GENERAL INTRODUCTION TO THE BIBLE 1
Things
to learn in the study
1. Introduction
2. Bible
Revelation
3. Bible
Inspiration
4. Bible
Canonization
5. Bible
Transmission
6. Bible
structure and division
7. The
history of each book
8. Original
material used in writing the Bible
INTRODUCTION
The general view of the people among the
intellectual about the Bible is that it is a long story of man’s effort to
discover God. But Bible is a record of God Himself revealed to mankind. Bible
is reduced to compare with other books among the intellectual.
Bible is a sacred book or collection of books
accepted by Christian church as uniquely inspired by God for inspiration and authority. Also, according to
“J.N. Darby” the writer of “New Translation from the Greeks original New
Testament Bible" the Bible is the story of God’s revelation of Himself to
man. It is not primarily a book of history, but its stories of God’s dealings
with individuals and with nations is as pertinent to the modern world as they
have been to every age since they were written.
It is not primarily a book of science but it is not
at variance with any proven scientific facts. It is not primarily a book of
philosophy. No where does it argue for the existence of God but rather it
reveals God in a personal way to all men who have ever lived in this world. It
speaks to every man from the simplest to the most sophisticated at his own
level of understanding.
WHAT
BIBLE IS NOT
1. The bible is neither a charm nor
hamlets: it can perform miracles itself but the letters in
it is powerful and it works miracles when you utilize the word of God in it.
So, application of the words in it performs miracles. But the book cannot work
itself, also the number used to divide it like chapter or verse cannot do
anything but the words in it are powerful.
2. Bible is not a broken series:
It does not just fall from heaven, but it was canonized.
3. Bible is not heavenly book or
heavenly utterance: Bible is not just a voice that sounds
from heaven like thunder, but the language of Bible is the language of man.
It’s common
4. Bible is not a book of mystery:
Everything that is written in the Bible in which we call mystery has already
interpreted itself. And because Bible interprets itself, then it is no longer a
mystery
5. Bible does not contradicts: If
you study it well, you will know that there is unity in it all
6. Bible is not one man’s custom:
It is not directed to a set or one custom or one nation, it is the super
cultural truth. God of Bible is the God of all culture and Bible culture stands
the test of all culture and race and age. J. N. Darby said “the Bible has stood
the test of time, the greatest test of all literature. It was completed nearly
2,000 years ago, yet it is now been read
more than any other book and by people of widely varying cultures.
WHAT
THE BIBLE IS
From Genesis to Revelation bears witness to only one
God, it explains God’s will and its plan to mankind.
BIBLE
IS GOD’S WORD
In the Holy Bible, there are histories to human
revelation with God i.e. God’s personal relation with man in the past, present
and future. Holy Bible is a record of progressive unveiling revelation of truth
i.e. the whole truth was not revealed at once but progressively. The men of
olden days are dying one by one, but the power in the word of God does
not stop nor die, if God reveal it at once, it might have died with them at
that time
THE
THEME OF THE BIBLE IS CHRIST AND HIS WORKS
The theme means the person and the work. Salvation is
to those who believe and condemnation is to those who believe not. It contains
the following:
1. The
mind of God, i.e. the planning of God to make man
2. a) Facts
state of man: Man should understand
the fact about God and his purpose to man. Also about God himself, and the
limitation of devil, his power , his activities and that he will end his life
in hell fire.
b)
That man has all authority: Man has all authority to operate
on earth and dominion over all the earth. Gen 1:26
c)
The way of salvation: In which God has planned for human
being so that he will not come into judgment with
d)
The doom of the sinner: All understanding is given to men
in other not to fall on the way of salvation and whosoever does not walk on the
way of salvation, the doom is certain and hell fire is real and condemnation
for ever
3. The happiness of the believer: In as much as
the heaven has came in to man, man should understand that he has all right to
rejoice and after that the kingdom of God is the reward.
THE
CENTER AND THE HEART OF THE BIBLE
Christ is the center
and heart of the bible. The Old Testament is an account of a nation while New
Testament is an account of man i.e. Christ. The nation was founded and nurtured
of God to bring the man into the world. God himself became a man to give
mankind a concrete, definite and tangible ideal of what kind of person to think
of when we think of God.
