Having considered the origin of the Old Testament canon, I want to pass along a few thoughts on the origin of the New Testament books. As you can imagine, the subject of canonicity is immense and much has been written on the topic so you can go as deep as you wish. I am only passing on to you a few rudimentary principles. There are many resources you could consult for further study. The New ESV Study Bible contains more extensive essays on canonicity by Roger Beckwith and my friend Chuck Hill. You can find a good bibliography on other sources in the journal Christian History #43, “How We Got Our Bible.” That journal is available in an audio version at www.christianaudio.com.
The biblical evidence for the New Testament canon may be considered under six heads:
1. The New Testament community recognized God to be canon. Whatever he said or did was recognized to be normative for their lives. Several examples of this arise from the birth narratives of Jesus. When the angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in Matthew 1:20-25, his words were sufficient to move Joseph to action. The same is true of Mary when she received God’s Word through Gabriel (Luke 1:26-38). She needed no greater authority. Zechariah did not receive the Lord’s word at first but after the shutting of his mouth, Zechariah was convinced of the infallibility of God’s word, evidenced by Zechariah’s obedience later in insisting that the baby be named “John” (Luke 1:11-19, 57-66). Also in Luke we see that Jesus was recognized to be confirmed as the Messiah by God’s spoken word from heaven (Luke 3:22). Finally, we see that John the Baptist was convinced by both God’s spoken word and action in the recognition of the Son of God (John 1:32-34).
2. The New Testament community already recognized the authority of a written Canon. Jesus displays such recognition in Matthew 5:17-20 when he validates his ministry by claiming to fulfill the “law and the prophets.” In Matthew 22:29-32, Jesus needs to appeal no higher than the Old Testament Canon when arguing the case for the resurrection. And in Matthew 26:24, 31, 54 and 56, Jesus makes no higher appeal than the Old Testament prophecies to assure the disciples that what is occurring to him in the last days of his ministry must take place. Therefore we see that the New Testament community for the most part, both disciples and Pharisees, et al, operated on the presupposition that the written canon of the Old Testament was authoritative.
We also see this reflected in the Epistles. It is true implicitly in Acts 3:18 where Peter feels quite confident to command repentance on the basis of Jesus’ fulfillment of the Old Testament prophecies. Paul shows no chagrin in arguing his case in the synagogue from the Old Testament; neither is Luke embarrassed to say that Paul “proves” his case from the Old Testament (Acts 17:2, 3). Paul appeals to no higher authority in Ephesians 6:1ff when he commands the children to be obedient to their parents. “It is right” because the Old Testament said it was. And when Peter is convincing his readers in his first epistle that they must love one another, he finishes his case by a citation from Psalm 34 (1 Peter 3:10-12).
But this is even more clear from explicit references such as 2 Timothy 3:15-17 in which the Old Testament is said to be “God breathed” and thereby profitable as an authoritative guide book. Also, Peter clearly says that the Old Testament is an irrefutable authority because it came not from man but from God (2 Peter 1:20, 21). Therefore it is easy to make the transition to an eventual recognition of a New Testament canon because the people were already accustomed to such an idea, thus the next point.
3. Whatever Jesus said or did was recognized to be canon. In the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5-7), Jesus corrects the misunderstanding of the Law on no higher appeal than his own words. He has no sophisticated arguments, merely his own authoritative, spoken word. In fact, he clearly states that his words are infallible and therefore whoever will obey and practice them will have a well-founded life (Matthew 7:24). It is after this statement that we see the people recognize his irrefutable authority (Matthew 7:28, 29).
4. Jesus recognized his own words to be canon and so ensured that they would be preserved. This is already stated in John 14:26 in which he promises that the Holy Spirit will bring his words to their remembrance. We see that promise fulfilled in passages such as Acts 20:35 (“as the Lord says, ‘it is more blessed to give than receive’”). Also it is true in 1 Corinthians 7:10 (“not I, but the Lord”) and 9:14 (“the Lord has commanded”). And some see that Paul quotes Jesus’ words “The worker deserves his wages,” in 1 Timothy 5:18 from Luke 10:7.
Jesus also makes three promises concerning his words in John 16:12, 13: He, the Holy Spirit would tell them what they “could not hear now.” This was namely the significance of his death and resurrection, which became the centerpiece of the Epistles. (And “guide them into all truth” John 16:13). He would “remind them of everything: which is obviously the Gospels (John 14). And he would “tell them what is to come” which is Revelation and the other Apocalyptic writings.
5. The New Testament writers themselves claim to be canonical. Luke claims to write “certain truth” (Luke 1:1-4). And if a non-apostle can write such, his preface is taken seriously in Acts 1:1 that he continues to record the Lord’s teaching from the Gospel. In his Gospel, the Apostle John (21:24) bears the attestation of several (“we”) that what he writes is true. Even more strongly Paul says he speaks by the Spirit words that are applicable to contemporary life (1 Corinthians 2:12, 13). And he clearly states his authority to give revelation in 1 Corinthians 14:37. By implication he does the same in 2 Corinthians 13:3, 10. In Galatians 1:8-12, Paul says his gospel came from God and cannot be refuted by angels or even himself. He tells the Colossians (4:16) that he says that the letter is to be read as authority in all the churches. Prophetically in 1 Thessalonians 2:13 and 4:15 Paul speaks the “word of the Lord.” Consequently in 2 Thessalonians 2:15, Paul says that both his spoken and written words are authoritative and must be “held to.” He also contrasts himself to those that speak falsely in 2 Thessalonians 2:2 and 3:17. Finally, John claims that his writing is such that those who read it will be blessed (Revelation 1:3) and he does so because he knows it is the very revelation of Jesus (Revelation 1:1). Furthermore, those that seek to alter it are promised to be cursed (Revelation 22:19, 20).
6. The New Testament bears inner testimony that other portions are canonical. Jude 17, 18 are a possible quotation of 2 Peter 3:3 and if so show that New Testament books were already being appealed to, as the Old Testament, as irrefutable authority. But the strongest statement is found in 2 Peter 3:15-17 in which Peter appeals to Paul as authority and places all his letters on equal par with the “rest of the Scriptures” (Old Testament).
I hope this is helpful to you beyond the typical explanation that all the New Testament books were either written by or sponsored by an Apostle in like fashion to the Old Testament Mosaic/prophetical test. Again this evidence that the New Testament recognized itself to be the Word of God reveals that one may not say it is merely a good book and not accept it as God’s Word. A false book can never be a good book. But a book written by eyewitnesses of the resurrection, sealed by the blood of martyrs and empowered by the Holy Spirit to change lives as the New Testament is is truly a “good book.”
