III.
New Testament Witness to the Transmission of the Autographa
New Testament Witness to the Transmission of the Autographa
In accord with Christ’s prayer
(John 17:8), the saints and the churches immediately received the books of the
New Testament as they were given by inspiration. The seven churches recognized the Revelation
of John as Scripture immediately upon receipt of the book (Revelation 1:11),
the Thessalonians immediately received the Word of God, for they were believers
(1 Thessalonians 2:13), and, led by the Spirit, churches in general received
the scripture, which they knew was being penned in their day (Romans 16:25-26;
1 Corinthians 14:37; Ephesians
3:4-5; 1 Thessalonians 2:13; 1 Peter 1:12, 25; 2 Peter 3:2; Luke 1:3) as
the ascended Christ gave it (John 16:13).
When Paul wrote 1 Timothy in the early 60s, he recognized Luke’s gospel,
which had been composed only a few years earlier, as “scripture” equal in
authority to the books of Moses (1 Timothy 5:18; Luke 10:7; Deuteronomy
25:4). Paul’s declaration concerning the
inspiration of “all Scripture” in 2 Timothy 3:16 consequently refers to both
the Old Testament (OT) canon and the NT, which, by the time of the inspiration
of 2 Timothy, God had, other than the Johannine writings, almost entirely
revealed to man. Peter (2 Peter 3:2)
refers to the OT books (v. 2a) and the NT books (v. 2b), and calls the
collection of “all epistles” by the apostle Paul[i]
scripture, equal to “the other scriptures,” (2 Peter 3:15-16), the OT (1 Peter
2:6); all of this OT and NT scripture is
affirmed to be as sure as the audible voice of God speaking from heaven (2
Peter 1:16-21).[ii] John closes the NT canon with the solemn
warning of Revelation 22:18-19 (cf. Proverbs 30:5-6), evidencing his
recognition, one with which his audience would have concurred, of the
inspiration of his work (cf. John 21:24) and the completion of the New
Testament. The saints recognized the NT
as an inspired treasure immediately upon its composition.[iii]
(John 17:8), the saints and the churches immediately received the books of the
New Testament as they were given by inspiration. The seven churches recognized the Revelation
of John as Scripture immediately upon receipt of the book (Revelation 1:11),
the Thessalonians immediately received the Word of God, for they were believers
(1 Thessalonians 2:13), and, led by the Spirit, churches in general received
the scripture, which they knew was being penned in their day (Romans 16:25-26;
1 Corinthians 14:37; Ephesians
3:4-5; 1 Thessalonians 2:13; 1 Peter 1:12, 25; 2 Peter 3:2; Luke 1:3) as
the ascended Christ gave it (John 16:13).
When Paul wrote 1 Timothy in the early 60s, he recognized Luke’s gospel,
which had been composed only a few years earlier, as “scripture” equal in
authority to the books of Moses (1 Timothy 5:18; Luke 10:7; Deuteronomy
25:4). Paul’s declaration concerning the
inspiration of “all Scripture” in 2 Timothy 3:16 consequently refers to both
the Old Testament (OT) canon and the NT, which, by the time of the inspiration
of 2 Timothy, God had, other than the Johannine writings, almost entirely
revealed to man. Peter (2 Peter 3:2)
refers to the OT books (v. 2a) and the NT books (v. 2b), and calls the
collection of “all epistles” by the apostle Paul[i]
scripture, equal to “the other scriptures,” (2 Peter 3:15-16), the OT (1 Peter
2:6); all of this OT and NT scripture is
affirmed to be as sure as the audible voice of God speaking from heaven (2
Peter 1:16-21).[ii] John closes the NT canon with the solemn
warning of Revelation 22:18-19 (cf. Proverbs 30:5-6), evidencing his
recognition, one with which his audience would have concurred, of the
inspiration of his work (cf. John 21:24) and the completion of the New
Testament. The saints recognized the NT
as an inspired treasure immediately upon its composition.[iii]
The assembly
of the NT into a cohesive unit also began very early;[iv] as 2 Peter 3:15-16 indicates, the process was
far advanced before Peter’s death c. A. D. 68, and so even before the
revelation of the final NT books. The NT
writings were copied and distributed from church to church (Revelation 1:3). Paul wrote Galatians to “the churches of
Galatia” (Galatians 1:2), which would involve the copying of his epistle. Colossians 4:16 provides a striking example
of this practice. Paul commanded that
his newly inspired epistle to the church at Colossae be read in that church (v.