Jesus was God's
incarnate in human form. His appearance on earth is the center event of all
history. Old Testament sets the stage for it. The New Testament describes it.
The
Holy Bible introduced itself as follows
1. Bible
introduced as Mirror James
1:23
2. Bible
introduced as Hammer Jer.
23:29b
3. Bible
introduced as Fire Jer. 23:29a
4. Bible
introduced as Lamp Psalm
119:105
5. Bible
introduced as Sword Heb.
4:12
6. Bible
introduced as milk and strong food for Christian 1 peter 2:2, Job 23:12
7. Bible
introduced as Gold Psalm 19:7-12
8. Bible
introduced as seed Isa.
55:10
The
word bible in Greek language is Biblia which means books or
combination of many books Dan 9:2. After the canonization, it was not call book
again, but "The Book" which is called the bible today.
Another names giving to
the bible is as follows
1.
The Book Lk 24:27, Mk
15:28, 2 Tim3:18, ---
2.
The Promises Rom 9:4
3.
The Law, Prophet and Psalm Luke 24:25, ---
4.
The Lord’s book Isaiah
34:16
5.
Old Testament and New Testament Luke
22:10
6.
Word of Christ Col
3:16
7.
Word of Life Phil
2:16
8.
Word of Truth 2 Tim
2:15
9.
Gospel of Christ Rom
1:16
10.The
Pillar and Ground of Truth 1
Tim 3:15
THE
STRUCTURE OF THE BIBLE
In old days of Old Testament,
the first vision of the bible is divided into two e.g.
1.
The law
2.
The prophet
After some development,
it was divided into three part, they are:
1.
The Law - Tora
2.
The Prophet – Nebhim
3.
The writing – Kethublum
The
laws
1.
Genesis
2.
Exodus
3.
Leviticus
4.
Numbers
5.
Deuteronomy
The
Prophet
1.
Joshua
2.
Judge
3.
Ruth
4.
1Samuel
5.
2 Samuel
6.
1 king
7.
2 kings
And after some
development, it was re-arranged and books of prophets got another volume; Isaiah,
Ezekiel, Jeremiah, Daniel are the Major Prophets Hosea to Malachi are 12 Minor
Prophets.
Hebrew Bible language
was translated into Greek version in 280-1500 AD at Alexander by the Septuagint
i.e. the seventy, later after Bible translation, they include these: Gospels,
Acts of Apostle, Epistles and Revelation. English Bible was translated from
Greek to Latin version and it was call Latin Vulgate Version
383-405 AD Greek to
Latin
280-150 BC Hebrew to Greek
Latin version of Bible
was reigning for many years before its re-arrange to modern form i.e.
Christocentric i.e Bible that centered on Christ. The first Hebrew print in Old
Testament was printed in 1488 and 1516 AD, while first Greek printed New Testament was printed in 1526 AD. New Testament was first translate into English
language by Williams Tyndale in 1535 the both old and new i.e. the whole Bible
was translate into English in 1611, we have King James Version in 1881. Revised Standard Version in 1946 and 1952,
Amplified was printed in year 1958 and 1964 also in 1961 and 1970 new English
Bible. Today English version 1966 and
Good news Bible in 1976
THE
PREFACE INFORMATION FROM THE REVISED STANDARD VERSION
The Revised Standard
Version of the Bible is an authorized revision of the America Standard Version,
published in1901, which was a revision of the King James Version of the
scriptures made by direct translation from the original Hebrew and Greek, and
the first to be printed was the work of William Tyndale. He met bitter
opposition. He was accused of willfully perverting the meaning of the scripture,
and its New Testament was ordered to be burnt as “untrue translation”. He was finally
betrayed into the hands of his enemies, and in October 1536 and he was publicly
executed and burnt at the stake.
Yet, Tyndale’s work
became the foundation of subsequent English version, notably those of covered
i.e. 1535. Thomas Matthew (Probably a pseudonym) for John Roger) 1537 The Great
Bible 1539, The Geneva Bible 1560, and the Bishop’s Bible 1568. In 1582, a
translation of the New Testament made from a Latin vulgate by Roman Catholic
scholar, was published at Rheims. The translator who made the King James Version
took into account all of these preceding versions, and comparisons shows that
it own something to each of them. It kept felicitous phrases and after
expressions, from whatever source, which had stood the test of public wage. It
owed most especially in the New Testament to Tyndale.
