Here are a few key reasons why the church fathers closed the New Testament canon around AD 397: 1. They wanted to distinguish authentic apostolic writings from other documents circulating at the time. Some texts like the Gospel of Thomas were considered less authoritative because they were not written by apostles or their close associates. 2. The canon needed to be closed before orthodox theology and Christology became fully defined against heresies like Gnosticism and Arianism. An open canon could allow new texts to be introduced that contradicted emerging Christian doctrines. 3. Most major churches by the late 4th century had come to general agreement on the core books, though some debate remained over a few on the edges like Hebrews

1. BIL115 Life and Faith in the New Testament
Glenn Johnson
WELCOME!!!
Workshop 3 Session: Luke/Acts, Life and Faith Application from Luke/Acts,
Church Visit Preparation

2. BIL115 Life and Faith in the New Testament
Glenn Johnson
Overview
• Assignments Due: Break Weeks
• CLARIFICATION: Even though there are some breaks in the course, assignments are due
at the end of the 7 day period of the workshop.
• B/C we have 2 more weeks off (12/23 and 12/30), let’s have the due date for WS4 be 2
weeks from the start…..559pm 1/6/21
• Graded Papers: Attached to my comments; comments on papers too. Entering point
totals by rubric. Follow instructions, and cite! Use actual terms.
• Questions on Previous WS and Assignments?
• TONIGHT
• Church Service Report: Review “How to Visit A Church” and “Amended Church Service
Report”
• Lecture/Discussion: Highlight Key Facts of Luke/Acts and Discuss Key Points of Life and
Faith in a Verse From Luke/Acts
• Prep Discussion: Church Service Report
Workshop 3 Session: Luke/Acts, Life and Faith Application from Luke/Acts,
Church Visit Preparation

3. New Testament
Survey
Devotion & Prayer
The Way of the Cross
-Acts 1:8 NIV
But when the Holy Spirit has
come upon you, you will
receive power and will tell
people about me everywhere
– in Jerusalem, throughout
Judea, in Samaria, and to the
ends of the earth."

4. CHRIST IN THE SYNOPTIC GOSPELS
LUKE
-Only Gentile (Non Jewish) Writer in NT
-Purpose: “Orderly Account” (1:1-4)
-Same Author As Acts
-Longest Gospel
-Was M.D.
-FOCUS: Social Outcasts
-Smelly Shepherds: First to Know of
Jesus Birth

5. CHRIST IN THE SYNOPTIC GOSPELS
LUKE
-No Room At The Inn?
-”Proper Place”
-Born In Cave Outside of Inn
-350+ Poems Written Attacking
Innkeeper

6. CHRIST IN THE SYNOPTIC GOSPELS
LUKE
-Only One To Record Good
Samaritan
-Stresses Women Throughout
-Stresses Role Of Children:
Mentioned 3x In Connection
w/Jesus
-Luke 19:1-10: Lost People
Matter To God

7. Distinctive Features In Acts
-Acts is the only book in the New
Testament that tells us specifically of
the beginning of the church
-Physical Israel gives way to new
spiritual Israel
-Church becomes the instrument
through which the promise given to
Abraham would reach the world
Proclamation
Apologetic
Conciliatory
Historical

8. Distinctive Features In Acts
EUROPE

9. Distinctive Features In Acts
Revolves Around 2 Main People
Peter: In Jerusalem (Ch. 1-12)
Paul: From Syria To Rome (Ch.
13-28)

10. Distinctive Features In Acts
Historical Background For Paul’s 10 Letters
….NOT TO MENTION
PHILEMON

11. Distinctive Features In Acts
11 Major Speeches In Acts
1. Peter on Pentecost (2:14-40)
2. Peter to Jews In Jerusalem (3:12-26)
3. Stephen Before the Sanhedrin (7:2-53)
4. Peter to Cornelius (10:34-43)
5. Paul To Jews Among Gentiles (13:16-
41)
6. Paul to Greeks In Athens (17:22-31)
7. Paul to Ephesian Elders (20:18-35)
8. Paul To Jews At Jerusalem (22:1-21)
9. Paul to Felix, Gov. of Judea (24:10-21)
10.Paul to King Agrippa (26:2-23)
11.Paul to Unbelieving Jews (28:25-28)

