{"id":4066,"date":"2006-03-14T21:41:42","date_gmt":"2006-03-15T03:41:42","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/?p=4066"},"modified":"2026-03-28T16:35:52","modified_gmt":"2026-03-28T21:35:52","slug":"the-new-testament-canon","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/the-new-testament-canon\/","title":{"rendered":"The New Testament Canon"},"content":{"rendered":"\n\n\t\t<div class=\"wp-playlist wp-audio-playlist wp-playlist-light\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"wp-playlist-current-item\"><\/div>\n\t\t<audio controls=\"controls\" preload=\"none\" width=\"640\"\n\t\t\t><\/audio>\n\t<div class=\"wp-playlist-next\"><\/div>\n\t<div class=\"wp-playlist-prev\"><\/div>\n\t<noscript>\n\t<ol>\n\t\t<li><a href='https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-content\/uploads\/2006\/03\/NewTestamentCanon1.mp3'>The New Testament Canon - Part 1<\/a><\/li><li><a href='https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-content\/uploads\/2006\/03\/NewTestamentCanon2.mp3'>The New Testament Canon - Part 2<\/a><\/li>\t<\/ol>\n\t<\/noscript>\n\t<script type=\"application\/json\" class=\"wp-playlist-script\">{\"type\":\"audio\",\"tracklist\":true,\"tracknumbers\":true,\"images\":true,\"artists\":true,\"tracks\":[{\"src\":\"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-content\/uploads\/2006\/03\/NewTestamentCanon1.mp3\",\"type\":\"audio\/mpeg\",\"title\":\"The New Testament Canon - Part 1\",\"caption\":\"\",\"description\":\"\\\"The New Testament Canon - Part 1\\\" from La Vista Church of Christ by Jeff Hamilton. Released: 2014. Genre: Speech.\",\"meta\":{\"artist\":\"Jeff Hamilton\",\"album\":\"La Vista Church of Christ\",\"genre\":\"Speech\",\"year\":\"2014\",\"length_formatted\":\"46:38\"},\"image\":{\"src\":\"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-includes\/images\/media\/audio.svg\",\"width\":48,\"height\":64},\"thumb\":{\"src\":\"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-includes\/images\/media\/audio.svg\",\"width\":48,\"height\":64}},{\"src\":\"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-content\/uploads\/2006\/03\/NewTestamentCanon2.mp3\",\"type\":\"audio\/mpeg\",\"title\":\"The New Testament Canon - Part 2\",\"caption\":\"\",\"description\":\"\\\"The New Testament Canon - Part 2\\\" from La Vista Church of Christ by Jeff Hamilton. Released: 2014. Genre: Speech.\",\"meta\":{\"artist\":\"Jeff Hamilton\",\"album\":\"La Vista Church of Christ\",\"genre\":\"Speech\",\"year\":\"2014\",\"length_formatted\":\"28:57\"},\"image\":{\"src\":\"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-includes\/images\/media\/audio.svg\",\"width\":48,\"height\":64},\"thumb\":{\"src\":\"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-includes\/images\/media\/audio.svg\",\"width\":48,\"height\":64}}]}<\/script>\n<\/div>\n\t\t\n\t<p>by Jeffrey W. Hamilton<\/p>\n\tI.&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;On the night of Jesus&#8217; betrayal, Jesus promised his troubled disciples that he would send a\nhelper &#8211; John 14:16\n<p>&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;A.&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;The helper would be the Holy Spirit, the Spirit of Truth &#8211; John 14:17<\/p>\n&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;B.&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;His purpose in coming would be to teach and to remind the disciples of all the\nthings Jesus had said &#8211; John 14:26\n&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;C.&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;The Spirit would teach the disciples, who were later known as the apostles, all\ntruth &#8211; John 16:13-15\n<p>&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;1.&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;This, Peter said, was fulfilled &#8211; II Peter 1:3<\/p>\n<p>&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;2.&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;The apostles taught as the Spirit instructed &#8211; I Corinthians 2:10-13<\/p>\n<p>&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;3.&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;All glory for that instruction belonged to God &#8211; II Corinthians 4:5-7<\/p>\n&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;D.&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;What is being described here is inspiration equal to the inspiration of the prophets\nin the Old Testament.\n<p>II.&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;Apostleship then was important to the establishment of the church &#8211; Ephesians 2:19-22<\/p>\n<p>&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;A.&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;The apostles&#8217; words had the authority of God<\/p>\n&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;1.&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;The early church received the apostles&#8217; teachings as the word of God &#8211; I\nThessalonians 2:13\n<p>&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;2.&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;Paul&#8217;s writings were the commandments of God &#8211; I Corinthians 14:37<\/p>\n<p>&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;3.&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;They were taught in all the churches &#8211; I Corinthians 4:17<\/p>\n<p>&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;B.&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;This is why Paul spent time defending his apostleship to the Corinthians<\/p>\n&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;1.&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;The Corinthian church sought proof that Christ spoke through Paul &#8211; II\nCorinthians 13:3\n<p>&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;2.