16a),[v]
then copied and read in the church of the Laodiceans (v. 16b). At the same time, the Colossian congregation
was to “read the epistle from Laodicea” (v. 16c). That church, which had not received an
inspired autograph,[vi] had
copied another assembly’s canonical epistle, which was being read in their
church; the Colossians were to take this
epistle, copy it, and read it in their own assembly. At least three generations of transmission
are documented here: the original church
which received the inspired letter, the copy made for the Laodiceans, and the
copy of that copy now brought to the Colossian church; if the Laodiceans had not transcribed their
epistle directly from an autograph, even further epistolary generations are
required. Furthermore, the apostolic
precept for such multiplication of canonical copies of epistles in Colossians
4:16 would certainly have spurred other assemblies to follow a similar
practice—nor did Paul begin to encourage such copying only upon penning
Colossians 4:16 (note 1 Thessalonians 5:27—not that church alone, but “all the
holy brethren,” are to get this epistle; cf. John’s blessing on those who read
and hear his book, Revelation 1:3, which required the distribution and
multiplication of copies); he would have already exhorted the churches to such
an end. 1 Timothy 6:3 indicates the
early circulation of the gospel records—canonical and authoritative (cf. 5:18)
“words of our Lord Jesus Christ,” were available, and opposition to them
brought one under church discipline (6:5).[vii] Paul’s “yet not I, but the Lord” (1 Corinthians
7:10) suggests that both the apostle and the Corinthians had at least one
gospel in their possession. When
churches exchanged members, traveling evangelists passed through, Paul or
others visited assemblies on missionary journeys, and on vast numbers of other
occasions, the distribution of NT Scripture would certainly have been in
progress. Even apart from the
excercitation of Colossians 4:16, the church’s recognition of the new
inestimable treasure given her from God by inspiration, and its vast importance
in the Christian life (cf. Romans 10:17; Matthew 4:4) would of itself have been
a powerful motivation to multiply apographs.
of the NT into a cohesive unit also began very early;[iv] as 2 Peter 3:15-16 indicates, the process was
far advanced before Peter’s death c. A. D. 68, and so even before the
revelation of the final NT books. The NT
writings were copied and distributed from church to church (Revelation 1:3). Paul wrote Galatians to “the churches of
Galatia” (Galatians 1:2), which would involve the copying of his epistle. Colossians 4:16 provides a striking example
of this practice. Paul commanded that
his newly inspired epistle to the church at Colossae be read in that church (v.
16a),[v]
then copied and read in the church of the Laodiceans (v. 16b). At the same time, the Colossian congregation
was to “read the epistle from Laodicea” (v. 16c). That church, which had not received an
inspired autograph,[vi] had
copied another assembly’s canonical epistle, which was being read in their
church; the Colossians were to take this
epistle, copy it, and read it in their own assembly. At least three generations of transmission
are documented here: the original church
which received the inspired letter, the copy made for the Laodiceans, and the
copy of that copy now brought to the Colossian church; if the Laodiceans had not transcribed their
epistle directly from an autograph, even further epistolary generations are
required. Furthermore, the apostolic
precept for such multiplication of canonical copies of epistles in Colossians
4:16 would certainly have spurred other assemblies to follow a similar
practice—nor did Paul begin to encourage such copying only upon penning
Colossians 4:16 (note 1 Thessalonians 5:27—not that church alone, but “all the
holy brethren,” are to get this epistle; cf. John’s blessing on those who read
and hear his book, Revelation 1:3, which required the distribution and
multiplication of copies); he would have already exhorted the churches to such
an end. 1 Timothy 6:3 indicates the
early circulation of the gospel records—canonical and authoritative (cf. 5:18)
“words of our Lord Jesus Christ,” were available, and opposition to them
brought one under church discipline (6:5).[vii] Paul’s “yet not I, but the Lord” (1 Corinthians
7:10) suggests that both the apostle and the Corinthians had at least one
gospel in their possession. When
churches exchanged members, traveling evangelists passed through, Paul or
others visited assemblies on missionary journeys, and on vast numbers of other
occasions, the distribution of NT Scripture would certainly have been in
progress. Even apart from the
excercitation of Colossians 4:16, the church’s recognition of the new
inestimable treasure given her from God by inspiration, and its vast importance
in the Christian life (cf. Romans 10:17; Matthew 4:4) would of itself have been
a powerful motivation to multiply apographs.
