How We Got the Bible

Introduction:

There will be two main points in this lesson. First, we want to focus primarily on the Bible in its earliest form – the manuscripts the bible was written on. Then, we will focus on how we got the books of the bible. Why were some books accepted & others rejected? One of the major claims of the Da Vinci Code is that the Bible is just a collection of books arranged on by the Catholic Church in order to perpetuate a lie. The Bible is not just one book, but many that have been collected and arranged as one.

I. Old Testament Manuscripts

A.     There are 10,000 fragments in existence today; most were discovered in Egypt in 1890. Not complete copies, but placed together have a complete record.

1.     Oldest known complete OT is the Leningrad Codex (1008) – basis of modern OT texts.

B.     Other important manuscripts which support modern OT Scriptures.

1.     Dead Sea Scrolls; Septuagint (LXX)

II. New Testament Manuscripts

A.     There are over 5000 complete and fragmentary manuscripts.

B.     Three most important New Testament manuscripts

1.     Vatican Manuscript

2.     Sinaitic Manuscript

3.     Alexandrian Manuscript

III. How did we get the books of the Bible we have today?

A.    The term canon simply means a rule or standard.

B.    “Canon” refers to the books that are accepted as the rule of faith.

C.   How did the books of our Bible come to be part of the canon? How do we know we have the word of God as He intended? 

IV. Tests of Canonicity

A.     In order to be accepted each book had to meet certain tests to prove it belonged.

                                                      1.     Authorship – was it a recognized prophet of God or a companion

                                                      2.     Content

                                                      3.     Quoted in another authoritative writing

                                                      4.     Early acceptance

B.     It is important to understand the canon of Scripture was not set by any church or council.

V. Old Testament Canon

A.    By the time of Jesus the OT canon had been set and accepted.

                                                      1.     Lk. 24:44 - Jesus referred to the OT writings.

B.    What about the “other” books? Two different types of writings

                                                      1.     Apocrypha – hidden

                                                      2.     Pseudepigrapha – false writings

VI. New Testament Canon

             A.     By 150 AD the apostle’s writings were being read in the assemblies.

             B.     We can believe and trust that we have the correct books.

Conclusion

  1. The Bible we have today has been read and studied by God’s people for thousands of years.
  2. No council or church can (or has the right) to set the canon of Scripture.
  3. Won’t you trust the Bible and come to the Lord tonight?