VIII.

From the Iambics of St. Amphilochius the Bishop to Seleucus, on the Same Subject.⁶⁰³⁶⁰³    That is the canon of Holy Scripture.  I have substituted my own Epitome, in the room of Johnson’s, translating the original as it is found in Beveridge’s Synodicon, Tom. II., p. 179.  It is also in Aristenus’s Epitome.  Balsamon has no scholion on this passage.

We should know that not every book which is called Scripture is to be received as a safe guide.  For some are tolerably sound and others are more than doubtful.  Therefore the books which the inspiration of God hath given I will enumerate.  [Then follows a list of the proto-canonical books of the Old Testament, Esther alone being omitted.  All the deutero-canonical books are omitted.  He then continues] to these some add Esther.  I must now show what are the books of the New Testament.  [Then follow all the books of the New Testament except the Revelation.  He continues,] But some add to these the Revelation of John, but by far the majority say that it is spurious.  This is the most true canon of the divinely given Scriptures.

Note.

We have thus four [five if we accept the Laodicean list as genuine,] different canons of Holy Scripture, all having the approval of the Council in Trullo and of the Seventh Ecumenical.  From this there seems but one conclusion possible, viz.:  that the approval given was not specific but general.