spring 2020 - 2nd pres
TRANSCRIPT
SPRING 2020
SECOND PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH
The Bible
▪ Library of books
▪ Written over 1100 years
▪ Many different genres/types of literature
▪ Written to different audiences
▪ Different purposes
▪ One overarching theme
Canon (kanon) = standard of measurement
Canon
approved list of books of Old & New Testament
Hebrew Scriptures (Tanakh)
▪ Torah (Pentateuch)
▪ Historical Books
▪ Prophets
▪ Writings
Hebrew Scriptures (Tanakh)
▪ Torah (Pentateuch)
▪ Prophets
▪ Writings
Hebrew Scriptures (Tanakh)
▪ Torah (Pentateuch)
▪ Prophets (Former & Latter Prophets)
▪ Writings
Torah
▪ First 5 books of Bible
▪ Genesis – Exodus – Leviticus – Numbers -Deuteronomy
▪ Also called “The Law”
641-610 BC
Reign of Josiah
Timeline of Hebrew bible Canonization
8The high priest Hilkiah said to Shaphan the secretary, ‘I have
found the book of the law in the house of the LORD.’ When
Hilkiah gave the book to Shaphan, he read it. 9Then Shaphan the
secretary came to the king…11When the king heard the words
of the book of the law, he tore his clothes. 12Then the king
commanded the priest Hilkiah, 13‘Go, inquire of the LORD for
me, for the people, and for all Judah, concerning the words of
this book that has been found; for great is the wrath of
the LORD that is kindled against us, because our ancestors did
not obey the words of this book, to do according to all that is
written concerning us.’
- 2 Kings 22:8,11-13
1All the people gathered together into the square before the
Water Gate. They told the scribe Ezra to bring the book of the
law of Moses, which the LORD had given to Israel. 2Accordingly,
the priest Ezra brought the law before the assembly, both men
and women and all who could hear with understanding.
- Nehemiah 8:1-2
586 BC
Destruction of 1st
Temple
Return from Exile
538 BC641-610 BC
Reign of Josiah
Timeline of Hebrew bible Canonization
586 BC
Destruction of 1st
Temple
Return from Exile
538 BC641-610 BC
Reign of Josiah
Timeline of Hebrew bible Canonization
440-400 BC
Ezra returns from Exile
586 BC
Destruction of 1st
Temple
Return from Exile
538 BC641-610 BC
Reign of Josiah
Timeline of Hebrew bible Canonization
440-400 BC
Ezra returns from Exile
Torah not known
586 BC
Destruction of 1st
Temple
Return from Exile
538 BC641-610 BC
Reign of Josiah
Timeline of Hebrew bible Canonization
440-400 BC
Ezra returns from Exile
Torah not known
375? BC
JudeanSamaritan schism
Shared Torah
586 BC
Destruction of 1st
Temple
Return from Exile
538 BC641-610 BC
Reign of Josiah
Timeline of Hebrew bible Canonization
440-400 BC
Ezra returns from Exile
Torah not known
375? BC
JudeanSamaritan schism
Shared Torah
Torah
Prophets
▪ Former Prophets (Historical books)
▪ Latter Prophets
586 BC
Destruction of 1st
Temple
Return from Exile
538 BC641-610 BC
Reign of Josiah
Timeline of Hebrew bible Canonization
440-400 BC
Ezra returns from Exile
Torah not known
375? BC
JudeanSamaritan schism
Shared Torah
Torah
586 BC
Destruction of 1st
Temple
Return from Exile
538 BC641-610 BC
Reign of Josiah
Timeline of Hebrew bible Canonization
440-400 BC
Ezra returns from Exile
Torah not known
375? BC
JudeanSamaritan schism
Shared Torah
Torah
Do not share prophets
586 BC
Destruction of 1st
Temple
Return from Exile
538 BC641-610 BC
Reign of Josiah
Timeline of Hebrew bible Canonization
440-400 BC
Ezra returns from Exile
Torah not known
375? BC
JudeanSamaritan schism
Shared Torah
330 BC
Alexander the Great
Torah
Do not share prophets
586 BC
Destruction of 1st
Temple
Return from Exile
538 BC641-610 BC
Reign of Josiah
Timeline of Hebrew bible Canonization
440-400 BC
Ezra returns from Exile
Torah not known
375? BC
JudeanSamaritan schism
Shared Torah
330 BC
Alexander the Great
Torah
Do not share prophets
Prophets
Writings
▪ 2nd Temple period (538-70 BC)
▪ After Prophets closed (ca. 350 BC)
586 BC
Destruction of 1st
Temple
Return from Exile
538 BC641-610 BC
Reign of Josiah
Timeline of Hebrew bible Canonization
440-400 BC
Ezra returns from Exile
Torah not known
375? BC
JudeanSamaritan schism
Shared Torah
330 BC
Alexander the Great
Torah
Do not share prophets
Prophets
175 BC
Ben Sira
On the other hand, he who devotes himself to the study
of the law of the Most High (Torah) will seek out the
wisdom of all the ancients (Writings), and will be
concerned with prophecies (Prophets).
- Ben Sira 39:1
180-175 BC
…the Law and the prophets and the other
books of our fathers.
