Early Christians quickly agreed on which books were directly linked to Jesus. First-century Jews viewed scripture as incomplete, anticipating the Messiah and redemption. This set the stage for the New Testament as the fulfillment of God's promises. The Gospels and Paul’s Epistles became central, not by vote, but by recognizing their inherent authority. Only writings closely connected to Jesus and his Apostles were considered scriptural, forming the 27 books of the New Testament.