=7. Its Origin and Growth.=--At the time of our Lord's ministry in the flesh, the Jews were in possession of certain scriptures which they regarded as canonical or authoritative. There can be little doubt as to the authenticity of those works, for they were frequently quoted by both Christ and the apostles, by whom they were designated as "the scriptures."[734] The Savior specifically refers to them under their accepted terms of classification as "the law of Moses, the prophets, and the psalms."[735] The books thus accepted by the people in the time of Christ are sometimes spoken of as the Jewish canon of scripture. The term _canon_, now generally current, suggests not books that are merely credible, authentic, or even inspired, but such books as are recognized as authoritative guides in profession and practice. The term is instructive in its derivation. Its Greek original, _kanon_, signified a straight measuring rod, and hence it came to mean an authoritative standard of comparison, a rule, or test, as applied to moral subjects as well as to material objects. [734] John v, 39; Acts xvii, 11. [735] Luke xxiv, 44. =8.= As to the formation of the Jewish canon, or the Old Testament, we read that Moses wrote the first part of it, viz. the Law; and that he committed it to the care of the priests, or Levites, with a command that they preserve it in the ark of the covenant,[736] to be a witness against Israel in their transgressions. Fore-seeing that a king would some day govern Israel, Moses commanded that the monarch should make a copy of the Law for his guidance.[737] Joshua, successor of Moses, as leader and law-giver of Israel, wrote further of the dealings of God with the people, and of the Divine precepts; and this writing he evidently appended to the Law as recorded by Moses.[738] Three centuries and a half after the time of Moses, when the theocracy had been replaced by a monarchy, Samuel, the approved prophet of the Lord, wrote of the change "in a book, and laid it up before the Lord."[739] And thus we see the law of Moses was augmented by later authoritative records. From the writings of Isaiah, we learn that the people had access to the "Book of the Lord;" for the prophet admonished them to seek it out, and read it.[740] It is evident, then, that in the time of Isaiah the people had a written authority in doctrine and practice. [736] Deut. xxxi, 9, 24-26. [737] Deut. xvii, 18. [738] Joshua xxiv, 26. [739] I Sam. x, 25. [740] Isaiah xxxiv, 16.