In the latter half of the 4th century, the New Testament canon finds full and final declaration. In his Festal Letter for Easter, 367, Bishop Athanasius of Alexandria set to eliminate once and for all the use of certain apocryphal books: "Let no one add to these; let nothing be taken away".
It is the earliest extant document that specifies our 27 books without qualification.
(The Origin of the Bible: Newly Updated by F. F. Bruce, J. I. Packer, Philip W. Comfort, and Carl F. H. Henry, 2020. The Canon of the New Testament by Milton C. Fisher, Page 74.)
Letter 39 Summary
(For 367.) Of the particular books and their number, which are accepted by the Church. From the thirty-ninth Letter of Holy Athanasius, Bishop of Alexandria, on the Paschal festival; wherein he defines canonically what are the divine books which are accepted by the Church.
1 - Athanasius condemns books of tables that show stars and name them after Saints
There are books of tables that show stars and give them Saints' names. Their authors earn a double reproach for perfecting a lying and contemptible science (I guess Athanasius means astrology?) and for leading astray the ignorant and simple from the true doctrines established in the presence of God.
2 - Athanasius fears the simple and ignorant will be fooled into thinking apocryphal books are part of the canon
Heretics are spiritually dead, but we possess the Divine Scriptures for salvation. Athanasius fears the simple will be beguiled as Paul wrote in 2 Corinthians 11:3, "But I am afraid that as the serpent deceived Eve by his cunning, your thoughts will be led astray from a sincere and pure devotion to Christ." There's a risk they will read apocryphal books, misled by the similarity of their names with the true books. Athanasius beseeches the reader to be patient if he retreads familiar topics because he believes revisiting these issues is necessary and beneficial for the Church.
3 - As Luke clarified the story of Jesus with this methodology, Athanasius will clarify the Canon of Scripture
Athanasius will be adopting the pattern of Luke the Evangelist, who introduced his approach to his Gospel as compiling a narrative into an orderly account so that readers may have certainty (Luke 1:1). He will take the Scripture mixed with apocryphal books and set before us the books included in the Canon accredited as Divine. With this, those who fell into error may condemn those who led him astray, and those who continued steadfast in purity may rejoice in remembering the canon.
4 - Athanasius lists the 22 Old Testament books
There are 22 books in the Old Testament as there are 22 letters among the Hebrews. These are their respective order and names:
- Genesis
- Exodus
- Leviticus
- Numbers
- Deuteronomy
- Joshua, the son of Nun
- Judges
- Ruth
- four books of Kings, the first and second being reckoned as one book, and so likewise the third and fourth as one book
- the first and second of the Chronicles are reckoned as one book
- Ezra, the first and second are similarly one book
- Psalms
- Proverbs
- Ecclesiastes
- Song of Songs
- Job
- the Prophets, the twelve being reckoned as one book
- Isaiah, one book
- Jeremiah with Baruch
- Lamentations, and the epistle, one book
- Ezekiel and Daniel, each one book
5 - Athanasius lists the 27 New Testament books
It is not tedious to speak of the New Testament books. There are 4 Gospels, 7 Catholic Epistles, and 14 Epistles of Paul.
- Matthew
- Mark
- Luke
- John
- the Acts of the Apostles
- James
- Peter, two
- John, three
- Jude
- Romans
- two to the Corinthians
- Galatians
- Ephesians
- Philippians
- Colossians
- two to the Thessalonians
- Hebrews
- two to Timothy
- Titus
- Philemon
- Revelation of John
6 - In these canonical books alone is the doctrine of godliness proclaimed, so do not add nor take from them
These books are fountains of salvation and will satisfy with their living words. In them alone is the doctrine of godliness proclaimed. Let no man add to these, neither let him take any away. For concerning these, the Lord shamed the Sadducees in Matthew 22:29 in saying, "You err, not knowing the Scriptures." And He reproved the Jews in John 5:39, saying, "Search the Scriptures, for these are they that testify of Me."
7 - Of noncanonical books, there are those recommended by Church Fathers to aid Christians and those apocryphal books written by heretics to mislead the simple
For greater exactness, Athanasius adds that there are other books besides these that are not canonical but were appointed by the Church Fathers to be read by those who become Christians and wish for instruction in the word of godliness.
- The Wisdom of Solomon
- The Wisdom of Sirach
- Esther
- Judith
- Tobit
- The Teaching of the Apostles (Didache)
- The Shepherd (The Shepherd of Hermas)
The former lists are included in the Canon, while this latter list is merely read. There is no mention of apocryphal writings because they are an invention of heretics, written and approved by man alone and assigned an ancient date, so they can mislead the simple.
(New Advent, LLC - From Letter 39 @ https://www.newadvent.org/fathers/2806039.htm, accessed June 6, 2023.)
Response
What are books of tables? I asked ChatGPT 4. He said there are historical texts that contain tables for tracking the movements of celestial bodies, and they are associated with astrology. One such example is the Almagest by Claudius Ptolemy, one of the most influential astonomical books, though none are known to associate stars with Saints. Almagest is very gorgeous. The illustrations are like those in Brigitte Penvellyn's star room in Nancy Drew: Curse of Blackmoor Manor.
Athanasius includes the deuterocanonical books Baruch and The Letter of Jeremiah but not other deuterocanonical books? He also excludes Esther.