THE
MODERN FORM OF NEW ARRANGEMENT
Laws
|
|
History
|
Preparation
for Christ Joshua- Esther
|
Poetic
|
Aspiration
for Christ Job – Songs of
Solomon
|
Prophecy
|
Expectation
for Christ Isaiah-
Malachi
|
Gospel
|
Manifestation
of Christ Matt-
John
|
Act
|
Propagation
of Christ Acts
|
Epistles
|
Explanation
of Christ Rom – Jude
|
Revelation
|
Consummation
in Christ Revelation
|
THE
BOOK OF THE BIBLE
There are 39 books of
Old Testament and 27 books of New Testament, Total of 66 books of the Bible
“There are many writers
but one message”. From J.N. Dorby. “The bible is a collection of 66 separate
books and letters, written over a period of some 1,500 years, cumulating
approximately 100 years after Christ’s death and resurrection. It was divided
into Old Testament (The first 39 books) and the New Testament (The last 27
books).
There were many
different writers, who lived and wrote from different countries. They came from
different works of life and different social position. One wrote history,
another biography, another wrote on theology, another poetry, another prophecy,
some wrote on philosophy, and some stories of adventure, travel and romance.
Most of them had no contact with each other and means of knowing themselves.
But when their writings were all put together as one book it would be completed,
they all agree in doctrine, teaching, and prophecy.
17 HISTORICAL
|
5 POETICAL
|
17 PROPHETICAL
|
4
GOSPEL
|
1
ACTS
|
21
EPISTLE
|
1 REVELATION
|
Genesis
|
Job
|
Isaiah
|
Matthew
|
Acts
of Apostles
|
Romans
|
Revelation
|
Exodus
|
Psalm
|
Jeremiah
|
Mark
|
1
Corinthians
|
||
Leviticus
|
Proverbs
|
Lamentations
|
Luke
|
2
Corinthians
|
||
Numbers
|
Ecclesiastes
|
Ezekiel
|
John
|
Galatians
|
||
Deuteronomy
|
Song
of Solomon
|
Daniel
|
Ephesians
|
|||
Joshua
|
Hosea
|
Philippians
|
||||
Judges
|
Joel
|
Colossians
|
||||
Ruth
|
Amos
|
1
Thessalonians
|
||||
1
Samuel
|
Obadiah
|
2
Thessalonians
|
||||
2
Samuel
|
Jonah
|
1
Timothy
|
||||
1
Kings
|
Micah
|
2
Timothy
|
||||
2
kings
|
Nahum
|
Titus
|
||||
1
Chronicles
|
Habakkuk
|
Philemon
|
||||
2
Chronicles
|
Zephaniah
|
Hebrews
|
||||
Ezra
|
Haggai
|
James
|
||||
Nehemiah
|
Zechariah
|
1
Peter
|
||||
Esther
|
Malachi
|
2
Peter
|
||||
1
John
|
||||||
2
John
|
||||||
3
John
|
||||||
Jude
|
SIZE
OF THE BIBLE BOOK
There are 1189 chapters
in the Bible, 929 chapters are in Old Testament Bible and 260 Chapters in New
Testament. The longest chapter of Old Testament is Psalm 119, the shortest
chapter is Psalm 117 and the shortest chapter is the middle
of the Bible. The longest verse is Esther 8:9 and the shortest verse is John
11:35. In as much as chapters are not the same i.e. vary in length, relative
size is indicated by the number of pages rather than the chapters of books.
