What is the criteria for the acceptance of a book into the New testament canon?

Answer 1

In most cases, the criteria were circular ones. The four gospels eventually chosen for the New Testament were originally anonymous but, because the theology of the Church Fathers had developed around the theology of those gospels, these gospels were attributed by them to two of the original disciples of Jesus and two important associates of Paul. Later, these gospels were considered appropriate for the New Testament because they were written by the apostles. Acts of the Apostles clearly was written by the same author as Luke's Gospel, but also provided the only supposed history of the early Church, so it was also included.

Paul was too important to the early Christian movement for his epistles to be omitted, so not only were genuine Pauline epistles included but also other, 'pseudo-Pauline' epistles written in his name. Hebrewswould have been ignored almost entirely but it had come to be regarded as probably written by Paul and was therefore included in the canon.

In the same way that Hebrews was included because it was once thought to have been written by Paul, so also the Book of Revelation was included because it was thought to have been written by the disciple John, simply because it is signed by an otherwise unknown person called John.

The authenticity of Hebrews, James, 2 and 3 John, 2 Peter, Jude and Revelation was disputed by the early Church Fathers. In the fourth century, Bishop Eusebius of Caesaria nominated 1 John and 1 Peter as 'Recognised Books', as well as 1 Clement, which was not eventually included in the canon. Books he called 'Disputed' include James, Jude, 2 Peter, 2 John, 3 John and Revelation, as well as another book known as theGospel of the Hebrews. 1 Clement was eventually excluded because Clement did not belong in the apostolic age. It was the eventual consensus that the other books, excluding Gospel of the Hebrews, were actually written by the named authors, that resulted in their inclusion in the canon of the Christian Bible.

Answer 2

The criteria for acceptance into the New Testament canon include apostolic authorship or association, orthodox theology consistent with established doctrine, widespread usage and acceptance by early Christian communities, and spiritual edification for believers. The books had to be seen as inspired by God and held authority in guiding the faith and practice of the Christian community.

Answer 3

approval of bishops at the Nicene council