A Time Line of Key Events in the

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A Time Line of Key Events in the History of the
Bible
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Papyrus
200 BC
Scrolls of leather, and later of papyrus,
are used to make copies of the Scriptures.
A papyrus codex is a bound volume made from
sheets folded and sewn together, sometimes
with a cover. They are used more than scrolls
after AD 1-100.
1500 BC 500 BC AD 1 AD 500
AD 1000 AD 1500 AD 1900 AD
2000
1500 BC 500 BC AD1 AD
500 AD 1000 AD 1500 AD
1900 AD 2000
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The Bible is

• Made up of 66 different
• books.
• Written over a span of
• 1,600 years (approximately
• 1500 BC to AD 100).
• Written by more than 40
• kings, prophets, leaders,
• and followers of Jesus.

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Clay
39 books Written approximately
1500-400 BC
Old Testament
Stone
Leather
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27 books Written approximately AD
45-100
New Testament
papyrus
The oldest New Testament fragment (from John 18)
that we have today was copied in Greek on a
papyrus codex (folded book) around AD 110-130.
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The Old Testament was written mainly in Hebrew,
with some Aramaic.
The letter aleph in Hebrew script.
A sample of Aramaic letters.
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The New Testament was written in Greek.
A sample of Greek letters.
The letter alpha in Koine Greek dialect.
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Consider the following verse from Romans 1620,
"But the God of peace will crush Satan under
your feet shortly."
However, consider the meaning of the sentence if
the words of this verse were put in the following
order "But Satan shortly under your feet will
crush the God of peace.
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Matthew 518 (KJV) - For verily I say unto you,
Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle
shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be
fulfilled.
Matthew 518 in the Aramaic language. The jot is
highlighted in red.
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250-100 BC
The Septuagint

• The word Septuagint means seventy.
• Refers to the tradition that
• 70 or 72 men translated it.
• Septuagint is often abbreviated LXX,
• the Roman numeral for seventy.

1500 BC 500 BC AD 1 AD 500
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2000
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1900 AD 2000
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250-100 BC
The Septuagint

• The 53 books of this translation are
• arranged by subject.
• Torah
• History
• Poetry
• Prophecy

1500 BC 500 BC AD 1 AD 500
AD 1000 AD 1500 AD 1900 AD
2000
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250-100 BC
The Septuagint
The Septuagint is the first Greek
translation of the Hebrew Bible (the Old
Testament). It was translated in 250-100 BC
by Jewish scholars in Alexandria,
Egypt.
1500 BC 500 BC AD 1 AD 500
AD 1000 AD 1500 AD 1900 AD
2000
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The Septuagint

• The Septuagint has its origin in Alexandria,
  Egypt and was translated between 300-200 BC.
  (note agreement on dates)
• Widely used among Hellenistic Jews, this Greek
  translation was produced because many Jews spread
  throughout the empire were beginning to lose
  their Hebrew language.
• The process of translating the Hebrew to Greek
  also gave many non-Jews a glimpse into Judaism.

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Septuagint - What Does It Contain?

• The Septuagint contains the standard 39 books of
  the Old Testament canon, as well as certain
  apocryphal books.
• The term "Apocrypha" was coined by the
  fifth-century biblical scholar, Jerome, and
  generally refers to the set of ancient Jewish
  writings written during the period between the
  last book in the Jewish scriptures, Malachi, and
  the arrival of Jesus Christ.
• The apocryphal books include Judith, Tobit,
  Baruch, Sirach (or Ecclesiasticus), the Wisdom of
  Solomon, First and Second Maccabees, the two
  Books of Esdras, additions to the Book of Esther,
  additions to the Book of Daniel, and the Prayer
  of Manasseh.

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The Apocrypha 
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The Apocryphal books!

• The Apocryphal books were included in the
  Septuagint for historical and religious purposes,
  but are not recognized by Protestant Christians
  or Orthodox Jews as canonical (inspired by God).
• Most reformed teachers will point out that the
  New Testament writers never quoted from the
  Apocryphal books, and that the Apocrypha was
  never considered part of the canonical Jewish
  scripture.
• However, the Roman Catholic Church and the
  Orthodox churches include the Apocrypha in their
  Bible (except for the books of Esdras and the
  Prayer of Manasseh).

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Septuagint - Is it a Reliable Translation?

• Since the Septuagint is a translation, scholars
  speculate if it accurately reflects the Hebrew
  scriptures of the 2nd century BC. A close
  examination of the Septuagint and the Masoretic
  Text (the early Hebrew text of the Old Testament)
  show slight variations.
• Were these errors in translation, or are the
  Septuagint and Masoretic Text based on slightly
  different Hebrew manuscripts?

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Septuagint - Is it a Reliable Translation?

• The discovery of the Dead Sea Scrolls has helped
  to shed light on this question.
• Discovered in the Qumran region near the Dead Sea
  beginning in 1947, these scrolls are dated to as
  early as 200 BC and contain parts of every book
  in the Old Testament except Esther.
• Comparisons of the Dead Sea Scrolls to the
  Masoretic Text and the Septuagint show that where
  there are differences between the Masoretic Text
  and the Septuagint, approximately 95 of those
  differences are shared between the Dead Sea
  Scrolls and the Masoretic text, while only 5 of
  those differences are shared between the Dead Sea
  Scrolls and the Septuagint.

