It is a mistake to assume that the church — or the synagogue, or any ancient religious group — proceeded formally with the development of its organization, like modern political bodies which begin by calling together a “constitutional assembly” to draft a declaration of principles, a set of definitions, a series of by-laws, and a governing code. The most ancient church had no idea of legislating for posterity or of thinking out the propositions of its practice. It emerged upon the broad stage of Greco-Roman history as one more religion of a book, indeed as an offshoot or sect of “the religion of the book,” Judaism.

Ancient Judaism and The New Testament
Frederick C. Grant

Frederick C. Grant
1891–1974

Frederick C. Grant was a New Testament scholar. He was professor of Biblical Theology at the Union Theological Seminary in New York City. Grant studied at Western Theological Seminary, Chicago, Illinois.