Though the Bible is definitely a Jewish book, the Bible as we know it did not
exist for either Jesus or Paul. We assume that as observant Jews they shared
to common Jewish views of scripture of their time. Many, if not most of the
books we have in our Old Testament were in existence as well as numerous
others now recognized texts, but none as authorized scripture. There are no
traditions as to when or how the books of the Hebrew Scriptures (basically
our Old Testament) were accepted as the authorized canon of the Jewish
people. On the other hand, we know that the idea of canonical scripture
was slowly developing during the four hundred year period we are studying.
Our words canon and canonical come from the Greek word for rule or
measure.
For Jews the holiest of “books” were the vellum scrolls on which the Torah
was written. Each Sabbath a specific passage from the Torah would be read
during worship. Most of the rest of our Old Testament, especially the Psalms
and the Prophets, were also highly regarded and worthy of acceptance by
priests and people as revealing divine action and purpose in Israel’s long
history. It is possible that these books were in three separate collections
known to scholars today as the Torah, the Early and Later Prophets and the
Writings. In Hebrew the first letters of these collections correspond to our
English T, N and K creating the word Tanak, popular among scholars.
During the 1st century CE the script of the Hebrew language itself was being
standardized. The form adopted during the reign of Herod the Great was
similar to that used today. Modern Jewish children can easily read it. The
actual content of the many scrolls copied in this script varied. We learned
more of these variations in a vast collection of scrolls and fragments dating
from the 2nd century BCE to the 1st century CE was discovered in 1946 in
caves overlooking the Dead Sea. There appear to have been several versions
of some biblical texts.
Much of this standardization of the Hebrew canon had been completed by
the end of 1st or early 2nd century CE. Most debate dealt with two scrolls in
particular. Excluded was the compilation of wisdom by Jesus ben Sirach, (ca.
200 BCE). Because St. Jerome included it in his Latin translation, it is now in
the official canon of the Roman Catholic and Orthodox churches and known
by the name Ecclesiasticus (i.e. “the church’s book”). It was highly regarded
for liturgical use. Like the Jews, Protestants place it in the Aprocrypha. On
the other hand, Esther was included in the Hebrew canon, though a
fictitious story of Jewish survival in Persia in the 5th century BCE.
Jesus himself wrote nothing that has survived. Paul’s seven authentic letters
– 1 Thessalonians, Galatians, 1 & 2 Corinthians, Romans, Philippians and
Philemon - were the first Christian texts to be composed and circulated
among early Christian communities. The four gospels and several other
letters attributed to Paul and those of other apostles - James, John and
Peter especially - appeared before the end of the 1st century. Scholars still
vigourously debate who wrote most of these letters and for what purpose.
It was only during the 2nd century CE that the shaping of the Christian canon
became a serious issue for Christians. Manuscripts of the four Gospels and
the various letters written by or attributed to Paul were well circulated and
accepted as authoritative for most Christians. About 150 CE, Marcion, a
heretic from the tradition, challenged the authority of much of the Old
Testament and some of the lesser known parts of the expanding new canon.
Other heretical groups, particularly the Gnostics and the Montanists,
brought the issue of the canon into clear focus. Late 2nd and early 3rd
century leaders such as Origen and Eusebius recognized the need for a
defined and authoritative canon. Clement of Alexander, on the other hand,
still thought of it as open to include writings of some Church Fathers.
The validity of general letters like 1st and 2nd Peter and the three letters of
John were all questioned, as was Hebrews and an early 2nd century
document known as the Shepherd of Hermas. These debates lasted until the
4th century CE when in 367 CE Athanasius, bishop of Alexandria, listed all of
the twenty-seven documents in the New Testament as we know it. None of
the writings of the early Church Fathers, the Didache, (“Teachings of the
Apostles”) several pseudonymous gospels and the Shepherd of Hermas
were included. Since that time the canon has been considered closed.
SUBJECTS FOR DISCUSSION
2 – THE BIBLE THEN AND NOW
1. Share with us your favourite book of the Old Testament and the
New Testament. Tell why you made your choice.
2. Recall your favourite Bible stories from childhood. Many novelists
have written stories that expand the basic biblical stories and
provide extensive backgrounds details. Tell us about your
favourite non-biblical story.
3. In what ways does an understanding of historical background of
the content of the Bible and the internal character of its books
help or hinder our grasp the message of particular passage?
4. Many passages of scripture are difficult to understand or may even
cause us to doubt. Identify some of these that you have come
across and made you question why they are still considered
sacred.
CLOSING PRAYER
Many passages in the scriptures we need help to
understand, Our God. Yet at times some sacred words
and passages have helped us in our daily living. Help
us to recognize as best we can where you and when
speak to us through Holy Scripture. As we move
forward in our daily life, may we seek the stay within
the fellowship of your church and act according to
what we truly believe. In so doing, may we continue
to share your gracious love with all whom we meet. In
Christ we pray. Amen.
A Hebrew Scroll
OPENING PRAYER
God of all blessings, source of all life, giver of all
grace, we thank you for the gift of life, for the breath
that sustains life, for the food of this earth that
nurtures life, for the love of family and friends
without which there would be no life, and also for this
opportunity to meet once again to experience your
love in fellowship with one another in Christ. Amen.