K
Katholikos
Guest
I tried to post this on the Scripture forum but was unsuccessful. Only the title posted.
DID THE CATHOLIC CHURCH WRITE THE NEW TESTAMENT?
The New Testament (NT) is not a continuous book with a beginning, a middle, and an ending. Rather, it is a collection of individual writings – written by different people, at different times and places, for different audiences and purposes. The Catholic Church collected 27 of her own writings, canonized them, and named them the New Testament when she was nearly 400 years old.
Q. Who authored the NT? A. Members of the Catholic Church.
Q. To whom were the writings addressed? A. To already established, functioning, believing local churches, to personal friends, and sometimes to no one specifically.
Matthew – anonymous – no salutation
Mark – anonymous – no salutation
Luke – anonymous – written to the author’s friend, Theophilus
John – anonymous – no salutation
Acts – anonymous – a continuation of Luke’s Gospel, also addressed to Theophilus
Romans – written by St. Paul – addressed “To all God’s beloved in Rome, who are called to be saints” (v. 7).
First Corinthians – written by St. Paul (and Sosthenes?) “To the church of God which is at Corinth” (v. 2).
Second Corinthians – written by St. Paul (and Timothy?) “To the church of God which is at Corinth, with all the saints who are in the whole of Achaia” (v. 1). (Achaia was the Roman province in which Corinth was located.)
**Galatians **– writtenby St. Paul “to the churches of Galatia” (v. 2). (Galatia was a Roman province including the regions of Pisidia, Pamphylia, and part of Lycaonia.) – Note that Galatians was addressed to more than one church.
Ephesians – written by St. Paul “to the saints who are also faithful in Christ Jesus.” Why is it named for the Church at Ephesus? Probably because when Paul’s letters were collected into a corpus, Ephesus had a copy of this one.
Philippians – written by St. Paul (and Timothy?) “To all the saints in Christ Jesus who are at Philippi with the bishops and deacons” (v. 1).
Colossians – written by St. Paul (and Timothy?) “To the saints and faithful brethren in Christ at Colosssae” (v. 2).
1 and 2 Thessalonians – both written by St. Paul (and Silvanus and Timothy?) “To the church of the Thessalonians,” (v. 1).
1 and 2 Timothy – both written by St. Paul “to Timothy, my true child in faith” (1 Tm, v. 2) and “to Timothy, my beloved child” (2 Tm, v. 2).
**Titus – **written by St. Paul “To Titus my true child in a common faith” (v. 4)
Continued
DID THE CATHOLIC CHURCH WRITE THE NEW TESTAMENT?
The New Testament (NT) is not a continuous book with a beginning, a middle, and an ending. Rather, it is a collection of individual writings – written by different people, at different times and places, for different audiences and purposes. The Catholic Church collected 27 of her own writings, canonized them, and named them the New Testament when she was nearly 400 years old.
Q. Who authored the NT? A. Members of the Catholic Church.
Q. To whom were the writings addressed? A. To already established, functioning, believing local churches, to personal friends, and sometimes to no one specifically.
Matthew – anonymous – no salutation
Mark – anonymous – no salutation
Luke – anonymous – written to the author’s friend, Theophilus
John – anonymous – no salutation
Acts – anonymous – a continuation of Luke’s Gospel, also addressed to Theophilus
Romans – written by St. Paul – addressed “To all God’s beloved in Rome, who are called to be saints” (v. 7).
First Corinthians – written by St. Paul (and Sosthenes?) “To the church of God which is at Corinth” (v. 2).
Second Corinthians – written by St. Paul (and Timothy?) “To the church of God which is at Corinth, with all the saints who are in the whole of Achaia” (v. 1). (Achaia was the Roman province in which Corinth was located.)
**Galatians **– writtenby St. Paul “to the churches of Galatia” (v. 2). (Galatia was a Roman province including the regions of Pisidia, Pamphylia, and part of Lycaonia.) – Note that Galatians was addressed to more than one church.
Ephesians – written by St. Paul “to the saints who are also faithful in Christ Jesus.” Why is it named for the Church at Ephesus? Probably because when Paul’s letters were collected into a corpus, Ephesus had a copy of this one.
Philippians – written by St. Paul (and Timothy?) “To all the saints in Christ Jesus who are at Philippi with the bishops and deacons” (v. 1).
Colossians – written by St. Paul (and Timothy?) “To the saints and faithful brethren in Christ at Colosssae” (v. 2).
1 and 2 Thessalonians – both written by St. Paul (and Silvanus and Timothy?) “To the church of the Thessalonians,” (v. 1).
1 and 2 Timothy – both written by St. Paul “to Timothy, my true child in faith” (1 Tm, v. 2) and “to Timothy, my beloved child” (2 Tm, v. 2).
**Titus – **written by St. Paul “To Titus my true child in a common faith” (v. 4)
Continued
The Church is the spotless Body of Christ and His Bride - without spot or wrinkle, as St. Paul says in Ephesians 5:21-30.
