Formation of the Canon: The Writings

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Formation of the CanonThe Writings

• Stephanie Barbish

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Definition of the Canon

• originally meant a rod or ruler (Greek work
  kanon)
  
• now a criteria by which something measures up to
  the standard
  
• Biblically, it is all the books considered
  authoritative and authentic.
  
• The term belongs to Christian usage and first
  appears in the 4th century A.D.
  
• Josephus said the scriptures are neither unduly
  numerous nor mutually contradictory but
  circumscribed and self-consistent.
  
• This shows how the nature of the Canon was
  understood at this time.

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Criteria for Canonocity

• preference for earlier works (before Persian
  period)
  
• Most groups preferred works from anonymous
  authors.
  
• They liked to think that these works came from
  wise men such as Moses, Solomon, or Ezra.
  
• Teaching had to agree with the Torah.
• contained the message of God to the Jews
• Which books have helped the most during hard
  times?
  
• usage some books were not well-known or
  understood

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The Need for a Canon

• The Babylonian captivity marked the beginning of
  increased love for and reverence of the
  religion.
  
• the fall of Jerusalem and of the Temple in 70
  B.C.
  
• The diaspera caused a need for preservation of
  the sacred literature the Jews loved more than
  ever.
  
• They also needed to have the scriptures for use
  in a Synagogue far from Jerusalem.
  
• rise of Christianity The use of scriptures by
  Christians demanded clarity as to what was
  canonical in Jewish faith.
  
• apocalyptic writings many were coming to
  surface and criteria for inclusion needed to be
  made
  

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The Formation of the Writings

• most open-ended of the three divisions
• foreword of Ecclesiastus (190 B.C.E) the law,
  the prophets, and the rest of the books
  
• Illustrated a division but no definition
• findings at Qumran (dated from the last 2
  centuries B.C.E onward)
  
• Damascus Document Manual of Discipline mention
  only the law and the prophets
  
• implies that the Writings were not complete

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Formation of the Writings (contd)

• Other writings from the Dead Sea Scrolls make
  little mention of Chronicles, Ezra, and Nehemiah,
  but constant reference to Psalms.
  
• shows that the Psalter was the most important
  book
  
• 1st Century C.E. Luke 2444 says, the law, the
  prophets, and the psalms
  
• implies only Psalms
• later found that Psalms was the main book of the
  Writings
  

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Formation of the Writings (contd)

• Philo (a Jew in the 1st Century C.E.) law and
  words prophesied and psalms and other writings by
  which knowledge and piety may be increased and
  perfected
• showed the nature of the Writings
• Law, Prophets, and Psalms were used in cultic
  worship
  
• other writings were instructive and edifying
• Evidence from Ecclesiastus, Luke, Philo, and the
  Dead Sea Scrolls indicates an expansion of the
  books rather than shrinking like the Law and
  Prophets.
• no one whole collection of the Old Testament
  until after the time of Christ
  

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Synod of Jamnia (90-100 C.E.)

• referred to in the Talmud (Jewish commentary of
  the books in the Hebrew Bible )
  
• A group of rabbis met in Jamnia, which is near
  Joppa on the Mediterranean Coast.
  
• may not have been a council but it is likely
• resulted in the inclusion of Ecclesiastes, Ruth,
  Daniel, and Song of Songs
  
• Ecclesiastus was debated then left out.
• Debate over Esther and Ezekial was not settled
  until 2nd century C.E.
  
• led to the formation of the Palestinian Canon
• used in the Protestant Church today

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The Alexandrian Canon

• rose out of the Alexandrian Jews of the
  Dispersion
  
• They had lived among people of other countries,
  having not gone back to Jerusalem after the
  dispersion.
  
• Their taste was therefore more eclectic.
• They had lost the Hebrew language and needed a
  Greek translation.
  
• The Septuagint, or the LXX, was created and
  included the Apocrypha.
  
• gave rise to the Latin Vulgate (3rd Century
  C.E.), used in the Catholic Church today.
  

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Reasons for Inclusion

• Psalms devotional and liturgical value
• Job philosophical and narrative
• profound theme Why does evil exist if God is
  good?
  
• optimism trust in the goodness of the world
• Proverbs wise says of an ethical type
• Both Psalms and Proverbs had different sources
  from different centuries.
  
• Ruth Its purpose was to oppose Nehemiahs
  forbiddance of marriage with foreigners.
  

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Reasons for Inclusion

• Song of Songs debated when taken literally
  but eventually took on an allegorical
  meaning
  
• Daniel, Esther, Ecclesiastes, Ruth, Lamentations
  popularity
  
• Ezra, Nehemiah, Chronicles national importance
  and historical value

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Works Cited
Bratton, Fred G. A History of the Bible. Bosto
n Beacon Press, 1959. Gillingham, Susan E.
One Bible, Many Voices Different
Approaches to Biblical Studies. Grand Rapids,
Michigan and Cambridge U.K William B
Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1998.
Pearce, Abigail. The Scriptures in the Making.
New York The Macmillan Company, 1927. Rackr
oyd, P. R. and C.F. Evans. The Cambridge History
of the Bible. Vol. 1. London Cambridge Un
iversity Press, 1970. Sanders, James A. Torah
and Canon. Philadelphia Fortress Press,
1972.