The problem of how we came by 39 books known as Old Testament “Scripture” is a purely historical investigation. The question involved is, not who wrote the several books, but who made them into a collection, not their origin or contents, but their history; not God’s part, but man’s. Our present aim, accordingly, must be to trace the process by which the various writings became “Scripture.”
The word “canon” is of Christian origin, from the Greek word κανών, kanō̇n, which in turn is probably borrowed from the Hebrew word, קנה, ḳāneh, meaning a reed or measuring rod, hence, norm or rule. Later it came to mean a rule of faith, and eventually a catalogue or list. In present usage it signifies a collection of religious writings Divinely inspired and hence, authoritative, normative, sacred and binding. The term occurs in Galatians 6:16; 2 Corinthians 10:13-16; but it is first employed of the books of Scripture in the technical sense of a standard collection or body of sacred writings, by the church Fathers of the 4th century; e.g. in the 59th canon of the Council of Laodicea (363 AD); in the Festal Epistle of Athanasius (365 AD); and by Amphilochius, archbishop of Iconium (395 AD).
To continue reading this Bible article, click here.
Author: International Std. Bible Encyclopedia
Keywords: Canon of the Old Testament, Canon, Bible, How we got our Bible, Who wrote the Bible, How did we get our Bible, Old Testament, New Testament, How many books, Books are in the Bible, Books are in the Old Testament, OT Books, Old Testament books, Septuagint, Apocrypha, old testament canon, Hebrew canon, scriptures
Bible reference(s): Joshua 8:31, Joshua 8:34, Joshua 10:13, Joshua 23:6, Joshua 24:26, 2 Samuel 1:18, 1 Kings 11:41, 1 Kings 14:19, 1 Kings 14:29, 1 Kings 15:7, 1 Kings 15:23, 1 Kings 15:31, 1 Kings 16:5, 1 Kings 16:14, 1 Kings 16:20, 1 Kings 16:27, 1 Kings 22:39, 1 Kings 22:45, 2 Kings 8:23, 2 Kings 10:34, 2 Kings 13:8, 2 Kings 13:12, 2 Kings 14:6, 2 Kings 14:15, 2 Kings 14:18, 2 Kings 15:6, 2 Kings 15:11, 2 Kings 15:21, 2 Kings 15:31, 2 Kings 15:36, 2 Kings 20:20, 2 Kings 21:25, 2 Kings 23:2, 2 Kings 23:21, 2 Kings 24:5, 1 Chronicles 9:1, 1 Chronicles 29:29, 2 Chronicles 9:29, 2 Chronicles 12:15, 2 Chronicles 16:11, 2 Chronicles 20:34, 2 Chronicles 24:27, 2 Chronicles 25:26, 2 Chronicles 27:7, 2 Chronicles 28:26, 2 Chronicles 32:32, 2 Chronicles 33:18, 2 Chron. 34:14, 2 Chron 34:31, 2 Chronicles 35:27, 2 Chronicles 36:8, Nehemiah 8:1, Nehemiah 12:23, Daniel 9:2, Nahum 1:1, Matthew 21:42, Matthew 22:29, Matthew 26:54, Matthew 26:56, Mark 12:24, Mark 14:49, Luke 16:29, Luke 16:31, Luke 20:42, Luke 24:27, Luke 24:44, John 1:45, John 5:39, Acts 1:20, Acts 7:42, Acts 17:2, Acts 17:11, Acts 18:28, Acts 26:22, Acts 28:23, Romans 1:2, Romans 15:4, Romans 16:26, 1 Corinthians 15:3-4, 2 Timothy 3:15-16, 2 Peter 3:16
Source: James Orr (editor), The International Standard Bible Encyclopedia, 5 volume set.
Page indexed by: inWORD Bible Software.