A BRIEF HISTORY OF THE BIBLE

Section Two: Bible History

A BRIEF HISTORY OF THE BIBLE

Previously: What’s in the Bible

This week: Old Testament History

Next week: Old Testament History and the Inter-Testamental Period

HEBREW BIBLE HISTORY

When was it set? When did the story take place? Abraham and Sarah - ca. 1900 BCE The Exodus - ca. 1250 BCE King David - ca. 1000 BCE The Exile - 587 BCE Return from Exile - 538 BCE

HEBREW BIBLE HISTORY

When was it written? The Torah - partially composed during monarchy, collected during Exile Prophets - collected during/after Exile Writings - post-Exilic (with some exceptions) Last book: Daniel, 167-164 BCE

CONQUERING POWERS

Most of the history of the people of Israel is dominated by a series of conquering powers: Egypt (near-constant presence to the south) Assyria (conquered the Northern Kingdom 722 BCE) Babylon (conquered the Southern Kingdom 587 BCE) Persia Greece Period of Jewish independence Rome

ANCIENT EMPIRES

Egypt

Assyria

Babylon

Persia

Greece

THE EXILE

In 597 BCE, the Babylonian Empire (led by Nebuchadnezzar II) attacked the Southern Kingdom of Judah; King Jeconiah, his court, and other elites were taken into Exile (2 Kings, Jeremiah) The newly appointed vassal-king, Zedekiah, tried to stage a revolt. In 587, Nebuchadnezzar returned, laid siege to Jerusalem, and destroyed both the city and the Temple.

THE EXILE

The Exile became the defining experience for God’s people.

The Exile led to the collecting, editing, and writing of much of the Hebrew Bible Story of the Exodus; faithlessness of God’s people and faithfulness of God (prophets)

OLD TESTAMENT HISTORY

Most of the Old Testament or Hebrew Bible was passed down by oral tradition for many generations before it was written down

Different accounts exist (e.g. creation, the flood) with different names for God, indicating that multiple documents or fragments were combined

BIBLE TRIVIA

According to Genesis, which did God create first, people or animals? Which of these are names for God in the Hebrew Bible?

Elohim Jehovah YHWH El Shaddai

SOURCE CRITICISM

Scholars have identified different sources that came together to create the Hebrew Bible One method is to look at what name is used for God, allowing for the identification of sources like the “Jahwist” and the “Elohist” (J and E)

NOAH: TWO STORIES

Source 1 (J) comprises Genesis 6:5-8; 7:1-9a,10,12,16b-17a,22-23; 8:2b-3a,6-13a,20-22

Source 2 (P) comprises 6:9-22; 7:9b-11,13-16a, 17b-21,24; 8:1-2a,3b-5,13b,14-19; 9:1-7

The story of Noah is actually two narratives woven together:

OLD TESTAMENT HISTORY

The original sources were later collected and edited by scribes, probably during the Exile or later; some texts were not standardized until 700 CE and later

Question for Discussion: Does it surprise you that the Bible wasn’t written down until relatively late? How might this affect your reading of Scripture?

INTER-TESTAMENTAL PERIOD

Persia conquered Babylon; sent the Jewish people home and ordered them to rebuild the Temple (Ezra, Nehemiah) Greece conquered Persia; Hellenization Hasmonean Revolt (Maccabean Revolt) against Greek Antiochus IV Epiphanes - led to roughly 100 years of independence (164 BCE - 63 BCE) until a civil war opened the door for Rome

INTER-TESTAMENTAL PERIOD

Hasmonean or Maccabean Revolt is the source of the story of Hanukkah After the Greeks were expelled from Jerusalem, the Temple needed to be re-consecrated, but there wasn’t enough holy oil The miracle of Hanukkah is that the oil lasted for eight days, long enough for new oil to arrive

INTER-TESTAMENTAL PERIOD

Period of inter-Jewish conflict and competing Jewish groups

Pharisees, Sadducees, Essenes, Dead Sea Scrolls community Conflict over interpretation of law, Jewish leadership, relationship to outsiders

THE CONTEXT OF JESUS’ LIFE

The conflicts of the inter-testamental period also appear in the Gospels - Pharisees and Sadducees, Kings and Romans Much of Jesus’ teaching and ministry can be understood in this context (e.g. Matt 12:11-12) Christianity began as a Jewish movement Question for Discussion: If Jesus’ ministry fits into a larger picture of conflicted Jewish groups, how might that change the way you understand Jesus’ teaching?