SERIAL NUMBER
|
NAME OF BIBLE
|
CHAPTERS
|
PAGES
|
1
|
Genesis
|
50
|
58
|
2
|
Exodus
|
40
|
49
|
3
|
Leviticus
|
27
|
36
|
4
|
Numbers
|
36
|
51
|
5
|
Deuteronomy
|
34
|
48
|
6
|
Joshua
|
24
|
29
|
7
|
Judges
|
21
|
36
|
8
|
Ruth
|
4
|
4
|
9
|
1
Samuel
|
24
|
32
|
10
|
2
Samuel
|
24
|
32
|
11
|
1
Kings
|
22
|
36
|
12
|
2
kings
|
25
|
35
|
13
|
1
Chronicles
|
29
|
33
|
14
|
2
Chronicles
|
36
|
40
|
15
|
Ezra
|
10
|
12
|
16
|
Nehemiah
|
13
|
17
|
17
|
Esther
|
10
|
9
|
18
|
Job
|
42
|
40
|
19
|
Psalm
|
150
|
98
|
20
|
Proverbs
|
31
|
34
|
21
|
Ecclesiastes
|
12
|
9
|
22
|
Song
of Solomon
|
8
|
6
|
23
|
Isaiah
|
66
|
57
|
24
|
Jeremiah
|
52
|
65
|
25
|
Lamentations
|
5
|
7
|
26
|
Ezekiel
|
48
|
59
|
27
|
Daniel
|
12
|
18
|
28
|
Hosea
|
14
|
8
|
29
|
Joel
|
3
|
3
|
30
|
Amos
|
9
|
6
|
31
|
Obadiah
|
1
|
1
|
32
|
Jonah
|
4
|
2
|
33
|
Micah
|
7
|
5
|
34
|
Nahum
|
3
|
2
|
35
|
Habakkuk
|
3
|
3
|
36
|
Zephaniah
|
3
|
3
|
37
|
Haggai
|
2
|
2
|
38
|
Zechariah
|
14
|
10
|
39
|
Malachi
|
4
|
3
|
40
|
Matthew
|
28
|
37
|
41
|
Mark
|
16
|
23
|
42
|
Luke
|
24
|
40
|
43
|
John
|
21
|
29
|
44
|
Acts
of Apostles
|
28
|
38
|
45
|
Romans
|
16
|
15
|
46
|
1
Corinthians
|
16
|
14
|
47
|
2
Corinthians
|
13
|
10
|
48
|
Galatians
|
6
|
5
|
49
|
Ephesians
|
6
|
5
|
50
|
Philippians
|
4
|
4
|
51
|
Colossians
|
4
|
4
|
52
|
1
Thessalonians
|
5
|
3
|
53
|
2
Thessalonians
|
3
|
2
|
54
|
1
Timothy
|
6
|
4
|
55
|
2
Timothy
|
4
|
3
|
56
|
Titus
|
3
|
2
|
57
|
Philemon
|
1
|
1
|
58
|
Hebrews
|
13
|
12
|
59
|
James
|
5
|
4
|
60
|
1
Peter
|
5
|
4
|
61
|
2
Peter
|
3
|
3
|
62
|
1
John
|
5
|
4
|
63
|
2
John
|
1
|
1
|
64
|
3
John
|
1
|
1
|
65
|
Jude
|
1
|
1
|
66
|
Revelation
|
22
|
19
|
In above mentioned copy,
Old Testament has 1004 pages while New Testament has 288 pages. The historical
books has 321 pages while poetical has 187 pages. Also, the prophetical has 254
pages, then Pentateuch has 242 pages while Gospel books have 129 pages and
Epistles has 102 pages. Acts has 38 pages, Revelation has 19 pages.
QUOTATION
FROM OLD TESTAMENT AND NEW TESTAMENT
The close connection
between the Old Testament and New Testament is shown by the number of time the
Old Testament is quoted in the New Testament. Bagstar’s Bible gives 889
quotations and allusion, i.e. "indirector
reverence to" George F.
gives the number as 855, a few of the allusions given by Bagstar is been
disputed.
Every book of the of
the Old Testament is quoted except the following
1.
Obadiah
2.
Nahum
3.
Zephaniah
4.
Esther
There is only one
quotation from the book of Songs of Solomon. According to “Dr. Pentecost” the number
of Old Testament quotation and allusion in New Testament is as follows
1.
Gospel of Matthew 96 times
2.
Gospel of Mark 34 times
3.
Gospel of Luke 40 times
4.
Gospel of John 58 times
5.
Acts of Apostles 57 times
6.
Romans 74
times
7.
1 Corinthians 41 times
8.
2 Corinthians 13 times
9.
Galatians 16 times
10.
Ephesians 7 times
11.
Philippians 3 times
12.
Colossians 3 times
13.
1 Thessalonians 2 times
14.
2 Thessalonians 2 times
15.
1 Timothy 6 times
16.
