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Recognition of Early Church Fathers
To the early church Fathers the issue of “canonization” was primarily related to the issue of the inspiration of scripture. When we look at inspiration in church history, the sharp focus stands out. Throughout the churches history, they did not question that scripture was inerrant, inerrant, and infallible. Scripture and God’s Word were synonymous term; one could not have one without the other.[10]
The question normally arises, (and this make the study of canonicity most intimidating) how did the church Fathers determine which books were the inspired canon of scripture and which were not. The following is a summary of the tests that were used:
(1) Authentication on the Divine side—Inspiration. Did the book give internal evidence of inspiration, of being God breathed? Was it of proper spiritual character? Did it edify the church? Was it doctrinally accurate? “The Apocrypha and Pseudepigrapha were rejected as a result of not meeting this test. The book should bear evidence of high moral and spiritual values that would reflect a work of the Holy Spirit.”[11]
(2) Authentication on the human side. Three issues were important here: (a) Was the author an apostle or did he have the endorsement of an apostle? Mark wrote the gospel of Mark, but he did so under Peter’s endorsement. Luke, as a close associate of the Apostle Paul, wrote under the endorsement of his authority. (b) Universal acceptance was another key factor. On the whole, was the book accepted by the church at large? The recognition given a particular book by the church was important. By this standard, a number of books were rejected. There were some books that enjoyed an acceptance by a few, but were later dropped for a lack of universal acceptance. Then there were a few books that some questioned because of doubts about the author, not the content, but were later accepted because the majority accepted them. [12]
Clement of Rome, A.D. 95, mentioned at least eight New Testament books in a letter; Ignatius of Antioch, A.D. 115, also acknowledged about seven books; Polycarp, a disciple of John, A.D. 108, acknowledged fifteen letters. That is not to say these men did not recognize more letters as canonical, but these are ones they mentioned in their correspondence. Hippolytus, A.D. 170‑235, recognized twenty‑two books. The problematic books at this time were Hebrews, James, 2 Peter, and 2 and 3 John.
In AD 185, Iraneus wrote acknowledging twenty-one books[13] He stated that the writers of scripture “were filled with perfect knowledge on every subject.” Iraneus insisted strongly that the Spirit of God spoke through the writers. Earlier it was mentioned that he believed that the grammar of the Gospels was chosen by God. According to Iraneus inspiration does not at all do away with individuality or the literary style, of the writers of the Bible.[14]
Even more important was in AD 170 when the Muratorian Canon was published. This was a compellation of books recognized as canonical. Some were for reading in worship and the rest were only to be read in private devotion.[15] The Muratorian Canon includes all twenty-seven books, but Hebrews, James, and one epistle of John. [16]
In AD 367, Athanasius cited the twenty-seven books of the New Testament as the only true books. He also wrote, “The Holy Scripture is mightier than all synods…The whole of our Scriptures, the Old Testament and the New Testament, are profitable for instruction as it is written.” To Athanasius the Bible was inspired from beginning to end.[17]
There were other books that formed a larger deposit, from which the twenty-seven books were chosen. There is a prior letter to the Corinthians mentioned in 1 Corinthians 5:9 and a letter to the Laodiceans in Colossians 4:16. The Codex Alexandrinus included 1 and 2 Clement and the Codex Sinaiticus included Barnabas and Hermas. Eusebius cited a letter from the second century bishop of Corinth, Dionysius, stating that Clement’s letter was read in the church there “from time to time for our admonition”[18]
The formation of the canon was not a conciliar decision. The earliest ecumenical council, Nicea in 325 did not discuss the canon. In A.D. 363 the Council of Laodicea stated that only the Old Testament and the twenty-seven books of the New Testament were to be read in the churches. [19] The First undisputed decision of a council on the canon may be Carthage in 397. They decreed that nothing should be read in the church under the name of the divine Scriptures except the canonical writings. The twenty-seven books were listed as canon. The council could list only those books that were generally thought of as canon. [20]