is a testimony to how accurate the Monks were when they copied the Bible. The "Dead Sea Scrolls" were discovered in 1947 and they date back to 200 BC. They contain Old Testament books such as Isaiah. They predate some of the Monk's copies by 1500 years. Yet the hand copied Bibles created by monks are almost identical to the Dead Sea Scrolls. This is remarkable given that the Monks were working from copies of copies. It would take each monk a lifetime to copy one Bible and thousands of faithful Catholics dedicated their lives to this work. Catholics protected the Bible over the centuries of wars, famines, plaques, the fall of Rome, fires, and threats from all sides. This was long before any other denomination existed.

The Bible didn't just drop out of the sky, spiral bound, with an NIV sticker on it. The Catholic Church chose which books to include in the Bible in the Synod's of Hippo (393 AD) and confirmed it at Carthage (397 AD). Here are the words of Professor Peter Flint, the non-Catholic scholar who translated the only English version of the Dead Sea Scrolls which won first prize from the Washington Biblical Archeology association:

"Without the Catholic Church you have no Bible, just a bunch of books and letters. With the Church you have the Bible!"

 

[JoabAnias]

Septuagint and Catholic Bible

The Septuagint (which comes from the Latin for 70, "septuaginta") was a translation of the Hebrew Books of the Old Testament into Greek, by 70-72 Jewish scholars.

The translation became necessary when it was found that most of the Israelites in exile, especially as a result of the Babylonian Captivity of 586-536 B.C., did not know Hebrew, but wanted to read the sacred books.

The work was done in Alexandria, Egypt, sometime between 250 B.C. and 100 B.C.. This translation was warmly welcomed by Jews outside Palestine, as was read by many Gentiles. Consequently, many Gentiles were familiar with the important ideas in the Old Testament and were thus prepared to hear and accept the teachings of Jesus Christ.

In the early Church no list of inspired books had been accepted or approved.

Christ, and then the Apostles, did not give us a list of books which were inspired. However, the Septuagint was extremely influential among Jews living outside Palestine (and some inside Palestine), and was the sacred writings adopted by the early Greek-speaking Christians.

Throughout the New Testament there are more than 300 direct quotations or paraphrases from the Septuagint Bible out of some 350 Old Testament references. Scholars regard this as an indication that the Catholic Christian writers of the Apostolic Era had adopted the Septuagint as their own.

The Christians took the Septuagint over so completely that the Jews decided to adopt their own version. This was done about 90 A.D..

The Council of Hippo (393), the Council of Carthage (397), and Pope Innocent I (405) listed the 46 books of the Septuagint as inspired. The Catholic, Greek, Russian and other Orthodox Old Testaments are based on the Septuagint.

Vulgate

The Vulgate is the Latin version of the Bible prepared by St. Jerome (382-404), at the request of Pope St. Damasus I.

He translated the Old Testament directly from the original Hebrew, Aramaic and Greek, and revised the existing Latin text of the New Testament.

"Vulgate" means "common" or "popular", since Latin was the popular language in Europe at the time. This translation was done in a language they could understand. Very few knew how to read.

The Vulgate was used through the centuries and was declared the official Latin text of the Bible for Catholics by the Council of Trent (1545-63).

It was from the Vulgate that almost all English Catholic translations were made until the middle of the 20th century, when scholars began to use original sources.

It remained the official Latin text of the Bible for the Catholic Church until Pope John Paul II replaced it with the New Vulgate in 1979.

Catholic Christians and non-Catholic Christians believe that the Bible is the inspired Word of God. This belief is based on their acceptance of the fact that the Catholic Church had the authority to declare which books were inspired and should be included in the list of sacred books or "Canon", and which should not be included.

The Catholic Church knew it had this authority and guidance because:

1. "And I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may abide with you forever - the Spirit of truth" (John 14:16-17)

2. "However, when He, the Spirit of Truth, as come, He will guide you into all truth" (John 16:13)

3. "... I am with you always, even to the end of the age" (Matthew 28:20)

4. "Whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven" (Matthew 16:19)

5. "... it has now been revealed by the Spirit to His holy apostles and prophets" (Ephesians 3:5)

6. "... the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth" (1 Timothy 3:15)

For more than 1500 years the Catholic Church has accepted and taught that these 73 books of the Bible are inspired and make up the list of sacred books.

Jesus gave His Apostles and Church the gift of the Holy Spirit when He said. "... 'Receive the Holy Spirit.'" (John 20:22).

Jesus also said, "However, when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth" (John 16:13).

It is impossible that the Holy Spirit, the Spirit of Truth, would lead the Church in an error for 1900 years. Such a promise was made to the Church alone.

So the Spirit of Truth guides the Church in all truth, not an individual person.

Peace.

 

[JacktheCatholic]

Short VIDEO: http://www.theonetruefaith.tv/watch/s3e6.php