The Canon: Thoughts on the First-Generation
Christian Literature
b. The Status of the Canon at the Beginning of the Fourth Century
From the fourth century on, the story of the canon is anticlimactic.
It is just a statement of what was already known. And anyway, we begin
having complete manuscripts of the New Testament that have survived from
this time on. Their contents just transmit what had been received from
earlier centuries.
In the early fourth century the historian Eusebius surveyed the
literature that might be put forward as having “testamental” status
(ἐνδιάθηκος, as the term “canonical” was not quite in use yet at this
time). He wished to distinguish this group of writings from others that
had been put forward under the name of the apostles but which in his
view were heretical. As his project turned out, however, he had to make
three lists, not two.
The first list contains the books which are “acknowledged”
(ὁμολογουμένοι) and widely quoted by writers who “belong to the
succession of the orthodox.“ They are as follows:
The four Gospels (i.e., Matthew,
Mark,
Luke,
John)
Acts
The letters of Paul
(presumably including Hebrews)
1 John
1 Peter
Revelation, perhaps
There is nothing exceptional about this list. But you will note that
Eusebius’ opinion about the Book of Revelation makes him hesitant to
list it without qualification.
Eusebius is not hesitant, however, about listing books which he calls
wicked and impious (ἄτοπα πάντῃ καὶ δυσσεβῆ). These, he says, have not
been quoted by orthodox writers, their language differs from apostolic
style, and their contents are at odds with right teaching. Here is the
list he gives:
Gospel of Peter
Gospel of Thomas
Gospel of Matthias
and others
Acts of Andrew
Acts of John
and others
The list is not comprehensive. Eusebius only names five out of many.
But there is no fuzziness here: these books clearly have no place in the
church’s testamental literature.
In between these two lists, Eusebius must place a third. These are
the books that are “disputed”
(ἀντιλεγομένοι),
although they are widely known. Their orthodoxy is apparently not under
suspicion, but in varying degrees they are acknowledged by some,
disputed by others. Here is the middle list:
James
Jude
2 Peter
2 John
3 John (which Eusebius says might be by John
the Evangelist or someone else named John)
Spurious books:
Acts of Paul
The Shepherd
Apocalypse of Peter
Epistle of Barnabas
Teaching of the Apostles
Revelation (unless the view prevails that it
is among the acknowledged books)
Gospel according to the Hebrews (acknowledged
by some and enjoyed by Jewish Christians)
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