2 Timothy 2 times
17.
Hebrew 86
times
18.
James 16 times
19.
1 Peter 20
times
20.
2 Peter 10 times
21.
1 John 6
times
22.
Revelation 249 times
Total of 841
BIBLE
CANNONIZATION
Inspiration speaks of
authority of Bible because both writer and speaker receive the inspiration.
Canonization speak of how the Bible was received and brought together. The word Cannon is a Greek word/ language and
the meaning is as follows:
1.
The Rod, Ruler, Norm
2.
Kareh – Reed: Eze 40:3, 42:16, all these
is talking about something used as ruler to measure the Bible. The word cannon
means a rod, or tape rule used for measuring. This word refers to the least of
individual book that were eventually judge, as authoritative and included as a
part of Old Testament and New Testament.
Canonization
concerns the recognition and collection of God's inspired scripture. The cause of canonization of the
Bible is by the time of Constantine, a king of Rome who commanded that they
should kill everybody with Bible.
THE
NEED FOR THE CANNON
1.
They were needed that every believer in
every generation we have the word revelation of God in writing.
2.
So that people will have God’s word in
writing
3.
For preservation and circulation of the
bible.
4.
So that people will know the truth book
for God’s knowledge.
THE
EVENT IN 302 AD
There is a man called “Diocletian”
at his palace in Constantinople command that all the book of God should be burn
so that the father of faith arose and start to defend it so as result of it,
they killed many of them, but later this man was converted and gave his life
for Christ. Also, he became one of the cannon, and he is the one that God used
to defend the book of Hebrews, 2 John, 3 John and to be canonized. Canonicity
was called by God. They are not:
1.
The Cannon was not a magistrate of these
books, but they were ministers for cannon
2.
They were not regulator for the Holy
book, but the recognizer for the Holy book.
3.
It is never the duty of a church to
authorize a book to be accepted but rather to locate the inspired books that is
called the Holy Bible
PRINCIPLES
OF RECOGNIZING THE CANONICAL BOOK
1.
It
must be authoritative Mark 1:22: That means there must be a place that God says or Thus
says the Lord or I saw a vision of God or Holy Spirit tells me this
2.
It
must be prophetic: i.e. such book must be written by man
of God like Apostles or prophets or someone close with a man of God or his
secretary e.g. Elijah and Elisha, Paul and Silas.
3.
Authenticity
of the book: Such book must tell the truth about God
and it must tell the truth of other books and establish of other books.
4.
Dynamics
quality of the book: Such book must have transforming
force. That means the book must have power to change one’s life.
5.
It
must be canonized: Such book must be received and
recognized by all the fathers of faith. God is the only person that authorized
book that is accepted by the cannon through the power of Holy Spirit in them.
THE
CLASSIFICATION OF THE CANON
1.
The
Homologuemena: The
book that is accepted by all the father of faith.
2.
The
Antilegomena: The book disputed by some
3.
The
Pseudepigrapha: The book that all rejected, or books rejected
by all.
4.
The Apocrypha: The books accepted by
some.
Therefore, this first class i.e. Homologuemena and second
class two Antilegomena are only accepted to be in the Holy Bible that we are
reading today, while 3rd and 4th were
totally rejected and cannot found in the Holy Bible
ANALYSIS
Homologuemena was unquestionable
books before it was accepted, he has
many books that fall under it like; Genesis to Nehemiah, Job, Psalm, Isaiah to
Lamentation, Daniel to Malachi.
But some few books that
are under Antilegomena, i.e. the book that was first query before it was
accepted, they are as follow; Esther, Proverb,
Ecclesiastes, Song of Solomon, Ezekiel. So, these are the Old Testament books
we have as the Holy Bible.
1.
The book of Esther was firstly disputed simply
because there is absent of the name of the Lord or God in it. But later, after
much prayer and fasting and much carefully examine. They agree that it inspire
because he tells us the record of the people of God in land of captivity and
how they were delivered.
2.
The book of proverbs also was firstly
queried before it was accepted simply because of two verses there i.e. Prov.
26:4-5. It was said to contradict each other, but it was later gotten to know
that the two verses had already interpreted itself.
3.
Song of Solomon: Alleged of being carnal
and sensual.
4.
Ecclesiastes: Said to be skeptical,
renamed song of skeptics
5.
