Episode Summary:

In this podcast episode, Pastor Jeff Long delves into the process of determining the canon of scripture, answering the question of who decided what books should be included in the Bible. He explains that the authority of scripture lies within the text itself, as it is a collection of authoritative writings rather than an authorized collection. Pastor Jeff outlines the five questions that were asked by the early church to determine the canonicity of a book, including whether it was recognized or written by an apostle or prophet, widely circulated, christological, orthodox, and gave internal evidence of inspiration and authority. He also discusses the dispute over the Apocrypha and its inclusion in the Roman Catholic canon of scripture.

Key Takeaways:

The canon of scripture refers to the closed list of books that make up the Bible and are considered uniquely authoritative and inspired by God.

The process of determining the canon involved asking five questions: Was the book authorized or sanctioned by an apostle or prophet? Was it widely circulated? Was it christological? Was it orthodox? Did it give internal evidence of inspiration and authority?

The canon of scripture was established by the end of the fourth century, with the recognition of the 66 books of the Bible.

The Apocrypha, a collection of books included in some versions of the Bible, was not recognized as scripture by the Roman Catholic Church until after the Protestant Reformation.

The Apocrypha contains teachings that support certain doctrines unique to Catholicism, such as purgatory and salvation by works.

Notable Quotes:

"It's a collection of authoritative writings, not an authorized collection."

"If something that claims to be scripture is not leading you to salvation by faith in Christ, it's not scripture."

"We determine what is authoritative, what is true from the word of God, and we stick there. We don't add something to it."

Resources:

Gospel Coalition - What You Should Know About the Council of Trent

To listen to the full episode and gain a deeper understanding of the process of determining the canon of scripture and the significance of each book within it, tune in to the podcast. Stay tuned for more enlightening content from Pastor Jeff Long.