The Old & New Testament Writings

#1 – Jesus Addressed The Writing Of The New Testament Scriptures:

Jesus clearly spoke about the continuing ministry of God’s Written Word, through His disciples, after He departed.

“I do not pray for these alone, but also for those who will believe in Me through THEIR word. 

-John 17:20

Some might argue that he was only speaking about “those who will believe,” meaning those who would directly hear “their word” orally from the mouths of the disciples and apostles.  That Jesus was not speaking about the written Word.  That understanding would limit who Jesus prayed for to those who were living in the first century and who heard “their word,” the disciples’ and apostles’ words, directly.

However, that would be a strained understanding of the Lord’s words since, through the first century, there were New Testament books written and read in local churches during the first century.  Many, if not most, of these churches never “heard their word,” the disciples’ or apostles’ words, in person.  They heard the words of various letters and books that had been written by the disciples and apostles.  One simple example is the book of Acts, by Luke, who never “spoke” in person to Theophilus. . . . . .

Surely, part of the promise given by the Lord in John 17 included the reading and hearing of the various letters and accounts written down.

That is seen again in the words of John . . .

Many and even most of the unbelievers and believers who heard the words of the disciples and apostles heard it orally and from the scrolls and manuscripts that were preserved then and throughout the ages.

#2 – In the Lord’s Day, the common culture was an oral culture.

During Bible days and throughout the first centuries, the culture was overwhelmingly oral.  There was no New Testament Bible as we think of it today.

But there were the written “Scriptures” of the Old Testament that were read, taught, and preached before, during, and after the ministry of Jesus.

In Old Testament times, the prophets verbally communicated God’s Word before an Old Testament compendium of Old Testament “books” was ever established.  The culture was oral, and men like Ezra publicly read the Scriptures (Nehemiah 8).

Personally possessing a copy of an Old Testament “book/scroll” was unlikely, and few copies were accessible or attainable to God’s people.  Those books were read aloud in the hearing of God’s people, as recorded in the books of the Old Testament.

Over time, a compendium of 39 Old Testament “books” was established as the authoritative Word of God by His people.

In the early years, there was no New Testament “Bible,” as we know and think of it today, until decades after the death of the last apostle.  The preaching and teaching of the apostles, disciples, and church leaders was the Word of God to His people.

Paul’s various letters were sent to various churches across Asia and Europe. Those letters and copies of those letters moved from church to church and from generation to generation.  Centuries later, various church leaders had copies of those letters, quoted them in their original Greek language, translated them into the language of the people, and included them in their writings.  They believed that those copies and words were accurate and authoritative.

As with the Old Testament Scriptures, the New Testament writings, written by the disciples and apostles, were recognized by “the church” as the Word of God within the first centuries.  They were believed to “God-breathed,” and “sufficient to guide one into all godly living” when read or heard.

That is as simple as it gets!