Surf Wiki
Save to docs
general/biblical-criticism

From Surf Wiki (app.surf) — the open knowledge base

Dating the Bible

Estimating dates of composition for parts of the Bible

Estimating dates of composition for parts of the Bible

Note

the composition of the text of the Bible

Some of the oldest surviving Hebrew Bible manuscripts, the Dead Sea Scrolls, date to . Some of these scrolls are presently stored at the Shrine of the Book in Jerusalem. The oldest text of the entire Christian 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. | author-link1 = Craig A. Evans | editor1-last = Evans | editor1-first = Craig A. | editor1-link = Craig A. Evans | editor2-last = Tov | editor2-first = Emanuel | editor2-link = Emanuel Tov | publication-date = 2008 | access-date = 2015-05-16

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) or 1 Thessalonians, written around 50 CE. The latest book written is thought to be the Second Peter, written around 110 CE. 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) before the writing of 1 and 2 Timothy, Titus and the Epistles of John.{{Cite book |editor1-last = Dunn |editor1-first = James D. G. |editor2-last = Rogerson |editor2-first = John William |chapter-url = https://books.google.com/books?id=2Vo-11umIZQC&pg=PA1535

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. The New Testament books were composed largely in the second half of the 1st century CE. The deuterocanonical books fall largely in between.

PeriodBooks
Pre-monarchic
13th century–1000 BCE
Monarchic
1000–587 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

TorahDate or range of dates most widely held by scholarsProphetsDate or range of dates most widely held by scholarsWritingsDate or range of dates most widely held by scholars
Former Prophets:
Three Major Prophets:
Twelve Minor Prophets
Wisdom collection:
Poetic works:
Histories:
Miscellaneous works:

Table III: Deuterocanonical Old Testament

BookDate or range of dates most widely held by scholars
Tobit225–175 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.
Judith150–100 BCE, although estimates range from the 5th century BCE to the 2nd century CE.
1 Maccabees100 BCE
2 Maccabees
3 Maccabees100–75 BCE "very probable"
4 Maccabeesmid-1st century CE
Wisdom of Solomonlate 1st century BCE/early 1st century CE, on the basis of shared outlook with other works dating from this time.
Sirach196–175 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.
Additions to DanielPrayer of Azariah (Song of the Three Holy Children); Bel and the Dragon: late 6th century BCE; Susanna and the Elders: possibly 95–80 BCE
Baruch and Letter of Jeremiah2nd century BCE, as Baruch uses Sirach (written ) and is in turn used by the Psalms of Solomon (mid-1st century BCE). The Letter of Jeremiah, Chapter 6 of the Book of Baruch, is sometimes considered a separate book.

Table IV: New Testament

BookDate or range of dates most widely held by scholarsEarliest known fragment
Gospel of Matthew. 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.(2nd century CE)
Gospel of Mark. 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.(250 CE)
Gospel of Luke. 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., (175–250 CE)
Gospel of John, 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.(125–175 CE)
Acts, 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., , , , (250 CE)
Romans. 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.(mid 2nd century to mid 3rd century CE)
1 Corinthians. One of the indisputably genuine Pauline letters. Paul expresses his intention to re-visit the church he founded in the city .(late 2nd century or 3rd century CE)
2 Corinthians. One of the indisputably genuine Pauline letters. Written by Paul in Macedonia after having left Ephesus.(late 2nd century or 3rd century CE)
Galatiansor 55 CE. 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).(late 2nd century or 3rd century CE)
Ephesians. The letter appears to have been written after Paul's death in Rome, by an author who uses his name.(late 2nd century or 3rd century CE)
Philippians. 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.(late 2nd century or 3rd century CE)
Colossiansor 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.(late 2nd century or 3rd century CE)
1 Thessalonians. One of the earliest of the genuine Pauline epistles.(late 2nd century or 3rd century CE)
2 Thessaloniansor 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.(300 CE)
1 Timothy, 2 Timothy, Epistle to Titus. The two Timothy epistles and Titus reflect a much more developed Church organization than that reflected in the undisputed Pauline epistles.Codex Sinaiticus (350 CE) (200 CE)
Philemon. A genuine Pauline epistle, written from an imprisonment (probably in Ephesus) that Paul expects will soon be over.(3rd century CE)
Hebrews. 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.(late 2nd century or 3rd century CE)
James. 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., (early 3rd century CE)
First Peter(3rd/4th century CE)
Second Peter. 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.(3rd/4th century CE)
Epistles of John. The letters give no clear indication, but scholars tend to place them about a decade after the Gospel of John., Uncial 0232, Codex Sinaiticus (3rd/4th century CE)
JudeUncertain. 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.(3rd/4th century CE)
Revelation. The date is suggested by clues in the visions pointing to the reign of the emperor Domitian.(150–200 CE)

