In the previous article, we saw that the “Word of God” can refer to several things. Most importantly, Jesus Christ is the living Word. He is the fullest and clearest revelation of God.
Hebrews 1:1–3 tells us that God spoke in many ways through the prophets, but “in these last days” He has spoken through His Son. Jesus is “the radiance of His glory and the exact representation of His nature.” If we want to know what God is like, we look ultimately to Christ.
But God has also revealed Himself through His spoken and written words. His words came through prophets in the Old Testament and apostles in the New Testament. These words were eventually recorded as Scripture. The written Word points beyond itself to the living Word, Jesus Christ.
We see this beautifully after Christ’s resurrection. On the road to Emmaus, Jesus began with Moses and the prophets and explained the things concerning Himself in the Scriptures (Luke 24:27). The Old Testament story was always moving toward Him.
From the Old Testament to the New
In the previous article, we considered the development of the Old Testament canon. The word canon refers to the books recognized as belonging to Scripture. The Old Testament canon developed as God revealed His truth through Moses, Joshua, Samuel, and the prophets.
By the time of Malachi, Ezra, and Nehemiah, the Old Testament revelation had reached its conclusion. Malachi anticipated another prophet who would come later. That prophetic voice appeared in John the Baptist, who prepared the way for Christ.
With the coming of Jesus, a new stage in God’s redemptive history began. The Old Testament anticipated the Messiah; the New Testament records His coming and explains the meaning of His life, death, resurrection, and promised return.
Jesus prepared His apostles for this task. In John 14:26, He promised that the Holy Spirit would teach them and bring His words to their remembrance. In John 16:13, He promised that the Spirit would guide them into truth.
This is important because the New Testament did not arise merely from human memories of Jesus. Christ authorized His apostles, and the Holy Spirit guided them as they communicated His truth.
The Authority of the Apostles
The apostles understood that they possessed a special authority from Christ. Paul wrote that his teaching came not from human wisdom but from the Spirit of God (1 Corinthians 2:13). He even told the Corinthians that what he wrote to them was “the Lord’s commandment” (1 Corinthians 14:37).
Peter similarly recognized Paul’s writings as Scripture. In 2 Peter 3:15–16, he refers to Paul’s letters and then compares them with “the rest of the Scriptures.” This is significant because the Greek word Peter uses for Scripture was normally used for the authoritative writings of the Old Testament.
Thus, even during the apostolic period, Christians were beginning to recognize certain New Testament writings as Scripture.
Most New Testament books were written directly by apostles or by people closely connected with them. Luke traveled with Paul and wrote both Luke and Acts. Mark was closely associated with Peter. Jude was connected with James. Although we do not know who wrote Hebrews, the early church recognized its authority and its close connection with apostolic teaching.
The point is that the church did not simply choose books centuries later and make them authoritative. Rather, believers recognized the authority these writings already possessed.
That is a crucial distinction.
The church did not create the canon. It recognized the canon.
Recognizing the New Testament
There was naturally a period when the New Testament writings were being copied, collected, and distributed among churches. Some shorter books were not immediately known everywhere.
Nevertheless, agreement developed remarkably early. By AD 367, Athanasius listed exactly the same twenty-seven New Testament books we have today. Later, the Council of Carthage affirmed the same collection.
This process gives us good historical reasons for confidence, but my confidence is ultimately theological. It rests upon the character and faithfulness of God.
If God inspired certain writings for the spiritual nurture of His people, it makes sense that He would also oversee their preservation and recognition. God is sovereign over history. He would not give His people an authoritative revelation and then allow an essential portion of it to disappear for centuries.
This is one reason we should be cautious whenever someone claims to have discovered a new revelation that must be added to Scripture. Various religious groups have claimed additional books or authorities. But these additions often become the lens through which the Bible itself is interpreted.
If God faithfully gave and preserved His Word, we should not expect Him suddenly to provide an essential new revelation two thousand years later.
Has the Bible Been Preserved?
This does not mean that every manuscript copy of the Bible is identical in every word. There are textual variations among ancient manuscripts.
But these differences do not overturn Christian doctrine or ethics. In fact, by comparing the many manuscripts available to us, scholars can usually determine with a high degree of confidence which reading best explains the others.
Modern Bible translations are also transparent about important variations, often noting them in the margins or footnotes.
So, when we speak of God preserving Scripture, we do not mean that every person who copied a manuscript was incapable of making an error. Rather, God has preserved His Word through the transmission process so that we possess a remarkably faithful text.
The Authority of Scripture
This brings us to the central issue: authority.
The Bible presents its words as God’s words. This does not mean that God audibly dictated every sentence. Scripture contains the words of hundreds of people. But God guided the process so that what Scripture teaches carries His authority.
The Old Testament repeatedly declares, “Thus says the Lord.” The prophets understood themselves to be communicating God’s message.
The New Testament makes the same claim. Second Timothy 3:16 says, “All Scripture is inspired by God.” The idea is that Scripture is God-breathed. Second Peter 1:21 similarly says that men “moved by the Holy Spirit spoke from God.”
Scripture is therefore both human and divine. Human authors wrote using their own personalities, vocabulary, experiences, and styles, while the Holy Spirit superintended the process.
If Scripture is truly God’s Word, then to reject its teaching is ultimately to reject God’s authority.
An Open Heart and an Open Bible
There are many supporting reasons for trusting Scripture. The Bible is historically grounded and internally consistent. It contains remarkable fulfilled prophecy and has influenced human history and transformed millions of lives.
But these evidences are supportive. They are not the final reason Scripture is true.
Scripture does not become true because it works. It works because it is true.
Ultimately, the Holy Spirit bears witness to the Word of God in the hearts of those who receive it. As we read Scripture, the Spirit uses its words to expose our illusions, challenge our assumptions, and draw us toward Christ.
This is why one of the best things we can encourage a skeptic to do is simply read the Gospels with an open mind. Rather than relying on someone else’s second- or thirdhand opinion about Jesus, encounter the biblical testimony directly.
And the same principle applies to believers.
We possess something people in earlier generations would have longed to hold: the completed testimony of God’s redemptive work, centered in Jesus Christ.
God has spoken.
The question is whether we will listen—and whether we will respond.
To explore this topic more deeply and discover how to thoughtfully answer the questions below, subscribe to Ken Boa Reflections on Substack.
Questions for Reflection
- How does seeing Jesus as the living Word change the way you approach the written Word of God?
- Why is it important that the early church recognized the authority of the New Testament books rather than gave them their authority?
- How does God’s faithfulness give you confidence that He has preserved the Scriptures He intended His people to have?
- If Scripture truly carries God’s authority, what is one area of your life where knowing His Word needs to lead to greater trust and obedience?
