There is a distinction between inspiration and canonization, although the
two are co-extensive. Inspiration precedes canonization in order of time
and causality. It is only God who inspires, and this occurs simultaneously
with the book’s composition. Canonization (being put into the canon) takes
place after the book’s composition and presupposes inspiration. Therefore,
all canonical books are known to be inspired; and now—since the final
judgment of the Church—all inspired books are canonical. The canon is
closed; there are no inspired books that we do not know of.
Who then determines with certainty which books should form part of
canonical Scripture, and by what criteria? This question applies to both the
Old and New Testament canons. The Holy Spirit did not promise a
revelation to any individual Christian concerning the authentic canon.
Anglican Church historian, J. N. D. Kelly offers one possible solution:
“Unless a book could be shown to come from the pen of an apostle,
or at least to have the authority of an apostle behind it, it was
peremptorily rejected, however edifying or popular with the faithful
it might be.”
10
But how could early Christians know whether a book was Apostolic?
Certainly not simply by a book’s claim to be so, since the Gospels were
anonymous and there were numerous spurious gospels and epistles in
circulation.
11
Protestant Scripture scholar F. F. Bruce writes that:
“[The early Fathers] had recourse to the criterion of orthodoxy ...
This appeal to the testimony of the churches of apostolic foundation
was developed especially by Irenaeus ... When previously unknown
Gospels or Acts began to circulate ... the most important question to
ask about any one of them was: What does it teach about the person
and work of Christ? Does it maintain the apostolic witness to
him...?”
12
In other words, a book was reckoned as Apostolic only if its contents were
consistent with the teachings of the Apostles (Apostolic paradosis, or
10
Early Christian Doctrines, 5th ed. rev., Harper & Row, New York, 1978, p. 60.
11
For example, the Gospel of Thomas, the Secret Gospel of Mark, the Gospel of
the Hebrews, the Acts of Peter, the Acts of John, etc.
12
The Canon of Scripture, p. 260.
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