Recently I have heard the argument from a Protestant that the Canon that were Accepted in Nicea (i.e the Fifty Bibles of Constantine) and the Synod of Hippo basically had the same Canon as Protestants have today (66 Book Canon). This is far from the truth, there was varying canons within this timeperiod, and often the Deutercanon was within these “light canons” of the Early Chuch.
First Canon we are going to review is the Fifty Bibles of Constantinople (325 A.D),
- “There is NO EVIDENCE AMOND THE RECORDS OF THE FIRST COUNCIL OF NICAEA OF ANY DETERMINATION ON THE CANON” (Reference)
Even though there is no specific determination of a Canon at the Council of Nicaea, scholars have speculated that the “Canon” that was given to Constantine from Eusebius was something close to the Codex Vaticanus and the Codex Sinaiticus.
The Codex Vaticanus containing in it’s Old Testament: “Genesis to Second Paralipomenon, First and second Esdras, Psalms, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, Canticle of Canticles, Job, Wisdom, Ecclesiasticus, Esther, Judith, Tobias, the Minor Prophets from Osee to Malachi, Isaias, Jeremias, Baruch, Lamentations and Epistle of Jeremias, Ezechiel, Daniel” (Reference)
- This Codex includes Second Paralipomenon, Canticle of Canticles, Wisdom, Ecclesiastes, Judith, Tobias and Baruh. Which are all not found within the 39 Books of the Protestant OT Canon.
The Codex Vaticanus containing in its New Testament a similar canon to the Protestants, however has missing peices of Hebrews and Pastoral letters aswell. (Reference)
The Codex Sinaiticus includes in its Old Testament: “Genesis 23:19-Genesis 24:46 fragments, Leviticus 20:27-Leviticus 22:30, Numbers 5:26-Numbers 7:20 fragments, Book of Deuteronomy fragments, Book of Joshua fragments, Book of Judges 5:7-11:2 + fragments, 1 Chronicles 9:27-1 Chronicles 19:17, Ezra-Nehemiah (Esdras), Book of Esther, Book of Tobit, Book of Judith, 1 Maccabees, 4 Maccabees, Book of Isaiah, Book of Jeremiah, Book of Lamentations, Minor Prophets (omitting Book of Hosea), Book of Psalms, Book of Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, Song of Songs, Wisdom of Solomon, Wisdom of Sirach, Book of Job”. (Reference)
The Codex Sinaiticus includes in its New Testament the Protestant 27 books of the New Testament along with the Epistle of Barnabas and the Shepherd of Hermas. (Reference)
With the evidence of the Codex Vaticanus and Siniticus alone proves that there was no Protestant Canon in the 3rd and 4th century.
Let’s take a look at the Synod of Hippo’s Canon to see if it is in line with the Protestant Canon.
- “Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy, Joshua the son of Nun, The Judges, Ruth, Kings iv books, The Chronicles ii books, Job, the Psalter, five books of Solomon, the Twelve Books of the Prophets, Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezechiel, Daniel, Tobit, Judith, Esther, Ezra ii books, Maccabees ii books.” (Reference)
So this misconception that a 66 Book Canon has “always been agreed upon” is false, also not taking into account the Septuigint of the Old Testament (including the Deutercanon).
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