When did the New Testament become Scripture?

The moderns are surely miles away from the truth in their assumption that it was only by slow degrees that the inspiration of the various New Testament writings came to be acknowledged.

Immediately after Paul’s death, Peter can speak of “the wisdom that was given unto him (Paul)” and of the way in which the un­learned wrested his epistles “as they do also the other scriptures” — which phrase plainly implies that Paul’s epistles were already included in “the scriptures.” And Peter wrote these words in or be­fore A.D. 66!

Another interesting example is Paul’s citation in I Tim. 5 :18 of the words : “The labourer is wor­thy of his hire.” The quotation is from Luke 10:7, and is introduced by Paul the words : “For the Scrip­ture saith—.” So before Paul died Luke’s gospel was already recog­nised as “scripture.”