The Compilation of the Bible

The Bible is a collection of 66 books that were gathered together through a historical process. The term "canon" is used to describe the books considered divinely inspired and belonging in the Bible. The Bible's canon was determined through a process conducted first by Jewish rabbis and scholars for the Hebrew Bible (Old Testament) and later by early Christians for the New Testament. Ultimately, it was God who decided which books belonged in the biblical canon, with a book belonging from the moment God inspired its writing.

For the Old Testament, Hebrew believers recognized God's messengers and accepted their writings as inspired. By 250 AD, there was near universal agreement on the canon of Hebrew Scripture, with only the Apocrypha remaining a subject of debate. In contrast, the New Testament canon developed through a more complex process of recognition and collection beginning in the first centuries of the Christian church.

Early on, some New Testament books were being recognized as authoritative. Paul considered Luke's writings to be as authoritative as the Old Testament, and Peter recognized Paul's writings as Scripture. Some of the New Testament books were circulated among the churches, with early church fathers like Clement of Rome mentioning at least eight New Testament books by 95 AD, Polycarp acknowledging 15 books by 108 AD, and others gradually recognizing more books.

The first formal "canon" was the Muratorian Canon, compiled in 170 AD, which included all New Testament books except Hebrews, James, 1 and 2 Peter, and 3 John. Later church councils further refined the canon. In 363 AD, the Council of Laodicea stated that only the Old Testament and 26 books of the New Testament (everything except Revelation) were canonical. The Council of Hippo (393 AD) and the Council of Carthage (397 AD) affirmed the same 27 books that comprise the current New Testament.

The first reference to the canon of Scripture in Christian history was recorded in 367 AD in a letter by Athanasius, Bishop of Alexandria. The canon of the Catholic Church was affirmed by the Council of Rome (382 AD), the Synod of Hippo (393 AD), the Councils of Carthage (397 and 419 AD), the Council of Florence (1431-1449 AD), and finally, as an article of faith, by the Council of Trent (1545-1563 AD). These councils established the Catholic biblical canon consisting of 46 books in the Old Testament and 27 books in the New Testament for a total of 73 books.