&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;Paul was not inferior to any of the other apostles &#8211; II Corinthians 11:5-6<\/p>\n&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;3.&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;The signs that accompanied Paul showed him to be a full apostle &#8211; II\nCorinthians 12:11-12\n<p>&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;4.&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;Paul had the authority of Christ behind him &#8211; II Corinthians 13:10<\/p>\n<p>&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;C.&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;The church as expected to follow the teachings of the apostles<\/p>\n&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;1.&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;II Corinthians 11:2 &#8211; Hold firmly to the traditions, just as they were\ndelivered.\n<p>&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;2.&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;The teachings were not to be changed &#8211; Galatians 1:8-10<\/p>\n&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;3.&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;II Thessalonians 2:15 &#8211; Hold firm in them whether they came directly or by\nletter.\n&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;4.&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;Those not obedient to the letters were to be withdrawn from &#8211; II\nThessalonians 3:14\n&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;D.&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;The writings of the apostles were considered Scripture (the inspired writings of\nGod)\n<p>&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;1.&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;II Peter 3:1-2 &#8211; Equated to the prophets of the Old Testament.<\/p>\n<p>&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;2.&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;II Peter 3:15-16 &#8211; Peter called Paul&#8217;s writings Scripture<\/p>\n<p>&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;3.&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;I Timothy 5:18 &#8211; Paul quotes Scripture<\/p>\n<p>&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;a.&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;The first is Deuteronomy 25:4<\/p>\n<p>&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;b.&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;The second is Luke 10:7<\/p>\n&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;4.&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;Jude 17-18 &#8211; Quotes II Peter 3:3 as authoritative because it came from the\napostles.\n&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;a.&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;Note: I find this particularly fascinating because many wish to\nplace II Peter as the last New Testament book written, but Jude\nquotes it!\n&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;E.&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;This is why nine of Paul&#8217;s thirteen letters start out with his claim of apostleship. \nIt is what made his writings authoritative.\n<p>III.&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;The early church only accepted writings associated with the apostles.<\/p>\n&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;A.&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;False apostles were already out in the world sending false letters &#8211; II\nThessalonians 2:2\n<p>&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;B.&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;Paul placed a distinguishing mark in his letters &#8211; II Thessalonians 3:17<\/p>\n&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;C.&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;What led the church to accept certain writings was their knowledge that it came\nfrom an apostle.\n&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;1.&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;Since the churches were spread, some letters took longer to be recognized\nthan others.\n&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;2.&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;The group initially receiving the letter was quick to recognize the source. \nOthers gaining copies of the original had to check the source carefully.\n&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;D.&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;If we understand and accept that books entered the canon because an apostle was\nassociated with the writing of the book, then we have the answer for most of our\nbooks.\n<p>&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;1.&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;Matthew wrote the Gospel of Matthew.<\/p>\n<p>&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;2.&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;John wrote John, I John, II John, III John and Revelation.<\/p>\n&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;3.&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;Paul wrote thirteen letters: Romans, I Corinthians, II Corinthians,\nGalatians, Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, I Thessalonians and II\nThessalonians are all letters to various churches in different cities or\nregions.  I Timothy, II Timothy, and Titus are personal letters to two\npreachers who often worked with Paul.  Philemon is a personal letter to\nmember of the church and friend of Paul concerning a run away slave.\n<p>&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;4.