Английская Википедия:Dating the Bible

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Шаблон:Short description Шаблон:About Шаблон:Bible related The oldest surviving Hebrew Bible manuscripts, the Dead Sea Scrolls, date to Шаблон:Circa. Some of these scrolls are presently stored at the Shrine of the Book in Jerusalem. The oldest text of the entire Bible, including the New Testament, is the Codex Sinaiticus dating from the 4th century CE, with its Old Testament a copy of a Greek translation known as the Septuagint. The oldest extant manuscripts of the vocalized Masoretic Text date to the 9th century CE.[1] With the exception of a few biblical sections in the Nevi'im, virtually no biblical text is contemporaneous with the events it describes.[2]

Internal evidence within the texts of the 27-book New Testament canon suggests that most of these books were written in the 1st century CE. The first book written is thought to be either the Epistle to the Galatians (written around 48 CE)Шаблон:Sfn or 1 Thessalonians, written around 50 CE.[3] The final book in the ordering of the canon, the Book of Revelation, is generally accepted by traditional scholarship to have been written during the reign of Domitian (81–96).[4][5] Dating the composition of the texts relies primarily on internal evidence, including direct references to historical events—textual criticism of philological and linguistic evidence provides more subjective indications.

Table I: Chronological overview

This table summarises the chronology of the main tables and serves as a guide to the historical periods mentioned. Much of the Hebrew Bible/Old Testament may have been assembled in the 5th century BCE.Шаблон:Sfn The New Testament books were composed largely in the second half of the 1st century CE.Шаблон:Sfn The deuterocanonical books fall largely in between.

Period Books
Pre-monarchic
13th century–745 BCE
Monarchic
745–587 BCE
Exilic
586–539 BCE
Post-exilic (Persian)
538–332 BCE
Post-exilic (Hellenistic)
331–164 BCE
Maccabean/Hasmonean
164–63 BCE
Roman
after 63 BCE

Table II: Hebrew Bible/Christian Old Testament

Torah Date or range of dates most widely held by scholars

The majority of modern biblical scholars believe that the Torah—Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers and Deuteronomy—reached its present form in the post-Exilic period.Шаблон:Sfn

The five books are drawn from four "sources" (distinct schools of writers rather than individuals): the Priestly source, the Yahwist and the Elohist (these two are often referred to collectively as the "non-Priestly" source), and the Deuteronomist.Шаблон:Sfn There is general agreement that the Priestly source is post-exilic, but there is no agreement over the non-Priestly source(s).Шаблон:Sfn

  • Genesis is a post-exilic work combining "Priestly" and "non-Priestly" material.Шаблон:Sfn
  • Exodus is an anthology drawn from nearly all periods of Israel's history.Шаблон:Sfn
  • Leviticus is entirely Priestly and dates from the exilic/post-exilic period.Шаблон:Sfn
  • Numbers is a Priestly redaction (that is, an alteration) of a Yahwistic/non-Priestly original.Шаблон:Sfn
  • Deuteronomy, now the last book of the Torah, began as the set of religious laws (these make up the bulk of the book), was extended in the early part of the 6th century BCE to serve as the introduction to the Deuteronomistic history, and later still was detached from that history, extended yet again, and edited to conclude the Torah.Шаблон:Sfn
Prophets Date or range of dates most widely held by scholars
Former Prophets:

This group of books, plus Deuteronomy, is called the "Deuteronomistic history" by scholars. The proposal that they made up a unified work was first advanced by Martin Noth in 1943, and has been widely accepted. Noth proposed that the entire history was the creation of a single individual working in the exilic period (6th century BCE); since then there has been wide recognition that the history appeared in two "editions", the first in the reign of Judah's King Josiah (late 7th century BCE), the second during the exile (6th century BCE).Шаблон:Sfn Noth's dating was based on the assumption that the history was completed very soon after its last recorded event, the release of King Jehoiachin in Babylon Шаблон:Circa but some scholars have termed his reasoning inadequate, and the history may have been further extended in the post-exilic period.Шаблон:Sfn

Three Major Prophets:

Scholars recognise three "sections" in the Book of Isaiah:

