Question: How did the early church “choose” or recognize which books belong in the New Testament?
Answer: They had a firm criteria that helped them not to “choose” which books belonged, but which books could NOT be excluded due to their obviously divine inspiration.
As Christians, we hold the New Testament as the inspired Word of God, a reliable guide to our faith and practice. However, the question arises: how did the early church determine which books were to be included in the New Testament? The process of canonization was not random but guided by specific criteria. By the 4th century, the 27 books we now know as the New Testament were recognized as Scripture, but this recognition came through the faithful discernment of the early church, empowered by the Holy Spirit.
Early church leaders, like Athanasius, Irenaeus, and Tertullian, played crucial roles in identifying the canon. Their writings reveal that the books of the New Testament were selected not by human decision alone, but through prayerful consideration of key criteria that reflected the will of God. As Athanasius wrote, “These are fountains of salvation, that they who thirst may be satisfied with the living words they contain. In these alone is proclaimed the doctrine of godliness” (Festal Letter 39). This process, led by the Holy Spirit, ensured that the New Testament reflects the true testimony of Jesus Christ and His apostles.
Here are the main criteria the early church used to recognize the books of the New Testament:
1- Apostolic Authorship or Connection
The first and most important criterion was apostolic authority. The early church believed that the apostles, who had walked with Christ and received His teachings firsthand, were divinely chosen to pass down His Word. As Irenaeus said, “We have learned from none others the plan of our salvation, than from those through whom the Gospel has come down to us, which they did at one time proclaim in public, and, at a later period, by the will of God, handed down to us in the Scriptures” (Against Heresies 3.1.1).
Books that were written by apostles, such as Matthew, John, Peter, and Paul, or by close companions of the apostles, like Mark (who was a disciple of Peter) and Luke (a companion of Paul), were recognized as authoritative because of their direct connection to Jesus’ appointed messengers.
2- Orthodoxy (Conformity to the Rule of Faith)
The second criterion was whether the book’s teachings aligned with the “rule of faith,” or the core beliefs of Christianity passed down from the apostles. The early church fathers were careful to ensure that only books that upheld true doctrine, particularly concerning the nature of Christ and the gospel, were included.
Tertullian emphasized the importance of adhering to the apostolic faith: “The apostles, indeed, in our day do not mean men, but their writings. In these, their writings, they still preach” (On Prescription Against Heretics). Any writings that deviated from apostolic teaching—such as Gnostic gospels, which denied Christ’s full humanity—were rejected.
3- Catholicity (Universal Acceptance)
A book’s acceptance by the wider Christian community was also essential. The early church looked for writings that were widely used and accepted by Christian churches across the Roman Empire. If a book was only used in a specific, isolated region, it was unlikely to be considered part of the canon.
This principle is evident in the words of Origen: “The Church possesses four Gospels, heresy possesses many. Among these we have chosen, and been handed down, only what is genuine” (Homilies on Luke). Universal acceptance indicated that the book had already functioned as authoritative Scripture for the global church.
4- Liturgical Use
The early Christians often determined the authenticity of a book based on its regular use in worship and teaching. Books that were read aloud in churches during worship services were more likely to be considered inspired because they were already edifying the body of Christ.
The New Testament books were regarded as the spiritual food of the church. As Justin Martyr described, “And on the day called Sunday, all who live in cities or in the country gather together to one place, and the memoirs of the apostles or the writings of the prophets are read, as long as time permits” (First Apology, 67). A book’s consistent use in worship services was a strong indicator of its divine inspiration.
5- Divine Inspiration
Finally, the early church sought the guidance of the Holy Spirit in recognizing which books were divinely inspired. While this may seem subjective, it was rooted in a profound sense of the Spirit’s presence in guiding the church. The early Christians believed that God would not leave them without guidance and that He would preserve His Word through the Scriptures.
As Athanasius declared, “In these alone is proclaimed the doctrine of godliness” (Festal Letter 39), affirming the belief that the New Testament books had a unique spiritual authority. The recognition of divine inspiration was not about bestowing authority on certain writings but acknowledging the authority they already possessed.
As Christians today, we can be confident that the New Testament canon was not determined by human opinion or institutional power but by the faithful discernment of the early church, guided by the Holy Spirit. The criteria of apostolic authorship, doctrinal purity, universal acceptance, liturgical use, and divine inspiration ensured that the New Testament is a reliable and trustworthy guide to knowing Christ and living out the Christian faith.
These 27 books—recognized through the testimony of early church fathers and the witness of the Spirit—remain for us “fountains of salvation,” providing the living words of eternal life. In the New Testament, we encounter the unchanging truth of the gospel and the unshakeable foundation of our faith.
