The Development of the Old Testament Canon, Part 1

The Development of the Old Testament Canon, Part 1

Objectives:

1 To illustrate the process by which the Old Testament became a uniform body of literature

2. To stimulate deeper and more discriminating study of the Bible

3. To affirm faith in God and His word

First Form of the Biblical Material

Oral Form:

The contents of most of the books of the OT existed in an oral form before they were eventually written down, sometimes hundreds of years later.

Evidence of Oral Existence

The pattern the “Word of the Lord”

Most of the time this pattern had to do with oral communication, not with written communication:

• Mic 1:1; Zeph 1:Hag 1:1; Zech 1:1,7: The word of the Lord came to Micah, etc.

• Jer 4:2: Hear the word of the Lord O house of Israel

Evidence of Oral Existence

• Psa 138:2-4 You have magnified your word …when they heard the words of your mouth

• Deut 5:5, 22: I declare to you the words of the Lord

• The preaching of Jesus, Luke 5:1; 8:11; 11:28

• The word preached by the Apostles, Acts 4:29; 6:2

• Paul, the Gospel he preached, 1Cor 14:36; 2Cor 2:17

Importance of Oral Communication in Antiquity

• Plato’s Seventh Letter: • Every serious man in dealing with really serious subjects

carefully avoids writing, least thereby he may possibly cast

them as prey to the envy and stupidity of the public. As quoted in William Schniedewind, How the Bible Became a Book, 14

• Written words seem to talk to you as though they were intelligent, but if you ask them anything about what they say, from a desire to be instructed, they go on telling you just the same thing forever, Schniedewind, 14

Papius

• “If anyone came who had been a follower of the presbyters, I inquired into the words of the presbyters, what Andrew or Peter or Phillip or Thomas or James or John or Matthew or any other of the Lord’s disciples had said, and what Aristion and the presbyter John, the Lord’s disciples, were saying. For I did not think that information from books would help me so much as the utterances of a living and surviving voice ”

• Eusebius, The History of the Church, 3:39.

Importance of Oral Communication in Antiquity

• 2 John12 : Though I have many things to write to you, I do not want to do so with paper and ink; but I hope to come to you and speak face to face, so that your joy may be made full. See also, 3 John 13,14

• Note: The Rabbis of the first century AD emphasized that the oral tradition i.e., oral Torah was the final authority above the written Torah, Schniedewind, 15.

The Sources of the OT: JEDP

• J = Yahwistic

• E = Eloistic

• D = Deuteronomistic

• P = Priestly

Sources

• YHWH (J): Used the name YHWH for God, e.g., source of Gen 2; mostly Gen, Exo, Num

(Date: 10th Cen BC)

• Eloist (E): Employed name Elohim for God., e.g., Gen 1:1-2:4b (9th Cen BC)

• Deteronomistic (D): Source, concerned with laws, e.g., the book of Deuteronomy

• Priestly (P): Writings concerned with the priesthood, e.g., Leviticus; Gen 2:4b

Evidence of Oral Existence in Multiple Sources

Different accounts of the same events:

• Exo 33:7 - Tabernacle outside the camp

• Num 2:17 - Tabernacle in middle of the camp

• Exo 19:1- Commandments given at Sinai

• Deut 1:6 - Commandments given at Horeb

Evidence of Oral Existence: Multiple Sources

Exo 19: 3,20; 24:2: Moses alone enters the mountain to receive Ten Commandments

Exo 24:1, 9- Moses, Nadab, Abihu, plus 70 elders enter mountain to receive Ten Commandments

Exo 24:11: They (including Moses) saw God,

eat and drink

Exo 34:28: Moses did not eat or drink

Multiple Sources

Exo 24:12 God wrote the Ten CommandmentsExo 24:4;34:28 Moses wrote Ten Commandments

Note the emphasis on oral communication where the Ten Commandments and other laws are concerned, e.g., in Exo 20 the Ten Commandments are not written but spoken; see also 31:12;13

In Deuteronomy 1:1 the laws are again spoken to the people by Moses

Thought Question

• If Moses was the original author of the Pentateuch, how is it that he is saying so many opposites about his own experience, and

• why is he always writing in the third person throughout the Pentateuch and

• did he record his death in Deuteronomy 34 ?