Great care was taken to preserve the
inspired documents, as the church recognized her role as the guardian of Divine
truth (Matthew 28:18-20; 1 Timothy 3:15; 4:6; 6:20; 2 Timothy 1:14; 2:2). Accuracy in copying was considered extremely
important (Revelation 22:18-19). As a
result, accurate replicas of the inspired documents were distributed as rapidly
as Christianity itself.[viii] New Testament evidence buttresses the
believer’s confidence in God’s promises to preserve the autographa for all generations;
the widespread distribution of accurate apographs of the recognized,
canonical NT books validates the promised impossibility of their successful
universal corruption.
inspired documents, as the church recognized her role as the guardian of Divine
truth (Matthew 28:18-20; 1 Timothy 3:15; 4:6; 6:20; 2 Timothy 1:14; 2:2). Accuracy in copying was considered extremely
important (Revelation 22:18-19). As a
result, accurate replicas of the inspired documents were distributed as rapidly
as Christianity itself.[viii] New Testament evidence buttresses the
believer’s confidence in God’s promises to preserve the autographa for all generations;
the widespread distribution of accurate apographs of the recognized,
canonical NT books validates the promised impossibility of their successful
universal corruption.
[i] Lewis Foster (“The Earliest Collection of Paul’s Epistles,”
Journal of the Evangelical Theological
Society (JETS), 10:1 (Winter 1967) p. 44-54) argues very plausibly that
Luke first collected Paul’s epistles into a canonical whole. He also mentions that “in antiquity to retain
copies of letters dispatched to far places was customary. Because of the
uncertainty of the postal system and because of the desirability to have a
dependable record of what was originally written in case question should later
be raised about the correspondence—both of these reasons fully justified the
common practice of making copies of correspondence.” (Foster, “Earliest
Collection,” pg. 50). Since the church at Philippi sought to collect the
epistles of Ignatius during Polycarp’s lifetime (pg. 280, The Apostolic Fathers, Kirsopp Lake, vol. 1. Loeb Classical Library ed. Cambridge, MA:
Harvard University Press, 1952), certainly churches were collecting the
inspired corpus as well.
Journal of the Evangelical Theological
Society (JETS), 10:1 (Winter 1967) p. 44-54) argues very plausibly that
Luke first collected Paul’s epistles into a canonical whole. He also mentions that “in antiquity to retain
copies of letters dispatched to far places was customary. Because of the
uncertainty of the postal system and because of the desirability to have a
dependable record of what was originally written in case question should later
be raised about the correspondence—both of these reasons fully justified the
common practice of making copies of correspondence.” (Foster, “Earliest
Collection,” pg. 50). Since the church at Philippi sought to collect the
epistles of Ignatius during Polycarp’s lifetime (pg. 280, The Apostolic Fathers, Kirsopp Lake, vol. 1. Loeb Classical Library ed. Cambridge, MA:
Harvard University Press, 1952), certainly churches were collecting the
inspired corpus as well.
[ii] Consider further that the epistle Paul wrote to the
audience of 2 Peter (which was the same as the audience of 1 Peter, 2 Peter
3:1), the Jewish diaspora (1 Peter 1:1), must be the epistle to the Hebrews,
since no other Pauline letter is addressed to them. Paul is therefore the author of Hebrews, and
this epistle was recognized, along with the other 13 in his corpus, as
canonical immediately.
audience of 2 Peter (which was the same as the audience of 1 Peter, 2 Peter
3:1), the Jewish diaspora (1 Peter 1:1), must be the epistle to the Hebrews,
since no other Pauline letter is addressed to them. Paul is therefore the author of Hebrews, and
this epistle was recognized, along with the other 13 in his corpus, as
canonical immediately.
[iii] Wilbur Pickering, in his Identity of the New Testament Text, chapter 5 (electronically
accessed), has a good discussion of early recognition of the inspiration and
canonicity of the NT in his section, “Were the N. T. Writings Recognized?”
accessed), has a good discussion of early recognition of the inspiration and
canonicity of the NT in his section, “Were the N. T. Writings Recognized?”
[iv] Physical evidence for such early compilation
exists. The “identification of papyrus
fragment 5 from Qumran cave 7 with Mark 6:52-53 . . . [makes] the probability
that 7Q4 is to be identified with 1 Tim. 3:16, 4:1,3 and 7Q8 with James 1:23-24
. . . very strong. . . . That someone should have such a collection of New
Testament writings at such an early date may suggest their early recognition as
Scripture and even imply an early notion of a New Testament canon” (Appendix B,
The Identity of the New Testament Text,
Pickering). A theologically liberal
critique of the identification of these papyri with the NT is found in “That’s
no Gospel, It’s Enoch! Identification of Dead Sea Scrolls Challenged,” Peter W.
