The Canon of Scripture Essays -- Bible, New Testament

Most Christians do not think about the canon of scripture or know what it is or means in theology. Most take for granted the Bible they have and never question how it came into being. Today, we have 39 books of the Old Testament and 27 books of the New Testament. There was a time, however, that we did not have a canon. Bruce defines canon as books of the Bible that were recognized to be considered scripture (p. 17). The importance of the canon and how it was developed was intriguing to professor and author F.F. Bruce. He dedicated his book The Canon of Scripture to explore and explain the formulation of the canon we have today. Bruce taught in universities, including the University of Manchester, where he began to lecture students on the entire canon of scripture. Bruce wrote many books and commentaries and was general editor to The New International Commentary on the New Testament. He spent a vast amount of his time researching the formation of the canon with emphasis on the New Tes tament. The contents of this review will highlight how F.F. Bruce offers his interpretative definition, review, and criticisms of the full canon of Scripture. The Canon of Scripture is divided into four sections: the introduction, followed by the Old and New Testaments, and ending with the conclusion and appendix. The introduction defines the word canon. The second section provides Bruce’s explanation of the canon of the Old Testament, starting with the Hebrew Bible. The author writes about the discoveries of the Dead Sea Scrolls, which have given us a greater understanding of the Hebrew Bible. Bruce then explains the translation of the Hebrew scriptures into Greek named the Septuagint. He closes with how the canon was viewed by the early Church Fath... ...not fit in with the overall objective of the book which is defining the canon of scripture. These lectures do not agree with the flow of the book as they involve other areas including textual criticism that pull the reader away from how the canon was formed. The Canon of Scripture is a scholarly writing that explains how the formation of the canon was completed. Bruce starts with how the Old Testament was formed and then moves to the New Testament and gives an historical account of how it was pieced together. He explores the Gnostic writers and how they prompted the church to start forming the New Testament canon because the Gnostic teachings opposed that of the church. This book provides adequate and historical research to prove what the author wants to accomplish, which is to provide answers to any question that would be asked as to how the canon was formed.

Marrying Absurd

Joan Didion’s essay entitled â€Å"Marrying Absurd† tells about how marriages in Las Vegas are conducted. She narrated that Las Vegas weddings can be celebrated anytime the couple wishes to have it.   All that one need is for the bride to be eighteen years old, the groom to be twenty one and a five dollar for the license. Joan Didion describes how the Las Vegas weddings have taken away the essence of what a marriage is. That marriage is a sacrament which should be taken seriously and solemnly. Holy Matrimony is a sacred rite.   It is a special event because it holds a special meaning to the bride and groom.   It conveys that one gives herself totally to one person for purposes of creating a family. It represents love and honor.   It regards husband and wife as symbols of the nuptial of Christ and his church.   It is a contractual bond for eternity. It is not simply saying I will love you for only one and a half year and be married to you only within that time.   Marriage is the communion of two families as well.   It is not simply you and me.   It includes extended families of your in-laws, their friends and relations. Hence, it is a major decision to take on, which should be thought over many times and not simply at the spur of the moment. Joan Didion’s description of Las Vegas as a place for immediate gratification is true. Everywhere temptations abound.   It takes a lot of self-discipline not to be lured into enticing distractions. My idea of marriage is traditional.   One, where marriage preparations will be painstakingly made, the service well thought of, the invites well chosen, and the entire entourage – will be those people that have in one way or another affected my life.   I do not choose to be part of a 3-minute Las Vegas wedding where the ceremony seems like a task to get done as easily as one can; where the solemnity of the marriage vows are disregarded.   Marriage in Las Vegas gives the impression that the marriage bond will break as swiftly as it was solemnized. Las Vegas, a city that never sleeps, has spoiled and dishonored the sacrament of Holy Matrimony.   I wonder how many broken families these five dollar ceremony have produced.   It is a pity that despite the great number of people wanting to get married, divorce equals the number.   A marriage not well thought  of, entered into hastily, for the wrong reasons, is doomed from the very start.   These Las Vegas weddings have stripped the people of the true essence of marriage and have taught them that marriage is not at all a respectable ceremony. These Las Vegas marriages are tasteless and cheap and should be denounced. Read also: â€Å"My Ideal Wife† BIBILIOGRAPHY JOAN DIDION.