Yes, Joe, the writings that the Councils chose to form The Bible had been around, many since the first century. I didn't mean to imply that the Church created The Bible from whole cloth in the fourth century. But there were many writings of similar age that were rejected by the Councils even though they had enjoyed Liturgical use in some locales. Also things like the Apocalypse of John were highly controversial. The Apocalypse only made it in as a way of achieving final agreement. Seventeen hundred years later, in the Orthodox Church, it remains the only book in the New Testament that is never read in any public service. I've read that there were quite a few Apocalypses in circulation, many predating Jesus' birth. This was evidently a popular theme.

My point was merely to show that, historically, Christian theology comes to us through the Church, not from The Bible. And the writings of the New Testament were intended for liturgical use, not as history books or logic manuals.

      - Mark