Did Constantine determine the Bible's book selection?

Did Constantine Determine the Bible’s Book Selection?

Historical Context and the Nature of the Question

The claim that Emperor Constantine chose which books belong in the Bible often surfaces in discussions of church history. This question typically centers on the Council of Nicaea (AD 325), convened by Constantine. Yet it is crucial to note that Nicaea’s primary aim was to address the Arian controversy regarding the divinity of Jesus, not the selection of canonical books. Early Christian writers and the churches already recognized and utilized the writings that make up the biblical canon, centuries before Constantine.

Early Recognition of Scriptural Texts

Prior to the fourth century, Christians revered numerous works as authoritative. The “Muratorian Fragment,” dating to about AD 170, lists most of the New Testament’s books and demonstrates that congregations had a recognized body of texts they treated as Scripture long before Constantine’s reign.

Additionally, church fathers such as Irenaeus (late second century) and Tertullian (late second/early third century) frequently cited the four Gospels, the Pauline epistles, and other New Testament letters with full confidence in their authenticity and authority. Their extensive quotations and sermons reveal there was already a recognized set of Scriptures across Christian communities.

Council of Nicaea and Its True Focus

The Council of Nicaea in AD 325 was convened to address theological disputes, especially the Arian teaching that denied the full deity of Jesus Christ. None of the surviving records of this council’s proceedings mention a discussion or vote on which writings should be recognized as divinely inspired. Eusebius, an early church historian present at Nicaea, extensively documented the council’s debates in his landmark work, yet he makes no reference to any official decision on books of Scripture (Ecclesiastical History 3.25). Most of the council’s time was spent formulating what later became known as the Nicene Creed, affirming the Son’s co-eternal nature with the Father (a truth consistent with John 10:30 [BSB]: “I and the Father are one.”).

Athanasius and the New Testament Canon

By AD 367, in Athanasius’s Festal Letter, all 27 books of the New Testament were clearly affirmed as canonical. This affirmation did not arise overnight. Instead, it reflected the ongoing consensus of churches over prior generations, building upon the widespread acceptance of those same books. Athanasius’s writings and ministry followed Nicaea, but he never credited Constantine with dictating or determining the selection. Rather, the church continued to recognize what had been handed down from the time of the apostles, as 2 Timothy 3:16 testifies, “All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for instruction, for conviction, for correction, and for training in righteousness.”

Old Testament Foundations

For the Old Testament, believers inherited a collection of inspired writings recognized within Judaism. Even by the time of Jesus, these books were well established. The Dead Sea Scrolls, discovered in the mid-20th century at Qumran, contain portions of almost every Old Testament text, confirming that these Scriptures were already revered centuries prior to the Christian era. Jesus Himself made reference to the Law, the Prophets, and the Psalms (Luke 24:44 [BSB]), underscoring the established threefold division and authority of the Scriptures in His day.

Manuscript Evidence and Consistency

Surviving manuscript evidence underscores that the books commonly recognized before Constantine’s time continued to be copied, read, and circulated after his rule, without any change to this recognized listing of books. Papyrus fragments such as P52 (dated around AD 125–150) contain portions of the Gospel of John, underscoring the early circulation of the New Testament texts. Later codices, such as Codex Sinaiticus and Codex Vaticanus (which postdate Constantine but do not credit him with their content), include the standard set of New Testament writings, matching the list attested by church fathers much earlier.

Councils After Nicaea

Councils such as Hippo (AD 393) and Carthage (AD 397) confirm the recognition of the 27 New Testament books, but even these gatherings merely reflected long-standing usage and acceptance. There is no credible historical record showing that Constantine forced certain books on the church or rejected others.

Consistent Theme of Divine Inspiration

Beyond the historical documentation, believers regard Scripture as divinely inspired and self-authenticating, as 2 Peter 1:20–21 states, “…no prophecy of Scripture comes from one’s own interpretation. For no prophecy was ever brought forth by the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.” The community of early Christians tested writings against apostolic origin, doctrinal soundness, and consistency with the accepted revelation of God (Galatians 1:7–9). None of these factors align with the notion of a single emperor determining the biblical canon.

Conclusion

Constantine did not decide which books belong in the Bible. The selection of Scripture was already widely recognized before the fourth century through early church usage, apostolic authorship, doctrinal alignment, and faithful transmission. The Council of Nicaea addressed Christological doctrine, not the biblical canon. Over centuries, from the Jewish acceptance of recognized Scriptures to the church’s embracing of unanimously acknowledged apostolic texts, the canon emerged naturally, under God’s providential guidance.

The record of church fathers, manuscript evidence, and archaeological findings all testify that the accepted books of the Bible never hinged on a single political ruler’s verdict. Scripture remains grounded in divine inspiration and the historical witness of faithful believers: “Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will never pass away” (Mark 13:31 [BSB]).