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Septuagint - Is it a Reliable Translation?

• Does this mean that the Septuagint is unreliable
  and that our Old Testament is wrought with
  contradictory sources?
• No. It is imperative to note that these
  variations are extremely minor (i.e.,
  grammatical errors, spelling differences or
  missing words) and do not affect the meaning of
  sentences and paragraphs. (An exception is the
  book of Jeremiah, in which the actual passages
  are arranged differently.)
• None of the differences, however, come close to
  affecting any area of teaching or doctrine.

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Septuagint - Is it a Reliable Translation?

• The majority of the Septuagint, Masoretic Text
  and the Dead Sea Scrolls are remarkably similar
  and have dispelled unfounded theories that the
  Biblical text has been corrupted by time and
  conspiracy. Furthermore, these variations do not
  call into question the infallibility of God in
  preserving His word.
• Although the original documents are inerrant,
  translators and scribes are human beings and are
  thus prone to making slight errors in translation
  and copying (Hebrew scribal rules attest to how
  exacting scribes were).
• Even then, the Bible has redundancy built into
  its text, and anything significant is told more
  than once. If grammatical mistakes were
  introduced that makes a point unclear, it would
  be clarified in several other places in
  scripture.

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SEPTUAGINT QUOTESIN THE NEW TESTAMENT

• Of the approximately 300 Old Testament quotes in
  the New Testament, approximately 2/3 of them came
  from the Septuagint which included the
  deuterocanonical books that the Protestants later
  removed.
• Is this additional evidence that Jesus and the
  apostles viewed the deuterocanonical books as
  part of canon of the Old Testament?

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SEPTUAGINT QUOTESIN THE NEW TESTAMENT

• Matt. 123 / Isaiah 714 - behold, a "virgin"
  shall conceive. Hebrew - behold, a "young woman"
  shall conceive. (al-maw') Strong's number for it
  is 5959 (Hebrew), look it up! Had Isaiah been
  inspired to say this was a virgin, he would have
  called her a "bethuwlah" (Strong's 1330)
• Matt. 33 Mark 13 John 123 / Isaiah 403 -
  make "His paths straight." Hebrew - make "level
  in the desert a highway."
• Matt. 913 127 / Hosea 66 - I desire "mercy"
  and not sacrifice. Hebrew - I desire "goodness"
  and not sacrifice.
• Luke 35-6 / Isaiah 404-5 - crooked be made
  straight, rough ways smooth, shall see salvation.
  Hebrew - omits these phrases.
• Luke 418 / Isaiah 611 - and recovering of sight
  to the blind. Hebrew - the opening of prison to
  them that are bound.
• Luke 418 / Isaiah 586 - to set at liberty those
  that are oppressed (or bruised). Hebrew - to let
  the oppressed go free.

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SEPTUAGINT QUOTESIN THE NEW TESTAMENT

• John 631 / Psalm 7824 - He gave them "bread"
  out of heaven to eat. Hebrew - gave them "food"
  or "grain" from heaven.
• John 1238 / Isaiah 531 - who has believed our
  "report?" Hebrew - who has believed our
  "message?"
• John 1240 / Isaiah 610 - lest they should see
  with eyes...turn for me to heal them. Hebrew -
  shut their eyes...and be healed.
• Rom. 927 / Isaiah 1022 - only a remnant of them
  "will be saved." Hebrew - only a remnant of them
  "will return."
• Rom. 929 / Isaiah 19 - had not left us
  "children." Hebrew - Jehova had left us a "very
  small remnant."
• Rom. 933 1011 1 Peter 26 / Isaiah 2816 - he
  who believes will not be "put to shame." Hebrew -
  shall not be "in haste."

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Where the Bishop is, there let the multitude of
believers be even as where Jesus is, there is
the Catholic Church'' Ignatius of Antioch, 1st c.
A.D

• Let me reiterate the then 300 year old
  Septuagint version of Scripture was good enough
  for Matthew, Mark, Luke, John, and Paul, etc.,
  which is evident in their referencing it over 300
  times (out of 350 Old Testament references!) in
  their New Testament writings.
• The Septuagint includes 7 books and parts of
  Esther and Daniel that were removed from
  Protestant Bibles some 1,500 years after the
  birth of Christ.

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Septuagint

• The Septuagint is the Old Testament referred to
  in the Didache or "Doctrine of the Apostles"
  (first century Christian writings)
• and by Origen, Irenaeus of Lyons, Hippolytus,
  Tertullian, Cyprian of Carthage, Justin Martyr,
  St. Augustine and the vast majority of early
  Christians who referenced Scripture in their
  writings.
• The Epistle of Pope Clement, written in the first
  century, refers to the Books Ecclesiasticus and
  Wisdom, analyzed the book of Judith, and quotes
  sections of the book of Esther that were removed
  from Protestant Bibles.

