Why did the Bible end?

Question

Why were the books of the New Testament still being written 50+ years after the death of Christ, and then suddenly come to an end?

If Christ's church continued on, why was no one inspired to write anything new that was added to the Scriptures? Shouldn't the Bible have been an ongoing work in progress as the Church continued to receive revelation? What suddenly brought that pattern to an end?

You can't say that it was only to be written by those who knew Christ because Paul never knew Christ while he was alive and the NT is full of his writings. Why did that type of thing not continue?

Okay, harvomatic--but why did Paul's type of experience not happen with others? If the apostles were needed to guide the Church, why did they just die and and not continue receiving revelation for the Church?

I feel that people aren't understanding the question. I'm not asking why people don't add to the Bible today. The NT records what went on in the early Church and contained revelations/instructions from God to guide the Church. Why did these things cease within the first century? Don't you think God would go on guiding the Church in that same way? But apparently he didn't. Why?

JesusLUVA -- in case you didn't know, Revelation was not the last book written, by far. It was just placed last much later. So Revelation could not have possibly "summed it up."

harvomatic -- I appreciate your response. Maybe a bit naive, but its sincere. However, the fact that the 27 books of the NT were not singled out until a century or two later makes your conclusion a bit shaky. The NT mentions other writings (other epistles of Paul and Peter, the Book of Enoch, for example), that are not to be found in our Bible. It seems to me that what we have today was pieced together long after inspiration had left the church.

Answer 1

For one thing, the writers of the NT were either direct disciples of Jesus, or were disciples of disciples of Jesus. Paul is considered a disciple/convert of Christ because of his conversion experience (he talked to Christ).

Acts 9:4-5
He fell to the ground and heard a voice say to him, "Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?"
"Who are you, Lord?" Saul asked. "I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting," he replied.


Edit #2 - Paul's conversion experience was indeed unique. If I read your response right, you are asking me why the disciples died and didn't continue the work themselves? I may have misunderstood.

Obviously they did die, because they were human. May I reccommend studying some of the early church fathers though? These are the folks who carried on the work after the direct eyewitnesses of Christ passed on. Not only is it awesome studying, you can see that there were some wonderful, holy men of God in the first church era that aren't mentioned in the scriptures (being spiritual descendants of the original 12) that had a profound impact on the early church and therefore Christianity today. Many of these men were martyred for their beliefs.

Did they write anything that is in the Bible? No. I believe that the Bible was inspired by God and was intended to be a finished work where it ended off. Did they receive revelation though? Perhaps (debatable). Some of their writings are very inspirational, and even some were considered by the early church councils in consideration for inclusion into the original NT canon.

Some of these early church fathers that you might wish to do a Wiki on are:
Ignatius, Polycarp, Justin Martyr, Irenaeus, Clement of Alexandria, Augustine of Hippo, etc. If you google "early church fathers" you will probaly find more extensive lists.

My main point being is that there are indeed wonderful Christian works in the first few centuries, but they were not considered for inclusion in the canon, and as a Christian, I believe that it was a divine reason, not a human one that left those books out.

Edit #3 - The lady who said "Revelation summed it up" was referring to the chronological order of the events in the book, not the chronological order of the writing of the book. The same way for the OT = Genesis describes the first events, but many theological circles hold that Job was written chronologically first.

Edit #4 - Not only was the Bible divinely inspired and divinely put together, it was done so under divine circumstances. There were a number of different reasons that caused it to be recognized at that precise point in history. False canons began to appear, most notably that of Marcion. Books were going around that were obvious forgeries, for example, the Gospel of Thomas. Different churches in different parts of the world had different canons. This is a nutshell argument of what one could write entire books on, but suffice to say, it wasn't that a group of church fathers just got together and thought it'd be a good idea to recognize the canon. The timing and process were just as divinely caused as the rest of it.

It wasn't that there was any question on legitimate books - all of the major councils approved the Gospels, for instance. Very few of our current NT books were even up for debate.

The main factor is that there were lots of heresies, false books, books attributed to writers who didn't wrote them, etc. that made it neccessary to come to a formal agreement of the authentic NT canon.

God bless.

Answer 2

Revalation is the end of the New Testament. So, it predicts the future of this world. It's not an ongoing process because the truth about Christ had already been revealed. Although Paul did not know Christ, but Christ had called him to preach the Gospel and exhort other christians. This period of time is call grace, this means that everyone has the opportunity to accept Christ in order to achieve eternal life. The book revelation explains everything about the return of Christ, so we don't need any other revaltion because the purpose of the Old Testament have been fufilled, which was the coming of a messiah. Now we are just waiting for his return.

