Bible canon didn't originate in the church

I would like to point out that no evidence exists to support the belief that the Bible's canon was made by the church, but was already in place as it gradually developed throughput the history of Israel. Scripture dictates which books are canonical. The Torah has been authenticated in other books (Ex. 17:14; 24:4; 34:27; Num. 33:2; Deut. 31:9, 22, 24; Ezra 3:2; 6:18; 7:6; Ps. 103:7; Josh. 8:31, 23:6; 1 Kings 2:3, Hos. 12:13). Joshua saw Moses as inspired (Joshua 1:8,23:6). Joshua's worked was seen inspired (Jud. 1:1, 20, 21, 2:8). Ruth authenticates Judges (Rut. 1:1). Samuel is inspired (1 Sam. 10). The list goes on. The DDS manual of discipline declares the writings of Moses and the prophets (same phrase Jesus used) (1). The Zadokite document also does the same (2). Other prophetic writings were also seen as divinely inspired by the Jews (3).Writings such as the Apocrypha were seen as inspired by the Essenes (4). Josephus further identifies the canonical books: " For we have not an innumerable multitude of books among us, disagreeing from and contradicting one another (as the Greeks have), but only twenty-two books, which contain the records of all the past times; which are justly believed to be divine; and of them, five belong to Moses, which contain his laws, and the traditions of the origin of mankind until his death. This interval of time is little short of three thousand years; but as to the time from the death of Moses till the reign of Artexerxes king of Persia, who reigned after Xerxes, the prophets, who were after Moses, wrote down what was done in their times in thirteen books. The remaining four books contain hymns to God, and precepts for the conduct of human life. From Artexerxes to our own time the complete history has been written but has not been deemed worthy of equal credit with the earlier records because of the failure of the exact succession of the prophets. We have given practical proof of our reverence for our own scriptures. For, although such long ages have now passed, no one has ventured to add, or to remove, or to alter anything, and it is an instinct with every Jew, from the day of his birth, to regard them as decrees of God" (5) No evidence to exists to support that canon was decided by the council of Jamnia (6). In regards to the Apocryphal books, Athanasius writes this: " There are other books besides these not indeed included in the Canon, but appointed by the Fathers to be read by those who newly join us, and who wish for instruction in the word of godliness. The Wisdom of Solomon, and the Wisdom of Sirach, and Esther, and Judith, and Tobit, and that which is called the Teaching of the Apostles, and the Shepherd. But the former, my brethren, are included in the Canon, the latter being [merely] read; nor is there in any place a mention of apocryphal writings. But they are an invention of heretics, who write them when they choose, bestowing upon them their approbation, and assigning to them a date, that so, using them as ancient writings, they may find occasion to lead astray the simple." (7) With that in mind, the Bible canon was not an invention by man, it was simply an organization of books already considered to be divinely inspired. Sources: 1. Harris, R. Laird. Inspiration and Canonicity of the Scriptures. Greenville, SC, 1995. 140-141. 2. Harris, Stephen. Understanding the Bible. Palo Alto, California: Mayfield Publishing Company. 1985. 9. 3. Harris, R. Laird. Inspiration and Canonicity of the Scriptures. Greenville, SC, 1995. 141. 4. Emphasis mine. Harris, R. Laird. Inspiration and Canonicity of the Scriptures. Greenville, SC, 1995. 141. 5. Flavius Josephus, Against Apion, book 1, paragraph 8. 6. F.L. Cross 7. Athanasius Paschal Letter Letter 39, 367 A.D.