Origen’s New Testament Canon

Origen of Alexandria ca. 185-254

So to our Lord, whose advent was typified by the son

of Nun, when He came, sent His Apostles as priests bearing well-

wrought trumpets. Matthew first sounded the priestly trumpet in

his Gospel. Mark also, Luke and John, each gave forth a strain on

their priestly trumpets. Peter moreover sounds loudly on the

twofold trumpet of his Epistles; and also James and Jude. Still

the number is incomplete, and John gives forth the trumpet-sound

in his Epistles and Apocalypse; and Luke while describing

the Acts of the Apostles. Lastly however came he who said: “I

think that God has set forth us Apostles last of all,” and thundering

on the fourteen trumpets of his Epistles, threw down even to

the ground the walls of Jericho, that is to say all the instruments

of idolatry and the doctrines of philosophers. (Homilies on Joshua 7.1)