References

Citations

Bibliography

  • {{Cite book | editor1-last = Dunn | editor1-first = James D. G. | editor2-last = Rogerson | editor2-first = John William | chapter-url = https://books.google.com/books?id=2Vo-11umIZQC&q=%22100+and+75+BC+is+very+probable%22&pg=PA866

  • {{Cite book

  • {{Cite book | editor1-last = Dunn | editor1-first = James D. G. | editor2-last = Rogerson | editor2-first = John William | chapter-url = https://books.google.com/books?id=2Vo-11umIZQC&q=%221+and+2+Maccabees%22%22about+100+BC%22&pg=PA807

  • {{cite book

  • {{cite book

  • {{cite book | editor1-last = Coogan | editor1-first = Michael David | editor2-last = Brettler | editor2-first = Marc Zvi | editor3-last = Newsom | editor3-first = Carol Ann | chapter-url = https://books.google.com/books?id=Nc-i_pQsiW8C&q=%22Jeremiah%22%22final+decade+of+the+seventh+century%22&pg=PA1073

  • {{cite book | editor1-last = Coogan | editor1-first = Michael David | editor2-last = Brettler | editor2-first = Marc Zvi | editor3-last = Newsom | editor3-first = Carol Ann | chapter-url = https://books.google.com/books?id=Nc-i_pQsiW8C&q=%22The+Book+of+Isaiah+in+its+current+form%22&pg=PA974

  • {{Cite book

  • {{Cite book

  • {{Cite book

  • {{cite book | editor1-last = Coogan | editor1-first = Michael David | editor2-last = Brettler | editor2-first = Marc Zvi | editor3-last = Newsom | editor3-first = Carol Ann | chapter-url = https://books.google.com/books?id=Nc-i_pQsiW8C&q=%22Deuteronomistic+history%22%22completed+only+in+the+Babylonian+exile%22&pg=PA311

  • {{Cite book

  • {{cite book

  • {{Cite book

  • {{Cite book | editor1-last = Freedman | editor1-first = David Noel | editor2-last = Myers | editor2-first = Allen C. | chapter-url = https://books.google.com/books?id=qRtUqxkB7wkC&q=%22earliest+origins+of+Genesis%22&pg=PA492

  • {{Cite book | editor1-last = Dunn | editor1-first = James D. G. | editor2-last = Rogerson | editor2-first = John William

  • {{Cite book | editor1-last = Dunn | editor1-first = James D. G. | editor2-last = Rogerson | editor2-first = John William

  • {{Cite book

  • {{Cite book | editor1-last = Dunn | editor1-first = James D. G. | editor2-last = Rogerson | editor2-first = John William | chapter-url = https://books.google.com/books?id=2Vo-11umIZQC&pg=PA438

  • {{Cite book | author-link = John J. Collins

  • {{cite book | editor1-last = Coogan | editor1-first = Michael David | editor2-last = Brettler | editor2-first = Marc Zvi | editor3-last = Newsom | editor3-first = Carol Ann | chapter-url = https://books.google.com/books?id=Nc-i_pQsiW8C&q=%22fundamental+continuity+with+preexilic+traditions%22&pg=PR22

  • {{Cite book

  • {{Cite book | editor1-last = Dunn | editor1-first = James D. G. | editor2-last = Rogerson | editor2-first = John William | chapter-url = https://books.google.com/books?id=2Vo-11umIZQC&q=%22Job+is+generally+dated+between+the+sixth+and+the+fourth+century+BC%22&pg=PA337

  • {{cite book | editor1-last = Barton | editor1-first = John | editor2-last = Reimer | editor2-first = David James | chapter-url = https://books.google.com/books?id=sUb7EDXODOwC&q=Katharine+Dell+Shaping+Book+Jonah&pg=PA85

  • {{Cite book | editor1-last = Dunn | editor1-first = James D. G. | editor2-last = Rogerson | editor2-first = John William | chapter-url = https://books.google.com/books?id=2Vo-11umIZQC&q=%224+Maccabees%22%22middle+half+of+the+first+century+AD%22&pg=PA888

  • {{Cite book | editor1-last = Freedman | editor1-first = David Noel | editor2-last = Myers | editor2-first = Allen C. | chapter-url = https://books.google.com/books?id=qRtUqxkB7wkC&q=%22an+anthology%22%22from+nearly+all+periods%22&pg=PA443

  • {{Cite book | editor-last = Aune | editor-first = David E.