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Septuagint

• The Septuagint was the version of the Old
  Testament accepted by the very earliest
  Christians (and, yes, those 7 "extra" books were
  found among the Dead Sea Scrolls which date
  between 168 B.C. and A.D. 68, and which by the
  way, support both the Septuagint and the 6th -
  10th c. A.D. Masoretic texts in various ways, but
  supporting the Septuagint on average.)

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The deuterocanonical books

• The deuterocanonical books were, debated in the
  early Church, and some Fathers accorded them
  higher status than others (hence the Catholic
  term for them "deuterocanonical," or what St.
  Cyril of Jerusalem called "secondary rank," as
  opposed to the other books which are called
  "protocanonical").
• But all the Fathers believed as did St.
  Athanasius, who, in one of his many Easter
  letters, names the 22 Books all Christians accept
  and then describes the deuterocanonicals as
  "appointed by the Fathers to be read by those who
  newly join us, and who wish for instruction in
  the word of godliness."
• Church Councils listed and affirmed the present
  Catholic canon, which was only formally closed at
  the Council of Trent in the 16th century.

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Problem Scriptures

• Tobit 1215 I am Raphael, one of the seven holy
  angels who present the prayers of the saints and
  enter into the presence of the glory of the Holy
  One. see Revelation 14 and 83-4 below2
  Maccabees 729A mother speaking to her son Do
  not fear this butcher, but prove worthy of your
  brothers. Accept death, so that in God's mercy I
  may get you back again with your brothers. see
  Hebrews 1135 below2 Maccabees 1244 For if
  he were not expecting that those who had fallen
  would rise again, it would have been superfluous
  and foolish to pray for the dead. see 1
  Corinthians 1529 below2 Maccabees 1514And
  Onias spoke, saying, "This is a man who loves the
  brethren and prays much for the people and the
  holy city, Jeremiah bodily dead, the prophet of
  God." 1 Corinthians 1529 Otherwise, what do
  people mean by being baptized on behalf of the
  dead? If the dead are not raised at all, why are
  people baptized on their behalf? see 2 Maccabees
  1244 above

• Hebrews 1135Women received their dead raised
  to life again and others were tortured, not
  accepting deliverance that they might obtain a
  better resurrection. see 2 Maccabees 729 above
  Revelation 14 ...Grace be unto you, and
  peace, from him which is, and which was, and
  which is to come and from the seven Spirits
  which are before his throne. see Tobit 1215
  above Revelation 83-4 And another angel came
  and stood at the altar with a golden censer and
  he was given much incense to mingle with the
  prayers of all the saints upon the golden altar
  before the throne and the smoke of the incense
  rose with the prayers of the saints from the hand
  of the angel before God. see Tobit 1215 above

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So what is the bottom line?

• There have been differing opinions by individual
  theologians about the proper place of the
  deuterocanonicals in the 16th c.
• Luther, reacting to serious abuses and clerical
  corruption in the Latin Church, to his own
  theological vision removed those books from the
  canon that lent support to orthodox doctrine,
  relegating them to an appendix.

• Removed in this way were books that supported
  such things as prayers for the dead (Tobit 1212
  2 Maccabees 1239-45),
• Purgatory (Wisdom 31-7), intercession of dead
  saints (2 Maccabees 1514)
• Intercession of angels as intermediaries (Tobit
  1212-15).

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And then we have?

• Pseudepigrapha

• Pseudepigrapha

• The word refers to certain noncanonical writings
  purported to have come from biblical characters,
  and refers to books of ancient Jewish literature
  outside the canon and the apocrypha.

• The writings purport to be the work of ancient
  patriarchs and prophets, but are, in their
  present form, mostly productions from about 200
  B.C. to A.D. 200.

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Pseudepigrapha

• The Books of Adam and Eve translation of the
  Latin version
• Life of Adam and Eve -- translation of the
  Slavonic version
• Life of Adam and Eve -- translation of the Greek
  version (a.ka. The Apocalypse of Moses)
• The Apocalypse of Adam
• The Book of Adam
• The Second Treatise of the Great Seth
• 1 Enoch (Ethiopic Apocalypse of Enoch)
• 1 Enoch Composit (inc. Charles, Lawrence
  others)
• 2 Enoch (Slavonic Book of the Secrets of Enoch)
• Enoch (another version)
• Melchizedek
• The Testament of Abraham

• The Apocalypse of Abraham NEW July 18, 2004
• Joseph and Aseneth
• Selections from The Book of Moses
• Revelation of Moses
• The Assumption of Moses (aka The Testament of
  Moses)
• The Martyrdom of Isaiah
• The Ascension of Isaiah
• The Revelation of Esdras
• The Book of Jubilees
• Tales of the Patriarchs
• The Letter of Aristeas
• The Book of the Apocalypse of Baruch (aka 2
  Baruch)
• The Greek Apocalypse of Baruch (aka 3 Baruch)
• Fragments of a Zadokite work (aka The Damascus
  Document)
• The Book of Abraham

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