  • Proto-Isaiah (the original 8th century BCE Isaiah);
  • Deutero-Isaiah (an anonymous prophet living in Babylon during the exile); and
  • Trito-Isaiah (an anonymous author or authors in Jerusalem immediately after the exile).Шаблон:Sfn

The Book of Jeremiah exists in two versions: Greek (the version used in Orthodox Christian Bibles) and Hebrew (Jewish, Catholic, and Protestant Bibles), with the Greek representing the earlier version.Шаблон:Sfn The Greek version was probably finalised in the early Persian period and translated into Greek in the 3rd century BCE, and the Hebrew version dates from some point between then and the 2nd century BCE.Шаблон:Sfn

The Book of Ezekiel describes itself as the words of the Ezekiel ben-Buzi, a priest living in exile in the city of Babylon, and internal evidence dates the visions to between 593 and 571 BCE. While the book probably reflects much of the historic Ezekiel, it is the product of a long and complex history, with significant additions by a "school" of later followers.Шаблон:SfnШаблон:Sfn

Twelve Minor Prophets

In the Hebrew Bible the Twelve Minor Prophets are a single collection edited in the Second Temple period, but the collection is broken up in Christian Bibles.Шаблон:Sfn With the exception of Jonah, which is a fictional work, there exists an original core of prophetic tradition behind each book:Шаблон:SfnШаблон:Sfn

Writings Date or range of dates most widely held by scholars
Wisdom collection:

The books of Job, Ecclesiastes, and Proverbs share a similar outlook which they themselves call "wisdom".Шаблон:Sfn It is generally agreed that Job comes from between the 6th and 4th centuries BCE.Шаблон:Sfn Ecclesiastes can be no earlier than about 450 BCE, due to the presence of Persian loan-words and Aramaic idioms, and no later than 180 BCE, when the Jewish writer Ben Sira quotes from it in the Book of Sirach.Шаблон:SfnШаблон:Sfn Proverbs is a "collection of collections" relating to a pattern of life which lasted for more than a millennium, and impossible to date.Шаблон:Sfn

Poetic works:
  • Psalms
  • Lamentations

The psalms making up the first two-thirds of the psalter are predominantly pre-exilic and the last third predominantly post-exilic.Шаблон:Sfn The collected book of Psalms was possibly given its modern shape and division into five parts in the post-exilic period, although it continued to be revised and expanded well into Hellenistic and even Roman times.Шаблон:Sfn It is generally accepted that the destruction of Jerusalem by Babylon in 586 BCE forms the background to the Book of Lamentations.Шаблон:Sfn

Histories:
  • Chronicles
  • Ezra–Nehemiah

Chronicles was composed between 400 and 250 BCE, probably in the period 350–300 BCE;Шаблон:Sfn Ezra–Nehemiah (two books in modern Bibles, but originally one) may have reached its final form as late as the Ptolemaic period, Шаблон:Circa.Шаблон:Sfn

Miscellaneous works:
  • Ruth
  • Esther
  • Daniel
  • Song of Songs

The Book of Ruth is commonly dated to the Persian period.Шаблон:Sfn Esther to the 3rd or 4th centuries BCE; the Book of Daniel can be dated more precisely to 164 BCE thanks to its veiled prophecy of the death of a Greek king of Syria;Шаблон:Sfn and the Song of Songs could have been composed at any time after the 6th century BCE.Шаблон:Sfn

Table III: Deuterocanonical Old Testament

Book Date or range of dates most widely held by scholars
Tobit 225–175 BCE, on the basis of apparent use of language and references common to the post-exilic period, but lack of knowledge of the 2nd century BCE persecution of Jews.Шаблон:Sfn
Judith 150–100 BCE, although estimates range from the 5th century BCE to the 2nd century CE.Шаблон:Sfn
1 Maccabees 100 BCEШаблон:Sfn
2 Maccabees Шаблон:CircaШаблон:Sfn
3 Maccabees 100–75 BCE "very probable"Шаблон:Sfn
4 Maccabees mid-1st century CEШаблон:Sfn
Wisdom of Solomon late 1st century BCE/early 1st century CE, on the basis of shared outlook with other works dating from this time.Шаблон:Sfn
Sirach 196–175 BCE, as the author implies that Simon the high priest had died (196 BCE), but shows no knowledge of the persecution of the Jews that began after 175 BCE.Шаблон:Sfn
Additions to Daniel Prayer of Azariah (Song of the Three Holy Children); Bel and the Dragon: late 6th century BCE;Шаблон:Sfn Susanna and the Elders: possibly 95–80 BCEШаблон:Sfn
Baruch and Letter of Jeremiah 2nd century BCE, as Baruch uses Sirach (written Шаблон:Circa) and is in turn used by the Psalms of Solomon (mid-1st century BCE). The Letter of Jeremiah, ch. 6:1–73 of the Book of Baruch, is sometimes considered a separate book.Шаблон:Sfn