Flint (Bible Review, Peter W. Flint,
April 2003, pgs. 37ff.).
exists. The “identification of papyrus
fragment 5 from Qumran cave 7 with Mark 6:52-53 . . . [makes] the probability
that 7Q4 is to be identified with 1 Tim. 3:16, 4:1,3 and 7Q8 with James 1:23-24
. . . very strong. . . . That someone should have such a collection of New
Testament writings at such an early date may suggest their early recognition as
Scripture and even imply an early notion of a New Testament canon” (Appendix B,
The Identity of the New Testament Text,
Pickering). A theologically liberal
critique of the identification of these papyri with the NT is found in “That’s
no Gospel, It’s Enoch! Identification of Dead Sea Scrolls Challenged,” Peter W.
Flint (Bible Review, Peter W. Flint,
April 2003, pgs. 37ff.).
[v] This public reading of the epistles placed them on
an equal level to the Old Testament, which was also read in the assemblies of
the saints (Deuteronomy 31:11; Acts
13:15; 1 Timothy 4:13). Furthermore, we must conclude that individual
believers were not satisfied with public reading of the Scriptures in the
weekly assembly, but aspired to own their own personal copies, that, as the
noble Bereans, they might all search the Scriptures daily (Acts 17:11).
an equal level to the Old Testament, which was also read in the assemblies of
the saints (Deuteronomy 31:11; Acts
13:15; 1 Timothy 4:13). Furthermore, we must conclude that individual
believers were not satisfied with public reading of the Scriptures in the
weekly assembly, but aspired to own their own personal copies, that, as the
noble Bereans, they might all search the Scriptures daily (Acts 17:11).
[vi] It has been supposed by some, based on the subscription to 1
Timothy, “the first to Timothy was written from Laodicea, which is the chiefest
city of Phrygia Pacatiana,” that this epistle from Laodicea was 1 Timothy. While, if this is the case, two generations,
instead of three or more, are specified in Colossians 4:16, it would still demonstrate
the proliferation of NT copies—and would show that an inspired epistle
specifically directed to the man Timothy was immediately received by God’s
people as something with universal and binding validity.
Timothy, “the first to Timothy was written from Laodicea, which is the chiefest
city of Phrygia Pacatiana,” that this epistle from Laodicea was 1 Timothy. While, if this is the case, two generations,
instead of three or more, are specified in Colossians 4:16, it would still demonstrate
the proliferation of NT copies—and would show that an inspired epistle
specifically directed to the man Timothy was immediately received by God’s
people as something with universal and binding validity.
A pseudepigraphical “epistle of Paul to the Laodiceans”
is extant, but it is universally recognized as a forgery. The text is reproduced in the introduction to
Colossians in Notes on the New Testament
by Albert Barnes (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker, 1998 (reprint of 1884-5 ed.)).
is extant, but it is universally recognized as a forgery. The text is reproduced in the introduction to
Colossians in Notes on the New Testament
by Albert Barnes (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker, 1998 (reprint of 1884-5 ed.)).
[vii] The CT attacks church discipline by removing “from
such withdraw thyself,” aÓfi÷staso aÓpo tw◊n toiou/twn, from
1 Timothy 6:5.
such withdraw thyself,” aÓfi÷staso aÓpo tw◊n toiou/twn, from
1 Timothy 6:5.
[viii]
An interesting archeological confirmation of this
rapid spread is the Rylands Fragment of John P52, which is dated to the first third of the
second century. The existence of a codex
of John in an obscure Egyptian village c. A. D. 125 illustrates the speed with
which the NT books were distributed.
(see JETS, 10:1 (Winter 1967),
pg. 42). “Pantaenus [went] to convert
the Hindoos, and, whatever his success or failure there, he brought back
reports that Christians were there before him, the offspring of St.
Bartholomew’s preaching; and, in proof thereof, he brought with him a copy of
St. Matthew’s Gospel in the Hebrew tongue, which became one of the treasures of
the church on the Nile” (Clement of Alexandria, Stromata, Elucidations II: “Pantaenus and his school,”
AN:II:12480). This testifies to the
presence of Scripture in India in the first century through the witness of the
apostle Bartholomew (Matthew 10:3). Further information about the collection of
the NT canon is found in “Factors Promoting the Formation of the New Testament
Canon,” Wilber T. Dayton, and “The Canon of the Gospels,” Merrill C. Tenney, JETS 10:1 (Winter 1967) pgs. 28-35,
36-44 respectively. All citations of Ante-Nicene patristic writings, unless
otherwise specified, come from Church
Fathers—The Ante-Nicene Fathers (AN), ed. Alexander Roberts & James Donaldson, American reprint of the Edinburgh ed.;
electronic text from the Christian Classics Ethereal Library (http://www.ccel.org), as hypertexted, corrected, and
prepared by Oak Tree Software, Inc. for Accordance
Bible Software (http://www.accordancebible.com), version 1.1.