12. Distinctive Features In Acts
GIVES US A UNIQUE LOOK AT HOW
EARLY CHURCH PRESENTED GOOD
NEWS OF JESUS CHRIST ACROSS
CULTURAL SETTINGS

13. Distinctive Features In Acts
PRAYER HAS A SIGNIFICANT PLACE IN ACTS

14. Distinctive Features In
Acts
ATTENTION GIVEN TO
CONVERSION PROCESS AND
HOW PEOPLE CAME TO
CHRIST IN NEW TESTAMENT
CHURCH

15. Distinctive Features In
Acts
ONE OF MOST SIGNIFICANT
FEATURES IS COMING AND
ACTIVITY OF HOLY SPIRIT

16. Which verse did you choose from Luke/Acts?
LUKE/ACTS DISCUSSION: The Life and Faith In The Story of
the Birth of the Church
•What is the Context/Aspects?
(Historical? Canonical? Immediate? Literary?)
(Structure? Grammar, Words?)
•What God has Done for Us: (LIFE)
•What Our Response Should Be: (FAITH)
•Relationship: Between God and Humanity/God and Jesus

17. CHURCH SERVICE REPORT DISCUSSION: The Life and Faith
In The Story of the Birth of the Church
For Assignment 4.4, you will need to “visit” a church service and submit
a report that describes the worship service, the use of scripture, and
your response to it all.
• On your own, review “How To Visit A Church” and “Amended
Church Service Report”
• Which church do you plan to visit, or a request for guidance about
choosing a church. Explain your choice or request in a sentence or
two.
• A brief description of your prior church experiences (or lack thereof)
and how those impact you as you come to this assignment.
• Two questions related to this assignment (e.g., about selecting a
church, about worship traditions, about the report, and so on).

18. Where We Are….Looking Ahead…..
Workshop 1: Overview of Story of the Bible and
How to Use It, Apply Basic Process for NT Study
Workshop 2: Literary Styles, Jesus in the
Gospels, Sermon on the Mount
Workshop 3: Luke/Acts, Holy Spirit,
Resurrection, Church Visit Prep
Workshop 4: Paul and His Letters, Ephesians
Passage Interpretation, Church Service Report
and Analysis of Scripture
Workshop 5: John’s Writings, 1 John Passage
Interpretation
Workshop 6: Revelation, Synthesis of Course
Themes
3.3 Writing Assignment Questions?
WS4: 12/16/20 6pm
-Recognize the background, contents, structure,
and themes of selected letters by Paul.
-Explain aspects of God’s gifts and our response
in Paul’s letters.
-Interpret a passage from Ephesians.
-Analyze the uses of scripture within the context
of a Christian worship service

19. WS 1 VIRTUAL OFFICE HOURS
VIRTUAL OFFICE HOURS

20. Course and Syllabus Review

21. Course and Syllabus Review
NEWTESTAMENT BACKGROUND:How It AllCame To Be
Ongoing STORY About:
-People of Faith
-Jesus Christ & His Unique Place and Message In History
-First Century Movement: Christianity
-Things Yet To Come…

22. Course and Syllabus Review
NEW TESTAMENT BACKGROUND: HowIt All Came To Be
Ongoing STORY About:
-People of Faith
-Jesus Christ & His Unique Place and Message In History
-First Century Movement: Christianity
-Things Yet To Come…

23. Course and Syllabus Review

24. Course and Syllabus Review
•NEW TESTAMENT
BACKGROUND: How It All Came
To Be
• -400 Silent Years between
OT & NT
• -Gap In Biblical Record
• -Silence of Prophetic Voice

25. NEW TESTAMENTBACKGROUND: How It
All Came To Be
Alexander the Great
-B.C. 334
-Master of the Middle East
-Died at 33 of Pneumonia
-”When Alexander saw the breadth of
his domain, he wept for there were no
more worlds to conquer”

26. NEW TESTAMENT BACKGROUND: How
It All Came To Be
Spread of Hellenism
-Gave Rise: Hellenist Jews
-Greek: Common Language
-Pharisees & Sadducees Born

27. NEW TESTAMENTBACKGROUND:
How It All Came To Be
Jews Return From Exile
-Rebuilt Temple B.C. 450
-B.C. 175: Syrians Beat
Egypt & Were Dominant

28. NEW TESTAMENTBACKGROUND:
How It All Came To Be
Antiochus
-Syrian King: B.C. 168
-Offered Greek Pig On
Jewish Altar, the
“Abomination of
Desolation”

29. NEW TESTAMENTBACKGROUND:
How It All Came To Be
Antiochus
-Judaism Outlawed
-Zeus?
-Interesting Tidbit:
”Gymnasium”

30. NEW TESTAMENTBACKGROUND:
How It All Came To Be
Judaism?
-Almost Died
-Mattathias: Birthed
Maccabean Revolution
-Vs. 300 Elephants & 20K
Syrians
-Got Elephants Drunk on
Wine and Won Battle

31. NEW TESTAMENT BACKGROUND: How It All Came To Be
-“Alas! Why was I born to see this, the ruin of my people,
the ruin of the holy city, and to live there when it was given
over to the enemy, the sanctuary given over to aliens? Her
temple has become like a person without honor; her glorious
vessels have been carried into exile. Her infants have been
killed in her streets, her youths by the sword of the foe?
What nation has not inherited her palaces and has not
seized her spoils? All her adornment has been taken away;
no longer free, she has become a slave. And see, our holy
place, our beauty, and our glory have been laid waste; the
Gentiles have profaned them. Why should we live any
longer? Then Mattathias and his sons tore their clothes, put
on sackloth, and mourned greatly.”
(1 Maccabees 2:7-14)

32. NEW TESTAMENTBACKGROUND: How It All Came To Be
-ROME BATTLED
AND WON THE
WORLD UNDER
CAESAR
AUGUSTUS (B.C.
27)
-Expansion By
War to Expansion
By Peace

33. NEW TESTAMENTBACKGROUND: How It All Came To Be
-Unity of Roman
Empire=Spread of
Christianity
-ROADS

34. NEW TESTAMENTBACKGROUND: How It All Came To Be
HEROD THE GREAT
-Rebuilt the Temple
-Jealous Guy: Killed
3 Wives and 2 Sons

35. NEW TESTAMENT BACKGROUND: How It AllCame To Be
-A.D. 70……Destruction of Temple
-No Jewish State Until 1948

36. BREAK

37. Course and Syllabus Review

38. HOW WE GOTTHE NEW TESTAMENT
ROADBLOCKS: To Understanding
The New Testament
1.Never Put Anything On Top of
A Bible
2.Saved A Life Miraculously
3.Never Write In A Bible or
Throw It Away
4.Protection Against Sexual Sin

39. HOW WE GOTTHE NEW TESTAMENT
BIBLE: “Book”
HOLY: “set aside for a special purpose”
2 DIVISIONS: OT & NT
TESTAMENT: “covenant/agreement”
REVELATION: “God revealing Himself
to us”
INSPIRATION: “God-given desire in the
heart of man to record revelation”

40. HOW WE GOTTHE NEW TESTAMENT
TOOK 27 YEARS TO ACQUIRE
BIBLE OF THE EARLY CHURCH?
Old Testament!
APOCRYPHA: 14 Extra Books NOT In Old
Testament
No written record of Jesus until 20 years
after his death
“Q”: name of earliest source we know, which
Mark and Luke copied from

41. HOW WE GOTTHE NEW TESTAMENT
-1st Body: -Paul wrote 1st book in NT: 1 & 2
Thessalonians
-AD50-65: all Pauls letters circulating
by now
-2nd Body: -Synoptic Gospels
-AD69-70: Gospel of Mark appeared
-AD80:Matthew:used Mark; Q; or
material he only had
-AD90:Luke used Mark word for word
-AD100:John appears; no parables; no
exorcisms
-3rd Body: -General Epistles
-AD70: Hebrews
-AD90:James
-AD95:Revelation
-AD120:2 Peter; last letter written
?

42. HOW WE GOTTHE NEW TESTAMENT
AD397: 27 Books
Chosen For New
Testament
?

43. HOW WE GOTTHE NEW TESTAMENT
WHY CLOSE THE NEW
TESTAMENT?
?
Marcion

44. HOW WE GOTTHE NEW TESTAMENT
200AD
-Church Drew a List of Books By 3
Tests
1. Tradition
2. Reader’s Value
3. Apostle’s Name On Book

45. HOW WE GOTTHE NEW TESTAMENT
ORIGEN OF ALEXANDRIA
-First Listing of NT Books in
AD300
-AD325: Eusebius Made NT Book
List..First Time 7 General
Epistles Appear
-AD367: Athanasius…NT Finally
Listed With 27 Books

46. HOW WE GOT THE NEW TESTAMENT
-AD397 Carthage: Council Voted
On Each Book
-AD400: Cyril Of Jerusalem Left
Revelation Out

47. HOW WE GOT THE NEW TESTAMENT
THERE ARE NO ORIGINAL COPIES OF THE NEW
TESTAMENT….

48. HOW WE GOT THE NEW TESTAMENT
TRANSLATIONS: Interpretations
Rating Translations
A.Group Translations (best for study)
B.Individual Translations
C.Church Translations
D.Paraphrased

49. HOW WE GOT THE NEW TESTAMENT
TRANSLATIONS:
Interpretations
Rating Translations
A.Group Translations
(best for study)
B.Individual Translations
C.Church Translations
D.Paraphrased
Rating Translations
A.KJV, NRSV, RSV, NIV,
NLT, NASB
B.Phillips, Montgomery
C.Book of Mormon,
Catholic Bible
D.Living Bible, Message

50. WS 1 DISCUSSION ZONE
• You’ve had a chance to review the videos…..
• What Bible version will you think you’ll use?
• What personal experience from your life shapes your
attitude toward the Bible?
• One question from the videos that arose for you?
• One goal for yourself as you interact with the Bible?

51. WS 1 DISCUSSION ZONE
• 1 Peter 4:12
12 Dear friends, do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal that has come on you to test you, as though
something strange were happening to you.
13 But rejoice inasmuch as you participate in the sufferings of Christ, so that you may be overjoyed
when his glory is revealed.
• Observation of Verse Structure: Grammar? Words of the verse?
• Observation of Context: Immediate? Literary? Historical-Cultural? Canonical?
• Observation of Main Point: What is it?
https://www.biblestudytools.com/1-peter/4.html

52. WS2 REVIEW(Dec2)
Workshop 2: Literary Styles, Jesus in the Gospels (Mark), Sermon on the
Mount
• Wednesday Dec 2, 6pm Zoom: Know where link is.
• Prepare for Discussion time by reading 2.3 Discussion material. Read Matthew ch. 3-10 and Mark
ch. 8-16. Choose 1 passage from Mark and Matthew and come prepared to identify, explain your
passage along themes of “Life” and “Faith” (explained in “Background Information”)
• Observation of Context: Immediate? Literary? Historical-Cultural? Canonical?
• Observation of Main Point: What is it?
• Additional Background Presentation: Sermon on Mount and Gospel of Mark Overview

53. WS 1 VIRTUAL OFFICE HOURS
VIRTUAL OFFICE HOURS

54. AD397: 27 Books
Chosen For New
Testament
?