Table IV: New Testament

Book Date or range of dates most widely held by scholars Earliest known fragment
Gospel of Matthew Шаблон:Circa.Шаблон:Sfn This is based on three strands of evidence: (a) the setting of Matthew reflects the final separation of Church and Synagogue, about 85 CE; (b) it reflects the capture of Jerusalem and destruction of the Second Temple by the Romans in 70 CE; (c) it uses Mark, usually dated around 70 CE, as a source.Шаблон:Sfn Шаблон:Papyrus link (2nd century CE)
Gospel of Mark Шаблон:Circa.Шаблон:SfnШаблон:Sfn References to persecution and to war in Judea suggest that its context was either Nero's persecution of the Christians in Rome or the Jewish revolt.Шаблон:Sfn Шаблон:Papyrus link (250 CE)
Gospel of Luke Шаблон:Circa.Шаблон:SfnШаблон:Sfn Text indicates written a generation after that of the first disciples, uses Gospel of Mark, and appears to address concerns raised by the destruction of the Temple in 70 CE.Шаблон:Sfn Шаблон:Papyrus link, Шаблон:Papyrus link (175–250 CE)
Gospel of John Шаблон:Circa, the upper date based on textual evidence that the gospel was known in the early 2nd century CE, and the lower on an internal reference to the expulsion of Christians from the synagogues.Шаблон:Sfn Шаблон:Papyrus link (125–175 CE)
Acts Шаблон:Circa, on the grounds that Luke–Acts uses Mark as a source, looks back on the destruction of Jerusalem, and does not show any awareness of the letters of Paul (which began circulating late in the century); if, however, it does show awareness of the letters of Paul and also of the works of Josephus, then a date early in the 2nd century CE is more likely.Шаблон:SfnШаблон:SfnШаблон:Sfn Шаблон:Papyrus link, Шаблон:Papyrus link, Шаблон:Papyrus link, Шаблон:Papyrus link, Шаблон:Papyrus link (250 CE)
Romans Шаблон:Circa.Шаблон:Sfn One of the indisputably genuine Pauline letters, written to the Romans as Paul was about to leave Asia Minor and Greece, and expressing his hopes to continue his work in Spain.Шаблон:Sfn Шаблон:Papyrus link (mid 2nd century to mid 3rd century CE)
1 Corinthians Шаблон:Circa.Шаблон:Sfn One of the indisputably genuine Pauline letters. Paul expresses his intention to re-visit the church he founded in the city Шаблон:Circa.Шаблон:Sfn Шаблон:Papyrus link (late 2nd century or 3rd century CE)
2 Corinthians Шаблон:Circa.Шаблон:Sfn One of the indisputably genuine Pauline letters. Written by Paul in Macedonia after having left Ephesus.Шаблон:Sfn Шаблон:Papyrus link (late 2nd century or 3rd century CE)
Galatians Шаблон:Circa or 55 CE.Шаблон:Sfn One of the indisputably genuine Pauline letters. The dating of this letter depends on whether it was written to the northern or southern portion of Galatia (with the former representing the later date). Шаблон:Sfn Шаблон:Papyrus link (late 2nd century or 3rd century CE)
Ephesians Шаблон:Circa. The letter appears to have been written after Paul's death in Rome, by an author who uses his name.Шаблон:Sfn Шаблон:Papyrus link (late 2nd century or 3rd century CE)
Philippians Шаблон:Circa. A genuine Pauline letter, it mentions "Caesar's household," leading some scholars to believe that it is written from Rome, but some of the news in it could not have come from Rome. It seems rather to date from an earlier imprisonment, perhaps in Ephesus, from which Paul hopes to be released.Шаблон:Sfn Шаблон:Papyrus link (late 2nd century or 3rd century CE)
