Selection of the four gospels for the canon

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How do we know this? The answer starts to unfold when we discover that the Apostle Peter informed those of his time that the Apostle Paul was writing scripture in 2 Peter 3:15-16. Then in 1 Timothy 5:18 the Apostle Paul quotes the statement “The laborer is worthy of his wages” as being scripture. Now this is wonderful because this passage occurs only in Luke 10:7. This means that Paul says that Luke wrote scripture. Therefore, Peter endorsed Paul, who endorsed Luke. These three men wrote the majority of the New Testament: Luke wrote the Gospel of Luke and Acts; Paul wrote a large portion of the New Testament; and Peter wrote 1 and 2 Peter. This is wonderful. But the most important discovery is that the apostles were already determining who was and who was not writing scripture.

Some have taught that the early church spent years attempting to determine what books belonged in the Bible. But that is not true. We have evidence from the early church fathers and a document called the Muratorian Fragment that the books of the New Testament were well established very early.

The earliest list of all of the New Testament books is found in the Muratorian fragment (A.D. 170). It is damaged in multiple places. That is why it is called a fragment. The beginning has been torn off and references to some books are missing. The author of the document gave a running account of the books of the New Testament. In the document all of the New Testament books are listed except for Matthew, Mark, Hebrews, James, 1-2 Peter and 3 John. Matthew and Mark are missing due to a tear, since the author of the Muratorian refers to the “third book of the gospel.” So only Hebrews, James, 1-2 Peter and 3 John are missing from the list. Were they part of the torn piece too? We do not know. But as early as A.D. 70-130, Hebrews and 1 and 2 Peter were already quoted as being part of the New Testament in Pseudo-Barnabas and Clement of Rome. The Muratorian Fragment includes other books but clearly states that they were not considered to be scripture.

Muratorian Fragment

A.D. 170

. . . at these, however, he was present, and so he set them down. The third book of the Gospel: according to Luke . . . The fourth of the Gospels is that of John, one of the disciples . . . The acts of all the apostles were written in one book. Addressing the most excellent Theophilus, Luke includes one by one the things which were done in his own presence, as he shows plainly by omitting the passion of Peter and also Paul’ departure when he was setting from the city for Spain. As for the epistles of Paul . . . First of all, to the Corinthians, . . . then to the Galatians . . . then to the Romans . . . first to the Corinthians, second to the Ephesians, third to the Philippians, fourth to the Colossians, fifth to the Galatians, sixth to the Thessalonians, seventh to the Romans. But although [the message] is repeated to the Corinthians and Thessalonians by way of reproof . . . John also in the Apocalypse, yet speaks to all. Moreover, [Paul writes] one [letter] to Philemon, one to Titus, and two to Timothy . . . But the epistle of Jude and the superscribed with the name of John are accepted . . .

The apostles had already determined what was scripture. The books of the New Testament were recognized very early by the apostles. The Apostle John died about A.D. 100 and only 50-70 years later this fragment existed. The New Testament books were not being discovered, but were being defended by the early church in the years that followed.

Justin Martyr was a Gentile, and he wrote this during his life time (A.D. 110-165).

"For the apostles, in the memoirs composed by them, which are called Gospels, have thus delivered unto us what was enjoined upon them . . ." (The First Apology of Justin, chap. 66, A.D. 110-165.)

"And on the day called Sunday, all who live in cities or in the country gather together to one place, and the memoirs of the apostles or the writings of the prophets are read, as long as time permits; then, when the reader has ceased, the president verbally instructs, and exhorts to the imitation of these good things." (The First Apology of Justin, chap 67, A.D. 110-165.)

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