Why Sixty-Six Books? The Development of the Canon: Why We Trust the Bible with Stephen Nichols

Summary

This sermon explores the canon of Scripture, explaining its meaning as a "measuring rod" for determining which books belong in the Bible. It contrasts the Protestant view of the church **recognizing** Scripture with the Catholic view of the church **establishing** it, emphasizing that the canon was not arbitrarily chosen by councils. The practical takeaway is that the Bible's books were recognized as authoritative by the early church through a process of historical and scriptural self-reflection, rather than being divinely "dropped" or decided by a single council.