The following preliminary points concerning the Bible and its interpretation in the early church should be noted. The Bible never existed as a single book during the period covered. Technologically it was impossible. The Scriptures consisted of multiple scrolls or codices, and exactly which belonged to the collection, as well as how they constituted a unity, was only gradually established. To begin with, the only Scriptures were those known to Jesus and his apostles (Apostle/Discip…