Lesson 6: How The Word of God Came Into Being and Canonisation of Scripture
Understanding the Divine Origin and Authority of Scripture
By Apostle Howard Tundu
Part A: How Word of God Came into Being
1. Introduction
The Word of God is not just a book or a collection of ancient writings, it is the divine revelation of God's will, character, and purpose for humanity. It stands as the most enduring and transformative message ever given, revealing who God is and how He relates to His creation. Understanding how the Word came into being helps believers appreciate its authority, reliability, and sacredness.
2. The Divine Origin
The Bible declares that "All Scripture is given by inspiration of God" (2 Timothy 3:16). The term inspiration (Greek: theopneustos) means "God-breathed." This shows that though human hands wrote the Bible, its content was divinely inspired. God used men as instruments, guiding their thoughts, emotions, and words through His Spirit—so that what was written perfectly conveyed His will.
This means Scripture is both divine and human—divine in source, but human in expression.
3. The Stages of Revelation
God revealed His Word progressively over time through different means and stages:
Oral Revelation: In the beginning, God spoke directly to Adam, Noah, Abraham, and others. These divine communications were passed on verbally from generation to generation.
Written Revelation: Later, God instructed men to write down His words. Moses, under God's direction, wrote the first five books of the Bible—the Torah or Pentateuch. From then on, prophets, kings, and apostles recorded God's dealings, laws, and messages for His people.
The Living Word: Ultimately, God revealed Himself fully through His Son, Jesus Christ. "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God." (John 1:1). Jesus is the Living Word—the full expression of God's nature and truth. The written Word testifies about Him.
4. The Formation of the Bible
The Bible was written over a span of about 1,500 years by over 40 authors from different backgrounds—kings, prophets, shepherds, fishermen, and scholars, yet it carries one consistent message: God's plan of redemption through Christ.
The Old Testament (39 Books): Written in Hebrew (with some Aramaic), it records creation, God's covenant with Israel, His laws, and the prophetic messages pointing to the Messiah.
The New Testament (27 Books): Written in Greek, it reveals the fulfillment of God's promises in Jesus Christ—His life, teachings, death, resurrection, and the birth of the Church.
The process of collecting these books is known as the canonization of Scripture—meaning the recognition of those writings that were inspired by God and authoritative for faith and practice.
5. Preservation and Translation
Despite centuries of opposition, attempts at destruction, and distortion, the Word of God has been miraculously preserved. The discovery of ancient manuscripts, such as the Dead Sea Scrolls, confirms the remarkable accuracy of biblical transmission.
Through translation, the Bible has become the most widely distributed and translated book in human history, available in over 3,000 languages. This reflects Jesus' prophecy that the gospel would be preached in all nations before the end (Matthew 24:14).
6. The Power and Purpose of the Word
The Word of God is alive and active (Hebrews 4:12). It convicts, transforms, and renews minds. It serves to:
• Reveal God's character (Psalm 19:7–9)
• Guide believers' lives (Psalm 119:105)
• Nourish the spirit (Matthew 4:4)
• Build faith (Romans 10:17)
It is not just information—it is revelation that brings transformation.
7. Conclusion
The Word of God came into being through divine inspiration, preserved through history by God's providence, and continues to speak through the power of the Holy Spirit. To know the Word is to know God; to obey it is to walk in His will.
Part B: The Canon of Scripture
The term "canon" comes from a Greek word meaning "measuring rod" or "rule." Therefore, the biblical canon is the collection of books that measure up to the standard of being recognized as inspired Scripture and thus form the rule of faith and practice for the community.
Here is a breakdown of why the "Protestant" Bible has 66 books and why others were left out:
Canonization vs. Collection
A critical concept to understand is that the church and synods (church council) did not create the canon. They did not vote books "in." Instead, they recognized, affirmed, and closed the canon of books that were already widely regarded as inspired by God and authoritative. The authority was inherent in the books because of their origin, not bestowed by the church.
The process was one of discovery, not invention.
Part 1: The Old Testament (39 Books)
Divisions: Law (Genesis–Deuteronomy), History (Joshua–Esther), Poetry/Wisdom (Job–Song of Solomon), Prophets (Isaiah–Malachi)
Why These 39? The 39 books of the "Protestant" Old Testament align exactly with the 24 books of the Hebrew Bible (the Tanakh), just divided differently (e.g. the twelve Minor Prophets are one scroll in the Hebrew Bible).
Standard for Canonicity:
1. Divine Origin: Was it written by a prophet or someone with prophetic authority? "Thus says the Lord" was a key marker.
2. Authenticity and Antiquity: Was it written during the prophetic era (from Moses to Ezra)? Books written after Malachi (c. 400 BC) were not considered part of the "prophetic voice."
3. Widespread Acceptance: Was it read, used, and preserved by Israel as Scripture? Was it consistently used in worship?
The Council of Jamnia (c. AD 90): Jewish rabbis formally affirmed the Hebrew canon, confirming the existing 24 books and officially excluding later writings.
Why Were Other Jewish Books Left Out? (The "Apocrypha")
Books like 1 & 2 Maccabees, Wisdom of Solomon, Tobit, and Sirach are known as Apocrypha. Reasons for exclusion:
1. Never part of the Hebrew Canon—Jews never accepted them as canonical.
2. Written after the prophetic age ceased (c. 400 BC - AD 1).
3. Never directly quoted in the New Testament as Scripture.
4. Doctrinal and historical issues contradict Scripture.
Summary: The Protestant Old Testament follows the canon that Jesus and the Apostles used and affirmed.
Part 2: The New Testament (27 Books)
Divisions: Gospels (Matthew–John), Acts, Epistles, and Revelation
Standard for Canonicity:
1. Apostolic Origin: Written by an apostle or close associate of an apostle.
2. Orthodoxy: Did it conform to the "rule of faith"—core apostolic teachings?
3. Widespread Acceptance: Used universally across major churches? Regarded as Scripture early on?
4. Inherent Inspiration: Did it bear self-authenticating qualities of being God-breathed?
The Process of Recognition:
First Century: Books written and circulated in churches alongside the Old Testament.
Early Second Century: Church fathers quoted New Testament as authoritative Scripture.
Marcion's Heresy (c. AD 140): Forced the church to formally define the true canon.
Muratorian Fragment (c. AD 170): Earliest known list showing core canon was solidified.
Eusebius (c. AD 320): Categorized books into "Recognized," "Disputed," and "Spurious."
Athanasius (AD 367): Listed exact 27 books as canonical.
Church Councils (AD 393, 397): Formally ratified the consensus of the universal church.
Why Were Other Early Christian Books Left Out?
Books like the Gospel of Thomas, Gospel of Peter, Acts of Paul were rejected because:
1. Late Dating: Written in 2nd century or later, falsely claiming apostolic authorship.
2. Doctrinal Heresy: Contained Gnostic or heretical teachings contradicting apostolic message.
3. Lack of Acceptance: Never used by mainstream church.
4. Stylistic Differences: Content clearly different, featuring fanciful stories.
Summary
The 66-book Protestant Bible is not an arbitrary collection. It is the result of a centuries-long process of the covenant community (first Israel, then the Church) recognizing the books that bore the marks of divine inspiration and authority.
The Old Testament is the library of books recognized by the covenant people of Israel as their prophetic Scripture, the same canon affirmed by Jesus. The New Testament is the library of books recognized by the early apostolic church as the foundational, authoritative witness to the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ.
The "others" were left out because they failed to meet rigorous, historically-grounded criteria of apostolicity, orthodoxy, antiquity, and catholicity (universal acceptance). The canon is therefore a witness to God's sovereign providence in preserving His Word for His people.