CODEX SINAITICUS
Part 10 of 12 Celebrating Scripture Series
2Corinthians 11:12-14
“And I [Paul] will keep on doing what I am doing in order to cut the ground from under those who want an opportunity to be considered equal with us in the things they boast about. For such men are false apostles, deceitful workmen, masquerading as apostles of Christ. And no wonder, for Satan himself masquerades as an angel of light.”
Jesus’ chosen apostles wrote down their testimonies (test-i-MO-nees mean statements of eye-witness truth). These circulated throughout the known world. Jealous men, not led by the Holy Spirit, tried to copy-cat. These false apostles made stuff up. The word heresy (HERE-e-see) describes their words as lies.
False apostles blossomed after John, the last original disciple, died in year 100. Challenging God’s Word, they were labeled heretics (HER-e-teks), or liars. Marcion (MAR-see-on) was one, professing two gods, beginning in year 144. (At least Jesus Christ was the superior deity to the Old Testament god). Marcion’s Canon (KA-non means rule) included ten epistles (letters), and parts of Luke’s gospel. His heretical (he-RET-e-kl) work spurred the Christians’ to circulate their own sacred writings.
Ireneaus (i-REEN-i-us) authored Against Heresies, in year 200. This became the Christian defense against heresy.
In 318, another heretic, Arius, claimed Jesus Christ wasn’t equally God with the Father. The resulting arguments and violence prompted Constantine, (KON-stan-teen was a Roman Emperor who converted to Christianity in 312), to form the Council of Nicaea (ni-SEE-a) in 325. See Gathered Together devotion for Christianity’s official belief statement. This defied heresy.
Finally, Codex Sinaiticus (sine-AT-i-kus—Book of Sinai) became the earliest complete manuscript of the Christian Bible. It combined the Septuagint (Sep-TU-a-jint, completed around 150 B.C., as the original Greek translation of the Old Testament) with the apostles’ New Testament.
Scribes folded and bound the hand-copied parchment—similar to the process we use to bind books today. Constantine ordered 50 copies of Codex Sinaiticus! They were planned for use in new churches built in the empire’s new capital, Constantinople (kon-STAN-tin-o-pl).
In year 363, the Council of Nicaea and Codex Sinaiticus inspired the Council of Laodicea (la-o-DEE-she-a) to approve the list of biblical books in the East. In 367, Athanasius (a-than-A-si-us), bishop of Alexandria, listed the official New Testament books for the first time. (There were writings [heresy?] that were rejected). It wasn’t until 397, at the 3rd Council of Carthage, when an authoritative list of biblical books was published in the West.
Take Home Nugget
The Vulgate, the Christian Bible translated into Latin, became the official translation for the West. (East means countries: Asia, Eastern Europe, Middle Eastern countries, some African countries—both Arab and non-Arab. No part of Communist block is included. West means countries: Western Europe, Canada, United States, Mexico, South America).
Open your Bible prayerfully, read it carefully, obey it joyfully.
J.D. Griffith
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Written for www.Biblestudyforkids.com
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