Truth Unites Was the Earliest Bible Canon Actually Protestant?!?
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May 13, 2026 A deep dive into Melito of Sardis and his second-century Old Testament list. Short discussions on puzzling book titles and whether 'wisdom' means Proverbs. A look at the possible omission of Esther and how Melito’s list aligns with the Protestant canon. Exploration of whether Melito drew from Jewish or Christian sources and why his testimony matters for canonical history.
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Earliest Surviving Christian Canon Mirrors Protestant OT
- Melito of Sardis (c.170 AD) gives the earliest surviving Christian canon list that largely matches the Protestant Old Testament.
- His list (via Eusebius) omits Tobit, Judith, Maccabees, Sirach, Baruch, and extra Daniel/Esther material, aligning with a shorter canon.
Esther And Wisdom Are The Two Main Uncertainties
- Two key ambiguities in Melito's list are the likely exclusion of Esther and the unclear meaning of 'Wisdom'.
- 'Wisdom' could mean either the deuterocanonical Book of Wisdom or simply Proverbs, and Esther is commonly seen as omitted.
Wisdom More Likely Means Proverbs Not Deuterocanon
- 'Wisdom' likely refers to Proverbs in many ancient lists because Proverbs was often titled Wisdom, and Rufinus renders it as one work (Proverbs of Solomon, qui et sapientia).
- Several scholars argue the Greek could read as two names for the same book rather than two separate books.
