Scribd
Upload
558 views4 pages

How The Bible Came About

The Bible developed over many years through contributions from multiple authors rather than a single writer. Oral traditions were initially used to pass down stories and histories before a written literary tradition emerged around 1000 BC. The Old Testament continued developing through different time periods and authors, with the New Testament writings like the Gospels and letters of Paul coming later as Christianity spread. The biblical texts were eventually compiled and canonized into the collection of books that make up the Bible today.

Uploaded by

mmacesar
Copyright
© Attribution Non-Commercial (BY-NC)
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
558 views4 pages

How The Bible Came About

The Bible developed over many years through contributions from multiple authors rather than a single writer. Oral traditions were initially used to pass down stories and histories before a written literary tradition emerged around 1000 BC. The Old Testament continued developing through different time periods and authors, with the New Testament writings like the Gospels and letters of Paul coming later as Christianity spread. The biblical texts were eventually compiled and canonized into the collection of books that make up the Bible today.

Uploaded by

mmacesar
Copyright
© Attribution Non-Commercial (BY-NC)
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
You are on page 1/ 4

HOW THE BIBLE CAME ABOUT

By Jerome Kodell, OSB

The Bible - it is more like a library in itself than just another book.
- collection of many different writings by several authors and produced over a
hundred of years.
- the books are arranged carefully according to their topic.

Modern Books – written by a single author within a period of weeks, months or years.

Biblical Books - came to us straight from the pen of an individual writer.


- edited and reedited over the course of several generations.

Characteristics of the Bible:

1. The participation of many different people, sometimes over a period of many years and in
more than one place, in the production of a certain writing.
2. The writings and the stories they tell are understood to be the property of the entire
community, not just the authors.
3. The Bible comes from the midst of the community of faith in order to serve the community of
faith.

THE OLD TESTAMENT

Earliest Writings.

From the times of Abraham, the Israelites:


1. were people on the move
2. carried their library in their heads
3. shared their history and passed along their traditions almost exclusively by word of
mouth.

Hebrews - depend on oral traditions instead of written documents to preserve their history,
developed amazingly retentive memories.

1800-1700 B.C. Abraham


1600-1500 B.C. Jacob
1250 B.C. Moses
1200 B.C. Joshua
1000 B.C. David – a national written literature began to emerge.
970-932 B.C. Solomon – a national written literature began to emerge.
Some of the earliest parts of the Old Testament are:
- snatches of the ancient Hebrew religious ballads and songs used in Israel’s public
worship, several of these were originally battle hymns or victory hymns praising
God.

Kadesha-Barnea - place were Israelites used as their main base during their years of wandering
before they entered Canaan.

Moses – is not the actual author of the Pentateuch, the first five books of the Bible, he is the
inspiration behind it.

Monarchy.

David - established his capital in Jerusalem. This was also the time when Israelites entered the
world of writing.
- composed Psalms and gave impetus to the production of religious poetry and song.

Yahwist - wrote the first written account of Israel’s development from the beginning.
- he refers to God by the Hebrew name Yahweh not merely after the revelation of that
divine name to Moses, but from the account of creation itself.

Divided Kingdom.

Elohist – expressed his faith in the constant love of God for his people in spite of their many
infidelities by applying the idea of the covenant to the relationship between God and his
people.

Fall of Samaria.

The intervention of foreigners into the national life of Israel and Judah profoundly
affected the process by which the Bible was formed.

Samaria – royal city of Israel, by Assyria.

Josiah’s Reform.

Josiah’s reign – a new burst of religious enthusiasm and literary activity came.
Jeremiah – great spokesman of the time.

Exile.

Nebuchadnezzar, Babylon king – destroyed Jerusalem.


Ezekiel and Second Isaiah – prophets who gave new hope that one day exiles would return and
restore the nation.
Restoration.

Haggai and Zechariah – wrote about the tensions involved in rebuilding the city and the
temples.

Wisdom Literature.

Wisdom literature – originated outside Israel in the court life of neighboring nations,
particularly, in Egypt, and is full of instructive “words for wise living”.
– short and pointed essays are found especially in Proverbs and Sirach.

Old Testament Canon:

Deutoronomic history of Joshua, Judges, Samuel and Kings – enjoyed popularity and grew
stature as a definitive record.
Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel and the Minor Prophets – prophetic collections which were appealing.

THE NEW TESTAMENT

Paul.

Paul – first unified Christian writings to come down to us.

Gospels:

Gospels – produced the most distinctively Christian documents old the New Testament books in
our Bibles and tell the story of Jesus.

Mark.

Mark – first writer of a life of Jesus.


– his story became the source of gospel writers to follow.

Matthew.

Gospel of Matthew – written for the Jewish Christians in Palestine and Syria.

Luke and Acts.


Gospel of Luke and the Acts of the Apostles – directed to the Greek-speaking communities of
the Roman empire.
– composed of a two-volume work that would
extend the story of Jesus into the story of the early
Church.

John.

John - went to Ephesus in Asia Minor with Mary, the Mother of Jesus.
- last of the four gospels.

Catholic Epistles and Revelation.

Catholic Epistles – New testament letters grouped outside the Pauline collection.

Revelation or Apocalypse – last book in the Bible. The apocalyptic form of writing was used in
the old testaments in books such as Ezekiel and Daniel.

New Testament Canon:

Tertullian – first to use the title “New Testament”

You might also like

pFad - Phonifier reborn

Pfad - The Proxy pFad of © 2024 Garber Painting. All rights reserved.

Note: This service is not intended for secure transactions such as banking, social media, email, or purchasing. Use at your own risk. We assume no liability whatsoever for broken pages.


Alternative Proxies:

Alternative Proxy

pFad Proxy

pFad v3 Proxy

pFad v4 Proxy