Spring 2020 Second Presbyterian Church

SECOND PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH

SPRING 2020 The Bible

▪ Library of books ▪ Written over 1100 years ▪ Many different genres/types of literature ▪ Written to different audiences ▪ Different purposes ▪ One overarching theme Canon (kanon) = standard of measurement Canon approved list of books of Old & New Testament Hebrew Scriptures (Tanakh)

▪ Torah (Pentateuch) ▪ Historical Books ▪ Prophets ▪ Writings Hebrew Scriptures (Tanakh)

▪ Torah (Pentateuch) ▪ Prophets ▪ Writings Hebrew Scriptures (Tanakh)

▪ Torah (Pentateuch) ▪ Prophets (Former & Latter Prophets) ▪ Writings Torah

▪ First 5 books of Bible ▪ Genesis – Exodus – Leviticus – Numbers - Deuteronomy ▪ Also called “The Law” Timeline of Hebrew bible Canonization

641-610 BC

Reign of Josiah 8 The high priest Hilkiah said to Shaphan the secretary, ‘I have found the book of the law in the house of the LORD.’ When Hilkiah gave the book to Shaphan, he read it. 9Then Shaphan the secretary came to the king…11When the king heard the words of the book of the law, he tore his clothes. 12Then the king commanded the priest Hilkiah, 13‘Go, inquire of the LORD for me, for the people, and for all Judah, concerning the words of this book that has been found; for great is the wrath of the LORD that is kindled against us, because our ancestors did not obey the words of this book, to do according to all that is written concerning us.’

- 2 Kings 22:8,11-13 1All the people gathered together into the square before the Water Gate. They told the scribe Ezra to bring the book of the law of Moses, which the LORD had given to Israel. 2Accordingly, the priest Ezra brought the law before the assembly, both men and women and all who could hear with understanding.

- Nehemiah 8:1-2 Timeline of Hebrew bible Canonization

641-610 BC 586 BC 538 BC

Reign of Destruction Return Josiah of 1st from Exile Temple Timeline of Hebrew bible Canonization

641-610 BC 586 BC 538 BC 440-400 BC

Reign of Destruction Return Ezra returns Josiah of 1st from Exile from Exile Temple Timeline of Hebrew bible Canonization

641-610 BC 586 BC 538 BC 440-400 BC

Reign of Destruction Return Ezra returns Josiah of 1st from Exile from Exile Temple Torah not known Timeline of Hebrew bible Canonization

641-610 BC 586 BC 538 BC 440-400 BC 375? BC

Reign of Destruction Return Ezra returns Judean Josiah of 1st from Exile from Exile Samaritan Temple schism Torah not known Shared Torah Timeline of Hebrew bible Canonization

Torah

641-610 BC 586 BC 538 BC 440-400 BC 375? BC

Reign of Destruction Return Ezra returns Judean Josiah of 1st from Exile from Exile Samaritan Temple schism Torah not known Shared Torah Prophets

▪ Former Prophets (Historical books) ▪ Latter Prophets Timeline of Hebrew bible Canonization

Torah

641-610 BC 586 BC 538 BC 440-400 BC 375? BC

Reign of Destruction Return Ezra returns Judean Josiah of 1st from Exile from Exile Samaritan Temple schism Torah not known Shared Torah Timeline of Hebrew bible Canonization

Torah

641-610 BC 586 BC 538 BC 440-400 BC 375? BC

Reign of Destruction Return Ezra returns Judean Josiah of 1st from Exile from Exile Samaritan Temple schism Torah not known Shared Torah Do not share prophets Timeline of Hebrew bible Canonization

Torah

641-610 BC 586 BC 538 BC 440-400 BC 375? BC 330 BC

Reign of Destruction Return Ezra returns Judean Alexander Josiah of 1st from Exile from Exile Samaritan the Great Temple schism Torah not known Shared Torah Do not share prophets Timeline of Hebrew bible Canonization

Torah Prophets

641-610 BC 586 BC 538 BC 440-400 BC 375? BC 330 BC

Reign of Destruction Return Ezra returns Judean Alexander Josiah of 1st from Exile from Exile Samaritan the Great Temple schism Torah not known Shared Torah Do not share prophets Writings

▪ 2nd Temple period (538-70 BC) ▪ After Prophets closed (ca. 350 BC) Timeline of Hebrew bible Canonization

Torah Prophets

641-610 BC 586 BC 538 BC 440-400 BC 375? BC 330 BC 175 BC

Reign of Destruction Return Ezra returns Judean Alexander Ben Sira Josiah of 1st from Exile from Exile Samaritan the Great Temple schism Torah not known Shared Torah Do not share prophets On the other hand, he who devotes himself to the study of the law of the Most High (Torah) will seek out the wisdom of all the ancients (Writings), and will be concerned with prophecies (Prophets).

- Ben Sira 39:1 180-175 BC …the Law and the prophets and the other books of our fathers.

