Psalms 119:89, 97–100, 105
How did we end up with the 39 Old Testament books and the 27 books that make up the New Testament? How was that decided?
In the popular novel, The Da Vinci Code, the author promotes the theory that Emperor Constantine hired people to put together a New Testament that suited his slant. It’s claimed that more than 80 gospels were considered but only four were chosen because those four omitted the more human side of Jesus and emphasized Jesus’ divinity.
Brown’s conclusion is that the Bible we have is a hoax used to cover up the truth about Jesus. It got people wondering about the claims of the movie and I kept reminding them that Dan Brown is a novelist who is writing fiction designed for entertainment.
What about canonicity? There are scholars who have developed an understanding of how books of the Bible were included in the Bible.
Canon is the Greek word for a rod or a straight piece of rounded wood that was used for measuring. It is a standard measurement. It’s the instrument that provides authoritative, agreed upon measurement.
The Apostle Paul uses the word “canon” in Galatians 6:16. He says, “Peace and mercy to all who follow this rule” (this canon). Paul was affirming that what he had written was the standard of truth.
So, who decided on these 66 books? Were these the only books considered? What was the criteria?
The Old Testament
When we think of the 39 books that make up the Old Testament, it wasn’t a group of people in a room who decided. Rather, it took shape in three stages: The first five books are called The Law and were written by Moses. By about 600 B.C they were recognized as God-breathed. Then came the prophets and, thirdly, there are what was called “the writings.”
There were at least a couple of criteria:
The human author was a recognized credible spokesperson or prophet of God.
There were no errors of history, geography, or theology.
I love the story in Luke 24 that takes place on the day of Jesus’ resurrection. His disciples don’t yet know that Jesus has risen from the dead. They are still grieving, confused, and scared.
Luke tells the story of two disciples of Jesus who are walking on the road when Jesus enters the conversation. In verse 27 Jesus says to them, “And beginning with Moses n(The first five books of the Old Testament) and all the prophets he explained to them what was said in the scriptures concerning himself.”
Later in Luke 24 Jesus is now huddled with his disciples he says to them, “This is what I told you while I was still with you; Everything must be fulfilled that is written in the Law of Moses, the Prophets and the Psalms.”
We can conclude that Jesus fully accepted the whole Old Testament as the canon.
The New Testament
The 27 books that make up the New Testament emerged over time as it became clear that they were God-breathed. There wasn’t a group of people who decided on the books but rather, Godly people recognized these 27 books as being divinely inspired.
Four criterion emerged as important tests:
Was the book authored by an Apostle or someone closely associated with an apostle?
Was the writing consistent with what the Apostles taught?
Was the book regularly used privately and used in churches? In other words, was this book affirmed by godly people as something to be read and practiced?
Was the book recognized and used by succeeding generations?
When these four tests were applied, only 27 books remained. By 370 A.D. a council came together to settle that the New Testament canon was closed. When you open your Bible, you can be confident that you are holding the “canon,” the standard by which absolute truth is measured.
Psalm 119
Psalm 119 is the longest of the Psalms with 176 verses. It’s divided into 22 sections of 8 verses each, each section corresponding to one of the 22 letters of the Hebrew alphabet.
Look at Psalm 119:89, “Your word Lord is eternal; it stands firm in the heavens.” In the verses that follow the Psalmist gives us three amazing benefits of turning to and relying on God’s word:
1. Verse 98 “Your commands are always with me and make me wiser than my enemies”
The Bible is the stabilizing force of my life. No life is exempt from people who oppose us or situations that seem to be orchestrated to bring us down. We don’t know what David was going through when he wrote this but read David’s story and see that he had no shortage of enemies.
David had come to understand that when the word of God attends my life there is a strength and a power that enables me to stand when my enemies want to knock me down. To the Hebrew mind, “wisdom” is about right living, right responding.
And the scriptures do that for us. In this book we have the wisdom of the one who designed us and created us. Look to God’s word to bring stability and wisdom when enemies want to shake you up.
2. Verse 99 “I have more insight than all my teachers for I meditate on your statutes.”
This Bible offers us the amazing gift of insight. The word insight carries the idea of being able to see beyond what is obvious—to comprehend things in a godly way and to act wisely. When you meditate on God’s word, you’ll have insights and comprehension beyond what those who are smarter are able to impart to you.
Teachers can impart information and even insight but when you allow God’s word and God’s ways to permeate your life, it will result in a measure of success that’s not possible apart from living and walking in truth.
3. Verse 100 “I have more understanding than the elders for I obey your precepts”
David noticed that when he obeyed the precepts (the commandments) of God’s word that it produced a maturity beyond his years. That requires believing with all your being that the Word of God is true.
It will mean that I live out a Biblical ethic when it’s difficult or when I don’t see the practical advantage of obedience to God’s word. If you stake your life and future and reputation on this book you will be mature beyond your years.
Those who embrace the Word of God walk in obedience to it, they grasp life’s issues, and they respond to life’s situations in a way that seems to be the way God designed life to be. They may not get it right every time but it’s obvious that they have embraced the rule of God.
Let me conclude with three quick questions:
Do you want a life of stability?
Do you need insight?
Do you desire to be mature?
If yes, then I have a book for you.
— Notes from Pastor Marvin Wojda’s sermons on February 19th & 20th, 2022.
CLICK HERE to watch the sermon on YouTube.