Scripture

Canon of

Old Testament canon

Main topic: Old Testament canon Mt 5:17; 7:12; 11:13; 22:40; Lk 11:51; 16:16; 24:44; Jn 1:45; Ac 24:14; 28:23; Ro 3:21

New Testament canon

2Pe 1:17 (cites Mt 17:5, Mk 9:7, Lk 9:35); 2Pe 3:15–16; 1Ti 5:18 (cites Mt 10:10; Lk 10:7); Jude 1:17–18 (cites 2Pe 3:3)

Authority of

Scripture is highest objective authority

Jos 1:8; 2Ti 3:16–17; 2Pe 1:19–21

Between resurrection and ascension, Jesus focused on teaching Scripture

Lk 24:27, 32, 45

Early church leaders and members treated Scripture as authoritative

Ac 8:35; 17:2, 11; 18:28

Perspicuity of

Clarity of Scripture

Ps 19:7; 119:130; Eph 3:4; 2Ti 3:14–15

Responsibility to read Scripture implies perspicuity

Dt 6:6–7; Ps 1:2; 1Ti 4:13

NT authors assume OT is easy to understand

Mt 12:3 (cf. Lk 6:3); Mt 12:5, 7; 19:4; 21:42; 22:29, 31; Mk 12:10, 26; Jn 3:10; Ro 4:1–25; 15:4; 1Co 10:1–11; 2Ti 3:16–17 — cf. Mt 9:13; 15:3; 21:13

NT authors assume church will understand their writings

Jn 20:30–31; 1Co 1:2; 10:15; 2Co 1:13; Gal 1:2; Php 1:1; Col 4:16; Jas 1:1, 22–25; 1Pe 1:1; 2:2; 2Pe 1:19; 1Jn 5:13

But some things are “hard to understand”

2Pe 1:20; 3:15–16

And Scripture rightly understood only with illumination of Holy Spirit

Ps 119:18; 1Co 2:1–16

Providential exposure, preservation of

God intended to give his word to his church

Ro 15:4; 2Ti 3:16–17

He is sovereignly able to preserve it

Main topic: Providence Ps 135:6; Dan 4:35; Ac 17:25–28; Eph 1:11; Heb 1:3

God preserves his word

Isa 40:8; 55:11; Mt 5:18; 24:35 (cf. Mk 13:31; Lk 21:33); Lk 16:17; Jn 10:35

Divine qualities of

We recognize Scripture by its beauty and excellency

Ps 19:7–8; 119:103, 129; 1Co 2:4–5

We recognize Scripture by its power and efficacy

2Ki 22:11–13; Ps 1:1–3; 119:50, 98, 105, 111, 144; Neh 8:8–12; Ac 2:34–37; 2Ti 3:16; Heb 4:12–13

We recognize Scripture by its unity and harmony

Ps 89:35; Pr 14:5; Tit 1:2; Ac 17:11; Heb 13:8

Apostolic, redemptive-historical, covenantal origin of

Prophets were given God’s word

Dt 18:18–19; Isa 30:8; Jer 1:9–10; 36:1–32

Old Testament foretells that new revelation would be given

Dt 18:18; Lk 24:46–47 (cites Isa 2:2–3; 61:1–2)

Apostles were ministers of new covenant

Lk 22:20; Jn 20:21; Ac 10:39–42; 2Co 3:6 (cf. Ex 24:7; 34:28; Dt 29:21; 2Co 3:14)

Apostles were agents of canon

Mt 16:18; Mk 3:14–15; Lk 1:1–4; 10:16 (cf. Mt 10:40; Jn 13:20); Jn 16:13; 20:21; 1Jn 4:6; Ac 10:39–42; 1Co 11:23; 15:3; Eph 2:20; 3:7–11; Heb 2:2–3; 2Pe 3:2 — see also Ro 6:17; Gal 1:9; 4:14; Php 4:9; Col 2:6–8; 1Th 2:13–15; 2Th 2:15; 1Ti 6:20; 2Ti 1:14; 2Pe 2:21; Jude 1:3

Apostles seemed aware they were writing Scripture

Mk 1:1; Jn 20:31; 21:24; 1Co 7:12; 14:37–38; Col 1:25; 1Th 2:13; 2Th 2:15; 1Jn 1:1–5; Rev 1:1–3

Allusions to bi-covenantal canon

2Co 3:6, 14; Heb 2:2–3; 2Pe 3:2

Individual, corporate reception of

For those in the Spirit, Scripture is self-authenticating

Jn 8:47; 10:5, 27; 14:26; 16:13–15; 18:37; 1Co 2:10–16; 1Th 5:21–22; 1Jn 2:20, 27; 4:1–6

The church will corporately recognize Scripture

Pr 11:14; Ro 3:2; 1Co 12:13; 1Ti 3:15; Heb 12:1; 1Pe 2:5, 9

Apostles recognized each others’ writings as Scripture