How were the books of the Bible canonized?

Answer 1

The Bible is a manual intended by God to show human beings two things: It shows us how to live, and it is a guide to God's plan for the salvation of mankind. So this would mean that it was God, Himself, who selected the writings to be included in the Bible. However, God works through mankind.

As such it is widely agreed that the Old Testament section of Bible was written over 1600 years with at least 5 canonizations (the Pentateuch being the first). About a 1000 years later it appears that Ezra, a priest and scribe, was responsible for the final ordering of the writings in circa 450 BC. It was formally accepted as 'canon' in A.D. 90 Jewish elders and authorities met at the Council of Jamnia, where the canon of the Hebrew Bible was confirmed as authoritative and complete, as it had evidently been considered to be long before this. Jesus confirmed this being complete in Luke 24:44.

No one knows for sure how the New Testament was canonized. Two theories today are that they were put together over 3 centuries; or Peter, Paul and John were the first canonizers. Peter seems to accept Paul's writings as Scripture here:

2 Peter 3:16New King James Version (NKJV)

16 as also in all his epistles, speaking in them of these things, in which are some things hard to understand, which untaught and unstable people twist to their own destruction, as they do also the rest of the Scriptures.

Paul seems concerned with the safety of the 'parchments:'

2 Timothy 4:13New King James Version (NKJV)

13 Bring the cloak that I left with Carpus at Troas when you come---and the books, especially the parchments.

And John who was the last/oldest Apostle at the end of the 1st Century warns all not to add or take away from Scripture:

Revelation 22:18-19New King James Version (NKJV) A Warning18 For I testify to everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book: If anyone adds to these things, God will add to him the plagues that are written in this book; 19 and if anyone takes away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part from the Book of Life, from the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book.

Lastly, in 397 AD, the Synod of Carthage accepted these 27 books as canonical for the New Testament.