LUTHERAN THEOLOGICAL REVIEW - Brock University

66 LUTHERAN THEOLOGICAL REVIEW IX
for the canonicity of the New Testament is apostolicity. On this basis, for
example, Mark was accepted in the canon, on the understanding that Mark
was the “hermeneute” of the Apostle Peter, 41 and Luke likewise, on the
grounds that he was the associate of the Apostle Paul. 42
Actually, no one issued a set of guidelines for the early Christian
congregations to use as criteria in selecting the canonical books of the New
Testament. These books selected themselves by convincing thousands of
individual Christians and congregations to accept them as canonical. Rather,
this was the work of the Holy Spirit, who had inspired those books. He
imposed these books upon the early Christian congregations, by creating in
these congregations the acknowledgement of His presence. It is this
acknowledgement that Justin labelled as apostolicity.
In fact, Metzger identifies three grounds for acceptance of books into
the canon of the New Testament, insisting that these criteria were
established during the Second Century AD, and remained unmodified
thereafter. 43 These three are:
(1) orthodoxy: conformity to the rule of faith, the basic Christian
tradition recognised as normative by the church;
(2) apostolicity;
(3) consensus among the churches: continuous acceptance and usage by
the church at large. 44
In speaking of apostolicity, these Christians, such as Justin Martyr,
were undoubtedly motivated by substantially the same scriptural argument
as was Luther. He points to Christ’s word to His apostles in John 15:27:
“You shall bear witness to me.” 45 That is what an apostle is by definition
(Acts 1:16-21). An apostle is by definition an apostle of Jesus Christ. No
one can be accepted as an apostle who does not proclaim Christ. Luther
explains the meaning of Christ’s words in John 15:27:
All the genuine sacred books agree in this, that all of them preach and
inculcate Christ. And that is the true test by which to judge all books,
when we see whether or not they inculcate Christ. For all the Scriptures
show us Christ [Romans 3:21], and St. Paul will know nothing but Christ
[1 Corinthians 2:2]. Whatever does not teach Christ is not yet apostolic,
even though St. Peter or St. Paul does the teaching. Again, whatever
41 Donald Guthrie, New Testament Introduction 4 th rev. ed. (Downers Grove, IL:
InterVarsity Press, 1990) 83.
42 Bruce M. Metzger, The Canon of the New Testament: Its Origin, Development, and
Significance (Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1987) 253.
43 Metzger 254.
44 Metzger 251-54.
45 AE 35:396.