by jimwalton » Thu Dec 14, 2017 4:34 pm
The works that were affirmed to be divinely inspired were those written by the apostles (those who saw Jesus after the resurrection) or those who got their information directly from the apostles. Once those generations died out, new books cannot be added to the Bible.
Revelation 22.18 says that the Bible can’t be added to. It would only apply to Revelation if we are just looking at the words themselves, but it was a common cultural understanding that the words of holy books or the words of deity were not to be altered (Deut. 4.2; 12.32; Prov. 30.5-6). This would apply to any writing regarded as Scripture, whether or not it specifies this warning. Such warnings also applied to covenants (Deut. 29.19-20, 27). With those understandings, Rev. 22.18-19 apply to the whole canon, recognized as Scripture, given to us as the Old Covenant and the New Covenant.
> Protestants: The Biblical Canon was established by the Catholic Church. If you disagree with the Catholic Church
We disagree with what the Catholic church became, not what it was then. It was only later in history that the RCC launched off in a different direction.
> Moreover, how do we know that none of the later priests, such as John Calvin and Martin Luther were not divinely inspired? Could their work's possibly be scripture?
Oh, it's very possible that other writings are divinely influenced, but only Scripture is God-breathed. There's quite a difference. "Could their works possibly be Scripture?" No. They didn't know see Jesus after the resurrection.
The works that were affirmed to be divinely inspired were those written by the apostles (those who saw Jesus after the resurrection) or those who got their information directly from the apostles. Once those generations died out, new books cannot be added to the Bible.
Revelation 22.18 says that the Bible can’t be added to. It would only apply to Revelation if we are just looking at the words themselves, but it was a common cultural understanding that the words of holy books or the words of deity were not to be altered (Deut. 4.2; 12.32; Prov. 30.5-6). This would apply to any writing regarded as Scripture, whether or not it specifies this warning. Such warnings also applied to covenants (Deut. 29.19-20, 27). With those understandings, Rev. 22.18-19 apply to the whole canon, recognized as Scripture, given to us as the Old Covenant and the New Covenant.
> Protestants: The Biblical Canon was established by the Catholic Church. If you disagree with the Catholic Church
We disagree with what the Catholic church became, not what it was then. It was only later in history that the RCC launched off in a different direction.
> Moreover, how do we know that none of the later priests, such as John Calvin and Martin Luther were not divinely inspired? Could their work's possibly be scripture?
Oh, it's very possible that other writings are divinely influenced, but only Scripture is God-breathed. There's quite a difference. "Could their works possibly be Scripture?" No. They didn't know see Jesus after the resurrection.