By John MacArthur @ http://www.sfpulpit.comHow the Biblical Canon Was Chosen and Closed
Jude 3 is a crucial passage on the completeness of our Bibles. This statement, penned by Jude before the New Testament was complete, nevertheless looked forward to the completion of the entire canon:
Beloved, while I was making every effort to write to you about our common salvation, I felt the necessity to write to you appealing that you contend earnestly for the faith which was once for all delivered to the saints. (Jude 3)
In the Greek text the definite article preceding “faith” points to the one and only faith: “the faith.” There is no other. Such passages as Galatians 1:23 (“He who once persecuted us is now preaching the faith”) and 1 Timothy 4:1 (“In latter times some will fall away from the faith”) indicate this objective use of the expression “the faith” was common in apostolic times. Greek scholar Henry Alford wrote that the faith is “objective here: the sum of that which Christians believe” (Alford’s Greek Testament, 4:530).
Note also the crucial phrase “once for all” in Jude 3. The Greek word here is hapax, which refers to something done for all time, with lasting results, never needing repetition. Nothing needs to be added to the faith that has been delivered “once for all.”
George Lawlor, who has written an excellent work on Jude, made the following comment:
The Christian faith is unchangeable, which is not to say that men and women of every generation do not need to find it, experience it, and live it; but it does mean that every new doctrine that arises, even though its legitimacy may be plausibly asserted, is a false doctrine. All claims to convey some additional revelation to that which has been given by God in this body of truth are false claims and must be rejected. (Jude, 45).
Also important in Jude 3 is the word “delivered.” In the Greek it is an aorist passive participle, which in this context indicates an act completed in the past with no continuing element. In this instance the passive voice means the faith was not discovered by men, but given to men by God. How did He do that? Through His Word—the Bible.
And so through the Scriptures God has given us a body of teaching that is final and complete. Our Christian faith rests on historical, objective revelation. That rules out all inspired prophecies, seers, and other forms of new revelation until God speaks again at the return of Christ (cf. Acts 2:16–21; Rev. 11:1–13).
In the meantime, Scripture warns us to be wary of false prophets. Jesus said that in our age “false christs and false prophets will show great signs and wonders, so as to mislead, if possible, even the elect” (Matt. 24:24). Signs and wonders alone are no proof that a person speaks for God. John wrote, “Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God; because many false prophets have gone out into the world” (1 John 4:1).
Ultimately, Scripture is the test of everything; it is the Christian’s standard. In fact, the word canon means “a rule, standard, or measuring rod.” The canon of Scripture is the measuring rod of the Christian faith, and it is complete.
Let me begin by saying that I consider the canon of the Greek scriptures closed. Even if I did believe there was a book that was left out that should have been included (which I do not), it would be a colossal waste of time to lobby for its inclusion.
Most details regarding the canon’s formation are not startling, but are informative. There were only two books that had the support of significant leaders, but did not make it into the canon–”The Shepherd of Hermas” and “The Didache” (or “The Teachings of the Twelve Apostles”).
[http://www.earlychristianwritings.com/shepherd.html] [http://www.earlychristianwritings.com/didache.html]
The main texts whose inclusion was disputed but were eventually included in the canon are Jude, II Peter, and Revelation. It’s interesting that the two main texts supporting a closed canon are from books whose inclusion was disputed (Jude and Revelation).
I suspect that priorities which necessitated the formation of an authoritative canon would have still eventuated in an authoritative canon had those convenient (though meager) proofs not existed.
We generally have faith that God superintended the selection of the books eventually labeled authoritative for Christians.
Our faith in the selection process is not based on Scripture, however. The Revelation passage, as Scott G. points out, is very weak support for a closed canon. Jude’s words about “the faith once delivered” is a bit vague–Paul wrote similar words to the effect, “if anyone comes to you with a gospel,” etc.
It is reasonable to develop logical arguments for the formation and existence of the canon. It is reasonable to develop an apologetic for people who have reasonable questions about the reliability of the canonization process and to answer ignorant and exaggerated attacks on the canon.
It is not reasonable, however, to deny the human element in the formation of the canon.