&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;Peter wrote I Peter and II Peter.<\/p>\n&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;5.&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;This only leaves Mark, Luke, Acts, Hebrews, James, and Jude to closely\nexamine why they were accepted.\n&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;E.&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;Papias (about AD 130, but probably earlier). He was alive when John was still\nalive.\n&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;1.&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#8220;Matthew composed the oracles in Hebrew, and each one interpreted them\nas he was able.&#8221;\n&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;a.&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;This quote can be translated as in the Hebrew dialect or style of\nwriting.\n&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;2.&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#8220;This also the Elder [John] used to say.  Mark, having become Peter&#8217;s\ninterpreter, wrote accurately all that he remembered, though he did not\n[record] in order that which was either said or done by Christ.  For he\nneither heard the Lord nor followed Him; but subsequently, as I said,\n[attached himself to] Peter, who used to frame his teaching to meet the\n[immediate] wants [of his hearers], and not as making a connected\nnarrative of the Lord&#8217;s discourses.  So Mark committed no error as he\nwrote down some particulars just as he recalled them to mind.  For he took\nheed to one thing &#8211; to omit none of the facts that he heard and to set\nnothing falsely in [his narrative of] them.&#8221;\n<p>&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;F.&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;Justin Martyr (within 50 years of the apostle John&#8217;s death)<\/p>\n&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;1.&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;Justin after quoting Luke&#8217;s account of the Lord&#8217;s Supper said, &#8220;the\napostles in the memoirs composed by them which are called Gospels, have\nthus delivered unto us what was enjoined upon them.&#8221;\n&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;2.&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#8220;The mention of the fact that Christ changed the name of Peter, in his\n[Peter&#8217;s] memoirs, together with his having changed the name of two other\nbrethren who were sons of Zebedee to Boanerges, tended to signify that he\nwas the same through whom the surname Israel was given to Jacob, and\nJoshua to Hoshea.&#8221;\n&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;a.&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;The changing of Peter&#8217;s name is only found in the Gospel of Mark\nwhich Justin said was Peter&#8217;s memoirs.\n<p>&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;G.&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;Irenaeus (180 &#8211; 192 A.D.)<\/p>\n&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;1.&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#8220;Matthew, among the Hebrews in their own dialect, brought out also a\nwriting of a Gospel while Peter and Paul in Rome were preaching and\nfounding the Church.  After their death Mark, the disciple and interpreter\nof Peter, also himself committed to us inscripturated the things being\npreached by Peter.  And Luke, the follower of Paul, the Gospel being\npreached by that one he put down in a book.  Then John, the disciple of the\nLord . . . also he gave out the Gospel while staying in Ephesus of Asia.&#8221;\n&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;H.&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;Tertullian was a heretic in the early church, but like most false teachers used the\nScriptures to bolster his position\n&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;1.&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#8220;The same authority of the apostolic churches will afford evidence to the\nother Gospels also, which we possess equally through their means, and\naccording to their usage &#8211; I mean the Gospels of John and Matthew &#8211;\nwhilst that which Mark had published may be affirmed to be Peter&#8217;s,\nwhose interpreter Mark was.  For even Luke&#8217;s form of the Gospel men\nusually ascribe to Paul.  And it may well seem that the words which\ndisciples publish belong to their masters.&#8221;\n&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;2.&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#8220;The evangelical Testament has apostles for its authors, to whom was\nassigned by the Lord Himself this office of publishing the Gospel.  Since,\nhowever, there are apostolic men also, they are yet not alone, but appear\nwith apostles and after apostles; because the preaching of apostles might\nbe open to suspicion of affectation of glory, if there did not accompany it\nthe authority of the masters, which means that of Christ, for it was that\nwhich made the apostles their masters.&#8221;\n&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;3.&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#8220;The apostles would never have taught things which were self-contradictory, so the apostolic men could not have inculcated teaching\ndifferent from the apostles.&#8221;\n&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;4.&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#8220;In the Lord&#8217;s apostles we possess our authority, for even they did not of\nthemselves choose to introduce anything, but faithfully delivered to the\nnations the doctrine which they have received from Christ.&#8221;\n&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;I.