- Ben Sira Prologue 132 BC Timeline of Hebrew bible Canonization

Torah Prophets BC/AD

641-610 BC 586 BC 538 BC 440-400 BC 375? BC 330 BC 175 BC 75 AD

Reign of Destruction Return Ezra returns Judean Alexander Ben Sira Josephus Josiah of 1st from Exile from Exile Samaritan the Great Temple schism Torah not known Shared Torah Do not share prophets Timeline of Hebrew bible Canonization

Torah Prophets BC/AD

641-610 BC 586 BC 538 BC 440-400 BC 375? BC 330 BC 175 BC 75 AD 150 AD

Reign of Destruction Return Ezra returns Judean Alexander Ben Sira Josephus 2 Esdras Josiah of 1st from Exile from Exile Samaritan the Great Temple schism Torah not known Shared Torah Do not share prophets 45…the Most High spoke to me, saying, “Make public the twenty-four books that you wrote first and let the worthy and the unworthy read them;

- 2 Esdras 14:45 Timeline of Hebrew Bible Canonization

Torah Prophets BC/AD Writings

641-610 BC 586 BC 538 BC 440-400 BC 375? BC 330 BC 175 BC 75 AD 150 AD

▪ All within 100 years of each other ▪ Gospels ▪ Acts ▪ Letters/Epistles No Canon Needed

▪ Had the Hebrew Scriptures ▪ Had the words of Jesus ▪ Had the Holy Spirit ▪ Not going to be around long 1st Steps

▪ Paul’s letters Timeline of Christian Bible Canonization Pauls’ Letters Read in Worship

33 AD 51-57

Resurrection Paul’s Letters written 1st Steps

▪ Paul’s letters ▪ Gospels EARLY CHRISTIAN GOSPELS

• Thomas • The Ebionites • Philip • Bartholomew • Mary Magdalene • Nicodemus • The Hebrews • Secret Gospel of Mark INFANCY GOSPELS

• of James • Armenian Gospel of the • of Thomas Infancy • of Pseudo-Matthew • History of Joseph the Carpenter • Arabic Gospel of the Infancy • Assumption of the Virgin Timeline of Christian Bible Canonization Pauls’ Letters Four Gospels Read in Worship Read in Worship

33 AD 51-57 65-100

65 150

Resurrection Paul’s Gospels Letters Written written Gnosticism

▪ gnosis = knowledge ▪ (agnostic = doesn’t know) Gnosticism

▪ gnosis = knowledge ▪ (agnostic = doesn’t know) ▪ God of Old Testament (Creator) not the Father of Jesus Gnosticism

▪ gnosis = knowledge ▪ (agnostic = doesn’t know) ▪ God of Old Testament (Creator) not the Father of Jesus ▪ Jesus was just pretending to be human (Docetism) Church known as catholic

RESPONSES TO GNOSTICISM Church known Apostles’ as catholic Creed

RESPONSES TO GNOSTICISM Church known Apostles’ Criteria for as catholic Creed Evaluation

RESPONSES TO GNOSTICISM CANONICAL CRITERIA

Apostolic Authorship? CANONICAL CRITERIA

Apostolic Ancient & Authorship? Accepted? CANONICAL CRITERIA

Apostolic Ancient & Inspiring & Authorship? Accepted? Necessary? MARCION

ca. 140 AD Marcionism

▪ Discounted anything that is “too Jewish” ▪ Rejected all Gospels except an edited Luke ▪ Edited Paul’s writings ▪ Rejected Hebrew Scriptures Timeline of Christian Bible Canonization Pauls’ Letters Four Gospels Read in Worship Read in Worship

33 AD 51-57 65-100 150

65 150

Resurrection Paul’s Gospels Muratorian Letters Written Canon written Muratorian Canon (180 AD) • Four Gospels and Acts • 13 Epistles of Paul • James • 1,2 John • Jude • Revelation of John • Wisdom of Solomon • Revelation of Peter (?) • Shepherd of Hermas (devotional purposes only) APOSTOLIC FATHERS

• 1& 2 Clement • Letters of Ignatius • Polycarp, to the Philippians • Didache (Teaching of the Twelve) • Barnabas • Shepherd of Hermas

Timeline of Christian Bible Canonization Pauls’ Letters Four Gospels Read in Worship Read in Worship

33 AD 51-57 65-100 150

65 150

Resurrection Paul’s Gospels Muratorian Letters Written Canon written Bound Books EMPEROR DIOCLETIAN 284-305 AD

Timeline of Christian Bible Canonization Pauls’ Letters Four Gospels Closing of Read in Worship Read in Worship Canon

33 AD 51-57 65-100 150 367

65 150

Resurrection Paul’s Gospels Muratorian Athanasius’ Letters Written Canon Easter Letter written Bound Books 27 Books We Have Today Apocrypha (hidden)

▪ History – 1&2 Maccabees ▪ Romantic Tales – Tobit, Judith, Bel and Dragon ▪ Psalms – Prayer of Manasseh, Psalm 151 ▪ Wisdom – Ecclesiasticus, Wisdom of Solomon ▪ Apocalytpic – 2 Esdras ▪ Additions – Esther, Jeremiah, Daniel ▪ Others – Susanna, 3&4 Maccabees, 1 Esdras The books commonly called Apocrypha, not being of divine inspiration, are not part of the Canon of Scripture; and therefore of no authority in the Church of God, nor to be in any otherwise approved, or made use of, than other human writings.

- Westminster Confession of Faith (1647)