<How did early Christians know what was Scripture and what was not?
hide > The same way modern ones do, they let the holy spirit teach them all things and in the mouth of two or more witnesses are all things confirmed.

<How do you view the Canon of Scripture? Did the early church *determine* the canon, or *discover* it?>
My understanding:
God determined the Canon and presented it through men, just as God (and not Joseph’s brothers) determine that Joseph would deliver Israel through Pharoah’s house.

The Canon is a collection of commonly agreed upon “best of” early Christian texts. It does not represent the only “inspired” texts. The New testament represents texts that were “universally” accepted and covered basic principles or doctrines concerning the Teachings, the Formation of and Order in the Community, and Judgment.

The books of the Tanach/Hebrew Bible/Old Testament were codified by the Men of the Great Assembly about 430 BC. Most of the Scripture quoted in the New Testament is from the Septuagint, which is a Greek translation of the early Hebrew Bible.

<“If I can’t trust the Church, then how can I trust that the right books were put into the Bible and that they were properly preserved down through the ages?” I thought there had to be a church in order for there to be Scriptures.>
Why not trust God?
The teaching (which may or may not be heard through a text) is that the Holy Spirit will guide into all Truth (John 16:13). The anointing is the most needed teacher (I John 2:27). If a church draws a map and the map is accurate (i.e., it leads to the desired destination) then the church can be trusted. Discovering the Truth of Christ is not dependant upon discovering the correct number of books for the Bible and perfect text translation.

<Given that much of the NT consists in letters written *to* churches, the Christian church is obviously older than many of its books.>
Yes! The Way began/begins with the Spirit, not with a text.
When the NT was written there were many churches, each according to its city. And even the book of Revelation is not written to single church. Christ has one body, but there are many churches. What was written to one church was passed to other churches, because there were common issues. There was not a single global organization.

Something to consider: The tongues on Pentecost was a beginning of reversing what took place at Babel. And this gift is an aspect of the ministry of reconciliation.

<How did early Christians know what was Scripture and what was not?>
I doubt that text was as important to the early church as it is to many Christians today. There was Spirit and there was the Community.

Jesus said, “Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God” (Matthew 4:4). And Jesus is the bread of life (John 6:35). And this “word” is not logos. It is rhema.

Peace,
Peter

An early Christian would know Scripture if it was read during a service. The Biblical Canon was confirmed by Ecumenical council, documenting what was already believed everywhere and by all. Only these books were allowed to be used in a service and they all are (expect Revelations).