&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;Note that the phrase &#8220;apostolic men&#8221; refers to close associates of the apostles who\nacted as their secretaries.  They were similar to Burach&#8217;s duties to Jeremiah.\n<p>&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;1.&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;This is not unusual. <\/p>\n&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;2.&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;Even though Romans is from Paul, Romans 16:22 shows us that Tertius\nwas the scribe who wrote the words onto paper.\n<p>&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;3.&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;Silvanus (Silas) was Peter&#8217;s scribe for I Peter &#8211; I Peter 5:12<\/p>\n&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;4.&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;In fact from Galatians 6:11 we conclude that Paul rarely did his own\nwriting.\n&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;5.&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;From these early Christians we learn that Mark took the various stories\ntold by Peter and placed them in a book as accurately as he could.  Peter\ndid not dictate the book directly from start to finish, instead he related\nstories as his audience had need.  Mark collected the stories and put them\ntogether, but it appears that he did not complete the task before Peter&#8217;s\ndeath.  However, the book was accepted because all Christians recognized\nthat it was the accurate record of Peter&#8217;s stories.\n&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;6.&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;In a similar manner, Luke&#8217;s writing were accepted because of his close\nassociation with Paul.\n&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;J.&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;If you look at early Christian writings, the debates over the acceptance of a book\nrevolved around whether an Apostle truly wrote the book.\n<p>IV.&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;The Hard Books<\/p>\n&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;A.&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;The Book of Jude is quoted some in early Christian writing. But it has always\nbeen firmly received, when mentioned, as being Scripture.\n&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;1.&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#8220;Early church works appear to echo its content (compare Didache 2:7 and\nJude 22, and greetings within Polcarp&#8217;s Epistle to the Philippians [108\nA.D.] and the Martyrdom of Polycarp are similar to that of Jude). &#8230;\nClement of Alexandria (lived circa 150-211\/216 A.D.) refers to Jude in his\nPaedagogus (&#8220;Instructor&#8221;, 3:8), Stromata (&#8220;Miscellanies&#8221;), and\nHypotyposes (a multi-volume commentary on books of Scripture).\nLikewise, Tertullian (lived circa 155-222 A.D.), in northern Africa,\nshowed Carthage&#8217;s familiarity with Jude.&#8221; [Brent MacDonald, <a href=\"http:\/\/www.bibleistrue.com\/qna\/qna75.htm\">The New\nTestament books of James and Jude,<\/a>, 2008].\n&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;2.&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#8220;The Epistle of Jude, indeed, and two belonging to the above-named John\n&#8211; or bearing the name of John &#8211; are reckoned among the Catholic\nepistles.&#8221; [Canon Muratorianus, about AD 175]\n&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;3.&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;The author is named (Jude 1), but there were multiple Judes in the New\nTestament\n<p>&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;a.&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;Judas Iscariot<\/p>\n&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;b.&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;Judas, also known as Thaddaeus, who was brother to (son of?) \nJames the son of Alphaeus &#8211; Matthew 10:3, Luke 6:16, Acts 1:13.\n&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;c.&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;Jude, the brother of James, who are half-brothers to Jesus &#8211;\nMatthew 13:55\n&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;4.&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;A few early Christian writers refer to the work as being authored by Jude\nthe Apostle.  Judas Iscariot died too soon. \n<p>&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;a.&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;In the Jude, the son of Joseph, camp: <\/p>\n&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;(1)&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#8220;Jude, who wrote the Catholic Epistle, the brother of the\nsons of Joseph, and very religious, whilst knowing the near\nrelationship of the Lord, yet did not say that he himself was\nHis brother. But what said he? &#8220;Jude, a servant of Jesus\nChrist,&#8221; -of Him as Lord; but &#8220;the brother of James.&#8221; For\nthis is true; he was His brother, (the son) of Joseph.\n[<i>Comments on the Epistle of Jude<\/i>, Fragments of Clemens\nAlexandrinus (who lived circa 160-215\/220 A.D.)].\n&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;(2)&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#8220;Then of the New Testament there are the four Gospels\nonly, for the rest have false titles and are mischievous. The\nManichaeans also wrote a Gospel according to Thomas,\nwhich being tinctured with the fragrance of the evangelic\ntitle corrupts the souls of the simple sort. Receive also the\nActs of the Twelve Apostles; and in addition to these the\nseven Catholic Epistles of James, Peter, John, and Jude;\nand as a seal upon them all, and the last work of the\ndisciples, the fourteen Epistles of Paul. But let all the rest\nbe put aside in a secondary rank.