Defending the New Testament Canon against Apocryphal Gospels
by Nick Bibile
It is sad that the world got their knowledge of the New Testament from the Da Vinci Code. The Da Vinci Code, a popular fictional suspense novel by Dan Brown, It’s historically not accurate and it’s a blasphemy against our Lord Jesus. The Da Vinci Code by Dan Brown has become a best seller and, though it purports to be nothing but fiction, it takes up the basic ideas of The Gnostic gospels and makes them to the same level with the four gospels we have today.
What is the meaning of the CANON?
Canon is a borrowed word from Greek which means a rule, standard of measurement. Authoritative books. Which books should be in the canon. We will be focusing on the New Testament.
On what kind of material the manuscripts were written?
They were written on papyrus. Papyrus means paper. Papyrus was a plant especially grown in the Nile river region.
Many Christians believe the following as they get their information from the Da Vinci Code.
Apostles wrote letters never knew they were going to be scriptures, then later on the church decided, these letters are pretty good and inspired maybe we should add these letters to the canon, Then emperor Constantine in the 4th century at the council of Nicea, added which books should be in the New Testament and with the help of the church leaders formulated the New Testament canon. Is this true?
Answer – Absolutely false. Apostles knew they were writing scriptures.
1 Corinthians 14:37
If anyone thinks that he is a prophet, or spiritual, he should acknowledge that the things I am writing to you are a command of the Lord.
Revelation 1:3
Blessed is the one who reads aloud the words of this prophecy, and blessed are those who hear, and who keep what is written in it, for the time is near.
Apostle Peter said, Paul’s letter are scriptures
2 Peter 3:15-16
and regard the patience of our Lord as salvation; just as also our beloved brother Paul, according to the wisdom given him, wrote to you, as also in all his letters, speaking in them of these things, in which are some things hard to understand, which the untaught and unstable distort, as they do also the rest of the Scriptures, to their own destruction.
Did Constantine have any influence in forming the New Testament Canon? NO.
Around 22-23 books of the New Testament books were accepted as scriptures within the first century by the church and did not have to wait until the 4th century. By the second and third centuries all the books of the New Testament we have today were accepted as scriptures by the church.
Colossians 4:16
And when this letter has been read among you, have it also read in the church of the Laodiceans; and see that you also read the letter from Laodicea.
1 Thessalonians 5:27 I charge you before the Lord to have this letter read to all the brothers and sisters.
Did apostles keep a copy of the letters they wrote?
Yes, as soon as a letter was written, a copy was made, although it took a long time to write.
What do you mean by apocryphal gospels?
It is sad that the world got their knowledge of the New Testament from the Da Vinci Code. The Da Vinci Code, a popular fictional suspense novel by Dan Brown, It’s historically not accurate and it’s a blasphemy against our Lord Jesus. The Da Vinci Code by Dan Brown has become a best seller and, though it purports to be nothing but fiction, it takes up the basic ideas of The Gnostic gospels and makes them to the same level with the four gospels we have today.
Apocryphal gospels are written around the 2nd century by Gnostic's, Gnosticism was a heresy that became popular with the spread of Christianity. The gospel of Thomas, gospel of Peter, gospel of Mary and others were Gnostic gospels.
Why are the Gnostic gospels popular among non Christians?
Gnostic gospels attract the flesh, they try to tell you what is not written in the Bible, the hidden secret things. Like the missing years of Jesus. It says Jesus in his childhood was playing outside and making some clay pigeons and suddenly these clay pigeons became real birds and flew away. The kid Jesus terrorizes the villages then raises people from the dead.
Gnostic gospels tickle the flesh as it talks of the resurrection of Jesus. The gospels proclaim the risen Savior but the Gnostic gospel reveals Jesus coming out of the tomb as a very tall man, like a giant like 60 feet tall.
But the last saying in the Gospel of Thomas put women down. Below is a quote from the gospel of Thomas.
“ Simon Peter said to them: Let Mary go forth from among us, for women are not worthy of the life. Jesus said: Behold, I shall lead her, that I may make her male, in order that she also may become a living spirit like you males. For every woman who makes herself male shall enter into the kingdom of heaven.” (Thomas-114)
The world would add these gospels to the same level as Matthew, Mark, Luke and John. They try to prove a point by saying if the Gnostic gospels are doubtful then the Christian gospels are doubtful.
Why did the Gnostic gospels use names like the gospel of Peter, Thomas, Mary?
We all know this was the work of Satan, and the enemy's goal is to confuse and make doubt among Christians, instead of using Robert’s gospel, the best way to get attention is to use a Biblical name like Thomas gospel.
When were the four gospels written?
The four gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John were written in the first century. But the Gnostic gospels came way later. When the four gospels were published there were other Christians still alive, who were eyewitnesses of the events, events that were written by Matthew, Mark, Luke and John, if it’s not true they could have easily disapproved. Our gospels were written closest to the event that happened.
Ireneus in the second century said there were only 4 gospels, early church fathers believed in the 4 gospels. There’s significance in the 4 gospels, number four in other places in the Bible.
After Jesus was nailed and hung on a cross, Roman soldiers divided his clothes into four parts (one for each soldier – John 19:23)
There are four beasts in the book of Revelation
Four winds mentioned in the Bible.
How could the apostles remember the events of Jesus and what Jesus said?
John 14:26
But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you.
When the apostles were filled in the Holy Spirit there was a total recall in which they remembered all what Jesus said.
Apostolic Fathers
The Apostolic Fathers were a group of early Christian leaders and authors who lived shortly after the apostles. Their writings are typically dated between AD 80–180. Most of the Apostolic Fathers are believed to have known the apostles personally or were connected to them in some way. Polycarp is traditionally seen as a disciple of the apostle John. Clement was likely the second, third, or fourth bishop of Rome, and he may have known some of the apostles. Hermas possibly knew Clement and thus was acquainted with the church of Rome.
Manuscripts of the New Testament
The New Testament has been preserved in more manuscripts than any other ancient work of literature, with over 5,800 complete or fragmented Greek manuscripts cataloged, Gnostic gospels have only like 3 copies.
First books of the New Testament were written in 40 AD and the whole canon of the New Testament books taken as scriptures during the first and the second centuries.
Our New Testament in order
Augustine the church theologian named the gospels according to chronological order but most scholars believe the gospel of Mark was written first.
The letters of apostle Paul were arranged according to length, the book of Romans being the longest and Philemon being the shortest.
1. Written by an apostle or a close associate of an apostle. Luke was a close associate with apostle Paul, also Mark was a close associate with Peter and Paul.
2. Had to be written in the first century during the apostolic period.
3. Context should flow with the rest of the scriptures. Although the author's name was not mentioned in the book of Hebrews, the context played a major part and it was written in the first century.
4. Books were widespread and accepted by all the rest of the churches.