[Tao Yin]

“It doesn’t have to be there to prove Matthew is inspired as the scriptures show us...”

It does have to be there if you’re using sola scriptura. This is why Protestants always fail.

That is not sola scriptura. Sola scriptura comes after the canon. The canon is determined by a set of criteria. The criteria is deterministic, so it does not take a subjective authority.

I found an interesting chart.

Catholic Church view

• The Church is the Determiner of Canon
• The Church is the Mother of Canon
• The Church is the Magistrate of Canon
• The Church is the Regulator of Canon
• The Church is the Judge of Canon
• The Church is the Master of Canon

Sola Scriptura view

• The Church is the Discoverer of Canon
• The Church is the Child of Canon
• The Church is the Minister of Canon
• The Church is the Recognizer of Canon
• The Church is the Witness of Canon
• The Church is the Servant of Canon

I've seen longer lists, but the above link has 3 set of criteria.

1. Was the author an apostle or did it have apostolic authority?
2. Does the document agree with the canon of truth?
3. Was the work accepted by the early church?

After we determine canon, then we can appeal to the canon.

Just because a book says it is inspired by God, does not mean it's in the canon. What a silly idea.

God never explicitly wrote a list of the books of the Bible. I'm not worried about this. Who am I to judge God's ways?

What is Sola Scriptura? A belief that the Bible is the supreme authority in all matters of doctrine and practice.

Who can deny that God willed that men write the books of the Bible?

John 20: 30 Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of the disciples, which are not written in this book; 31 but these are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name

Sola Scripture is sufficient for salvation.

Please show me where belief in Peter's successors is good for anything?

[vladimir998]

“That is not sola scriptura. Sola scriptura comes after the canon.”

Where is that in scripture? Look at how Protestants just make things up when sola scriptura fails.

[verga]

I found an interesting chart.

What a completely unbiased source! /SARC (SNERK)