&#8221; [Cyril of Jerusalem,\nabout AD 313-386].\n&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;b.&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;Also noted is that Jude 17-18 could be read that the author isn&#8217;t\namong the apostles. But notice it says &#8220;they said to you&#8221; and not\n&#8220;they said to us.&#8221; This would place Jude among the apostles.\n<p>&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;c.&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;In the Judas, the son of Alphaeus camp:<\/p>\n&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;(1)&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#8220;We have now to notice, agreeably to the statements of\nScripture, how the opposing powers, or the devil himself,\ncontends with the human race, inciting and instigating men\nto sin. And in the first place, in the book of Genesis, the\nserpent is described as having seduced Eve; regarding\nwhom, in the work entitled The Ascension of Moses (a\nlittle treatise, of which the Apostle Jude makes mention in\nhis Epistle), the archangel Michael, when disputing with\nthe devil regarding the body of Moses, says that the serpent,\nbeing inspired by the devil, was the cause of Adam and\nEve&#8217;s transgression&#8221; [Origen 3.2.1, about AD 185-254].\n&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;(2)&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;Tertullian (about AD 155-222), argued for the acceptance\nof the Book of Enoch based on it being apparently quoted\nby Jude. &#8220;To these considerations is added the fact that\nEnoch possesses a testimony in the Apostle Jude.&#8221;\n[Tertullian: On the apparel of women, Book 1, Chapter 3]. \n&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;5.&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;Given the importance of apostleship to the early Christians, it makes sense\nthat we are referring to Jude, the brother of James, the sons of Alphaeus.\nBut it could also be that the Lord&#8217;s brother, Jude, was a prophet.\n&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;6.&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;Note that Jude calls himself a bond-servant, a phrase favored by the\nApostles though not limited to them &#8211; Romans 1:1, II Peter 1:1, Revelation\n1:1.\n<p>&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;B.&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;The book of James causes the same problem<\/p>\n&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;1.&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#8220;A number of writing early church fathers where aware of the book and\nquote from it in their works. Two of the earliest, in the generation\nfollowing the apostles, were Clement of Rome (in his first letter to the\nCorinthians which references James 2:21, 23) and the author of The\nShepherd of Hermas (which references James 4:7). Origen, approximately\na century later (lived circa 185-254 A.D.), expressly mentions the book in\nhis commentary on John [1.19], and Irenaeus makes reference to a verse\nfrom it as well (James 2:23 in Haer. 4.16.2).&#8221; [Brent MacDonald, <a href=\"http:\/\/www.bibleistrue.com\/qna\/qna75.htm\">The\nNew Testament books of James and Jude,<\/a>, 2008].\n&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;2.&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;Again James calls himself a bond-servant, which inclines us to an apostle\nas the author.\n<p>&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;3.&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;Yet there are multiple James in the Bible:<\/p>\n<p>&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;a.&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;There is James, the brother of John, the sons of Zebedee.<\/p>\n<p>&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;b.&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;There is James, the brother of Jude, the sons of Alphaeus.<\/p>\n<p>&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;c.&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;There is a James who was half-brother to Jesus.<\/p>\n&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;4.&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;James, the son of Zebedee, was killed in Acts 12:2.  When he is\nmentioned, he is always called either the brother of John or the son of\nZebedee.  This is because there were two James.\n&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;5.&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;James the son of Alphaeus is always called as such up until James the son\nof Zebedee&#8217;s death.  Afterwards, he is just called James.\n&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;6.&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;It looks like the best candidate is James the son of Alphaeus and the\nbrother of Jude.\n&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;7.&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;There is a possibility that it was James, the Lord&#8217;s brother, but again it\nwould be based on James being a prophet..\n<p>&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;C.&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;This leaves us with Hebrews<\/p>\n<p>&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;1.&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;It has been quoted even by very early Christian writers as Scripture.<\/p>\n<p>&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;2.