397 AD – Council of Carthage: Roman Imperial Control Over Scripture

The Location:

• Carthage, North Africa (Roman province, not biblical land)
• Major trading and imperial center, NOT Jerusalem/Antioch
• Chosen for politics, not faith

Who Convened:

• Roman imperial bishops, not apostles or Hebrew scholars
• Administrative necessity to serve imperial policies
• Not a "spiritual discovery"—a political-religious decision

🚨 This was not the early church "discovering" Scripture—it was Roman officials deciding what would serve their system.

• Augustine of Hippo: Roman aristocrat, Greek philosophy, Platonic academy, no Hebrew, bishop by imperial appointment
• Aurelius of Carthage: Roman administrator, presiding bishop, imperial interests first, faith second
• Other Bishops: ALL imperial appointees, ALL Greek-trained, ALL Sunday worshipers, ALL celebrated pagan festivals, ALL Mary worshipers
• Who Was NOT There: ❌ Hebrew believers, Torah keepers, YHWH worshipers, Aramaic speakers, biblical festival keepers, Torah scholars

🎯 Reality: A meeting of Roman pagans with Christian titles, picking books for their hybrid system.

Canonized (Why):

• Matthew, Mark, Luke, John: Popular, basic "Jesus" story
• Acts: Supported church authority and Gentile inclusion
• Paul's Letters: Anti-Torah, backed imperial anti-Hebrew policies
• Hebrews: "Supersession"—church replaces Hebrew system
• Revelation: Interpreted as "New Jerusalem"

Excluded (Why):

• Thomas: Too mystical, not enough institutional control
• Hermas: Too moralistic, didn't support hierarchy
• Didache: Too Hebrew, still mentioned Sabbath/festivals
• 1 Clement: Too focused on Hebrew authority

🚨 Criteria: Must support Roman authority, Greek philosophy, anti-Hebrew theology, church hierarchy, Sunday/pagan festivals

1. Church Authority Over Scripture: Only church can interpret Bible, private interpretation forbidden, Scripture subordinated to church tradition, Hebrew context erased
2. Imperial Backing: Canon enforced by law, non-canonical books criminalized, conformity by force
3. Greek Philosophical Framework: All interpretation must use Greek thought; Hebrew simplicity replaced by complex theology

The Canon Decree:
It was also determined that besides the Canonical Scriptures nothing be read in the church under the title of divine Scriptures. The Canonical Scriptures are these: Genesis, Exodus... [lists all books] ...The Revelation of John the Apostle. Let this be made known also to our brother and fellow-priest Boniface, or to other bishops of those parts, for the purpose of confirming that Canon.

🎯 Notice: Church authority confirms canon, not Scripture confirming church.

• ❌ Hebrew Old Testament or Tanakh
• ❌ Any Hebrew-language texts or festival instructions
• ❌ YHWH's name or Hebrew pronunciation
• Strategic: Roman authority and canon FIRST, eliminate Hebrew witness SECOND, add Greek-based Old Testament LAST (406 AD)

If they truly followed the Hebrew Messiah, Hebrew texts would be first—here, they were excluded and delayed.

1. Monopolized authority: Only church permission to interpret Bible, tradition over Scripture, Greek education required, Hebrew study discouraged
2. Eliminated Hebrew competition: No Torah/festivals in canon, Sabbath optional, YHWH's name erased
3. Supported pagan practices: Sunday/Christmas/Easter/Mary/saint worship justified by canon
4. Strengthened imperial structure: Church hierarchy, bishop authority, and political conformity all justified by selected texts

• Augustine's doctrines: Original sin, predestination, church replaces Israel, just war—all serving imperial and church power
• Greek philosophical trinity: Three-person godhead, complex metaphysics, academic theology, professional interpretation required

• Canon list sent to all bishops; non-canonical books confiscated and destroyed; alternative gospels heretical
• Seminary training (Greek-based) required for leadership; Hebrew study forbidden; Bible reading by laity controlled
• Church membership required for employment/trade; tithing and property rights enforced by law

• Imperial system: Religious authority from politics, canon decided by officials, Scripture serves institution
• Anti-Hebrew: Hebrew Scripture excluded, Greek philosophy mandatory, Torah/YHWH ignored
• Hybrid pagan: Sunday/pagan festivals/Mary worship justified, imperial power embedded
• Control mechanism: Church controls what Scripture is, who can read, and how to interpret

• Legitimized the hybrid system with "biblical" authority for church structure, anti-Hebrew theology, Greek doctrine, church-state fusion
• Eliminated Hebrew competition, Sabbath/festival commands, Torah challenges
• Created permanent control: future reformers stuck with canon, Hebrew truth erased, Roman interpretation embedded

• By 397 AD: Roman pagans decided "Scripture", Greek philosophy shaped all doctrine, church authority overruled the Bible, Hebrew truth excluded
• The Council of Carthage was not biblical discovery—it was political control for a hybrid system
• Books chosen for Roman authority, Greek philosophy, anti-Hebrew theology, church hierarchy, compatibility with paganism; Hebrew truth excluded for 9 more years

397 AD = The year Roman imperial paganism gained "biblical" authority. The beast now had "Scripture" to justify its disguise.