A
big part of the cessationist
view is based on the belief that
the
Bible replaced the gifts of
the Spirit, and the ministry of
the
apostle and prophet. But Bible manuscript history conclusively proves
the exact opposite.
We know that the books of the New Testament were
written in the first century. But when were all the books of the New Testament
compiled under one cover? When was this compilation actually
called and accepted as the New Testament? And when was all (or part)
of this New Testament available to the common man?
In short, exactly when did this supposed transition
take place? Does history support this cessationist argument? History gives us an
answer that may surprise you.
Here is part of the cessationist view that was quoted
in chapter eight: 1
The ministry of apostleship and prophecy as embodied
in particular people was but a temporary expedient.
It was vitally necessary during the transition period
when the written Word was being formulated and was gaining acceptance among
believers, but the written Word completed, the particular ministry of the
apostle and the prophet became redundant, just as the observation of the Old
Testament sacrifices had to give way to their fulfillment in Christ.
Surely, the old wouldn’t exit until the new
was established. We need to ask . . . when was the new established, and when did
the old exit the scene? The Origin of the Bible answers such questions.
[Bruce, F.F., and Henry, Carl F.H., and Packer, J.I., and Harrison, R.K.,
The origin of the Bible, Wheaton: Tyndale House, 1992]
BIBLE MANUSCRIPT HISTORY
When Paul wrote a letter to “the church at Corinth”
(or any other city) his letter was passed around from church to church in that
city to be read aloud. All of these congregations in Corinth were collectively
called “the church of Corinth.” The average first century Christian was
fortunate if, in his lifetime, he was to hear even three such letters when they
were read to a congregation. It was even more rare for anyone to have the
privilege of reading three letters. Of course, copies of these manuscripts would
eventually be stored (along with Old Testament scrolls) in church archives.
The Gospels and the letters of Paul were circulated as
working documents among churches, but only the Old Testament books were formerly
recognized as Scripture in the first century.
Nobody owned a New Testament, much less a whole Bible
in the first or second century because there weren’t any! However, an
almost complete collection of all twenty-seven books that now make up the New
Testament were in use for the first time in Rome by about
a.d. 180 — but this was only one
set. The first church council to list these twenty-seven books was the Council
of Carthage in a.d. 397.
Early in the third century (around
a.d.
210), Tertullian, an outstanding Christian writer, popularized the title,
the “New Testament”. The acceptance of this new title placed the New Testament
Scripture on a level of inspiration and authority with the Old Testament for the
first time.
The
Gospels and the Pauline Epistles did not gain importance equal to the books of
the Old Testament until the third century. Until then, the church could not
accept even the possibility of there being a second or a New Testament.
This
is comparable to us anguishing over the possibility of there being a third
Testament written after the Second Coming of Christ. We instantly reject the
idea as unthinkable, don’t we? So did they.
CANONIZATION
OF THE BIBLE
The word canon means “rule” or “measuring rod,”
and in relation to the Bible, it refers to the collection of books that
passed a test of authenticity and authority. It also means that those
books are our rule of life.
Several books were canonical even before they were
tested. That’s like saying that some students are obviously intelligent before
they take any tests. The test only proves or measures what is already
intrinsically there. In the same way, neither the church nor councils made any
book canonical or authentic. Either the book was authentic when it was written
or it was not. The church or its councils recognized and verified certain books
as the Word of God, and in time — over the second, third, and fourth centuries —
those so recognized were collected together in what we now call the Bible. [Ref.
A Survey of Bible Doctrine, by Dr. Charles C. Ryrie.]
BIBLES EXTREMELY EXPENSIVE
Until the invention of printing with movable type in
a.d. 1456, the text of the Bible could be
transmitted only by laboriously copying it letter-by-letter and word-by-word. In
fact, it took up to a year for a scribe to hand copy just one new book.
Therefore, it took the equivalent of a year’s wages of the average man to buy a
book the size of a Bible.
Today, if we were to pay someone eight dollars an
hour, and this person worked for fifty weeks making a copy of the Bible for us,
the cost would be $18,000 — before taxes. Not only was there a huge price tag on
a new book, but very few people could read and write in those days. As a result,
for over a thousand years there were very few individuals or congregations who
could afford (or read) a Bible.
Even if they could, the Roman church outlawed the
ownership of Bible up to the time of the Reformation. A priest could read a
passage from a Bible on Sunday mornings, but it usually was not in a language
the congregation knew. Several Godly men were persecuted for translating the
Bible in the language of the people.
LET’S GET REAL
Now, let’s look at that cessationist statement again.
“ . . . but the written Word completed, the particular ministry of the
apostle and the prophet became redundant . . . .”
We know when the Bible was completed, but when was the
Bible compiled? When was it recognized as being a “New” Testament? When was it
named or titled “The New Testament?” How many clergy and lay people had access
to the written Word in their language at a price they could afford?
Based
on these more realistic questions, when did God cease talking to His people?
Logic and history would conclude that God fell silent sometime after 1456 when
the printing press was invented and the Reformation started. The Bible says . .
. never!
WHAT IS GOD TELLING US?
The writing of Bible text by first century Christians
ceased with their death — that is true. And these texts were canonical even
before some men decided they were — that is true. However, the Scriptures they
left attest to us that everything Jesus instituted is still very much in place
today.
Does God still speak to us today? Yes, ever since
Adam’s day! Now we must ask, “what does He tell us?” In 1 Corinthians 12 Paul
said God’s Holy Spirit manifests Himself in us, His words of wisdom and words of
knowledge; and He tells us who He is about to heal, etc. In Ephesians 4:11,
Jesus said He established certain ministries (see 1 Cor. 12; Rom. 12:6-8).
These
ministries and gifts may be ignored . . . they may be misunderstood and misused,
but they are still valid and in place for today.
Brethren, this generation needs to
witness “sign gifts” far more than the first century people did —
and we will. All we have to do is say, “Yes Lord!”
Chapters 8 through 17 are on this subject of cessationism.
You will want to read them as well. S
Was
that interesting? Is this a good time to order the book?