&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;The author is not directly named, though hints appear in the book.<\/p>\n&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;a.&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;Hebrews 2:3-4 indicates the author was not a direct witness to\nJesus&#8217; words on earth.  (i.e. the author was not one of the original\n12 apostles).\n&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;b.&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;Hebrews 13:23-24 says it was written from Italy by an associate of\nTimothy.\n&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;c.&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;Hebrews 10:34, 13:19 indicates the author is in prison and hopes to\nvisit soon.\n<p>&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;d.&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;The writer is strongly knowledgeable of the Hebrew religion.<\/p>\n<p>&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;3.&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;Origen<\/p>\n&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;a.&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#8220;If I gave my opinion, I should say that the thoughts are those of\nthe apostle, but the diction and phraseology are those of someone\nwho remembered the apostolic teachings, and wrote down at his\nleisure what had been said by his teacher.  Therefore if any church\nholds that this Epistle is by Paul, let it be commended for this.  For\nnot without reason have the ancients handed it down as Paul&#8217;s.  But\nwho wrote the Epistle, in truth, God knows.&#8221;\n<p>&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;4.&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;Pantaenus (third-hand quote)<\/p>\n&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;a.&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#8220;And as the blessed presbyter[Pantaenus] used to say, since the\nLord, as being the apostle of the Almighty, was sent to the\nHebrews, Paul through his modesty, inasmuch as he was sent to the\nGentiles, does not inscribe himself apostle of the Hebrews, both on\naccount of the honor due to the Lord, and because it was a work of\nsupererogation that he addressed an Epistle to the Hebrews also,\nsince he was herald and apostle of the Gentiles.&#8221;\n<p>&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;5.&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;Clement is quoted saying that the Epistle to the Hebrews is Paul&#8217;s,<\/p>\n&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;a.&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#8220;And in the Hypotyposes, in a brief summary, he has made\nabbreviated narratives of all canonical Scripture; and has not\npassed over the disputed books, &#8211; I mean Jude and the rest of the\nCatholic Epistles and Barnabas, and the so-called Revelation\n(Apocalypse) of Peter. And he says that the Epistle to the Hebrews\nis Paul&#8217;s, and was written to the Hebrews in the Hebrew language;\nbut that Luke, having carefully translated it, gave it to the Greeks,\nand hence the same coloring in the expression is discoverable in\nthis Epistle and the Acts; and that the name &#8220;Paul an Apostle&#8221; was\nvery properly not pre-fixed, for, he says, that writing to the\nHebrews, who were prejudiced against him and suspected, he with\ngreat wisdom did not repel them in the beginning by putting down\nhis name&#8221; [Eusebius: Ecclesiastical History, 6.14.1, AD 325].\n&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;b.&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;This would explain Origen&#8217;s misgivings about the differences in\nphrasing and word choices from Paul&#8217;s other works.\n&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;c.&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;One author noted that the word choice in Hebrews does match well\nwith Luke and Acts.\n&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;6.&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;Tertullian states that Barnabas was the scribe who wrote the words of Paul\ndown.  In fact Tertullian quotes Hebrews 6:4-8 but calls it the Epistle of\nBarnabas though he says it contained the words of Paul.\n&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;7.&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;While the author remains uncertain, it is significant that the only candidate\never offered for the writer of Hebrews is Paul.\nV.&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;When we reach the end, we find that every book of the New Testament is either written\nby an apostle or by someone closely associated with an apostle who were known to be a\nprophet.  Even the books were we are not certain of the identity of the author today, still\ncan be associated with an apostle.\n&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;A.&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;The early church accepted writings because of the author.  The words had to have\noriginated from an apostle.\n&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;B.&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;As with the Old Testament, the books in our Bible were not set by some council\nor historian sitting in judgement of God&#8217;s Word.\n&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;C.&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;Rather, the church accepted writings from the Apostles and later historians\nrecognized what was already known by all Christians.\n\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/the-canon-of-the-bible\/\"  target=\"_self\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tThe Canon of the Bible\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>by Jeffrey W. Hamilton I.