Numerous stories from the Bible can be found in ancient Assyrian, Sumerian, and other ancient texts. The names are different, but the stories are the same.
2006-12-03 18:01:19 · 24 answers · asked by Anonymous in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
I think you mean older than Judaism. Yes, many of the stories, in Genesis particularly, were adapted from other cultures. The composers of the Bible likely acknowledged the ubiquity of these stories in Mesopotamian culture. But each story was retold to show God's moral perspective. For example, the flood story from the Epic of Gilgamesh probably inspired the Noah story, but Noah is guided by God and the story ends with a clear promise from God, unlike Gilgamesh. Some see the Code of Hammurabi poking through the Ten Commandmanents. There were similar laws but the biblical version was less harsh and less centered on the rights of the king (since they had none at the time). In those days, the sources and trivial details of the stories were not as important as the messages they delivered. A story without a point was meaningless.
2006-12-03 18:13:12 · answer #1 · answered by skepsis 7 · 3⤊ 0⤋
Many. Everything in the Old Testament is older than Christianity.
Yes, there are similarities, particularly with Genesis 1 and maybe the flood with literature from the Ancient Near East. But there are alot of differences too, perhaps more so, that makes the Jewish monotheistic tradition quite unique when compared with those other polytheistic religions.
2006-12-04 02:04:59 · answer #2 · answered by im3ngs 3 · 3⤊ 0⤋
Many Archaeologists use the Bible as a point of reference for uncovering ancient sites. The Bible (Old Testament) is the oldest book around. Where else could you find mentioned about the earth being round "God sits on the circle of the earth" [Book of Isaiah] - thousands of years before the telescope . !!! As an example. Christianity comes from the followers of Jesus Christ, in the New Testament of the Holy Bible. What really makes the Holy Bible unique is the fact that prophecies concerning all people of the earth are included therein. It is a Book about the past, present and future - all "rolled" into one and includes you and I . Mankind has a date with a Great future !!! In the "end", we all win !!!
2006-12-04 02:21:30 · answer #3 · answered by guraqt2me 7 · 1⤊ 2⤋
It appears that you are comparing The Word of God in the Old testament and that in the New testament.
Actually His word has not change from being the Word of God it is the same in the whole Bible.
There were many semetic writings in Those days. the Fact that the Bible is what it is proves that it is the Inspired Word of God.
Basically Christianity a Judaism are not mutually exclusive at all.
2006-12-04 13:08:45 · answer #4 · answered by goring 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The old testament which is a over 50% of the Bible is older than Christianity. Christianity didn't come into being until Christ rose from the dead.
2006-12-04 02:03:37 · answer #5 · answered by Liz M 2 · 2⤊ 0⤋
A lot of the stories are borrowed from other faiths. And yes, the entire Old Testament is older than Christianity. It wasn't until Jesus made the new covenant with the earth did Christianity really start.
2006-12-04 02:03:56 · answer #6 · answered by mrpolk 2 · 2⤊ 1⤋
Yes. Christianity is covered from the time of Christ beginning in the New Testament and that was well after the books of the old Testament had been written.
2006-12-04 02:09:59 · answer #7 · answered by Gre2000 3 · 1⤊ 1⤋
Yes. Many of the tales of the Bible are simply retellings of previously existing myths of different cultures that intereacted in the region. Greek, Summerian, Roman, Egyptian, Mithras, all were plagerized to create the amalgram that is the Bible. Most if not all the stories of various prophets and/or God can be traced back to previously existing versions of the time.
2006-12-04 02:07:07 · answer #8 · answered by Scott M 7 · 1⤊ 2⤋
Yes. The first 39 books of the Hebrew Scriptures.
2006-12-04 02:02:57 · answer #9 · answered by LineDancer 7 · 2⤊ 0⤋
The Old Testament (Judaism) came before the New Testament (Christianity)
2006-12-04 02:18:14 · answer #10 · answered by LearningGuy 3 · 0⤊ 1⤋