Catholic Gave Bible

It is common for Catholics to claim they gave us the New Testament Canon. Yet, we know scripture was given by the Holy Spirit through the Apostles and prophets of the early Church. It would only be true if the Apostles and prophets considered themselves to be Catholic.

As mentioned elsewhere the word Catholic is no where is scripture, so there is no positive proof that men like Peter, Paul, John, or James identified themselves with the Catholic body. Quite the opposite is true if you consider all the ways Catholics diverged away from the Apostles teachings.

So, why do we believe the Catholic church did not give us the Bible.

1. All the old testament was given before Christ was born, the Church did not exist yet.

2. Clear statements the Old Testament Oracles of God were given to the Jews. Romans 3:1-2.

3. All New Testament books were written prion to 100 AD, they did not need Catholic approval to be scriptural during the 300 years before the Church council whereby they adopted the Canon. The true Church had adopted it by 100 AD.

4. The apostles endorsed themselves, not needing outside endorsement.

5. Their writings were scripture the moment they were written. The moment they were moved by the Holy Spirit.

6. Proof the writings were endorsed as scripture at the time of writing is Peter called Paul's writing scripture.

Peter in writing to the churches of Pontus, Galatia, Cappodacia, Asia, Bithinia, endorsed Paul's writings as scripture. They did not need a Church council in those regions to endorse Paul or Peter because both were known Apostles whom they all recognized as Apostles through accompanying signs. Just as John's writings were recognized by the Churches of Asia, the same locations as Peter's letter.

Mar 16:20  AndG1161 theyG1565 went forth,G1831 and preachedG2784 every where,G3837 theG3588 LordG2962 working withG4903 them, andG2532 confirmingG950 theG3588 wordG3056 withG1223 signsG4592 following.G1872 Amen.G281

They were confirmed as God's instructors through accompanying signs, the councils had no such signs to verify their work was guided by God. The councils made many mistakes.

Thus, the writings in this area where the major apostles were recognized and accepted. Even James was known by all. Luke and Mark travelled with Paul and Peter, and were known by the churches to work along side them as Prophets (inspired teachers).

Thus, the writers were already accepted by the churches they were writing too. Paul for instance laid hands on those in Ephesus long before writing the letter to Ephesus. see Acts 19:1-5.

Mar 16:20  And they went forth, and preached every where, the Lord working with them, and confirming the word with signs following. Amen.

God confirmed their work, so a church council was not necessary.

The churches in these areas accepted the scriptures prior to 100 AD. Most were accepted the moment the Churches confirmed they were from the Apostles, for the Apostles were recognized in the Churches. God had already established their reputations before the letters were written.

God confirmed the spoken word from these teachers, which would mean the written word from the same men would be authoritative.

We can ask, when did they not become recognized? 3 John lists Diotrophes who rejected the Apostles and early teachers. He was a rogue leader.

3Jn 1:9  I wrote unto the church: but Diotrephes, who loveth to have the preeminence among them, receiveth us not.

There were Churches and groups of churches who set themselves up as rulers apart from the inspired Apostles and Prophets. In Corinth around 80 AD the church there was taken over by the younger, subverting an inspired Eldership.

There were groups who diverged, but those who were true had already accepted the scriptures and readily received the letters of the apostles.

6. We know that Constantine commissioned 50 Bibles copied in 350 AD, well before any church councils took up the question of the true Canon.

7. We know that multiple Latin Bibles were in circulation before the Latin Vulgate of Jerome.

Well before the church councils.

8. Jerome used Greek and Hebrew versions to correct the Latin, thus Greek New Testaments were circulating before the Latin.

There were plenty of statements that the scriptures were already recognized.

Furthermore around 195 A.D., one after Theophilus, specifically claiming to be a successor of Melito and Polycarp, Polycrates, taught:

I, therefore, brethren, who have lived sixty-five years in the Lord, and have met with the brethren throughout the world, and have gone through every Holy Scripture (Polycrates. Eusebius. Church History. Book V, Chapter 24).