Canon Of Scripture
Morrish Bible Dictionary [1]
The word κανών signified a rod or rule by which things were tested. It is thus used by Paul in Galatians 6:16; Philippians 3:16 . As to the scriptures the expression refers to what books should be included: thus the 'canon' of scripture is often spoken of, and the books are called 'canonical' or 'uncanonical.' Happily most Christians are not troubled with such questions. In christian simplicity they believe that in the Bible they have nothing but what God caused to be written, and that it contains all that He intended to form a part of His book. Still, as everything is now challenged it may be well to examine the subject a little.
In the first place, the Church of Rome boldly declared that it was only 'thechurch' that could decide what books were canonical: as early as the Council of Carthage (about A.D. 400) lists of the books were made out, and at the Council of Trent they dogmatically settled what books constituted the scripture. They decided to include the books now known as the APOCRYPHA ( q.v. ), as may be seen in the Latin Vulgate, which is the version used by that church. Now the scripture informs us that to the Jews were committed the oracles of God, Romans 3:2 , and as is well known they most carefully guarded the O.T. scriptures for centuries before there was any christian church. The books were written in the Jews' language the Hebrew with which the Apocrypha never had a place. They were written in Greek, and were first added to the LXX. The above principle that the scriptures require to be accredited by the church is false. Surely God could make a revelation that would in no wise need to have the seal of a body of men placed upon it, be they ever so holy. But the Church of Rome was not holy, nor was it universal, so that even if the alleged principle were correct, that corrupt section of the church would be the last to be taken as an authoritative guide.
The N.T. has also had its perils. With the Greek MSS apocryphal books are found, parts of which were read in the churches in early days. Later on several of the Fathers of the church so called had their doubts respecting some of the Epistles. Even as late as the Reformers it was the same. Luther spoke disrespectfully of the Hebrews, James, Jude, and the Revelation, and set them apart at the end of his version. Calvin doubted the authenticity of James, 2Peter, and Jude. In modern times many portions of books in the O.T. and N.T. are being called in question. But the Bible needs not to be accredited by man. It carries its own credentials to the heart and conscience of the Christian in the power of the Holy Spirit. The natural man is not competent to judge of such a question. The Bible has the stamp of God upon it, and the more it is studied by the Christian the more perfect it is found to be no part redundant, and no part lacking.
Fausset's Bible Dictionary [2]
(See Bible .) The collection of sacred books constituting the Christian church's authoritative RULE (Greek canon) of faith and practice. The word occurs in Galatians 6:16; 2 Corinthians 10:13-16. The law, i.e. the Pentateuch or five books of Moses, is the groundwork of the whole. The after written sacred books rest on it. The Psalms, divided into five books to correspond with it, begin, "Blessed is the man" whose "delight is in the law of the Lord; and in His law will he meditate day and night." In Joshua ( Joshua 1:8) similarly the Lord saith, "this book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth, but thou shalt meditate therein day and night." Moses directed the Levites, "Take this book of the law, and put it in the side of the ark of the covenant of the Lord your God" ( Deuteronomy 31:25-26). "The testimony," or Decalogue written by God's finger on the tables of stone, was put into the ark ( Exodus 25:16; Exodus 40:20; 1 Kings 8:9).
Hilkiah "found the book of the law in the house of the Lord," where it had lain neglected during the reigns that preceded godly Josiah's reign ( 2 Kings 22:8; 2 Chronicles 34:14), "the law of the Lord by (the hand of) Moses." Joshua under inspiration added his record, "writing these words in the book of the law of God" ( Joshua 24:26). Samuel further wrote "the manner of the kingdom in a book" ( 1 Samuel 10:25). Isaiah ( Isaiah 8:20) as representative of the prophets makes the law the standard of appeal: "to the law and to the testimony: if they speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them." The earlier sacred writings by his time seem to have been gathered into one whole, called "the book of the Lord": "seek ye out of the book of the Lord" ( Isaiah 33:16; Isaiah 29:18). Just as our Lord saith" Search the Scriptures" ( John 5:39).
Cyclopedia of Biblical, Theological and Ecclesiastical Literature [3]
Copyright StatementThese files are public domain. Bibliography InformationMcClintock, John. Strong, James. Entry for 'Canon of Scripture'. Cyclopedia of Biblical, Theological and Ecclesiastical Literature. https://www.studylight.org/encyclopedias/eng/tce/c/canon-of-scripture.html. Harper & Brothers. New York. 1870.