Multiple Sources

Languages: Gen 10: 5,20,31 Many nations and many

languages Gen 11:6 The whole earth, one language

Building of the Ark: Deut. 10:1-5 Ark built before Moses ascended

Mt. Sinai Exo. 40:20/Deut 37:1 Ark build after Moses

descended from the mountain

Different Order of Places:Deut 10:6-7 Num 33:30,39

Multiple Sources

Deut 10:6 Aaron died at Moserah

Num 22:1-29; 33, 38 Aaron died at Mt. Hor

Note: If he died at Moserah he could not have arrived at Kadesh to which the Israelites journeyed after leaving Moserah. In

addition, he played a prominent role in the events of Kadesh then from there to Mt. Hor. See also, Num 20:22-29; Deut 32:50

Evidence of Multiple Sources other Places in the OT

2 Sam 24:1-The Lord caused David to number Israel

1Chro 21:1-The Devil caused David to number Israel

Note the many differences in both stories

Some Evidences of Editorial work

• Two books of Jeremiah • Two books of Isaiah • The Isaiah and Kings sources • The stories of the Chronicles, Kings and

Samuel As it is written in the books of Gad and Asher

Editorial Activity in Jeremiah

There are actually two books of Jeremiah

Book 1: Jer 25:13 - completed before 3rd Babylonian deportation, 582 BC

• This is shorter version, now lost • Basis for LXX

Book 2: Longer version edited during Babylonian captivity

• Is 1/6 longer than version 1, i.e., the LXX version • Basis for the Masoretic text, found in English Bible

Editorial Activity in Jeremiah

• Verses present in the Masoretic Hebrew text but missing in the Greek LXX include:

Jer 2:1; 7:1; 8:11-12; 10:6-8; 11:7; 17:1-4; 25:13b-14; 27:1,7,13, 17, 21; 29:6,16-20; 30:10-11,22; 33:14-26; 39:4-13 (// Jer 52:4-16); 46:1; 49:6

Differences in the Hebrew MT and the Greek LXX of Jeremiah

• Hebrew (MT)• 1-25:13a• 25:13b-38• 26-45• 47• 48• 49:1-6• 49:7-22• 49:23-27• 49:28-33• 49:34-39• 50-51Babylon• 52

• Greek (LXX)• 1-25:13a• 32:13b-38• 26• 29• 31• 30:17-21/22• 30:1-16• 30:29-33• 30:23-28• 25:14-20• 27-28• 52

Edit

• Note: edited version of Jeremiah intended to show that Johoiachin not Zedekiah legitimate ruler of Judah and that the fate of Judah was a result of the sins of Manesseh and the false prophets.

Two Books of Isaiah

• Book 1: Chap 1- 39

• Book 2: Isa 40:66

• Note the difference in tone and message of both sections

Evidences of Editorial Activities Schniedewind, 186

2 Sam 5-24 reorganized in 1Chron 1:1-21

Note: negative aspects of David’s life (Bathsheba/Uriah incident) edited out, so as to present him worthy to “build” temple etc.

Chronicles borrows heavily from Samuel and Kings

Approximate Date of OT Writings

• Most of the OT was written between the 8th - 6th Cen. BC, Schniedwind, 17

• Ezra is credited for being the scribe who pulled all the different books into one collection 5th – 4th Cen. BC

• Prior to that, it existed in oral/written form as the previous evidences show

• Note: writing was not popular among the Jews until the 8th Cen. BC

The Septuagint - 285-247 BC

• Jews of post-Babylonian captivity forgot Hebrew language

• Greek became the international language

• Jews in Alexandria translated Hebrew OT into Greek

The Septuagint

• Nature: An interpretive text, does not always agree with the extant Hebrews texts

