There Is No “Bible” in the Bible

Glory to God for All Things ^ | 09-28-2014 | Fr. Stephen Freeman

[MamaB]

Yes they sure are. They follow Jesus and His word.

[oldbrowser]

So while trolling about, why don’t you answer this; Are protestants true Christians? A simple ‘yes’ or ‘no’ will do.

NO. They are more like ex-Christians.

[Alex Murphy]

"...The “Bible,” a single book with the whole of the Scriptures included, is indeed modern. It is a by-product of the printing press, fostered by the doctrines of Protestantism. For it is not until the advent of Protestant teaching that the concept of the Bible begins to evolve into what it has become today."

I am wearing my asbestos underwear for this one. -:)

Let's hope you've got your big-boy pants on over them!

[nickcarraway]

I think you misunderstood my question. I meant what is Fr. Stephen Freeman?

[thackney]

Fr. Stephen is a priest of the Orthodox Church in America

http://oca.org/history-archives/oca-history-intro

The Orthodox Church in America traces its origins to the arrival in Kodiak, Alaska of eight Orthodox missionaries from the Valaamo Monastery in the northern Karelia region of Russia in 1794. The missionaries made a great impact on the native Alaskan population and were responsible for bringing many to the Orthodox Christian faith.

Today, the Orthodox Church in America numbers some 700 parishes, missions, communities, monasteries, and institutions throughout the United States, Canada, and Mexico.

[Hawthorn]

>> eight Orthodox missionaries from the Valaamo Monastery in the northern Karelia region of Russia in 1794 <<

Very interesting! I’ll bet that some or all of these men were ethnic Finns, not Russians.

(And even though I don’t know the language, I gotta say that the name “Valaamo” looks very Finnish.)

[taxcontrol]

With all due respect to the good Fr Freeman, the Jewish historian Josephus (37CE – c. 100CE), clearly lays out the Hebrew canon at the time of Jesus. Josephus refers to sacred scriptures divided into three parts, the five books of the Torah, thirteen books of the Nevi’im, and four other books of hymns and wisdom.

If Josephus who was born after Jesus ministry was able to identify these as being Hebrew cannon, it stands to reason that the cannon was closed and widely agreed upon prior to Josephus writing them down. As such, the Hebrew cannon or “scriptures” would have been set during or before Jesus’s ministry.

[NRx]

Ooops sorry. You are correct. I misread your question. He is Eastern Orthodox.

[Svartalfiar]

For it is not until the advent of Protestant teaching that the concept of the Bible begins to evolve into what it has become today.

Wait, what? The author seems to think there was no set bible until the Protestants split from the Church? Which occurred in the 1500s. Hmm.. Let's see. Quick Google research gives us a couple dates:

- 315 AD: Athenasius, the Bishop of Alexandria, identifies the 27 books of the New Testament which are today recognized as the canon of scripture.

- 382 AD: Jerome's Latin Vulgate Manuscripts Produced which contain All 80 Books (39 Old Test. + 14 Apocrypha + 27 New Test). (Catholic Church has, essentially, the Bible here, no?)

- 1384 AD: Wycliffe is the First Person to Produce a (Hand-Written) manuscript Copy of the Complete Bible; All 80 Books.

- 1517 AD: Luther posts his Ninety-Five Theses, generally assumed to be the spark that ignited the Protestant split.

[righttackle44]

A simple ‘yes’ or ‘no’ will do.

I love it when someone tries to bully someone else into argument limits. It pretty well shows that there is no premise there, much less an argument for or against.

[jjotto]

Overlooked is that ‘canon’ didn’t mean the same thing to Jews then as it means now to Christians. The Five Books of Moses are fixed and carry the authority through which the Prophets and Writings are viewed. Christians view the New Testament, Prophets and Writings as modifying the Five Books, which is exactly opposite of the Jewish view.

[Albion Wilde]

This argument sounds like Emily Litella made it.

Reminds me of the people who think "the church" means the building.

[Salvation]

The first mass produced Bible was produced nearly a century before Protestantism via Luther.

The first mass produced printed book was the Bible, a version based on the Latin edition from about 380 AD. The Bible was printed at Mainz, Germany by Johannes Gutenberg from 1452 -1455.

[Salvation]

So how did Paul know that Jesus appeared to 500 people at one time?

It’s not in any Gospel — it is Holy Tradition — he was told this person to person.

[BillyBoy]

>> Anyone who professes faith in Christ and follows Him is a Christian. <<

Disagree. Mormons are not Christians, and the vast majority of protestants will acknowledge that Mormons aren't.

[Albion Wilde]

I have to assume your article means that the early Christians had no Christian guide for their canon...

They had the Didache.

[Albion Wilde]

The best I can give you is, most are, some are not.

Same is true for adherents of any religious affiliation. Some are true, some are just wearing the label. I think, tbpiper, you may be asking about theology, not persons.

[Albion Wilde]

"Are protestants true Christians? A simple ‘yes’ or ‘no’ will do."

NO. They are more like ex-Christians.

Well, aren't you special. And incorrect.

[Albion Wilde]

Ping!

[Tao Yin]

Wait, what? The author seems to think there was no set bible until the Protestants split from the Church?

-1517 AD: Luther posts his Ninety-Five Theses, generally assumed to be the spark that ignited the Protestant split.

There wasn't a set bible until the council of Trent. There are no ecumenical councils and there are no Papal declarations from the chair. Any list of books was fallible and could have been changed at any time. For all intents and purposes, your earlier date are rational. But the Roman Catholic Canon wasn't set until the council of Trent.

1545 to 1563 AD: Council of Trent And it has thought it meet that a list of the sacred books be inserted in this decree, lest a doubt may arise in any one's mind, which are the books that are received by this Synod. They are as set down here below: