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Canon: This word is derived from a Hebrew and Greek word denoting a reed or
cane. Hence it means something straight, or something to keep
straight; and hence also a rule, or something ruled or measured. It
came to be applied to the Scriptures, to denote that they contained
the authoritative rule of faith and practice, the standard of
doctrine and duty. A book is said to be of canonical authority when
it has a right to take a place with the other books which contain a
revelation of the Divine will. Such a right does not arise from any
ecclesiastical authority, but from the evidence of the inspired
authorship of the book. The canonical (i.e., the inspired) books of
the Old and New Testaments, are a complete rule, and the only rule,
of faith and practice. They contain the whole supernatural revelation
of God to men. The New Testament Canon was formed gradually under
divine guidance. The different books as they were written came into
the possession of the Christian associations which began to be formed
soon after the day of Pentecost; and thus slowly the canon increased
till all the books were gathered together into one collection
containing the whole of the twenty-seven New Testament inspired
books. Historical evidence shows that from about the middle of the
second century this New Testament collection was substantially such
as we now possess. Each book contained in it is proved to have, on
its own ground, a right to its place; and thus the whole is of divine
authority. The Old Testament Canon is witnessed to by the New
Testament writers. Their evidence is conclusive. The quotations in
the New from the Old are very numerous, and the references are much
more numerous. These quotations and references by our Lord and the
apostles most clearly imply the existence at that time of a
well-known and publicly acknowledged collection of Hebrew writings
under the designation of "The Scriptures;" "The Law and the Prophets
and the Psalms;" "Moses and the Prophets," etc. The appeals to these
books, moreover, show that they were regarded as of divine authority,
finally deciding all questions of which they treat; and that the
whole collection so recognized consisted only of the thirty-nine
books which we now posses. Thus they endorse as genuine and authentic
the canon of the Jewish Scriptures. The Septuagint Version (q.v.)
also contained every book we now have in the Old Testament
Scriptures. As to the time at which the Old Testament canon was
closed, there are many considerations which point to that of Ezra and
Nehemiah, immediately after the return from Babylonian exile.
