The Bible didn't just drop from Heaven...so who put it together?

Question

I asked this before but if you though i was trying to keep the answer away, here it is:
Two Popes and two Councils of the Catholic Church determined the Canon of the Bible. Popes Damasus (in 382) and Innocent I (in 405), and the Councils of Hippo (393) and Carthage (397) all approved the books that we have in the Bible today. Before then there was no official list, especially concerning the New Testament. But the list was determined by the authority of the Catholic Church. You can look through ecclesiastical history, that's where it came from.
If you accept that the books in the Bible are the only inspired ones, you are accepting that on the authority of the Catholic Church.
So either the Catholic Church is the master deceiver, and you can't say for certain if the Bible is actually God's Word--- or it's right, and we have the Bible. Which one?

The Canon was originally put together by the Catholic Church, and Martin Luther in 1529 took seven books out of it. On who's authority did he do that? And anyway, the rest was still put together by the Church. You're right, God breathed into the authors, but they couldn't just say, "Oh yeah, my writing was inspired." Anyone could have actually CLAIMED that, but someone had to decide which ones were for real. The Catholic Church did.

Yeah kenshoa, that's true, but you have to remember there were SO many other books, like the Gospel of Thomas, running around saying they were giving God's message. If everyone is just claiming their writing is inspired, you're not just going to believe them and throw it in the Bible. If only the inspired word of God is in the Bible, then how could the Catholic Church declare which were which? The only was is through God's authority, or there isn't a Bible.

Sure, all books that were inspired belonged in the Canon for the moment of their writing. God was the one who inspired, so He knows which ones belong in the Bible. And exactly, God was showing HIs followers which books were inspired. But think about this: Who were all those people you mentioned? They were all Catholic church fathers, or Popes. And you mentioned several Catholic Church councils that helped determine the canon. So yes, many people had correct ideas about what should be contained in the canon. But other Christians had incorrect ideas as well- not everyone agreed from the start. You have to remember that. And take into account that it was after the Councils and Popes declared that these were the ones inspired by God that the official canon was set-- and not before. So yes, God inspired certain ones, and we had to find them out. That was what the Catholic Church did.

Answer 1

ofcourse I accept the catholic church, it is the pillar and foundation of truth....1 tim. 3:15

without the catholic church we would have no bible canon or accepted faith. Yet, the four gospels were accepted immediately by early christians hundreds of years before the official bible canon was finished.

Answer 2

Question: "How and when was the canon of the Bible put together?"

Answer: The term "canon" is used to describe the books that are divinely inspired and therefore belong in the Bible. The difficult aspect of determining the Biblical canon is that the Bible does not give us a list of the books that belong in the Bible. Determining the canon was a process, first by Jewish rabbis and scholars, and then later by early Christians. Ultimately, it was God who decided what books belonged in the Biblical canon. A book of Scripture belonged in the canon from the moment God inspired its writing. It was simply a matter of God convincing His human followers which books should be included in the Bible.

Compared to the New Testament, there was very little controversy over the canon of the Old Testament. Hebrew believers recognized God’s messengers, and accepted their writings as inspired of God. There was undeniably some debate in regards to the Old Testament canon. However, by 250 A.D. there was nearly universal agreement on the canon of Hebrew Scripture. The only issue that remained was the Apocrypha…with some debate and discussion continuing today. The vast majority of Hebrew scholars considered the Apocrypha to be good historical and religious documents, but not on the same level as the Hebrew Scriptures.