• Origin: From mss earlier than the Masoritics mss

• Usage: 80 % of time by NT writers • Contents: The Apocryphal books, e.g., 1-3 Macabbees, Judith,Tobit, Bel and the

Dragon, Ecclesiasticus

Arrangement of Books in the Septuagint

LawGenesisExodusLeviticusNumbersDeuteronomy

HistoryJoshuaJudgesRuth1 Reign = 1 Samuel2 Reigns = 2 Samuel3 Reigns = 1 Kings

• 4 Reigns = 2 Kings• 1 Chronicles• 2 Chronicles • 1 Edras• 2 Edras = Ezra-Nehemiah• Esther• Judith• Tobit• 1Maccabees• 2 Maccabees• 3 Maccabees• 4 Maccabees


• PoetryPsalmsProverbsOdesEcclesiastesSong of SongsJobWisdomEcclesiasticusPsalms of Solomon

• Prophecy The Twelve

HoseaAmosMicahJoel

Obadiah Jonah

NahumHabakkukZephaniahHaggaiZephaniahHaggaiZachariahMalachi

• Isaiah• Jeremiah• Baruch• Lamentations• Epistle of Jeremy


• Ezekiel• Susanna • Daniel• Bel and the Dragon

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Relation of the LXX to the Masoretic Hebrew Text

BC 285/247 Jesus/NT 200AD

Heb (Lost) LXX Masoretic (Heb)

Greek OT Heb OT -English

Multiple Sources: Difference Between the LXX and the Masoretic Text

1. 1Sam 17-18: Story of David and Goliath- two versions from different sources

a). Not included in the LXX [or addition to Masoretic]

17:12-31, 41, 50, 55-58 18:1-6; 9-11; 17:19; 30-19:1

b) addition to 1Sam 17:43- And the Philistine said to David, am I a dog that thou comest against me with a staff and stones? And David answered, Nay but worse than a Dog

The Bibles of Jesus’ day

• There was no fixed canon in the time of Jesus, there were:

• The canon of the Pharisees

• The canon of the Sadducees

• The Canon of the Essenes

• The Canon of the Samaritans

Canon of the Pharisees

• Written Torah (OT) + Oral Tradition• Written Torah: The Law, the Prophets and the

Psalms, essentially the LXX

Moses received the Law from Sinai and committed it to Joshua, and Joshua to the elders, and the elders to the Prophets; and the Prophets committed it to the men of the Great Synagogue. Mishnah, Aboth 1:1


Oral Tradition: Two dimensions

a) halakah = rules

b) haggadah = lore, stories, theology

Canon of the Sadducees

• Only the five books of Moses

• Evidence: Matt 22:23-33 & Mk 12:18-27 – note Jesus’ response from Exo 3:6 instead of from prophetic books where the resurrection is more clearly mentioned (see also, Acts 23:6-10)

Canon of the Sadducees

• The Sadducees teach that the soul dies along with the body and they observe no tradition apart from the [written] laws. Whenever they assume office however they submit to the formula of the Pharisees, because the masses would not tolerate them otherwise. Ant 18.16.

1. All Old Testament (except the book of Esther) with Apocryphal books

2. The Manual of discipline

Canon of the Essenes

The Canon of the Essenes

• “Essenes would alter the text of scripture e.g., add the refrain “praise be the Lord and praise be his name forever and ever” after each verse of Psa 145. Also changed the script spelling and grammar and content of Isaiah…. Therefore different attitude from later rabbinic Judaism that copied every word faithfully.” McDonald, Formation, 73

Canon of the Samaritans

The Samaritan Pentateuch: Only Moses was inspiredDiffers From Hebrew Scriptures:

1.Mt. Gerizim, not Jerusalem is the chosen place of worship

2. Had different numbering for the Ten Commandments3. Tenth Commandment = a passage based on

Deut 27:2-8 &11:30 4. Inserted singular verb with the plural Elohim,

Gen 20:13; 31:53; 35:7Note: More strict than the Jews in applying the letter of the

Torah, had no commentary on the Torah.