&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;On the night of Jesus&#8217; betrayal, Jesus promised his troubled disciples that he would send a helper &#8211; John 14:16 &#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;A.&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;The helper would be the Holy Spirit, the Spirit of Truth &#8211; John 14:17 &#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;B.&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;His purpose in coming would be to teach and to remind the disciples of all the things&hellip;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"advanced_seo_description":"","jetpack_seo_html_title":"","jetpack_seo_noindex":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[119,32],"tags":[219,130],"class_list":["post-4066","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-audio","category-sermon","tag-bible","tag-canon"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":28794,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/the-helper\/","url_meta":{"origin":4066,"position":0},"title":"The Helper","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"July 1, 2018","format":false,"excerpt":"by Jeffrey W. Hamilton Text: John 16:1-15 \u00a0 I.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Lifting a few statements from their context can often make a writer appear to say things he never intended. \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0A.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0It happens in politics all the time, and it happens in religion as well. \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0B.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0In his last hours, Jesus made a series of\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Audio&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Audio","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/audio\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":21908,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/why-did-jesus-say-that-unless-he-went-away-the-comforter-could-not-come\/","url_meta":{"origin":4066,"position":1},"title":"Why did Jesus say that unless he went away, the Comforter could not come?","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"February 3, 2010","format":false,"excerpt":"Question: Why did Jesus say that unless he went away, the Comforter could not come? Answer: \"Nevertheless I tell you the truth. It is to your advantage that I go away; for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you; but if I depart, I\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Answer&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Answer","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/answer\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":53407,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/matthew-was-written-for-the-jews-so-the-law-on-marriage-and-divorce-only-applies-to-the-jews\/","url_meta":{"origin":4066,"position":2},"title":"Matthew was written for the Jews, so the law on marriage and divorce only applies to the Jews","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"June 4, 2018","format":false,"excerpt":"Question: I was taught that you have to look at who's talking and who they are talking to. In Matthew 19, Jesus was talking to the Jews, and the Law of Moses was given to the Jews and not the Gentiles, even though Matthew is a New Testament book, so\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Answer&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Answer","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/answer\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":52792,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/does-john-1426-apply-to-christians-today\/","url_meta":{"origin":4066,"position":3},"title":"Does John 14:26 apply to Christians today?","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"March 16, 2018","format":false,"excerpt":"Question: Hi Jeff, Does John 14:26 apply to Christians today? If not, why? Thanks. Answer: \"These things I have spoken to you while being present with you. But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Answer&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Answer","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/answer\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":53559,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/context\/","url_meta":{"origin":4066,"position":4},"title":"Context","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"June 28, 2018","format":false,"excerpt":"by Terry Wane Benton The apostles of Jesus were the eyewitnesses and we are the jurors. Promises made to the apostles in John 13-17 are not made to all of us. The context is about a long discussion Jesus had with His twelve witnesses. Jesus said to them \"And you\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Article&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Article","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/article\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":31504,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/does-jesus-promise-in-john-1412-that-miracles-would-continue\/","url_meta":{"origin":4066,"position":5},"title":"Does Jesus promise in John 14:12 that miracles would continue?","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"January 29, 2012","format":false,"excerpt":"Question: Does Jesus promise in John 14:12 that miracles would continue? Answer: \"Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do he will do also; and greater works than these he will do, because I go to My Father\" (John 14:12). 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