THE FORMATION OF THE OLD TESTAMENT
The story of the origin of the Old Testament is multi-layered and complex , and no known ancient sources actually tell it . The Protestant , Roman Catholic , Eastern Orthodox , Ethiopian , and Syriac traditions all have slightly different Old Testaments . While they all agree on the books that comprise the Protestant Old Testament , the other groups also include books that Protestants call Apocryphal or Deuterocanonical books . The books agreed upon are the same as those in the Jewish Canon , also known as the Hebrew Bible ( or Tanakh ), although Chris tians have them in a different order . Some Jewish religious books that were popular in the time of Jesus and the early church were read as sacred Scripture . They were considered good for teaching by both Jews and Chris tians , but were later not included in the Old Testament ( e . g ., 2Pe 2:4 – 9 ; Jude 14 – 15 ; 2Co 12:1 – 4 ). Some of these other books help us piece together the story of the formation of the Chris tian Bible and provide insight into the context of early Chris tian ity .
Today , the term “ Canon ” is commonly used to identify those books that comprise the Bible . In antiquity , however , neither the Jews nor the early Chris tians used the term “ Canon ” as an official catalog . Jews used the phrase “ books that defile the hands ” to describe their sacred books , and Chris tians simply used the term “ Scripture ” or various formulations such as “ as it is written ” or “ as the Scripture says .” Paul initially used the term “ Canon ” in the New Testament ( 2Co 10:13,15 – 16 ) to speak of the limits of his ministry and the rule ( or scope ) of the Chris tian faith ( Gal 6:16 ). “ Canon ” began to be used by Chris tians to refer to an official list of authoritative sacred writings in the late fourth century AD .
The basic properties of Scripture , both for ancient Judaism and Chris tian ity , seem to include at least four essential elements : The text is a written document ; it is believed to have a divine origin ; it communicates the will and truth of God for the believing community ; and it provides a source of regulations for the corporate and individual life of the community .
THE BEGINNINGS OF THE IDEA OF SCRIPTURE
Despite the importance of the Law in ancient Israel ’ s identity ( e . g ., Ex 20 ), very few authors of the earlier Old Testament Scriptures — such as Judges , 1 – 2 Sam uel , and 1 – 2 Kings — actually appeal to Scripture directly . While there are references to sacred writings in this period , there are few references to the Law itself ( compare 2Ki 22:3 – 13 ; 2Ch 34:8 – 21 ). At this stage in Israel ’ s history , the Law itself — or the conviction that it is God ’ s Law — may have been largely ignored and thus had little influence in national life . The prophets repeatedly warned the nation to keep the commands of God , but apparently without a positive response .
However , during king Josiah of Judah ’ s reign in the late seventh century BC , his high priest found the “ Book of the Law ” ( probably Deuteronomy ; 2Ki 22 ). After this point , the divinely authoritative status of the sacred writings came to national prominence and several of them were elevated to the status of Scripture , even if they were not yet called “ Scripture .” When the Jews returned to their homeland under the leadership of Ezra and Nehemiah after captivity in Babylon in the midsixth to mid-fifth century BC , many reforms were instituted . Regular reading and interpretation of the laws of Moses ( Pentateuch or Torah ) began at this time ( Ne 8:1 – 8 ).