The New Testament is one of the most widely read and influential books in the world, but how did it come to be recognized as the authoritative word of God for Christians? This was a gradual process that took place over several centuries.
In the 2nd century AD, some Christian communities began to collect and circulate written works that they considered authoritative and inspired by God. These included the four Gospels, and the apostles, and other writings that eventually became part of the New Testament.
For these early Christians, the value of these texts was both personal and communal. They saw in these writings a reflection of their own experiences and beliefs, as well as a guide for their spiritual and moral lives.
For example, imagine a woman who has lost her wedding ring. She searches high and low for it, because the ring is not just a piece of jewellery, but a symbol of her commitment and love for her spouse.
In the same way, for early Christians, the texts that eventually became part of the New Testament were not just words on a page, but a symbol of their relationship with God and their commitment to following the teachings of Jesus Christ. Which in turn helped unite them in their beliefs and practices and so they preserved them as much as possible.
The process of canonization was complex, which included the popularity and acceptance of certain texts, the authority of church leaders, and the needs of the Christian community. Over the years, different groups and sects that emerged among the Christians produced their own texts, similar to the gospels and epistles in style, but with ideas that were beyond what was at the heart of the gospels. This led the church leaders to gather and begin a process to find which were the texts inspired by God.
Over time, historical and archaeological discoveries shed new light on the origins and development of the New Testament. One of the discoveries was the Rylands Library Papyrus P52, also known as the St. John’s fragment. This small fragment of papyrus contains a few verses from the Gospel of John and is believed to date to the early to mid-2nd century AD, making it one of the earliest known copies of the New Testament.
In the 4th century AD, the church father Athanasius of Alexandria issued a list of 27 books that he considered to be the canonical New Testament. This list was widely accepted by the church in the East and eventually became the standard for the Greek-speaking Orthodox churches.
In the West, the canon was not officially ratified until the 16th century Council of Trent, which confirmed the 27 books of the New Testament together with the 46 books of the Old Testament as part of the Catholic canon.
Today, the New Testament is recognized as the authoritative word of God by millions of Christians around the world. Its message of love, hope, truth and redemption continues to inspire and transform lives, and its impact on Western civilization cannot be overstated.
The process of canonization of the New Testament may have taken centuries, but its enduring legacy is a testament to the power and relevance of its message for all people, for all time.
