What is the origin of the Bible? That is a question most of us have asked at some point along our Christian journey. But Bible history can be complicated and overwhelming to follow. And because of the complex nature of how we got the Christian Bible, there is often not a simple, clear-cut answer to the Bible’s beginning. I would love to be able to answer questions about the Bible\u2019s history by saying \u201cOh yes, this person wrote the Bible, it was written this year, and it was compiled by these saints and scholars.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n
But, it is not that simple. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
The truth is, all 66 books of the Bible were written and compiled over centuries by various different people. Although God ultimately inspired the Bible, He used several human hands to bring it to life.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
As a Christian mom, I want to learn as much as possible about the scriptures so that I have a solid foundation to teach my kids. I want my kids to truly believe in God. And being able to their questions as they grow up is so important. Having some knowledge about Bible history can help provide our kids with the information they need to solidify their faith. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
However, the biggest challenge I run into is that a lot of articles about Bible history are very lengthy and complex. I mean, that’s the reality of our Chrisitan history. However, as a busy mama, I sometimes just need some quick answers. I want to be able to confidently explain Bible history to my kids, and nonbelievers in my life, with simplicity. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
But to be honest, sometimes studying the deep, involved history of how we got the Christian Bible can leave me scratching my head. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
There are a lot of details that branch off when you start diving into the history of the Bible. But sometimes we just want the core facts. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
There is an article I found that does a pretty good job giving a brief history of the Bible. It’s called “How it Came to Be: A Brief History of the Bible<\/a>“. And when it says “brief history”, it means it. I love how simple it is. There is a time for deep, in-depth studying, and there is a time when we just need the basics. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
What is the Bible? Well, that’s a pretty big question. The Bible’s history is rich, complex, and lengthy. A lot of the questions we might ask like “who wrote the Bible”, “what is the origin of the Bible”, or “why were certain books left out of the Bible”, can’t always be answered in one pretty, little sentence wrapped in a bow. However, through the wonderful work of many Biblical scholars over the years, there are some things we can conclude with some level of certainty. So, let’s dive into some of these questions!<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\nAll Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness,<\/p>\n2 Timothy 3:16<\/cite><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n
What is the Bible?<\/strong><\/em> The Holy Bible is the historical text we Christians believe to be God-inspired and authoritative. It has about 40 different authors and was written over a span of 1,600 to 2,000 years. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
How many books are in the Bible?<\/strong><\/em> The Bible contains 66 books made up of the Old and New Testaments. The Catholic version has 7 more Old Testament books because of their acceptance of some of the Apocrypha (see below). And the Hebrew Bible includes only the Old Testament because Judaism does not acknowledge the New Testament as the inspired word of God; Judaism does not believe that Jesus was the Messiah.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
What is the Apocrypha?<\/strong><\/em> The Apocrypha are 15 books that have mostly been excluded from the standard, Western Bible because of questionable authority and authenticity. Not all Christians accept these books as holy, God-breathed books to be included in the Word of God. Catholics, however, do accept 7 of these books as scripture.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Why was the Apocrypha left out of the Christian Bible?<\/strong><\/em> Historically, Christians have rejected these books as not being in line with the rest of scripture. These books did not meet certain criteria. (More on the criteria later).<\/p>\n\n\n\n
What is the origin of the Bible?<\/strong><\/em> Because the Bible is 66 different books written by several different authors, it does not have a \u201corigin date\u201d. Each book or section of the bible has its own origin, so to speak. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
What is the Old Testament?<\/strong><\/em> The Old Testament is the first 39 books of the Bible. The books were written prior to the birth of Jesus.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
When was the Old Testament Written?<\/strong> <\/em>These 39 books were written at different times somewhere between 1200 BC and 165 BC.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
When was the New Testament Written<\/em>?<\/strong> The 27 New Testament books were written in the first century after Christ\u2019s death.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
So, how old is the Bible?<\/strong><\/em> The oldest Biblical text that we\u2019ve discovered is about 2,700 years old. This discovery is called the Silver Scrolls, which contained only some of the Old Testament, dated somewhere between 700 BC and 650 BC. The more famous Dead Sea Scrolls, which contains most of the Old Testament, was discovered in 1611 and dates somewhere between 408 BC and 300 AD.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Is there an original Bible?<\/strong><\/em> Bible stories were originally passed down orally. Most scholars accept that the book of Genesis was the first book written, dated around 1450 BC to 1400 BC.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\n\n\n\nRelated<\/strong>: 5 Reasons You Can Trust the Bible<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n
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