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End - Part 1

The Use of the Apocrypha in the NT

Ascension of Isaiah11:34

Romans 1:19-23

Jude 4

Jude 6

Jude 14 2Peter Heb 1:3

• James 4:5

1Cor 2:9

Wisdom of Sol 13-15

1Enoch 48:10,

1Enoch 10:6

1Enoch 1:9

1Enoch 2:4; 3:6

Wisdom 7:25-26

Unknown source

NT Use of the OT

• Judges, Ruth & Esther not mentioned by NT writers

• Jesus does not quote from Judges, Ruth and Esther (p. 98)

• Luke 24:44 - Only clear reference to the third division of the OT in NT.

• Therefore OT canon in time of Jesus appears to be the Law, Prophets and an undefined section, the Psalm

Josephus 22 book Canon

• Against Apion 1:37-43 “Our books those which are justly accredited,

are but two and twenty and contain the records of all time.”

4 Ezra14:22-48- written 100ce Mentioned 24 books in the Hebrew scriptures -does not say which 24

Criteria for Canon Among 2nd Century Jews

1. Prophecy ceased by time of Artaxerxes, 465- 424BC,Therefore books written thereafter suspect

2. A book originally written in Hebrew

3. A book used by Christians suspect, e.g. the Apocrypha

4. Conformity to the Torah

5. Practical value among Jews


6. Reject the LXX because Christians used it

• Replaced with Aquila’s translations from the Hebrew


• Note: Early Judaism of Jesus’ day had a wider canon than later Judaism of second century onwards. By second century OT canon “decided” among Jews, at the same time the quest for OT Canon began among Christians. Gowan, Bridges, p.127

OT Canon Among Christians 2nd Onwards

Whereas for the Jews the OT canon was fixed by the end of the 2nd Century for the Christians the same period marked the

process that began the fixing of the OT canon

Disputed Books Among Christians/Jews From 3rd – 6th Cen

• Ester: Never mentioned the name God

Song of Songs: There seems not be nothing about God therein, other than what is

derived from interpretation

• Ezekiel: It appears to be in conflict with the Torah

• Ecclesiastices: Its authorship by Jeremiah was in doubt

Canon Lists of the of the Early Church

When the early church began to compile lists of OT books none of the various lists were identical

e.g., 1. Cyril of Jerusalem (350AD): 22 canon

2. Jerome (342-420AD): 24 book canon

3. Augustine (354-430AD): 44 book canon, (includes Wisdom,

Sirach,Tobias,Judith, 1-2 Maccabees, Baruch,Jeremiah etc).

Canon Lists of the of the Early Church

Note: Melito bishop of Sardis was the first to offer a list of books that make up the OT canon of scriptures, his list contains 22 books including Wisdom of Solomon but exclude Ester

Melito (180AD)

Genesis

Exodus

Numbers

Leveticus

Josh

Judges

Ruth

1-4 kingdoms

1-2 Chron

Psalms

• Proverbs • Ecclesiastes• Song of Song• Job• Isaiah • Jeremiah• The Twelve• Daniel• Ezekiel• Ezra

Origen (185-256AD)

• Gen • Exo• Lev• Num• Deut• Josh• Judg• Ruth• 1-2 Kings• 3-4 Kings• 1-2 Chron1-2 Esd

• Psa • Prov• Eccl• Song of Sol• Isa • Jer• Lam • Epistle of Jeremiah• Dan • Ezk• Job• Esth

Origen

• A Christian diet should include OT apocrypha, Ester, Judith Tobit, Wisdom the Psalms and the Gospels

Council of Hippo

• Gen• Exo• Lev• Num• Deut • Josh • Judg• Ruth• 1-4 Kings• 1-2 Chron• Job

• Ps• 1-5 Sol • Twelve• Isa• Jer• Ezk • Dan• Tobith• Judith• Ester• 1-2 Esd• 1-2 Macc

Codex Vaticanus (B) 350AD29 Books

• Gen• Exo• Lev• Num• Deut• Josh• Judg• Ruth• 1-4 Kings• 1-2 Chron• 1-2 Esd• Ps• Prov• Eccl

