Introduction
Many Christians today assume that the New Testament was immediately available after Jesus’ Resurrection. However, the truth is that the New Testament as we know it was only formally compiled around the late 4th century (c. 382–397 AD).
This raises an important question:
👉 How did the Church of Christ continue its mission and safeguard the truth for nearly 400 years without a completed New Testament?
The answer lies in Sacred Tradition, Apostolic teaching, the guidance of the Holy Spirit, and the authority of the Church established by Christ Himself (Matthew 16:18–19).
1. Jesus Gave the Church, Not the Bible
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Jesus never commanded His Apostles to write books; He commanded them to “go therefore and teach all nations” (Matthew 28:19–20).
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The early Church was born through oral preaching (Acts 2:42, Acts 8:4).
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The Bible came from the Church, not the other way around.
📖 “So then, brethren, stand firm and hold to the traditions which you were taught by us, either by word of mouth or by letter.” (2 Thessalonians 2:15)
2. Timeline of the Church Before the Bible Was Compiled
| Period | How the Church Continued Its Mission | References |
|---|---|---|
| 30–100 AD (Apostolic Era) | Oral preaching, Apostolic authority, Eucharist, baptism | Acts 2:42; Didache |
| 100–200 AD (Early Fathers) | Writings of St. Ignatius of Antioch, St. Clement of Rome, St. Irenaeus; defense against heresies | Apostolic Fathers |
| 200–300 AD (Apologists & Martyrs) | Growth of liturgy, martyrdom witness, catechumenate system, defense of Trinity | St. Justin Martyr, Tertullian |
| 300–400 AD (Councils & Canon) | Council of Nicaea (325 AD); Councils of Hippo (393 AD) and Carthage (397 AD) finalize NT canon | Church Councils |
3. The Role of Sacred Tradition
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Before Scripture was compiled, Sacred Tradition carried the fullness of faith.
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Examples:
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Baptism in the name of the Trinity (Matthew 28:19)
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The Eucharistic celebration (1 Corinthians 10:16–17)
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Apostolic succession (2 Timothy 2:2)
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📖 St. Paul himself affirms: “Faith comes by hearing” (Romans 10:17), not by reading alone.
4. Testimony of the Early Church Fathers
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St. Irenaeus (180 AD): “It is within the power of all in every Church, who may wish to see the truth, to contemplate clearly the tradition of the Apostles manifested throughout the whole world.” (Against Heresies, Book III)
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Tertullian (200 AD): “The heretics are not able to appeal to Scripture, since we can show that their doctrines do not descend from the Apostles.”
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St. Augustine (397 AD): “I would not believe in the Gospel myself if the authority of the Catholic Church did not move me to do so.” (Against the Epistle of Manichaeus)
5. The Church, Scripture, and Magisterium
According to the Catechism of the Catholic Church (CCC):
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CCC 76: “In keeping with the Lord’s command, the Gospel was handed on in two ways: orally and in writing.”
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CCC 80: “Sacred Tradition and Sacred Scripture make up a single sacred deposit of the Word of God.”
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CCC 81: “Sacred Scripture is the speech of God… and Sacred Tradition transmits in its entirety the Word of God entrusted to the apostles.”
Thus, the Church preserved the faith through Apostolic Tradition and teaching authority (Magisterium) long before the NT canon was finalized.
6. Where Did the New Testament Come From?
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Individual books were written between 50–100 AD.
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Different Christian communities had different collections.
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It was only under the authority of the Catholic Church that the canon was finalized:
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Council of Rome (382 AD) under Pope Damasus
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Council of Hippo (393 AD)
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Council of Carthage (397 AD)
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👉 The same Church that compiled the Bible is the one that preserved the faith during those first 400 years.
Conclusion
The Church of Christ did not wait for the New Testament to fulfill its mission. Guided by the Holy Spirit, it evangelized, celebrated the sacraments, defended the faith, and handed down Apostolic Tradition.
It was only after centuries of discernment that the Church, under God’s guidance, gave the world the Bible. This proves that the Church is the Mother of Scripture—not its child.
✝️ To understand the Bible properly, one must first understand the Church that gave it to us.
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