Protestant Reformation And Biblical Canon
The Protestant Reformation brought significant discussion and clarification regarding the biblical canon, particularly concerning the Old Testament Apocrypha. While Protestants and Roman Catholics agree on the plenary inspiration and infallible authority of the sacred writings, and largely on the books of the New Testament, differences emerged regarding the Old Testament canon [5].
For Protestants, the canon of the Old Testament is determined by ascertaining which books were recognized as divinely authoritative by Christ and the Apostles, who frequently quoted "the Scriptures" or "the law and the prophets" [1]. The Thirty-Nine Articles of Religion, an Anglican confessional document, states that "All the Books of the New Testament, as they are commonly received, we do receive, and account them Canonical" [4]. This reflects a general Protestant consensus on the New Testament canon.
John Calvin, a key figure in the Reformation, challenged the idea that the Church's approval or a council's decree established the canon. He questioned in what council a specific canon was published, suggesting that the authority of Scripture does not derive from ecclesiastical endorsement but from its inherent divine origin [3]. This perspective aligns with the Protestant principle of sola Scriptura, which asserts that Scripture is the ultimate authority for faith and practice [6].
The Reformers generally excluded the Apocrypha from the Old Testament canon, viewing these books as useful for instruction but not possessing the same divine authority as the protocanonical books [5]. This distinction was based on several factors, including the absence of these books from the Hebrew canon accepted by Jews, and a perceived lack of internal evidence of divine inspiration compared to other biblical texts.
The integrity of the biblical text itself was also a concern, as seen in warnings against altering the contents of sacred writings, such as in Revelation 22:18-19, which pronounces a curse on anyone who adds to or takes away from the words of that book [2]. This reflects an ancient concern for preserving the authenticity of divine revelation. The Protestant emphasis on the self-attesting nature of Scripture and its internal witness by the Holy Spirit became central to their understanding of the canon.
Sources
- CCEL (Reformed (Old Princeton)) “Charles Hodge, Systematic Theology, Vol. 1, section 40: Word of God. When we refer to the Bible as 153 of divine authority, we refer to it as a volume and recognize all the writings which it contains as given by the inspiration of the Spirit. In like manner when Christ or his Apostles quote the “Scriptures,” or the “law and the prophets,” and speak of the volume then so called, they give their sanction to the divine authority of all the books which that volume contained. All, therefore, that is necessary to determine for Christians the canon of the Old Testament, is to ascertain what books wer”
- Revelation (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Revelation 22:18: 22:18-19 I solemnly declare: John issues an oath to protect the integrity of the book of Revelation. He declares a curse upon anyone who alters the contents of the book or its message (cp. Deut 4:2; 12:32). The curse contrasts with the statement of blessing on all who read aloud, listen to, and obey the prophecy (Rev 1:3). At the time Revelation was written, scribes would sometimes alter books to suit their own views. Early Christians quickly developed means of authenticating both messages and messengers (see John 21:24; 1 Cor 16:21; Gal 6:11; Col 4:18; 2 The”
- CCEL (Reformed) “John Calvin, Institutes of the Christian Religion, section 91: approbation of the Church, will they quote the decree of a council to that effect? I believe they cannot. Why, then, did Arius allow himself to be vanquished at the Council of Nice by passages adduced from the Gospel of John? According to these, he was at liberty to repudiate 2412 them, as they had not previously been approved by any general council. They allege an old catalogue, which they call the Canon, and say that it originated in a decision of the Church. But I again ask, In what council was that Canon published? Here they mu”
- Thirty-Nine Articles of Religion (Anglican) “Thirty-Nine Articles of Religion (Anglican, 1571), All the Books of the New Testament, as they are commonly received, we do receive, and account them Canonical.: All the Books of the New Testament, as they are commonly received, we do receive, and account them Canonical.”
- CCEL (Reformed (Old Princeton)) “Charles Hodge, Systematic Theology, Vol. 1, section 33: § 2. Roman Catholic Doctrine concerning the Scriptures. On this subject Romanists agree with Protestants, (1.) In teaching the plenary inspiration and consequent infallible authority of the sacred writings. Of these writings the Council of Trent says that God is their author, and that they were written by the dictation of the Holy Spirit (“ Spiritu sancto dictante. ”) 105 (2.) They agree with us in receiving into the sacred canon all the books which we regard as of divine authority. Romanists differ from Protestants in regard to the Scrip”
- CCEL (Reformed (Old Princeton)) “Charles Hodge, Systematic Theology, Vol. 1, section 40: down in Scripture, or by good and necessary consequence may be deduced from Scripture; unto which nothing at any time is to be added whether by new revelations of the Spirit or traditions of men. 107 107 Ibid. § 7. All things in Scripture are not alike plain in themselves, nor alike clear unto all; yet those things which are necessary to be known, believed, and observed, for salvation, are so clearly propounded and opened in some place of Scripture or other, that not only the learned, but the unlearned, in a due use of the ordinary means,”