Who Gave the World the Bible?
Did the Roman Catholic Church give the world the Bible as they claim? From a book titled “The Bible is a Catholic Book” by Jimmy Akin the inside flap has this written: “In The Bible Is a Catholic Book, Jimmy shows how the Bible cannot exist apart from the Church. In its origins and its formulation, in the truths it contains, in its careful preservation over the centuries and in the prayerful study and elucidation of its mysteries, Scripture is inseparable from Catholicism. This is fitting, since both come from God for our salvation.” Catholic Bible 101 claims, "the Church gave the world the Bible. The Bible does not exist apart from the church."
Is that accurate? Are the truths of the Bible inseparable from Roman Catholicism? Is it true that the Bible cannot possibly exist apart from the Roman Catholic Church? The Roman Catholic Church did not formally accept its canon of the Bible until the 1546 Council of Trent.
And the Greek/Eastern Orthodox? They did not finalize their canon until 1672 at the Synod of Jerusalem.
Would God have left His true church without His word for centuries?
What about a Protestant church? Did one of the Protestant churches give the world the Bible? The Protestant churches were born from the Roman Catholic Church, so they came later in time. If the Roman Catholic Church didn’t bring the world the Bible, then humanity was without the word of God for even more centuries.
One thing is certain – the instant one of the books of the Bible was written, someone had it; even if it was only the author. So, was there a church that had a continuous chain of custody of the scriptures? If so, what church was it? Is there historical proof that one group had a continuous chain of custody of the books of the Bible the instant they were written – not centuries later?
The fact is that the Greco-Roman Catholic and Protestant churches did NOT accept the validity of several books of the New Testament. Yet, from the beginning the Church of God did and has maintained the chain of custody since the Apostle John handed down the books and the knowledge of the canon to Polycarp of Smyrna, who passed this on to others.
And most importantly: Who Really Did Give the World the Bible?
Click here https://cogwriter.com/BibleCanon.pdf for a free eBook of a comprehensive study guide to Who Gave the World the Bible.
Watch this video as Dr. Thiel shines the light of Biblical truth and historical proof on the possessors of the chain of custody of the Holy Scriptures.
Read the full article to this video titled “Although the Roman Catholic Church claims it gave the world the Bible, God did, and the Church of God had the chain of custody” at URL https://www.cogwriter.com/news/church-history/although-the-roman-catholic-church-claims-it-gave-the-world-the-bible-god-did-and-the-church-of-god-had-the-chain-of-custody/
From Apostles to Canon: Who Preserved the Books of the Bible?
Summary
The Question of Biblical Origins
The episode begins with a direct question about who gave the world the Bible. Dr. Bob Thiel answers that God did and then contrasts that position with Roman Catholic claims about the Church's role in the Bible's origin, formation, and preservation. He cites a Catholic book and Catholic-oriented sources as examples of the position that the Bible cannot be separated from the institutional Church. The discussion then focuses on the formation of the biblical canon and the timing of formal Catholic declarations about which books belong in Scripture. Throughout the episode, these claims are presented as part of Dr. Thiel's argument rather than as independently established historical conclusions.
Catholic Claims and Canon Disputes
Dr. Thiel discusses Catholic material concerning the recognition of the biblical canon and points to historical uncertainty over books such as Hebrews, James, 2 Peter, 2 John, Jude, and Revelation. He argues that this uncertainty undermines the claim that the Roman Church uniquely preserved a continuously known canon from the beginning. He also refers to the Council of Trent and says the Catholic Church did not make an infallible declaration concerning the canon until the 16th century. He contrasts that timeline with biblical passages he interprets as implying that true Christians would have known and possessed the Scriptures. His central contention is that inspiration came from God and was not created by later church councils.
Apostolic Custody in Asia Minor
A major part of the episode centers on the idea of a "chain of custody" for the biblical books. Dr. Thiel argues that the apostles and their recipients possessed the inspired writings from the time they were written, with the Apostle John eventually having access to the full collection. He emphasizes John's residence in Asia Minor and says many New Testament books were written to or from people connected with that region. He then links John with Polycarp and presents this relationship as evidence that knowledge of the canon continued in Asia Minor. The argument is that a continuous community, rather than later councils, preserved awareness of the inspired books.
Early Church Figures and Scripture
Dr. Thiel names several early Christian figures in support of his chain-of-custody position, including Papias of Hierapolis, Polycarp, Melito of Sardis, Polycrates of Ephesus, Serapion of Antioch, and Lucian. He says these figures demonstrate familiarity with sacred Scripture and, in some cases, concern about distinguishing accepted writings from disputed or noncanonical texts. Polycarp's letter to the Philippians is presented as especially important because Dr. Thiel argues that it quotes from or alludes to all 27 New Testament books. Melito's investigation of the Old Testament canon is used to support a canon that excludes the Apocrypha. Serapion's rejection of the Gospel of Peter is presented as another example of an early community making distinctions among writings.
Later Catholic and Protestant Questions
The episode moves from the early centuries to later Catholic and Protestant history. Dr. Thiel refers to disputes over several New Testament books, Jerome's work on a Latin Bible, the inclusion of the Apocrypha, and later Catholic declarations about the canon. He also discusses Protestant figures such as Zwingli and Martin Luther, arguing that some Reformers continued to question books such as Revelation, Hebrews, James, and Jude. The 1611 King James Version is mentioned as having included the Apocrypha as an appendix. Dr. Thiel uses these later disagreements to reinforce his claim that both Roman Catholic and Protestant traditions experienced uncertainty that, in his view, did not characterize the Church of God tradition he represents.
The Episode's Final Claim
In the closing portion, Dr. Thiel rejects the idea that no Christian community knew the biblical canon until centuries after the apostles. He argues instead that the true Church would have known the Scriptures, preserved them, and maintained a historical chain of custody from the apostles onward. He says later scholarly assumptions often treat Greco-Roman Christianity as representative of Christianity as a whole, while his interpretation emphasizes a smaller "little flock" described in Luke 12:32. When the host repeats the opening question, Dr. Thiel again answers that God gave the world the Bible. The episode ends by directing listeners to additional interviews, written material, and audio content on the program's website.
