正典形成过程：谁「选」了圣经？

核心论证 Core Argument

流行文化（尤其是丹·布朗的《达芬奇密码》）常声称圣经的书卷是由某次教会会议投票「选定」的，暗示这一过程充满政治操控。然而，历史证据表明正典的形成是一个渐进的「承认」（recognition）过程，而非人为的「选择」（selection）。教会并非赋予这些书卷权威，而是承认它们固有的权威。 布鲁斯·梅茨格（Bruce Metzger）在《新约正典》中详细阐述了正典形成的三个核心标准：使徒性（apostolicity）——是否由使徒或使徒的亲密同工所写；正统性（orthodoxy）——是否与已被接受的信仰传统一致；普世性（catholicity）——是否被各地教会广泛接受和使用。这些标准反映了教会对圣灵引导的信靠，而非政治权力的运作。 新约27卷书的核心部分（四福音和保罗主要书信）在二世纪初就已被广泛承认为权威。穆拉多利残篇（约公元170年）列出了与今日新约几乎相同的书卷清单。后来的教会会议（如397年迦太基会议）并非「决定」正典，而是正式确认了教会早已达成的共识。迈克尔·克鲁格（Michael Kruger）在《正典再审视》中证明，新约书卷从写成之时就带有自证权威的特征。 至于旧约正典，犹太教早在基督教出现之前就已基本确立了希伯来圣经的范围。耶稣本人多次引用旧约并赋予其至高权威（马太福音5:17-18），这为基督徒接受旧约正典提供了最终依据。

Popular culture (especially Dan Brown's The Da Vinci Code) often claims biblical books were 'selected' by church council vote, implying political manipulation. However, historical evidence shows canon formation was a gradual process of recognition, not human selection. The church didn't bestow authority on these books but recognized their inherent authority. Bruce Metzger in The Canon of the New Testament details three core criteria: apostolicity—whether written by apostles or close associates; orthodoxy—consistency with accepted faith tradition; catholicity—widespread acceptance and use across churches. These criteria reflect trust in the Holy Spirit's guidance, not political power. The core New Testament books (four Gospels and Paul's major epistles) were widely recognized as authoritative by the early second century. The Muratorian Fragment (~AD 170) lists books nearly identical to today's New Testament. Later councils (e.g., Carthage 397) didn't 'decide' the canon but formally confirmed an existing consensus. Michael Kruger in Canon Revisited demonstrates that New Testament books carried self-authenticating authority from the moment of composition. As for the Old Testament canon, Judaism had essentially established the scope of the Hebrew Bible before Christianity emerged. Jesus Himself repeatedly cited the Old Testament with supreme authority (Matthew 5:17-18), providing the ultimate basis for Christian acceptance of the Old Testament canon.