The word canon, as related to Scripture, means the “officially accepted list of books” in
Women's Community Bible Study - In the fourth installment of six articles, teacher and Bible commentator Nancy McGuirk continues a discussion of the development of the Bible. The diverse oral and literary techniques employed by various authors in order to compile the Bible took over 1000 years. When Jerusalem was destroyed in 70 AD, the Jews were scattered in various geographic locations and they had to decide which books constituted the authoritative Word of God.
We now turn our attention to the question of how the Bible came into existence. Each of the men who authored some portion of Scripture either personally recorded, or dictated to someone else, their experiences with God. We find these encounters chronicled in God’s Word from Adam, to Abraham, to Moses, to Joshua, to the Judges, to David, to Solomon and the later prophets, all the way to the disciples and the apostles.
The diverse oral and literary techniques these various individuals employed in order to compile the Holy Bible took well over 1000 years. Then the destruction of Jerusalem took place in 70 AD, the Temple was destroyed and the sacrificial system was discontinued. The Jews were scattered in various geographic locations and they needed to decide which books constituted the authoritative Word of God.
However, it is important to note at this point that the Old Testament canon was a settled issue in the hearts and minds of Jewish people long before the dispersion of the Jews occurred. The word canon is derived from the root word “reed.” The reed was used as a measuring rod and eventually meant “standard.” Thus, the word canon was used as the “rule of faith” or “the standard by which we measure and evaluate.” Today the word canon, as related to Scripture, means the “officially accepted list of books.”
Up until this point, the Old Testament canon was as follows: the Law (which was canonized around the 6th century BC,) and shortly afterwards, the Prophets, and then the remaining writings, which were canonized around the 1st century. Even Jesus referred to the order of the Jewish Bible in Luke 24:34, when He said, “All things must be fulfilled which were written in the Law of Moses, the Prophets, and the Psalms concerning me.”
(See below for other related articles in this series.)
Nancy McGuirk - Bible commentator, small group facilitator, and intercessor - is the founder and director of the Women's Community Bible Study International. Nancy ministers to thousands of people each week in person and through a video and audio tape ministry. The focus of her work is evangelism, discipleship and intercessory prayer. For more articles by Nancy McGuirk, go to her website at Women’s Community Bible Study a Christianity.com ministry partner.
