High View of Scripture?, A (Evangelical Ressourcement): The Authority of the Bible and the Formation of the New Testament Canon by Allert Craig D

Author:Allert, Craig D. [Allert, Craig D.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: REL067110, REL006080, REL067080
ISBN: 9781441201591
Publisher: Baker Publishing Group
Published: 2007-06-01T00:00:00+00:00

TWO IMPORTANT FOURTH-CENTURY LISTS

IN THE HISTORY of the formation of the New Testament canon, locating canon lists produced by the early church is quite important. The reason for this is that these lists are seen to testify to a conscious desire on the part of the leaders of the early church to form and close a New Testament canon. The earlier the date of a list, therefore, the better evidence one has of an earlier canon consciousness. It is well known, however, that these kinds of lists belong almost exclusively to the fourth century.[1] We do well, therefore, to recognize the significance of this historical observation by posing a simple question: If, as some argue, the early church consciously created and closed a New Testament canon at the end of the second century, why does the proliferation of canon lists begin to appear only in the fourth century?

The significance of this question should not be overlooked since it has direct bearing on a canon consciousness in the early church. In this chapter focus will be on two of these fourth-century lists: the list contained in Eusebius’s Ecclesiastical History and the list contained in Athanasius of Alexandria’s Festal Letter 39. While there are more than these two fourth-century lists, these two have justifiably received the most attention.[2]

The Church History of Eusebius of Caesarea

Issued during the first quarter of the fourth century, Eusebius’s (ca. 260–ca. 340) final version of his Ecclesiastical History documents the history of the church from the time of Christ to the conversion of the emperor Constantine in 313. Since this is the first real church history beyond the Acts of the Apostles, its value for the history of Christianity is obvious. Among the many resources contained in this church history is Eusebius’s famous catalog of Christian writings. Given what we have discussed regarding the status of certain documents in the second century, it is helpful to move forward and look at this important fourth-century catalog:

1Since we are dealing with this subject it is proper to sum up the writings of the New Testament which have been already mentioned. First then must be put the holy quaternion of the Gospels; following them the Acts of the Apostles. 2After this must be reckoned the epistles of Paul; next in order the extant former epistle of John, and likewise the epistle of Peter, must be maintained. After them is to be placed, if it really seem proper, the Apocalypse of John, concerning which we shall give the different opinions at the proper time. 3These then belong among the accepted writings. Among the disputed writings, which are nevertheless recognized by many, are extant the so-called epistle of James and that of Jude, also the second epistle of Peter, and those that are called the second and third of John, whether they belong to the evangelist or to another person of the same name. 4Among the rejected writings must be reckoned also the Acts of Paul, and the so-called Shepherd, and the Apocalypse

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