Origins of the Bible Biblical Origins
The Old Testament we know today has a lengthy developmental history, both oral and written. The drawing together of these traditions did not commence in earnest until the Babylonian exile (6th c. BC) and did not come to an end until sometime during the Persian period (roughly 5th and 4th centuries BC) at the earliest. This does not mean that the Hebrew Bible was written out of whole cloth during this period. Some books or portions of books clearly were, but many others were added to or updated in some way. The creation of the Old Testament Hebrew Bible was an exercise in national self-definition in response to the Babylonian exile. It is possible that the stories of the Patriarchs, the Exodus, the Canaanite conquest, and the golden age of David and Solomon were created during the time of King Josiah in the 7th century B.C. Issues surrounding the formation of the New Testament are similar, but involve a much shorter period of time. If the books of the New Testament were placed in the order of their composition 1 Thessalonians would be first (circa 50 A.D.) followed by the other six books that Paul wrote. The last book to be written was 2 Peter between 120 and 150 A.D. Click here.
|
|