For the New Testament, the process of the recognition and collection began in the first centuries of the Christian church. Very early on, some of the New Testament books were being recognized. Paul considered Luke’s writings to be as authoritative as the Old Testament (1 Timothy 5:18; see also Deuteronomy 25:4 and Luke 10:7). Peter recognized Paul’s writings as Scripture (2 Peter 3:15-16). Some of the books of the New Testament were being circulated among the churches (Colossians 4:16; 1 Thessalonians 5:27). Clement of Rome mentioned at least eight New Testament books (A.D. 95). Ignatius of Antioch acknowledged about seven books (A.D. 115). Polycarp, a disciple of John the Apostle, acknowledged 15 books (A.D. 108). Later, Irenaeus mentioned 21 books (A.D. 185). Hippolytus recognized 22 books (A.D. 170-235). The New Testament books receiving the most controversy were Hebrews, James, 2 Peter, 2 John, and 3 John. The first “canon” was the Muratorian Canon, which was compiled in (A.D. 170). The Muratorian Canon included all of the New Testament books except Hebrews, James, and 3 John. In A.D. 363, the Council of Laodicea stated that only the Old Testament (along with the Apocrypha) and the 27 books of the New Testament were to be read in the churches. The Council of Hippo (A.D. 393) and the Council of Carthage (A.D. 397) also affirmed the same 27 books as authoritative.

The councils followed something similar to the following principles to determine whether a New Testament book was truly inspired by the Holy Spirit: 1) Was the author an apostle or have a close connection with an apostle? 2) Is the book being accepted by the Body of Christ at large? 3) Did the book contain consistency of doctrine and orthodox teaching? 4) Did the book bear evidence of high moral and spiritual values that would reflect a work of the Holy Spirit? Again, it is crucial to remember that the church did not determine the canon. No early church council decided on the canon. It was God, and God alone, who determined which books belonged in the Bible. It was simply a matter of God convincing His followers of what He had already decided upon. The human process of collecting the books of the Bible was flawed, but God, in His sovereignty, despite our ignorance and stubbornness, brought the early church to the recognition of the books He had inspired.

Answer 3

the catholic church kept the apocrypha in their bible and the protestant church did not accept that into the canon of scripture. I do not dismiss the fact that there may be some facts and truths in the apocrypha although there were some contradictions in those texts that were decided on by many men of god in which i believe is inspired by god. i accept the canon of scripture that the protestant church accepts, Nothing wrong with the authorized KJV. Besides no matter what the bible does not miss the main point of scripture and that is a sinful man needing a savior in Jesus Christ. wont we accept him today friend.

Answer 4

Christians read the same Bible as Catholics?

They add different books to theirs. Saying that the Bible was God inspired does not mean that I read the Catholic Bible? What are you trying to get at?

God breathed the words into the authors. The authors wrote down what God was saying to the author. Simple.

Answer 5

The word “spirit” is also used in the Bible in another sense. Addressing God in prayer, the psalmist said: “If you send forth your spirit, they are created.” (Psalm 104:30) This spirit is not God himself but a force that God sends forth, or uses, to accomplish whatever he wishes. By means of it, God created the physical heavens, the earth, and all living things. (Genesis 1:2; Psalm 33:6) His spirit is called holy spirit. God used his holy spirit to inspire the men who wrote the Bible. (2 Peter 1:20, 21) Hence, the holy spirit is the invisible active force that God uses to fulfill his purposes.

Answer 6

A man put it together. Whether or not it was the word of God i don't know though. I'm an agnostic christian. Meaning I have an idea of God but accept the possibility of something else. But definitely do not believe in Catholicism. Not that I'm against it or anything.

Answer 7

Catholic Church is ran by the Crab People. The real bible is hidden in the lyrics of SLAYER. Concentrate on the music and you will here the gospel! DAD HATES US ALL.

Answer 8

well, before the Bible was written, the people just used to tell the stories, started by Adam and Eve, ther told the stories to their children and they did to theirs, and when the other stories came along they also told them such as Abraham and Sarah, Joseph, etc, and people remembered these stories and the prophets wrote them down

Answer 9

the Catholic Church is the master deceiver, and you can't say for certain if the Bible is actually God's Word. Thats my answer.

Answer 10

Neither. Anyone can compile works or books. It doesn't make them right or wrong...it just means they are the ones who compiled it.