How We Got the Bible Essay

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Bible: Canonical Developments

Canonicity is a term used to describe the "sacred books distinguished and honored as belonging to God's inspired word" (Keathley, 2013). This particular term has, since the fourth century, been applied to the books of the Bible. Conservative Christians and Jews today recognize the 39 Old Testament books as inspired; the Roman Catholics, 88 (because of the semi-canonical apocrypha), and the Evangelical Protestants, the 27 New Testament books (Keathley, 2013). These were, however, not the only books written during the NT and OT periods. A number of questions, therefore, arise; what criterion was used in determining whether or not to include a book in the Bible? Why should Christians today trust these books as reliable, considering the massive changes the world has undergone since their inception? This text provides answers to these questions.

Historical Evidence of the Books that Make up Both the Old and New Testament Cannon (Bible)

The Old Testament: A number of historical writings and events give support to the canonicity of the Old Testament; i) Josephus (A.D 37-100) held that according to the Jews, only 22 books were sacred.

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These 22 sacred books incorporate the 39 OT books we have today (Keathley, 2013); ii) Jamnia's concerns in A.D 90, regarding the admissibility of Ecclesiastes, Esther and the Song of Solomon, revolved around a canon that was essentially in existence (Keathley, 2013); iii) the Church Fathers' acceptance of the 39 books as canonical; and iv) the Prologue to Ecclesiasticus in 200 B.C. makes reference to a three-fold division of books, human conduct precepts, hymns, prophets and the law, which are significant OT constructs (Keathley, 2013).

The New Testament: i) Clement of Rome (A.D. 95), Ignatius of Antioch (A.D. 115), and Polycarp - John's disciple (A.D. 108), wrote letters in which they made reference to eight, seven and fifteen books of the New Testament respectively (Keathley, 2013); ii) the Muratorian Canon recognized the canonicity of the 27 books, with the exception of one of John's epistles, James and Hebrews (Keathley, 2013). Athanasius and the council of Laodicea later affirmed the canonicity of these three, making the New Testament a completely recognized canon (Keathley, 2013).

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