Canon of the Old and New Testaments Ascertained

About this book

On the establishment of the biblical canon

Text from Christian Classics Ethereal Library; in the public domain.

Contents

1. Prefatory Material.
2. Introduction.
3. Section I. Early Use and Import of the Word Canon.
4. Section II. Constitution of the Canon of the Old Testament by Ezra—The Canon of the Old Testament, as it now Exists, Sanctioned by Christ and His Apostles—Catalogues of the Books by Some of the Early Fathers—Agreement of Jews and Christians on This Subject.
5. Section III. Apocryphal Books, Their Origin—Importance of Distinguishing between Canonical and Apocryphal Books—Six Books of This Class Pronounced Canonical by the Council of Trant—Not in the Hebrew, nor Received by the Jews, Ancient or Modern.
6. Section IV. Testimonies of the Christian Fathers, and of Other Learned Men Down to the Time of the Council of Trent, Respecting the Apocrypha.
7. Section V. Internal Evidence that tese Books Are Not Canonical—The Writers not Prophets, and Do Not Claim to Be Inspired.
8. Section VI. No Canonical Book of the Old Testament Has Been Lost.
9. Section VII. The Oral Law of the Jews without Foundation.
10. Section I. Method of Settling the Canon of the New Testament.
11. Section II. Catalogues of the Books of the New Testament—Canonical Books alone Cited as Authority by the Fathers, and Read in the Churches as Scripture.
12. Section III. Order of the Books of the New Testament—Time of the Gospels being Written—Notice of the Evangelists.
13. Section IV. Testimonies to Matthew’s Gospel—Time of Publication—Language in Which It Was Originally Composed.
14. Section V. Gospel of Mark—On What Occasion Published—Ascribed to the Dictation of Peter by All the Fathers.
15. Section VI. Gospel of Luke—Testimonies of the Fathers Respecting It.
16. Section VII. The Objections of J. D. MIchaelis to the Canonical Authority of the Gospels of Mark and Luke, Considered and Answered.
17. Section VIII. The Gospel of John—Life of the Evangelist—Occasion and Time of His Writing—Canonical Authority Indisputable.
18. Section IX. The Acts of the Apostles—Luke the Author—Canonical Authority Undisputed by the Fathers—Rejected Only by Heretics.
19. Section X. Testimonies to the Canonical Authority of the Fourteen Epistles of Paul.
20. Section XI. Canonical Authority of the Seven Catholic Epistles.
21. Section XII. Canonical Authority of the Book of Revelation.
22. Section XIII. The Titles Given to the Sacred Scriptures by the Fathers—These Books Not Concealed, But Partially Known and Referred to by Enemies as Well as Friends—Citations—Ancient Manuscripts—Remarks of Rennel.
23. Section XIV. No Canonical Book of the New Testament Has Been Lost.
24. Section XV. Rules for Determining What Books Are Apocryphas—Some Account of the Apocryphal Books Which Have Been Lost—All of Them Condemned by the Foregoing Rules—Reason for the Abounding of Such Books.
25. Section XVI. Apocryphal Books Which Are Still Extant—Letter of Abgarus King of Edessa to Jesus, and His Answer—Epistle to the Laodiceans—Letters of Paul to Seneca—Protevangelion of James—The Gospel of Our Saviour’s Infancy—The Acts of Pilate—The Acts of Paul and Thecla.
26. Section XVII. No Part of the Christian Revelation Handed Down by Unwritten Tradition.
27. Note A. (Page 39.) First Decree of the Fourth Session of the Council of Trent, A. A. 1546.
28. Note B. (Page 53.) Extract from Augustine “De Doctrina Christiana,” Lib. III. Cap. 8.
29. Note C. (Page 123.) Passage from Tertullian.
30. Note D. (Page 131.) Passage from Eusebius. The Order of the Gospels.
31. Note E. (Page 163.) Gospel of the Nazarenes.
32. Note F. (Page 280.) The Decree of Pope Gelasius Concerning Apocryphal Books.
33. Note G. (Page 287.) Paul’s Epistle to the Laodiceans.
34. Note H. (Page 292.) Miracles Ascribed to Christ in the Book Entitled “The Gospel of Our Saviour’s Infancy.”
35. Extract from Haldane’s “Evidence and Authority of Divine Revelation.”