The Development

of the Bible
The Development of the Bible

BIBLE- a collection of sacred books which have been

accepted by the Church as inspired. It is the only “divine
book” the word of God in the language of man.
 
Sacred Scriptures- are the inspired record of how God
dealt with His people, and how they responded to,
remembered, an interpreted that experience.
 
By virtue of divine condescension, things are presented
to us in the Bible in a manner that is in common use
among human beings.
 History of
the Bible
Part 1:

Holy Scriptures
Hebrew
Manuscripts were
taken cared by
the Pharisees
during the time of
Oral Tradition Jesus
(patriarchal age)
to Written Development of
(during the time the Gospels
of Moses) and Pauline
Epistles (NT)
•Witnessing
•Oral Tradition
•Written
Gospels and
Letters
Part 2:

Christianity
Spread of
opened to the
Protestantism
world
(Creation of
(translations)
Bible
Translations
bias to their
teaching)
Early Translations of the Bible

• Targums- These were translations made in the synagogue services from

Hebrew into Aramaic so that the people could understand what had
just been read. In this way, the entire Old testament was translated into
Aramaic.

• The Septuagint- A translation into Greek of the Hebrew and Aramaic

Old Testament (including the Deuterocanonical books) made in Egypt by
various authors during the period between 250 B.C. and 100 B.C. This
was the version used by the Hebrews in Christ’s time, by the Apostles
and New Testament writers, and by the Greek Fathers of the Church;
and is still the official text of the Greek Church.

• The Vulgate- The official Latin translation of the Bible, which was
prepared entirely by St. Jerome from 382 to 405 A.D. The council of
Trent declared the Vulgate to be “authentic in public readings,
disputations, preaching, and exposition” because it conforms to the
original texts and contains no error in faith and moral.
Stages of How the Gospels were Formed

1. The Life and Teaching of Jesus- what Jesus really did and
taught (while he lived among us) for out eternal
salvation, until he was taken up.
2. Oral Tradition- The Apostles handed on to their hearers
what Jesus had said and done.
3. The Written Gospels- The sacred authors, in writing the
four Gospels, selected certain elements that had been
handed an Oral tradition(or already in written form),
others they synthesized or explained in view of the
situation of their churches, while preserving the form of
proclamation. But always in such a way that they have
told us the honest truth about Jesus.
 Apostolic Tradition- the way the Church understood and
lived the teachings of Jesus up to the death of the last
Apostle. Apostolic Tradition and Sacred Scripture form
one deposit of the Word of God. Thus, Scripture,
Apostolic Tradition, and the Magisterium guided by the
Holy Spirit combine to bring us God’s revelation at any
particular moment of time.
 
The Bible was written by persons from the people of
God, for the people of God, about the God-experience
of the people of God”. The Scriptures, then, are never
to be separated from the people of God whose life
and history (Tradition) formed the context of their
writing and development.
BIBLICAL INSPIRATION
is a charism referring to the special divine activity,
communicated to Divine authors, and compilers belonging to
the community, for the sake of the community.
 
The Sacred and canonical books of Old and New Testaments,
whole and entire, were written under the inspiration of the
Holy Spirit, so that we can call God their “author” and the Bible
“the Word of God” (DV 11)
 
God chose certain human authors, who as true authors made full
use of their human powers and faculties, yet were so guided by
the Holy Spirit who so enlightened their minds and moved their
wills, that they put down in writing what God wanted written.
THE CANON OF THE SCRIPTURES

The Canon of the Bible is the list of books that the Church has
declared to be inspired by God and that she regards as the
Rule(Canon) of Truth, Faith and Life by reason of their Divine origin.
 

Divisions of the Old Testament Books

1. Pentateuch(5)
2. Historical Books(16)
3. Didactic (Wisdom or Sapiential) (7)
4. Prophetic books(18)
 

Division of the New Testament Books

5. Historical Books ( 4 Gospels and Acts of the Apostles)
6. Didactic Books ( 13 letters of Paul, Hebrews, Seven Catholic
Letters)
7. Prophetic Book (Revelation)
INTERPRETING SCRIPTURES

We must recognize that the Bible also is a collection of

historical accounts, doctrinal teachings, poems, parables,
ethical exhortations, apocalyptic visions, and many other
forms. It was written over a period of more than a
thousand years, separated from us by almost twenty
centuries. Therefore, it is not easy to determine precisely
what is the “saving truth” which God wills to impart to us
through a particular book or text of Scripture.
“All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful for teaching – for
reproof, correction, and training in holiness so that the man of
God may be fully competent and equipped for every good
work” 2 Tim 3:16-17
Four Senses of Scriptures

1. Literal or Grammatical Sense- the meaning conveyed

directly and immediately by the words of the text
when they are interpreted in accord with the ordinary
rules of language. It is also called historical sense.
2. Allegorical- a point by point interpretation of the text’s
series of actions as symbolic of a meaning
metaphorically implied but not expressly stated.
3. Moral- the meaning for our instruction , “as a lesson to
us”
4. Anagogic- the mystical meaning, interpreted in the
light of its eternal significance.
Factors in Interpreting Scriptures

1. Human Author
2. Literary Form
3. The Readers/Hearers
4. The Teaching of the Church

References:
CCC115-119
CFC 81-89
Introduction to the Bible (The New American Bible, 1992)
 The Old Testament
• The Pentateuch is the name given to the first
five books of the Bible.
– Genesis
– Exodus
– Leviticus
– Numbers
– Deuteronomy
 The Old Testament
• Historical Books – Ezra
– Joshua – Nehemiah
– Judges – 1 and 2 Macabees
– Tobit
– Ruth
– Judith
– 1 and 2 Samuel – Esther
– 1 and 2 Kings
– 1 and 2 Chronicles
 The Old Testament
• The Seven Wisdom Books
– Job
– Psalms
– Proverbs
– Ecclesiastes
– Song of Songs
– Wisdom
– Sirach
 The Old Testament
• The Prophetic Books (Minor)
– Hosea – Nahum
– Joel – Habakkuk
– Zephaniah
– Amos
– Haggai
– Obadiah
– Zechariah
– Jonah – Malachi
– Micah
 The Old Testament
• The Prophetic Books (Major)
– Isaiah
– Jeremiah
– Lamentations
– Baruch
– Ezekiel
– Daniel
 The New Testament
• The Four Gospels:
– Matthew
– Mark
– Luke
– John

• History:
– Acts of the Apostles
 The New Testament
• Paul’s Letters (Didactic Books)

– Romans – 1 and 2 Thessalonians

– 1 and 2 Corinthians – 1 and 2 Timothy
– Galatians – Titus
– Ephesians – Philemon
– Philippians – Hebrews
– Colossians
 The New Testament
• Other Letters (Didactic Books):
– James
– 1 and 2 Peter
– 1 John
– 2 John
– 3 John
– Jude
 The New Testament
• Prophecy:
– Revelation