Citations of Nicene or Post-Nicene writers come from either Church Fathers—The Nicene and Post Nicene Fathers, First Series
(NPN-1) or Church Fathers—The Nicene and
Post Nicene Fathers, Second Series (NPN-2), ed. Philip Schaff, T & T
Edinburgh. These texts have also been
accessed electronically from an Accordance
software module based on the Christian Classics Ethereal Library text (also
version 1.1). Citations will state the
module (AN/NPN-1/NPN-2), the chapter division, and the paragraph # from
Accordance for that module. In the
passage above concerning Pantaenus, AN:II:12480 means the Ante-Nicene Accordance module, chapter 2 in the
“Elucidations” section connected with Clement’s Stromata, paragraph #12480 in the Ante-Nicene module. In footnote #18, AN:XXXVI:20373 means the
Ante-Nicene Accordance module is
cited, chapter 36 in The Prescription
Against Heretics, paragraph #20373 in the Ante-Nicene module.
An interesting archeological confirmation of this
rapid spread is the Rylands Fragment of John P52, which is dated to the first third of the
second century. The existence of a codex
of John in an obscure Egyptian village c. A. D. 125 illustrates the speed with
which the NT books were distributed.
(see JETS, 10:1 (Winter 1967),
pg. 42). “Pantaenus [went] to convert
the Hindoos, and, whatever his success or failure there, he brought back
reports that Christians were there before him, the offspring of St.
Bartholomew’s preaching; and, in proof thereof, he brought with him a copy of
St. Matthew’s Gospel in the Hebrew tongue, which became one of the treasures of
the church on the Nile” (Clement of Alexandria, Stromata, Elucidations II: “Pantaenus and his school,”
AN:II:12480). This testifies to the
presence of Scripture in India in the first century through the witness of the
apostle Bartholomew (Matthew 10:3). Further information about the collection of
the NT canon is found in “Factors Promoting the Formation of the New Testament
Canon,” Wilber T. Dayton, and “The Canon of the Gospels,” Merrill C. Tenney, JETS 10:1 (Winter 1967) pgs. 28-35,
36-44 respectively. All citations of Ante-Nicene patristic writings, unless
otherwise specified, come from Church
Fathers—The Ante-Nicene Fathers (AN), ed. Alexander Roberts & James Donaldson, American reprint of the Edinburgh ed.;
electronic text from the Christian Classics Ethereal Library (http://www.ccel.org), as hypertexted, corrected, and
prepared by Oak Tree Software, Inc. for Accordance
Bible Software (http://www.accordancebible.com), version 1.1.
Citations of Nicene or Post-Nicene writers come from either Church Fathers—The Nicene and Post Nicene Fathers, First Series
(NPN-1) or Church Fathers—The Nicene and
Post Nicene Fathers, Second Series (NPN-2), ed. Philip Schaff, T & T
Edinburgh. These texts have also been
accessed electronically from an Accordance
software module based on the Christian Classics Ethereal Library text (also
version 1.1). Citations will state the
module (AN/NPN-1/NPN-2), the chapter division, and the paragraph # from
Accordance for that module. In the
passage above concerning Pantaenus, AN:II:12480 means the Ante-Nicene Accordance module, chapter 2 in the
“Elucidations” section connected with Clement’s Stromata, paragraph #12480 in the Ante-Nicene module. In footnote #18, AN:XXXVI:20373 means the
Ante-Nicene Accordance module is
cited, chapter 36 in The Prescription
Against Heretics, paragraph #20373 in the Ante-Nicene module.
Kent,
Good article on the transmission of the NT text during and just after the Apostles death.
It was probably the last Apostle, the beloved John who compiled all the NT books during or just after he finished writing his five books around 90AD.
Quote:
"[iii] Wilbur Pickering, in his Identity of the New Testament Text, chapter 5 (electronically accessed), has a good discussion of early recognition of the inspiration and canonicity of the NT in his section, “Were the N. T. Writings Recognized?”"
Without reading this book, this is the same kind of recognition that all inspired texts of the bible go through just as the Holy King James Bible is "recognized" as inspired text by the "common faith" of ENGLISH born-again, bible-believing, sons of God.
Thanks.