Here is some info on the Bible canon and how it came to be fixed (which books to include).
The Hewbrew Scriptures:
The Bible began with the writings of Moses, 1513 B.C.E. In these are are preserved God's commandments and precepts to Adam, Noah, Abraham, Isaac,and Jacob, as well as the regulations of the Law covenant. The writings of Moses under the direction of the holy spirit were from the beginning accepted by the Isralites as inspired, of divine authorship. When completed, the Pentateuch constituted the canon up to that time. Further revelations concerning God's purposes given to men under inspiration would need to follow logically and be in harmony with the fundamental principles concerning true worship that are set forth in the Pentateuch.
Following Moses' death, the writings of Joshua, Samuel, Gad, and Nathan (Joshua, Judges, Ruth, 1 and 2 Samuel) were added. Kings David and Solomon also made contributions to the growing canon of Holy Writings. Then came the prophets from Jonah to Malachi, each contributing to the Bible canon, each endowed with miraculous prophetic ability from God.
Just as God inspired men to write, it logically follows that he would direct and watch over the collecting and preserving of these inspired writings in order that mankind would have an enduring canonical straightedge for true worship. According to Jewish tradition, Ezra had a hand in this work after the exiled Jews were resettled in Judah. He was certainly qualified for the work, being one of the inspired Bible writers, a priest, and also "a skilled copyist in the law of Moses." (Ezra 7:1-11) Only the books of Nehemiah and Malachi remained to be added. The canon of the Hebrew Scriptures, therefore, was well fixed by the end of the 5th century B.C.E., containing the same writings we have today.
Brien
The Hewbrew Scriptures:
The Bible began with the writings of Moses, 1513 B.C.E. In these are are preserved God's commandments and precepts to Adam, Noah, Abraham, Isaac,and Jacob, as well as the regulations of the Law covenant. The writings of Moses under the direction of the holy spirit were from the beginning accepted by the Isralites as inspired, of divine authorship. When completed, the Pentateuch constituted the canon up to that time. Further revelations concerning God's purposes given to men under inspiration would need to follow logically and be in harmony with the fundamental principles concerning true worship that are set forth in the Pentateuch.
Following Moses' death, the writings of Joshua, Samuel, Gad, and Nathan (Joshua, Judges, Ruth, 1 and 2 Samuel) were added. Kings David and Solomon also made contributions to the growing canon of Holy Writings. Then came the prophets from Jonah to Malachi, each contributing to the Bible canon, each endowed with miraculous prophetic ability from God.
Just as God inspired men to write, it logically follows that he would direct and watch over the collecting and preserving of these inspired writings in order that mankind would have an enduring canonical straightedge for true worship. According to Jewish tradition, Ezra had a hand in this work after the exiled Jews were resettled in Judah. He was certainly qualified for the work, being one of the inspired Bible writers, a priest, and also "a skilled copyist in the law of Moses." (Ezra 7:1-11) Only the books of Nehemiah and Malachi remained to be added. The canon of the Hebrew Scriptures, therefore, was well fixed by the end of the 5th century B.C.E., containing the same writings we have today.
Brien
