Expert: J.M.J. West - 4/10/2008

Question
QUESTION: How do you know what books belong in the scriptures if this knowledge is itself not in the scriptures?  If we do not KNOW for certain which books belong, then can we trust the scriptures?  Can we know what books belong?

ANSWER: Samir, Great Question!

It is very true that IF we do not know without doubt that the books in the bible belong THEN we cannot know that we can even trust the bible.  It could then contain erroneous doctrine; and this is a real problem for many in Christianity today who have severed themselves from the "pillar and foundation of the truth" that Christ gave us: The Church (Cf. 1 Tim 3:15).

The key to understanding this is the knowledge that Jesus didn't give us a book, he gave us a Church, with men who had the authority to answer such questions (cf. Matt 16:16-19, Matt 18:18), who in turn passed on their authority though (apostolic succession, cf. Acts 1:17); and all of whom were protected by the Holy Spirit (John 14:25-17).

Christ gave us the Church, and the Church came before the Scriptures (NT, at any rate); it was to the church that those scriptures were written, and it was that church that collected them and spoke infallibly about which books did and didn't belong.  You cannot have it any other way.  Prominent Protestant Theologian R.C. Sproul wrote that "The historic Protestant position ... has been that the canon of Scripture is a fallible collection of infallible books." (http://www.ligonier.org/questions_answered.php?question_id=16)  Unfortunately, that will never give you a bible you can trust.

Hopefully that is helpful!

Pax Christi,

-J.M.J. West

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Thank you.  Your answer does make some sense too me.  I aksed antoher expert, and she said though that the catholic church made up this story...is this true or not?

Answer
I've not ever encountered another answer that would permit one to have infallible knowledge of what books belong in the bible, and fallible knowledge would take away the bible because we couldn't trust it.

The earliest Christian canons were actually circulated by heretics (e.g. Marcion) who wanted to exclude certain texts used by the Christian church and to include certain books excluded by them.  To combat this, the church set down an official canon at the Council of Rome.  

But within the early Church, while there was some consensus on certain books (the 4 gospels and the letters of Paul), there was much doubt about others (Hebrews and Revelation, for example).

For more information, you might enjoy these articles:
http://www.catholic.com/thisrock/2004/0409fea4.asp
http://www.catholic.com/library/What_Your_Authority.asp