Colossians Шаблон:Circa or post-70 CE. Some scholars believe Colossians dates from late in Paul's career, around the time of his imprisonment in Rome. However, some of the language and theology point to a much later date, from an unknown author using Paul's name.Шаблон:Sfn Шаблон:Papyrus link (late 2nd century or 3rd century CE)
1 Thessalonians Шаблон:Circa. One of the earliest of the genuine Pauline epistles.Шаблон:Sfn Шаблон:Papyrus link (late 2nd century or 3rd century CE)
2 Thessalonians Шаблон:Circa or post-70 CE. If this is a genuine Pauline epistle it follows closely on 1 Thessalonians. But some of the language and theology point to a much later date, from an unknown author using Paul's name.Шаблон:Sfn Шаблон:Papyrus link (300 CE)
1 Timothy, 2 Timothy, Epistle to Titus Шаблон:Circa. The two Timothy epistles and Titus reflect a much more developed Church organization than that reflected in the genuine Pauline epistles.Шаблон:Sfn Codex Sinaiticus (350 CE)Шаблон:Papyrus link (200 CE)
Philemon Шаблон:Circa. A genuine Pauline epistle, written from an imprisonment (probably in Ephesus) that Paul expects will soon be over.Шаблон:Sfn Шаблон:Papyrus link (3rd century CE)
Hebrews Шаблон:Circa. The elegance of the Greek and the sophistication of the theology do not fit the genuine Pauline epistles, but the mention of Timothy in the conclusion led to its being included with the Pauline group from an early date.Шаблон:Sfn Шаблон:Papyrus link (late 2nd century or 3rd century CE)
James Шаблон:Circa. Like Hebrews, James is not so much a letter as an exhortation; the style of the Greek makes it unlikely that it was actually written by James the brother of Jesus.Шаблон:Sfn Шаблон:Papyrus link, Шаблон:Papyrus link (early 3rd century CE)
First Peter Шаблон:CircaШаблон:Sfn Шаблон:Papyrus link (3rd/4th century CE)
Second Peter Шаблон:Circa. This is apparently the latest writing in the New Testament, quoting from Jude, assuming a knowledge of the Pauline letters, and including a reference to the gospel story of the Transfiguration of Christ.Шаблон:Sfn Шаблон:Papyrus link (3rd/4th century CE)
Epistles of John Шаблон:Circa.Шаблон:Sfn The letters give no clear indication, but scholars tend to place them about a decade after the Gospel of John.Шаблон:Sfn Шаблон:Papyrus link, Uncial 0232, Codex Sinaiticus (3rd/4th century CE)
Jude Uncertain. The references to "brother of James" and to "what the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ foretold" suggest that it was written after the apostolic letters were in circulation, but before 2 Peter, which uses it.Шаблон:Sfn Шаблон:Papyrus link (3rd/4th century CE)
Revelation Шаблон:Circa. The date is suggested by clues in the visions pointing to the reign of the emperor Domitian.Шаблон:Sfn Шаблон:Papyrus link (150–200 CE)

See also

References

Citations

Шаблон:Reflist

Bibliography

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Further reading

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Шаблон:Books of the Bible

  1. Шаблон:Cite book
  2. Шаблон:Harvnb
  3. Raymond E. Brown, An Introduction to the New Testament, Anchor Bible, 1997. pp. 456-466.
  4. Шаблон:Cite book
  5. Шаблон:Cite book
  6. Wong, Gregory T.K. (2007). "Song of Deborah as Polemic." Biblica, vol. 88, no. 1 p. 1.
  7. Coogan, Michael D. (2009), A Brief Introduction to the Old Testament: The Hebrew Bible in its Context, Oxford University Press, p. 180.
  8. Шаблон:Cite journal
  9. Шаблон:Cite journal
  10. Шаблон:Cite book
  11. Шаблон:Cite journal
  12. Шаблон:Cite book
  13. Шаблон:Cite book
  14. 14,0 14,1 Шаблон:Cite book