Questions related to the Canon of the New Testament

(last update: 9 December 1997)

  1. Do John 15:26-27 and 16:12-14 show that the New Testament was given through the Holy Spirit and not through the Church?

  2. Did the early Christians define the books of the New Testament before 4th century?

  3. Can we prove that the Hippo and Carthage councils were organised by the Catholic Church?

Questions and Answers:

  1. Do John 15:26-27 and 16:12-14 show that the New Testament was given through the Holy Spirit and not through the Church?

    Those verses only guarantee that the writers of the New Testament books will be guided by the Holy Spirit. In the same way, the Church was also under the guidance of the Holy Spirit to determine which books belong to the New Testament. We cannot simply include the book even when it explicitly claims to be inspired, in fact most of the New Testament books do not claim inspiration.

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  2. Did the early Christians define the books of the New Testament before 4th century?

    The history shows that the early Christians did not agree which books belong to the New Testament before AD 367. Even after Hippo and Carthage Councils, Christians still used different sets of New Testament books as shown in the number of existing manuscripts.

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  3. Can we prove that the Hippo and Carthage councils were organised by the Catholic Church?

    Augustine who was behind those councils was also well known for his statement: "Rome has spoken, the dispute is at an end" and "I would not believe in the Gospel if the authority of the Catholic Church did not move me to do so". Other than Catholics, who would bother to say these words?

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