Answer 3

There were all kinds of writings in their time and afterward. But the Spirit that controls the churches singled out the 27 books of the New Testament to be used in all churches of every time.

Even the Apocrypha cannot make this claim.

Add to the facts of history this interesting verse from the Bible itself:

1 Cor 13:8-10
8 Charity never faileth: but whether there be prophecies, they shall fail; whether there be tongues, they shall cease; whether there be knowledge, it shall vanish away.
9 For we know in part, and we prophesy in part.
10 But when that which is perfect is come, then that which is in part shall be done away.

The facts of history prove that the Bible was perfectly distributed, studied and obeyed by the Christians.

God placed a great emphasis on His Word. This is why so many atheists on here get frustrated with Christians. But the Christians are simply emulating their Father and Brother when they refer to the Book.

Answer 4

Well many will tell that it didn't end, and there are some of my teachers who believe we should be in Acts chapter 29, 30 etc etc., However, the Holy Bible was written for specific reasons. The Holy Spirit dictated what he wanted to be placed in the Word of God as the Word of God, if He so desired that to still occur, we would have as many volumes to the Word as there are sets of encyclopedias around the world! God did not want a book for man just to study - if that is what He wanted He would definitely be still putting down "thus saith the LORD". He wanted a book that we would "live, move and have our being in Christ". The whole book is Christo-centric book. It is not just about who wrote what and when and why, it is a book that is perfectly enough for us to be born of God and to be filled with the Spirit so that we may live the life God has called for us to live in Christ!

Thus this the most important element of the story -

does the Bible Live in you?

Is the Word of God living in you?

Is the Holy Spirit abiding and empowering you to continue to win those to Christ?

To do the same that He has done in you?

Answer 5

There was no NT while Christ was alive on earth. People write books everyday about God and Jesus. But no one can add to or take away anything in the Bible.

Revelation 22:19 says:


And if anyone takes words away from this book of prophecy, God will take away from him his share in the tree of life and in the holy city, which are described in this book.

The verse says that anyone adding to or taking away from the Bible's message will have no place in heaven. An old saying goes, "Where the Bible speaks, we speak, where the Bible is silent, we are silent." This statement embodies our belief in the Bible as having the last say in our lives.

Answer 6

What bible are you reading from? The apostle paul met Jesus on the road to Damascus. Paul, not knowing Jesus at that time, was radically changed for the gospel of Jesus Christ after that encounter! The Word of God is complete. Nothing needs to be added or taken away. What we are to do today is conform our thinking to God's ways. And as we do this, His Truths live on today in His church, the Christians..

Answer 7

i actual take exhilaration on your aspect. I were declaring ideal alongside that our time ideal the following is short. In prophecy adventure, each and every and each and every of the actors are in position, the point is determined we are purely waiting for the curtain to pass up. All God's prophecies has and may want to come to stay away from. regrettably, we've a growing variety of those who would quite worship something yet Christ. yet yet another prophecies of our Lord that His call will be exalted above the diverse call and the global will hate you through actuality of my call. you do now no longer see people persecuting a individual who worship a faux god. look at each and every and each and every of the anger that come out of people once you're declaring you're a Christian, at the same time as quickly as you're being loving and style they inspite of the actuality that opt to tear you up.

Answer 8

because Satan didn't want humanity understanding the changes being made he wanted his church "catholic" to control all the spiritual information... that is why people thump blindly today... spiritual revelations don't stop coming, just because religions want control.. the same thing happens in the Quran... yet newer versions of these keep popping up... spiritual manipulation is the same as subconscious manipulation... then there is information... in nature one hears subconsciously and is given to make up their own minds.... that is where conscience plays a role.. subconscious information and conscience equal new conscious perspective.... this often occurred to those calling themselves agnostics... well in the end it's better to call yourself an atheists and not get involved in anything other than just being human because it can drive you insane.... common sense occurs when you live as a human not devine but a regular human... there is no god only the one who manipulates the subconscious (aka Satan , or the devil human in origine) and nature battling it out. the animals lived without religion and still do. so god is not needed for life.

Answer 9

Good points...dear question asker...but seriously, if it had kept going...Would you read it? That would be the longest book ever...every book has an ending...that never meant the story stopped...God is still working and Jesus is alive. The Holy word applies to every ones lives. It is the written word of God and once we understand His word we should understand Him more and in doing so make the right decisions in life because we know the heart of the Father.

Answer 10

God said all He had to. He gave people rules, laws and instructions as people needed to follow.

Any other questions we have we will have to wait and/or ask God...