Expert: Spirit Sword - 4/4/2004

Question
When was the New Testament written...was it in the third century under Constantine?...How do we know that the authors (i.e.,,,Paul) really wrote it?
Thank you for your time

Answer
Hi Patrice,

Thank you for your question.    

As far as I know the New Testament was written anywhere from 40 - 95 A.D.   This is just a rough estimate and depends upon who you talk to.   I'd say most theologians would give time estimates that fall within this range.    

We don't really know for sure if the authors were really the ones that wrote the book(s) they claimed to have written.

However, the more important question is not the human author but the divine.    Are the books that show up in the canon of scripture divinely inspired?   

In order to determine which books went into the New Testament canon the early church would try to identify which books were written or tied to the apostles.    

The early church followed this verse where Jesus says to his apostles:

Matthew 10:40 He that receiveth you receiveth me, and he that receiveth me receiveth him that sent me.

The church's foundation was built upon Jesus Christ and the apostles, Jesus Christ being the chief cornerstone.  
(Ephesians 2:20)  If any book had evidence of apostolic authorship they were strongly considered as divine.   

Secondly, the early church saw that some of the books they considered had a certain uniqueness and power about them.  They were self authenticating and possessed the power to change men's lives and to turn them to repentence.  

Since the New Testament books held such self authenticating power, the likelihood is they were written by the authors who have claimed to have wrote those books.   Ultimately, God is the author of the Bible and I strongly believe He was at work in the early church to guide them in creating the canon of scripture we have today.   


Archangel