The Bible and the Gnostic Gospels

Canon of Scripture for Today

Feb 16, 2009

The Gnostics claimed to have more secretive and deeper knowledge than those reading the traditional canon of Scripture.

Hence an Agnostic is someone who isn't certain of what they know specifically with regard to their religious beliefs.

The Council of Nicea

Many Theologians and Historians argue that at the Council of Nicea in AD 325 the canon of Scripture which we have today was established and decided upon by the Emperor Constantine and numerous Ecclesiastical representatives and accounts for what is regarded as inspired scripture.

The Early Church Fathers

However, others contend that the Early Church Fathers wrote before this time confirming the books that were recognized as inspired.

"So when I visited the East and reached the place where all these things were proclaimed and done, I gained accurate information about the Old Testament books that I send you herewith:

The Prophets: Isaiah, Jeremiah, the Twelve in a single book, Daniel, Ezekiel, Ezra"

"Matthew composed a written Gospel for the Hebrews in their own language, while Peter and Paul were preaching the gospel in Rome and founding the church there. After their deaths, Mark too, the disciple and interpreter of Peter, handed onto us in writing the things proclaimed by Peter. Luke the follower of Paul, wrote down in a book the Gospel preached by him. Then John the disciple of the Lord who has rested on his breast produced a gospel while living at Ephesus in Asia."

The above suggests that The Council of Nicea only recorded what books were already recognized as being in the canon of scripture; they didn't establish what should be included and what should be omitted.

Therefore the Gnostic Gospels preached what Paul would describe as another Gospel. (Galatians 1:8-9) Some Gnostic teachers taught that Jesus was Divine but not human, others the exact opposite or that He never actually died on the cross but another died in His place. The problem is that an imperfect sacrifice would not atone for sins and would also contradict prophecy from the established canon of Scripture.

Some of the Gnostic beliefs were part and parcel of certain Greek philosophies of that time. The Gnostic Gospels preached a kind of two-tier system of Christianity where knowledge is esteemed above faith. These were essentially gospels of so called hidden knowledge rather than grace.

Gnostic beliefs were in circulation when John was writing his epistles also and he wrote.

"Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits whether they be of God; because many false prophets have gone out into the world. By this you know the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is of God." (1 John 4v2)

In addition, the book of Revelation, the last book in the Bible, issues a solemn warning to those who would add or take away from its content. Surely then a sovereign, omnipresent, omnipotent and omniscient God is more than capable of preserving the Holy Scriptures accurately for today.

References

A Dictionary of Early Christian Beliefs Bercot, D.W. Editor Hendrickson Publishers 1998 Peabody

The copyright of the article The Bible and the Gnostic Gospels in Protestantism is owned by Jonathan Taylor. Permission to republish The Bible and the Gnostic Gospels in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.