History of the Bible

Where did the Bible come from?  What is the oldest Bible?  What is the most accurate Bible?  How did we get to the Bible today?

If you are anything like me then you want to most accurate information possible.  When you follow Jesus it is very important to study and know the truth, so you can spread the good news.  If you are mislead or believe the wrong information it can lead you down the wrong path.  Always study your Bible and know the Word of God for yourself.  The Bible is clear in what God expects from us, so if you study it on your own no one can manipulate it.  You would be surprised how many pastors and church leaders stand up and lie to their followers and lead their followers to the wide path, instead of the narrow one.  

The First Bible?

The concept of a single, original Bible is complex, as the Bible wasn't created as a single text but rather a collection of books written over centuries. The oldest extant handwritten copies of the complete Bible are the Codex Vaticanus (c. 325-350) and the Codex Sinaiticus (c. 330-360). These are not originals, but the oldest surviving complete versions of the Bible. 

 

"Oldest" Bibles:

 

  • No Original Bible: The Bible is a collection of texts written at different times by various authors. The original manuscripts, likely written on perishable materials, are long gone. 
  • Codex Vaticanus and Codex Sinaiticus: These are the oldest complete, surviving codices (bound books) of the Bible. 
  • Codex Vaticanus: Written in Greek, it's preserved in the Vatican Library. 
 
  • Codex Sinaiticus: Also in Greek, it includes the oldest complete copy of the New Testament. It was discovered in the 19th century and is now partially available online at Codex Sinaiticus. 
 
  • Other Early Texts:
    Individual books or fragments of the Bible, like the Dead Sea Scrolls, are older, but not complete Bibles. 
     
  • Original Languages:
    .The Old Testament was primarily written in Hebrew and Aramaic, while the New Testament was written in Greek. 
     
  • Early Translations:
    The Old Greek (Septuagint) is an early translation of the Hebrew Bible into Greek. 

Why Different Amounts of Books?

The difference in the number of books included in various Bibles stems from historical and theological reasons related to the formation of the biblical canon. Different Christian denominations have adopted different collections of books, influenced by factors like language, translation, and interpretations of scripture. 
 
Here's a more detailed explanation:
 
1. Development of the Canon:
  • The biblical canon refers to the collection of books considered to be divinely inspired and authoritative scripture. 
 
  • The Old Testament canon was largely established in Jewish tradition, with the Hebrew Bible (Tanakh) serving as the foundational text. 
     
  • The New Testament canon was developed by early Christians, with various councils and leaders deliberating on which books to include. 
     
  • Different groups within Christianity adopted varying canons, leading to the differences we see today. 
     
2. The Old Testament:
  • The Hebrew Bible (Tanakh) contains 24 books, often grouped into three sections: the Torah, Nevi'im, and Ketuvim. 
 
  • The Septuagint, a Greek translation of the Old Testament, includes additional books, known as the Deuterocanonical books or Apocrypha, that are not found in the Hebrew Bible. 
     
  • Catholic and Orthodox Christians generally include these additional books in their Old Testament, while Protestant Christians typically do not. 
     
  • This difference is largely due to the fact that the Septuagint was used by early Christians and became the basis for the Old Testament in some traditions. 
     
3. The New Testament:
  • The New Testament canon is generally consistent across different Christian denominations, with 27 books included in most Bibles.
  • While there might be minor variations in the order of books, the core collection of Gospels, Acts, Epistles, and Revelation is the same. 
     
4. Reasons for Differences:
  • Translation: Different translations of the Bible, especially of the Old Testament, have led to variations in the inclusion of books. 
 
  • Authority of Texts: Some denominations place greater emphasis on the Hebrew texts of the Old Testament, while others rely more on the Greek Septuagint and its additional books. 
     
  • Theological Interpretations: Different theological perspectives have influenced which books are considered authoritative and canonical. 
     
  • Historical Context: The historical development of the canon in different regions and among different groups has contributed to the variations. 
     
In summary: The differences in the number of books across various Bibles are a result of historical and theological factors related to the formation of the biblical canon, including translation, authority of texts, theological interpretations, and historical context. 

 

Why do Protestants Remove Books?

Protestants removed certain books from the Old Testament (specifically, the Apocrypha) because they do not consider them divinely inspired or part of the original Hebrew canon. These books, including Tobit, Judith, 1 and 2 Maccabees, Wisdom, Sirach, and Baruch, were deemed to have been written in Greek and not Hebrew, and thus were not part of the authoritative Jewish scriptures used by Jesus and the apostles. 

 

1. Different Views on Inspiration and Canon:

 

  • Protestants: Protestants believe the Bible is divinely inspired and inerrant, but they restrict the Old Testament canon to books originally written in Hebrew, reflecting the Jewish canon of the time. 
 
  • Catholics and Orthodox: Catholics and Orthodox Christians include the Apocrypha, which they consider deuterocanonical, meaning they were accepted later into the canon. 
     

 

2. Historical Context:

 

 

  • The Jewish Canon: The Jewish people had a canon of scripture, primarily in Hebrew, that was used in the first century. 
     
  • The Septuagint: The Septuagint, a Greek translation of the Hebrew Bible, also included these books (Apocrypha). 
     
  • Martin Luther: Martin Luther, a key figure in the Protestant Reformation, favored the Hebrew canon and excluded the Apocrypha from his German translation of the Bible. 
     

 

3. Reasons for Exclusion: 
 

 

  • Different Doctrine: Protestants argue that some teachings in the Apocrypha contradict other parts of the Bible or promote practices (like salvation by works) that are not consistent with their understanding of scripture. 
  • Lack of Direct Quotation: The New Testament does not directly quote the Apocrypha as scripture, which Protestants see as evidence against its divine inspiration. 
  • Hebrew Original: The Apocryphal books were not included in the Hebrew manuscripts available at the time of the Reformation, leading Protestants to question their authenticity. 

 

4. Not Deleted, But Reclassified:

 

  • Protestants did not technically "delete" these books, but rather, they reclassified them as not being part of the canonical scriptures of the Old Testament. 
 
  • Some Protestant Bibles include the Apocrypha in a separate section, acknowledging that they may have historical or devotional value, but not considering them to be divinely inspired in the same way as the rest of the Old Testament. 

 

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