Ezekiel: Accused of anti- Mosaical
teachings.
6.
Hebrew has no author’s name.
7.
James: Authorship and truthfulness
doubted.
8.
2 Peter: Genuineness questioned.
9.
2 & 3 John: Genuineness questioned.
10.
Jude: Authenticity disputed
11.
Revelation: Genuineness and authenticity
questioned.
All these books are
canonical, except for theological academic debate.
Analysis
on Pseudepigrapha.
This book was rejected
by all father of faith simply because they believe that he has no inspiration. Therefore,
it was recognize as a fake book because he spoke not the word of God, but
rather it speaks about inter-testament or gap time between Malachi – Matthew or
between testament or all period. Therefore, these books were not allow as a
book of God or book of religion, though there are some true stories in it, but
that does not make it inspired, there is no where its writing that thus
says the Lord, or God says. Some of
these books are as follows;
The book of Enoch,
Ascension of Moses, repentance of James and Jambries, Aratus poem, Apimedis
e.t.c in these books, there are some things that looks like; magic, dream,
vision and revelation.
It was writing in the
writing style of Daniel Ezekiel, Zechariah. This book speaks also about and of
Christ kingdom, sin, angel, --- e.t.c.
THE
COMPLETE BOOK HAS THESE FOLLOWS:
1. Book
of Jubilee
2. The
book of Adam and Eve
3. The
book of Enoch
4. Letter
of Aristarchus
5. The
book of Maccabeus
6. Covenant
of Great Father
7. Secret
of Enoch
8. Psalm
151 e.t.c.
OLD
TESTAMENT APOCRPHA
Apocrypha means book
accepted by some, but not allow in the Bible by all fathers of faith and all
early churches leader. But some that believe it accept it and attached it with
their own made Bible e.g. Good news of Roman Catholic. The word Apocrypha means
the mystery. It is those that were
in inner circle alone that can understand it. It was something hard to
understand and it was written in 425 BC. Homologuemena and Antilegomena were
accepted in the Bible while Apocrypha and Pseudepigrapha has no place in the
Bible.
WHY
APOCRYPHA WAS
REJECTED
Apocrypha was rejected
because it was recognized as fake doctrine e.g. prayer for the dead and
recommending salvation for the dead by money. Tobit 12:9. Therefore, story of
Apocrypha contradicts the word of God. It is full of jesting story and the
books were not written by prophet. And he has no changing power, not authentic,
nor dominance, nor inspiration or any truth about God.
NEW
TESTAMENT APOCRYPHA BOOKS
1.
Epistle of Pseudo and Barnabas
2.
Epistle to Corinthians
3.
Ancient family and Epistle of Clement
4.
Shepherd of Harmal
5.
Di-dacy i.e. the teaching of the twelve
6.
Revelation of Peter
7.
Epistle of Laodicea
8.
Epistle according to the Hebrew
9.
Epistle of Paulican
10.
7 Epistles of Elishieous
In all these time there
was a doctrine call “Chiliasm” – millennialism, i.e the 1,000 years of Christ
reign, so, because the book of revelation mention the millennium reign. He was
firstly put aside before it was all accepted by cannon at their council because
they firstly believe that its compromise with millennium.
But after much prayer,
they accepted it at Cartage Council in 393 AD. They call those who believe in
1,000 years montanists.
THE
VALUE OF APOCRYPHA
These were the good
things we can realize in Apocrypha. The Apocrypha provide the story but Old
Testament and New Testament have Jew religion and some other truth story. But
been truth story does not make inspire book of the Lord. The fact is that it
was not allowed in the scripture because it was not written by prophet of has
any of the qualification set down by cannon
THE
NEW TESTAMENT CANNONIZATION
Why do we need to
canonize the New Testament?
1.
These books were not all written by the
Apostle and were not all prophetical
2.
In the early church, there was a lot of
confusion on which book to be read and recommend for the church as a book of
the Lord
3.
Because there is heretical book full everywhere by them, and
this move then to canonize Bible in order to erase these heresy books and to
provide original book for the church to be reading.
4.
For the purpose of missionary activities
because people always ask from this minister of God that all what you preach to
us, we want to be reading them by ourselves. Provide for us a book to be
reading because there is no specific book of the Lord to recommend for them by
then
5.
