The Canon of Scripture: A Presuppositional Study

by Phillip Kayser

The Bible is authoritative, but which books are in the Bible? Whose word should we trust? The Bible should be the axiomatic starting point and ending point for all Christian doctrine, including the doctrine of canon. Inside, Dr. Kayser defends the Protestant doctrine that “only God can identify His word,” and He did so through the very prophets who gave us the Scriptures. In other words, if God’s Word is the highest authority in our lives, there can be no higher authority to which we can appeal in order to prove the doctrine of canon. Chapter 10 shows that the church of the first millennium took the same approach to canonization and clearly sided with the Reformation and against the reactionary Roman Catholic and Eastern Orthodox approaches to canon since the Reformation. The Bible’s self-referential statements are sufficient to completely settle the question of canonicity. This presuppositional approach to canonicity is the only adequate approach that will stand up against all criticism.

407 pages, Kindle Edition

Published October 9, 2018

About the author

Phillip G. Kayser, Ph.D. is the Senior Pastor of Dominion Covenant Church in Omaha, NE. He holds a M.Div. from Westminster Theological Seminary (California) and a Ph.D. from Whitefield Theological Seminary (Florida). Phillip Kayser currently serves as president at Biblical Blueprints, a resource organization that is leveraging the impact of small ministries around the world by helping them recapture Biblical patterns of training, leadership development, and cultural renewal. He has degrees in theology and philosophy/ethics. He and his wife Kathy have 5 children.

Reviews

[Benjamin · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is probably my go to resource on issues of Canon. Absolutely excellent! I would recommend every Christian to read this book. Also, his argumentation from Scripture on the closing of the canon by 70AD is phenomenal. Dr. Kayser, in true presuppositional fashion, uplifts the Word of God by reminding all of us that ultimately God is there only one that can identify His own word. The Word of God is self-authenticating!

[Ned · Rating 5 out of 5]

Helpful explanations

I found Kayser's book very helpful for understanding the self authenticating, presuppositional nature of the Bible, needing no external authenticator, since any such thing would imply the authenticator holds greater authority than the Bible itself. I obtained a better understanding of the significance of the Council of Trent, the views of the early church fathers of the Canon, the two-Canon theory, and found a better footing from which to dispute Papists. It is rare for me to read a book with so many gems of understanding. There is even a passing discussion of the validity of dreams and the casting of lots to determine God's will. I need to recapitulate for further study. Loved it!

[Jack Smith · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really enjoyed this read. Very well referenced throughout. The first 30% of the book holds most of the substance for the argument of canonical cessation, and the rest is mostly church father quotes backing up various biblical arguments. The canon ceasing at 70 AD is an interesting concept, but is reasonably unconvincing to me, and unfortunately falls a bit flat in my opinion because of the seemingly vague prophecies about it used to argue the axioms of cessation and the series of non sequiturs which follow to draw conclusions which feel a bit of a reach… The conclusions are often things that I would agree with, but the way in which the author arrives at them strike me as dissatisfying and often convoluted. Fascinating read nonetheless and given me a lot to chew on!