When Was The Bible Written?
The two halves of the Christian Bible are known as the Old and New Testaments. Written at various points between 1200 and 165 BC, the Old Testament is the original Hebrew Bible, the holy text of the Jewish religion. Authors of the New Testament writings were devout Christians who lived in the first century AD.
To better understand when the Bible came to be what we know it as today, we’ll take a look at BBC’s breakdown of the different parts of the Old and New Testaments and their origins.
When Was The Old Testament Written?
The Law
The literary archive of the ancient nation of Israel is the 39-book Hebrew Bible, which was written over a long period of time. The old format called for three parts.
The initial five books, spanning from Genesis to Deuteronomy. While the first four books do contain communal laws, they also contain several narratives; Genesis, on the other hand, is a collection of stories and has nothing to do with rules and regulations. The Hebrew word for law, "Torah," also means "guidance" or "instruction." The Torah may contain both legal obligations and stories that illustrate the way people should behave in their daily lives.
In later times, these writings were referred to as the "Pentateuch," and according to legend, Moses was the author. While it's true that certain sections are from that era, the bulk of the laws were revised and added to by editors working over the course of several centuries in response to shifting circumstances.
The Prophets
"Former prophets" and "latter prophets" make up the bulk of the Hebrew Bible's section on prophets.
Throughout the nation's history, the books of 'later prophets' have functioned as a spiritual conscience, preserving the sayings and stories of political and religious activists ('prophets') who would bring societal principles that reflect God's character to the people.
The books of Isaiah, Jeremiah, and Ezekiel are lengthy, but the books of Hosea, Joel, Amos, Obadiah, Jonah, Micah, Nahum, Habakkuk, Zephaniah, Haggai, Zechariah, and Malachi are somewhat shorter. Short spoken words, frequently presented in poetic form, would often accompany the acts of the prophets, who were both mimes and dramatists. These were the key points of their day that others might easily recall and record.
Joshua, Judges, 1–2 Samuel, and 1–2 Kings are all considered "former prophets." What makes these writings more than just history books—what truly makes them "prophets"—is that they do more than just record facts; they also interpret them, placing them in context with other events in Israel's and the world's history.
The Writings
The Psalms, Proverbs, Job, and the 'five scrolls' ('Megiloth') were all composed of songs, prayers, and liturgies for worship; the former four are associated with the Jewish Feast of Weeks (also called Shavuot), the latter four with Passover, Ecclesiastes with Tabernacles, Lamentations with the destruction of Jerusalem, and Esther with Purim.
All of the history books—Ezra, Nehemiah, and 1-2 Chronicles—and the prophet Daniel's visions of a better world—the last books to be written in Hebrew—are included in this part as well.
When Was The New Testament Written?
Written between 50 and 100 years after Christ's ascension, the 27 books that make up the New Testament naturally divide into two parts: the Gospels, which tell the story of Jesus (Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John), and the Letters (or epistles), which were composed by different Christian leaders to give instruction to the first Christian communities.
The Letters
The earliest letters were written before the Gospels, and they were the natural means by which traveling church leaders could connect with their converts.
Their purpose was to provide guidance to Christians as they sought to articulate their faith in Jesus Christ in ways that would be appropriate to the wide variety of Roman cultural settings in which they found themselves, rather than to provide formal presentations of Christian belief (with the exception of the Hebrews and Romans).
The authors respond to questions posed to them in writing or verbally. While not the only one, Paul wrote more of these letters than anyone else.
The Gospels
The Gospels differ from one another because writers sought to appeal to a wide variety of audiences with their accounts of Jesus' life and teachings. Rather than being exhaustive biographies, their purpose was to highlight Jesus' relevance to other civilizations through a selection of stories.
The first three are commonly referred to as the "synoptic gospels" because they are essentially separate versions of the same content. The author of Luke's gospel also penned the book of Acts, which details the rapid expansion of Christianity from a little sect of Jewish believers during Jesus' lifetime to a global religion in the space of a decade.
A visionary exposition of the meaning of all things, from creation to the end of the world, begins in the book of Revelation, which begins with a series of letters to seven churches in the territory of Asia Minor (now Turkey). It then finishes with the New Testament.
Who Wrote The Bible?
Source
There are many theories about how many authors wrote the Bible, some more widely accepted than others.
The Old Testament: Evolving Theories of Authorship
For centuries, it was believed that Moses wrote the first five books of the Old Testament—Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy. Known collectively as the Torah or the Pentateuch, these books were considered Moses’ firsthand account of God’s laws and Israelite history.
However, even ancient readers noted inconsistencies, such as the inclusion of Moses’ death in Deuteronomy. To address these discrepancies, Jewish scholars proposed that Moses’ successor, Joshua, may have completed the text.