Persecution and political problem in
302-305 AD “Diocletine” persecute the church and many Christians were being
killed and many properties of high men in the church were seized and many
churches were burnt simply because they have the book of the Lord.
Therefore, the early
Christian leader call themselves together and ask themselves that on which book
does we killed for. So, this makes them to seat and call for meeting and to
canonize the New Testament. This persecution lasted for 25 years but after that
Diocletian died and Constantine became king and the leader of religion,
therefore, he commanded that they should stop killing of Christian. It is that
opportunity that makes the father of faith call for that first meeting that
hold at Laodicea in 363 AD. But yet they cannot reach conclusion until 397 AD
when they call for another meeting at Cartage
PRINCIPLE
OF NEW TESTAMENT CANONIZATION
1.
Inspiration:
These book must be inspired
2.
Apostolicity:
It must be writing by Apostle or somebody close with Apostle like Paul and
Silas
3.
Prophetical:
It must have “Thus saith the Lord”
CLASSIFICATION OF NEW TESTAMENT
CANNON
New Testament books
were mostly written by the Apostles and they used the same word of Old
Testament cannon e.g.
1.
Homologuemena:
Undisputed books i.e. 27 books that were accepted by a set of cannon without query.
But there are some cannon argue before it was accepted examples are Matthew to
Philemon, 1 Peter, and 1 John.
2.
Antilegomena:
Book disputed by some, those are the book they argue on are: Heb, James, 2 Peter, 2 & 3 John, Jude and
Revelation
ANALYSIS
Book of Hebrews was
argue because the writer did not write his name, but they all later believe
that it was written by one of the Apostles. So, this was the work of Jerome and Agusting.
Book of James was
firstly argue on because it look like it contradict the teachings of Paul, and
they deliberate on it and fault it. That also is the work of Jerome, Agusting,
Origine and Ursbus.
Book of 2 peter, there
was also a controversy on it, they said that this book was not written by
peter, but after much carefully looking they agreed that it was written by
peter
II&III John and
Judah have the same problem with II peter they argue about author, book of Revelation
also pass through the same problem, they said it may not be John that wrote it.
Firstly, they accepted
it, but later they disputed it, but after much prayer and carefully looking, it
was accepted by the cannon, they all believe that it talk about the end of the
world. All these including those that was firstly query were later accepted
after much careful looking and canonize by the father of faith as the book of
the lord were 27 books.
Pseudepigrapha
Meaning book rejected
by their some entire gospel book that was reject they are;
Rejected Gospel
1.
Gospel of peter
2.
Gospel of Edomic
3.
Gospel of James
4.
Gospel of Arabic
5.
Gospel of Nicodemus
6.
Gospel of Joseph the carpenter
7.
To Epistle
8.
Passing of Mary
9.
Gospel of Matt. Visitation to Egypt
10.
Gospel of the Twelve (12)
11.
Gospel of Bannarbas
12.
Gospel of Thomas
13.
Gospel of Bartholomew
14.
Gospel of Hebrew
15.
Gospel of Andrew
16.
Gospel of Matthias
17.
Gospel of Phillip e.t.c
Rejected
Act, Epistles, and Revelation
Acts
1.
Act of Peter
2.
Act of John
3.
Act of Andrew
4.
Act of Thomas
5.
Act of Paul
6.
Act of Matthias
7.
Act of Phillip
8.
Act of Tadew e.t.c.
Epistles
1.
Epistle of our land
2.
Lost Epistle of Corinth
3.
6 letters of Paul to sedneca
4.
Epistle of Paul to Laodeciah
Revelations
1.
Revelations- Apocalypses
2.
Revelations of Peter
3.
Revelations of Paul
4.
Revelations of Thomas
5.
Revelations of Stephen e.t.c.
New Testament Apocrpha Rejected
1.
Epistle of pseudo & Barnabars
2.
First letter to Corinthian its written
3.
Ancient family & Epistle of Clement
4.
Shepherd of Hrmal
5.
De- dachi (that means the teachings of
the twelve)
6.
Revelation of peter
7.
Act of Paul and tiklar
8.
Epistle according to the Hebrew
9.
Epistle of Paulina
10.
7 Epistle of Elishieous
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