How exactly was the Bible brought into it's current form?

Question

I was thinking with the thousands of years that span across the bible, and the many different authors, how did the Bible we have today come to being? Does anyone know how all the writings were kept together? Or who put them all together?

If you have sources please add them

Answer 1

It is unclear how, or when, the Hebrew Scriptures came finally were assembled together (Hebrew Scriptures...that's "Old Testament" to most of us). It seems likely to have happened before the first Century that an official cannon was created, but there's no certainty there.

As far as the New Testament, or Christian Scriptures, the books we have were written over about a 50-60 year period. Which ones to consider Scripture was not as definitive as one might think. But in 367, a Bishop named Athanasius published a list of books that is very close to what now use today.

"There are, then, of the Old Testament, twenty-two books in number; for, as I have heard, it is handed down that this is the number of the letters among the Hebrews; their respective order and names being as follows. The first is Genesis, then Exodus, next Leviticus, after that Numbers, and then Deuteronomy. Following these there is Joshua the son of Nun, then Judges, then Ruth. And again, after these four books of Kings, the first and second being reckoned as one book, and so likewise the third and fourth as one book. And again, the first and second of the Chronicles are reckoned as one book. Again Ezra, the first and second are similarly one book. After these there is the book of Psalms, then the Proverbs, next Ecclesiastes, and the Song of Songs. Job follows, then the Prophets, the Twelve [minor prophets] being reckoned as one book. Then Isaiah, one book, then Jeremiah with Baruch, Lamentations and the Epistle, one book; afterwards Ezekiel and Daniel, each one book. Thus far constitutes the Old Testament.

Again, it is not tedious to speak of the books of the New Testament. These are: the four Gospels, according to Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. After these, The Acts of the Apostles, and the seven epistles called Catholic: of James, one; of Peter, two, of John, three; after these, one of Jude. In addition, there are fourteen epistles of Paul the apostle, written in this order: the first, to the Romans; then, two to the Corinthians; after these, to the Galatians; next, to the Ephesians, then, to the Philippians; then, to the Colossians; after these, two of the Thessalonians; and that to the Hebrews; and again, two to Timothy; one to Titus; and lastly, that to Philemon. And besides, the Revelation of John."

As far as the writings surviving, if a person found the work inspiring, they would pass it on to others. People made copies of them. Not at Kinkos, of course. :-)

Matt

Answer 2

It was around 400 AD and Gnostic gospels were rejected (in fact purged and burned) as heretic. There were also many other works that were discarded. the ones that were chosen were carefully chosen not to conflict with each other. Even so, they do. Mathew and Mark have notable differences in the execution of Christ.

Many people make too much of the bible. Some treat it as the only book to read. Then it starts to become like the Earth is 5000 years old, and pray for cures when we have cures, etc. But the bible most probably has missing books since the books do not lead into each other in a seamless story. So the Earth is not 5000 years old but 13 billion which implies there are volumns missing.

Answer 3

David's line used to be probably tainted through having Jeconiah/Jehoiakim -- which used to be cursed to in no way be the King of Israel once more. Although, this can be part stepped relying on if Zerubbabel wasn't organic son of Shealtiel...however I do not precisely see how any individual can end up that. If he used to be...then Joseph can not have an inheritor to the throne. The predicament with Mary being associated again to David is intriguing, however there may be not anything in Jewish Law that makes it possible for the lineage of the mum the correct to having a king. There are truthfully plenty of causes as to why the Jews did not take delivery of Jesus as their Messiah.

Answer 4

Yes. The bishops of the Catholic Church finalized the Canon of Scripture once and for all time at the Council of Carthage, at the end of the 4th Century. The 46 Jewish texts and 27 Catholic texts they selected under the guidance of the Holy Spirit constitute the Christian Bible. Anything more or anything less is not the Bible.

Answer 5

The Catholic Church put the Bible together, after a debate about which scriptures were considered "inspired" and which ones weren't. There are still numerous scriptures and Gospels that are not included.

The Hebrew and Greek were eventually translated into Latin by St. Jerome. An English translation was finally put out under King James I in 1611.

Answer 6

By The authority of The Roman Catholic Church finalize the Bible canon as inspired by the Holy Spirit with 73 books around 397 a.d.

Answer 7

The Septuagint, Old Testament, was given to the Catholic Church by the Apostles, as a gift. It was accepted as is without change.

The New Testament was made up of memoirs of a few Apostles and the disciple Luke. Although the New Testament Canon was written, it was not yet seen as a separate body of books equivalent to the Old Testament. Six church leaders are commonly referred to: Barnabas, Hermas, Clement of Rome, Polycarp, Papias, and Ignatius. Although these men lacked the technical sophistication of today's theologians, their correspondence confirmed the teachings of the Apostles and provides a doctrinal link to the New Testament Canon itself. The Canon wasn't set until the Council of Trent.

It wasn't the Roman Rite of the Catholic Church who authorized the Bible we have, it was the entire Catholic Church.

Answer 8

The bible has been miraculously preserved like the Jews. The dead sea scrolls confirm the accuracy of the bible.

Answer 9

I was just looking this up this morning, I am not completely done but from what I get, King James Version is the most reliable because he made sure it was translated in it's original form or at least as close as it could be.

Answer 10

Scientists,explorers,ext. found scrolls with the writing on it. Talking in an order like form. People found them ,put them together in order, and put it in english form(was found in greek)