By the Enlightenment, scholars began to challenge the notion of Mosaic authorship. They observed contradictions, repeated narratives, and stylistic differences, suggesting multiple sources. A prime example lies in the story of Noah, where conflicting details about the number of animals and the flood’s duration point to diverse traditions being combined.
Modern biblical scholarship reveals that the Torah likely evolved over centuries, incorporating the contributions of various groups. One prominent source, known as "P" (for Priestly authors), reflects the concerns of priestly communities, focusing on rituals and genealogies.
Another source, "D" (Deuteronomist), dominates Deuteronomy, emphasizing legal codes and centralizing worship in Jerusalem. Scholars also identify “J” (Yahwist) and “E” (Elohist), distinguished by their respective uses of Yahweh and Elohim for God.
These sources represent distinct traditions within ancient Israelite society, addressing different theological and historical concerns. Around the first century B.C., these texts were likely edited and compiled into a single narrative, creating the layered and multifaceted work recognized today.
The New Testament: Oral Traditions to Canonical Texts
The New Testament emerged in the first century A.D., chronicling the life, teachings, and legacy of Jesus Christ. Unlike the Old Testament, which spans centuries, the New Testament was composed over a few decades.
Its centerpiece, the Gospels—Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John—offers accounts of Jesus’ ministry, death, and resurrection. These texts were traditionally attributed to Jesus’ apostles, yet modern scholarship suggests they were written by later followers drawing from oral traditions.
Oral storytelling played a critical role in early Christian communities. For decades after Jesus’ crucifixion, his teachings and deeds were passed down verbally. As Christianity expanded, preserving these accounts in written form became essential to ensure consistency and combat misinformation.
The Gospels reflect this transition, synthesizing oral narratives into structured texts that emphasize theological themes over historical chronology.
Paul’s epistles, another cornerstone of the New Testament, illustrate a similar dynamic. Of the 13 letters traditionally attributed to Paul, only seven are widely regarded as authentically his, written between A.D. 50 and 60.
These letters address specific issues within early Christian communities, offering theological insights and practical guidance. The remaining epistles, likely authored by Paul’s followers, aim to extend his teachings while maintaining his authority.
William Schniedewind’s Theory
William Schniedewind, in Who Really Wrote the Bible, offers a compelling perspective about how many people wrote the Bible: the Bible was created not by individuals but by communities of scribes.
Drawing from ancient inscriptions, archaeology, and biblical analysis, Schniedewind explores how these scribes operated. In ancient Near Eastern culture, writing was a communal effort, not the work of a single author. Unlike the later Greek idea of authorship, ancient Israelites emphasized preserving traditions through collaborative practice.
For instance, Isaiah had disciples, and Elisha had an apprentice—relationships that highlight a communal learning approach. These scribes passed down their collective knowledge, shaping texts as they transmitted them.
Schniedewind argues that imposing modern concepts of individual authorship on biblical texts is anachronistic. Ancient Israelites lived amid vibrant oral traditions and scribal practices, not in a world dominated by written records.
By exploring how these scribal communities operated in Jerusalem and Judah, he reveals that the Bible's origins are deeply rooted in a collective process of creation, tradition, and preservation.
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What Do People Believe About the Bible’s Origin?
We’ve taken a look at what academics and reputable sources have had to say about the Bible’s origins. But what does the general public believe to be the truth? There are a few posts from the subreddit r/Bible on the topic:
“Christians believe that God inspired particular human beings to write the books of the Bible. So the message comes from God, but the words reflect the style of the human being who wrote them.
The gospels Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John were written by people who knew Jesus, so in many cases they report his actual words.” – ScientificGems
“The Bible is a collection of many different books written by different people at different times over a period of 1500 years, and they all connect and point to Jesus. All the authors were prophets or apostles inspired by God’s Spirit. Moses wrote the five Books of Moses (the Torah), Paul wrote the 13 epistles of Paul, John wrote the Gospel of John, etc” – Slight-Ad258
Conclusion
The Bible’s origins are as complex and captivating as the text itself. From the collaborative efforts of ancient scribal communities to the oral traditions passed down through generations, the story of how the Bible was written reveals its deep connection to the lives and faith of its people.
Modern scholarship continues to challenge traditional notions, offering new perspectives on its composition.
Yet, these debates only enhance the Bible’s significance, emphasizing its role as a collective repository of wisdom, history, and divine inspiration. The mystery surrounding its authorship doesn’t detract from its value but underscores its timeless appeal.
The Bible remains a profound testament to the human spirit’s search for meaning and connection with the divine, whether viewed as a sacred text or a cultural artifact.