• Song of Songs• Job• Wisdom• Sir• Ester• Judith• Tobith• Twelve• Isa• Jer• Bar• Lam• Epistle of Jeremiah• Ezek• Dan

Canon of the Reformation and Beyond

• The Protestant Canon is derived from Luther’s choice of books. He rejected the books that supported the Catholic doctrines which he rejected e.g. (2Macc 12:45f prayer for the dead)

• Note: he also rejected James and Revelation, and Ester

Canon of the Reformation and Beyond

• I hate Ester and 2 Maccabees so much that I wish they did not exist, they contain too much Judaism and no little heathen vice. Bruce,Canon,101

• Separated the Apocrypha from the OT, place in appendix of his Bible

Protestant Canon

• The contracted conservative Jewish canon of the 2nd century eventually became the Protestant canon, not the more elaborate canon of Jesus’ day. Gowan, Bridges,128

• “This is confirmed by the more than 150 references or allusion to the Apocrypha and pseudepigraphal literature in the New Testament.” Gowan,128

Counter Reformation

• The Counsel of Trent: April 8,1546

• Affirmed Jerome’s Latin Volgate as official Bible of the Catholic Church, but

• The Protocanonical and Deuterocanonical books should not be distinguished.

Lessons

In light of the fact that the scriptures of Jesus day contains the Apocrypha, what are we to understand by Paul’s statement in 2 Tim 3:16, “all scripture is inspired by God.”

The scripture is a combination of the human and the divine

We need to constantly be hearing the voice of God

Note: Rabbinic tradition contends that those who labor in the study of Torah can produce learning that was not revealed to Moses at Sinai. Revelation for the Rabbis continues to produce new echoes after Moses’ time Benjamin D.Sommer, Revelation at Sinai in the Hebrew Bible and in Jewish Theology, 447

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• If scripture contains tradition, or interpretation of past events or of God’s spoken word, How should we approach different traditions today, eg Adventist tradition, Catholic tradition, Baptist tradition etc. What is the value of tradition today

• The END

• NOTES

The Essenes 200/150 BC-70AD

Scrolls from about 600 works, came from 11 caves

Some works:Sirach

John Baptist an Essene: Preach Isa 40:3 popular among the Essenes, message of repentance and purity Mk 1:4-5

• Wisdom of Solomon, Wisdom of Sirach, Ester, Judith, Tobit, the Didache and Hermas are good for instructions (quoted in Schniedewind,111)

• The list of 22 varies in different sources:

• Council of Laodicea 360-364 adds Baruch and Epistle of Jeremiah to the list that Melito of Sardis found at Jerusalem 170-180 AD see Eusebius H.E. 4:26 p63

• Origin indicates 22 books includes Epistle of Jeremiah, p63

• Cyril of Jerusalem (350AD) indicates 22 adds Epistle of Jeremiah

• Gregory of Nazianzus 570 ad – 22 bks separates Ruth from Judges and omits Ester p63/64

Criteria

• The final canon was determined not by a council, but by widespread use in the community of faith, p64 McDonald Councils confirmed what was wide spread practice.

• Criteria

• Origin in Against Celcus 1.49 Jerome – commentary on Matt 22.23ff agreed that the Sadducees accepted only the law of Moses as scripture (p 69)


• Gen• Exo • Lev• Num• Deut• Josh• Judges• Ruth • 1-2Kings• 3-4kings• 1-2Chron• 1-2Esd• Ps

• Prov• Eccl• Song Sol• Job• Twelve • Isa• Jeremiah • Baruach • Lam• Epistle of Jeremiah• Ezekiel • Dan

• Two books of Jeremiah: • Two books of Isaiah • The Isaiah and kings sources • The stories of the Chronicles and Kings and

Samuel • Three different version of the ten

commandments• As it is written in the books of the Gad, Asher• The voice of Moses in the third person• The death of Moses recorded in Deuteronomy

Documents

The Development of the Old Testament Canon, Part 1