- Ben Sira Prologue
132 BC
586 BC
Destruction of 1st
Temple
Return from Exile
538 BC641-610 BC
Reign of Josiah
Timeline of Hebrew bible Canonization
440-400 BC
Ezra returns from Exile
Torah not known
375? BC
JudeanSamaritan schism
Shared Torah
330 BC
Alexander the Great
Torah
Do not share prophets
Prophets
175 BC
Ben Sira
BC/AD
75 AD
Josephus
586 BC
Destruction of 1st
Temple
Return from Exile
538 BC641-610 BC
Reign of Josiah
Timeline of Hebrew bible Canonization
440-400 BC
Ezra returns from Exile
Torah not known
375? BC
JudeanSamaritan schism
Shared Torah
330 BC
Alexander the Great
Torah
Do not share prophets
Prophets
175 BC
Ben Sira
BC/AD
75 AD
Josephus
150 AD
2 Esdras
45…the Most High spoke to me, saying, “Make public the
twenty-four books that you wrote first and let the worthy and
the unworthy read them;
- 2 Esdras 14:45
586 BC
Destruction of 1st
Temple
Return from Exile
538 BC641-610 BC
Reign of Josiah
Timeline of Hebrew Bible Canonization
440-400 BC
Ezra returns from Exile
Torah not known
375? BC
JudeanSamaritan schism
Shared Torah
330 BC
Alexander the Great
Torah
Do not share prophets
Prophets
175 BC
Ben Sira
BC/AD
75 AD
Josephus
150 AD
2 Esdras
Writings
New Testament
▪ All within 100 years of each other
▪ Gospels
▪ Acts
▪ Letters/Epistles
No Canon Needed
▪ Had the Hebrew Scriptures
▪ Had the words of Jesus
▪ Had the Holy Spirit
▪ Not going to be around long
1st Steps
▪ Paul’s letters
33 AD
Resurrection
Timeline of Christian Bible Canonization
51-57
Paul’s Letters written
Pauls’ Letters Read in Worship
1st Steps
▪ Paul’s letters
▪ Gospels
EARLY CHRISTIAN GOSPELS
•Thomas
•Philip
•Mary Magdalene
•The Hebrews
•The Ebionites
•Bartholomew
•Nicodemus
• Secret Gospel of Mark
INFANCY GOSPELS
•of James
•of Thomas
•of Pseudo-Matthew
•Arabic Gospel of the
Infancy
•Armenian Gospel of the
Infancy
•History of Joseph the
Carpenter
•Assumption of the Virgin
33 AD
Resurrection
Timeline of Christian Bible Canonization
51-57
Paul’s Letters written
Pauls’ Letters Read in Worship
65-100
Gospels Written
Four Gospels Read in Worship
15065
Gnosticism
▪ gnosis = knowledge
▪ (agnostic = doesn’t know)
Gnosticism
▪ gnosis = knowledge
▪ (agnostic = doesn’t know)
▪ God of Old Testament (Creator) not the Father of Jesus
Gnosticism
▪ gnosis = knowledge
▪ (agnostic = doesn’t know)
▪ God of Old Testament (Creator) not the Father of Jesus
▪ Jesus was just pretending to be human (Docetism)
RESPONSES TO GNOSTICISM
Church known as catholic
RESPONSES TO GNOSTICISM
Church known as catholic
Apostles’ Creed
RESPONSES TO GNOSTICISM
Church known as catholic
Apostles’ Creed
Criteria for Evaluation
CANONICAL CRITERIA
Apostolic Authorship?
CANONICAL CRITERIA
Apostolic Authorship?
Ancient & Accepted?
CANONICAL CRITERIA
Apostolic Authorship?
Ancient & Accepted?
Inspiring & Necessary?
MARCION
ca. 140 AD
Marcionism
▪ Discounted anything that is “too Jewish”
▪ Rejected all Gospels except an edited Luke
▪ Edited Paul’s writings
▪ Rejected Hebrew Scriptures
33 AD
Resurrection
Timeline of Christian Bible Canonization
51-57
Paul’s Letters written
Pauls’ Letters Read in Worship
65-100
Gospels Written
Four Gospels Read in Worship
15065
150
Muratorian Canon
Muratorian Canon (180 AD)
• Four Gospels and Acts
• 13 Epistles of Paul
• James
• 1,2 John
• Jude
• Revelation of John
• Wisdom of Solomon
• Revelation of Peter (?)
• Shepherd of Hermas
(devotional purposes only)
APOSTOLIC FATHERS
• 1& 2 Clement
• Letters of Ignatius
• Polycarp, to the Philippians
• Didache (Teaching of the Twelve)
• Barnabas
• Shepherd of Hermas
33 AD
Resurrection
Timeline of Christian Bible Canonization
51-57
Paul’s Letters written
Pauls’ Letters Read in Worship
65-100
Gospels Written
Four Gospels Read in Worship
15065
150
Muratorian Canon
Bound Books
EMPEROR DIOCLETIAN284-305 AD
33 AD
Resurrection
Timeline of Christian Bible Canonization
51-57
Paul’s Letters written
Pauls’ Letters Read in Worship
65-100
Gospels Written
Four Gospels Read in Worship
15065
150
Muratorian Canon
Bound Books
367
Athanasius’ Easter Letter
Closing of Canon
27 Books We Have Today
Apocrypha (hidden)
▪ History – 1&2 Maccabees
▪ Romantic Tales – Tobit, Judith, Bel and Dragon
▪ Psalms – Prayer of Manasseh, Psalm 151
▪ Wisdom – Ecclesiasticus, Wisdom of Solomon
▪ Apocalytpic – 2 Esdras
▪ Additions – Esther, Jeremiah, Daniel
▪ Others – Susanna, 3&4 Maccabees, 1 Esdras
The books commonly called Apocrypha, not being of
divine inspiration, are not part of the Canon of
Scripture; and therefore of no authority in the Church
of God, nor to be in any otherwise approved, or made
use of, than other human writings.
- Westminster Confession of Faith (1647)