The Prophetic Faith of Our Fathers, vol. 1

APPENDIX B-Development of the New Testament Canon ¹

I. Historical Beginnings of the New Testament

1. CIRCUMSTANCES CALLING FORTH THE WRITING

Each book of the New Testament was written first for a specific time and purpose, as the apostles wrote letters of warning or instruction to particular churches or individuals, because of certain conditions—errors, strife, or heresy such as Judaizing or budding Gnosticism. Paul’s Epistles, for example, were called forth by definite local circumstances in Asia Minor, Greece, or Italy, although they offered opportunity for general spiritual instruction. They were preserved at first only by ones or twos in various local churches; that is probably why his Epistles were not mentioned in Acts. Evidently they were not initially written to be published. PFF1 922.1

The widely separated New Testament writers never consulted as to what to write. There was no consultation or collusion. Yet there is a simplicity and an essential harmony, combined with individuality, a unity in diversity, and a sublimity in the product that is absolutely inexplicable unless their combined writings be accepted as the message of God, coming from a common source of inspiration, and each supporting and supplementing the other. PFF1 922.2

These inspired writings are words both of God and of men—inspired by God, but given through a human medium, and influenced, in what was written and when, by the exigencies of the time, the circumstances of the author, and the needs of his readers. We should therefore seek to understand the human author and his historical background. Yes, we must definitely reckon with these origins in our study—particularly of the Synoptic Gospels, Second Thessalonians, and Revelation—if we are to understand difficult phrases, allusions, and so forth. PFF1 922.3

2. CHRONOLOGICAL ORDER OF THE WRITING

The order of our English New Testament books is not chronological; it simply follows the order of the Vulgate. The early Greek manuscript collections differ at various times and places, and the later italic words or phrases appended, as well as chapter headings, differing in various Greek manuscripts and versions, are in cases inaccurate, as reverent scholars testify. PFF1 922.4

Paul’s Epistles were evidently the first New Testament books to be committed to writing—probably beginning with the letters to the Thessa-lonians. Then, one by one, the New Testament books came into existence. The Synoptic Gospels (Mark, Matthew, and Luke) were possibly not written for another decade, during which time other Epistles appeared, probably First and Second Corinthians, Galatians, and Romans. The four Gospels and Acts are naturally and logically placed first in the New Testament. Although the historical material on which the Gospels are based was current orally before the writing of Paul’s Epistles, the Gospels in their permanent form are believed to have been written later. PFF1 922.5

There was no previous arrangement about who should write, and when, and to whom. But the order is so natural and real, and so evidently superintended by the Holy Spirit, that one can only marvel. The silence of the Synoptic Gospels concerning Paul’s earlier Epistles means nothing, for they deal only with the life of Christ, and reference to later events was not relevant. Besides, they were probably slow in becoming known, for communication was slow and transmission precarious. The Acts implies an innate consciousness of a foundation securely laid. Then Paul, Peter, and John write their parting messages to the church. Finally comes the Apocalypse, opening to view the church’s course and the conflict ahead, together with the surety of final triumph. Thus the New Testament closes. Hope has its foundation in fact, and love’s divine revelation is complete. PFF1 923.1

With this general bird’s-eye view before us we shall now trace in condensed form the evidence on certain individual books, ² some of which are addressed to individuals, some to churches, and others to groups of church believers or to Christians in general. The exact dates of the various books are not known, and are placed differently by authorities. PFF1 923.2

3. PAUL’S LETTERS

One is impressed by the dominance of Paul, until he passes out of view probably by A.D. 68. Then, after Peter’s death, John fills the latter part of the first century with his gracious messages—with the Revelation as the valedictory of Holy Writ. The Pauline Epistles (all except one, if we count Hebrews as Paul’s) fall into four groups: PFF1 923.3

(1) First and Second Thessalonians—in which he deals with the second advent—written during the second missionary journey. PFF1 923.4

(2) First and Second Corinthians, Galatians, and Romans—on the Judaizing tendency which sought to fasten ceremonialism and legalism on Christianity—written during the third missionary journey. PFF1 923.5

(3) Philippians, Colossians, Ephesians, and Philemon—the first three on the person of Christ as opposed to the Gnostic heresy which degraded Jesus from His true place in the Godhead—written during Paul’s first imprisonment. PFF1 923.6

(4) First Timothy, Titus, and Second Timothy—on practical problems of church order, doctrine, and life—written during his second imprisonment. PFF1 923.7

Paul’s Epistles form the nucleus of the New Testament. Their usual order in the canon was originally based on length and supposed importance—those to churches being placed before those to individuals. They cover, some think, a sixteen-year period, but the dates of some are impossible to certify. The Pauline Epistles were universally acknowledged (even by the Ebionites and Encratites) until the comparatively recent period of rationalistic criticism. ³ PFF1 924.1

4. FIRST THESSALONIANS THE FIRST OF PAUL’S EPISTLES

Paul wrote his first letter to the Thessalonians from Corinth, during his second missionary tour, after he had left Athens. ⁴ This Epistle, with its description of the second coming and the resurrection of the righteous, was evidently misunderstood by its readers to teach that the “day of Christ” was at hand. PFF1 924.2

5. SECOND EPISTLE CLARIFIES THE FIRST

Second Thessalonians, like wise written from Corinth, probably soon after the return of the bearer of the first Epistle, was intended to clarify the misunderstood meaning of “sudden,” in 1 Thessalonians 5:3, and the misapplication of Paul’s words concerning the imminence of Christ’s second advent. Strongly prophetic, it discloses great intervening events, especially concerning the Man of Sin, the great climax of the warning. It warns against forged epistles, showing how to identify his genuine letters. ⁵ PFF1 924.3

6. THE FOUR GOSPELS

The four Gospels, written by two apostles and two companions of apostles, were not the cause but the effect of the apostolic witness; the data of these books had circulated orally for some time before their writing. ⁶ They are authentic, inspired records of the life, teachings, and work of Jesus. Each Gospel has a specific object, presenting selected events for Jews, Romans, or Greeks, respectively, but they all set forth Jesus, the Son of man and Son of God. PFF1 924.4

If the three Synoptics were written and published before A.D. 70, John’s Gospel must have been written at least thirty years later, or a generation after the death of Paul. The fourth Gospel is the most wonder-ful of them all for simplicity, beauty, and power. If the events of Jesus’ life did not happen as narrated, then these writers were surely greater geniuses than Shakespeare. Their narratives bear the indisputable stamp of truthfulness and accuracy. ⁷ PFF1 924.5

Originally the genuineness of the writings was attested by the autographs—for example, Paul’s expression “with mine own hand” (2 Thessalonians 3:17; 1 Corinthians 16:21; Galatians 6:11)—as well as by the internal evidence, the meaning of the content to the original recipients. Thus the Epistles and the Gospels, at first known only locally, came to be copied and gathered in small collections. PFF1 925.1

Celsus, a second-century Epicurean or Platonic philosopher, in a work attacking Christianity, refers to the Gospel account so often as to give us the principal facts of the life of Christ. Such is the inadvertent testimony of an enemy. PFF1 925.2