  • {{Cite book | editor1-last = Dunn | editor1-first = James D. G. | editor2-last = Rogerson | editor2-first = John William

  • {{cite book

  • {{Cite book |editor1-last = McKenzie |editor1-first = Steven L. |editor2-last = Graham |editor2-first = Matt Patrick |chapter-url = https://books.google.com/books?id=owwhpmIVgSAC&pg=PA129 |url-access = registration

  • {{cite book

  • {{cite book

  • {{cite book

  • {{Cite book

  • {{cite journal

  • {{Cite book | editor1-last = Dunn | editor1-first = James D. G. | editor2-last = Rogerson | editor2-first = John William | chapter-url = https://books.google.com/books?id=2Vo-11umIZQC&pg=PA696

  • {{Cite book | editor1-last = Dunn | editor1-first = James D. G. | editor2-last = Rogerson | editor2-first = John William | chapter-url = https://books.google.com/books?id=2Vo-11umIZQC&pg=PA710

  • {{Cite book | editor1-last = Dunn | editor1-first = James D. G. | editor2-last = Rogerson | editor2-first = John William | chapter-url = https://books.google.com/books?id=2Vo-11umIZQC&pg=PA715

  • {{Cite book | editor1-last = Dunn | editor1-first = James D. G. | editor2-last = Rogerson | editor2-first = John William | chapter-url = https://books.google.com/books?id=2Vo-11umIZQC&q=%22began+his+ministry+in+592%22%22until+at+least+571%22&pg=PA623

  • {{Cite book | editor1-last = Dunn | editor1-first = James D. G. | editor2-last = Rogerson | editor2-first = John William | chapter-url = https://books.google.com/books?id=2Vo-11umIZQC&pg=PA321

  • {{cite book

  • {{Cite book

  • {{Cite book | editor1-last = Dunn | editor1-first = James D. G. | editor2-last = Rogerson | editor2-first = John William

  • {{Cite book |last = Hayes |editor1-last = McKenzie |editor1-first = Steven L. |editor2-last = Graham |editor2-first = Matt Patrick |chapter-url = https://books.google.com/books?id=owwhpmIVgSAC&q=Hayes+Songs+of+Israel&pg=PA153 |url-access = registration

  • {{Cite book | editor1-last = Dunn | editor1-first = James D. G. | editor2-last = Rogerson | editor2-first = John William | chapter-url = https://books.google.com/books?id=2Vo-11umIZQC&q=%22wisdom+of+solomon%22%22turn+of+the+era%22&pg=PA763

  • {{Cite book | editor1-last = Dunn | editor1-first = James D. G. | editor2-last = Rogerson | editor2-first = John William | chapter-url = https://books.google.com/books?id=2Vo-11umIZQC&q=Eerdmans+Leviticus+Walter+J+Houston&pg=PA101

  • {{Cite book

  • {{Cite book

  • {{cite book | editor1-last = Aune | editor1-first = David | chapter-url = https://books.google.com/books?id=nhhdJ-fkywYC&q=%22THe+letters+give+no+clear+indication+of+the+date+of+their+final+composition%22&pg=PA250

  • {{Cite book

  • {{Cite book

  • {{cite book | author-link = Richard D. Nelson

  • {{Cite book

  • {{cite book

  • {{Cite book | author-link = Pheme Perkins | editor1-last = Barton | editor1-first = John

  • {{cite book

  • {{Cite book

  • {{cite book

  • {{cite book | editor1-last = Redditt | editor1-first = Paul L | editor2-last = Schart | editor2-first = Aaron | chapter-url = https://books.google.com/books?id=QKBTfJiaElMC&q=%22The+Twelve%22%22reckoned+as+one+book+in+the+Hebrew+Bible%22&pg=PA1

  • {{Cite book | editor1-last = Dunn | editor1-first = James D. G. | editor2-last = Rogerson | editor2-first = John William | chapter-url = https://books.google.com/books?id=2Vo-11umIZQC&q=%22It+is+rare+for+a+prophet+to+be+mentioned%22&pg=PA703

  • {{Cite book | editor1-last = Dunn | editor1-first = James D. G. | editor2-last = Rogerson | editor2-first = John William | chapter-url = https://books.google.com/books?id=2Vo-11umIZQC&q=%22Deuteronomy+is+a+speech+delivered+by+Moses%22&pg=PA153

  • {{Cite book | editor1-last = Dunn | editor1-first = James D. G. | editor2-last = Rogerson | editor2-first = John William | chapter-url = https://books.google.com/books?id=2Vo-11umIZQC&q=The+History+of+the+Tradition%3A+Old+Testament+and+Apocrypha&pg=PA1

  • {{Cite book | editor1-last = Dunn | editor1-first = James D. G. | editor2-last = Rogerson | editor2-first = John William

  • {{Cite book | editor1-last = Dunn | editor1-first = James D. G. | editor2-last = Rogerson | editor2-first = John William | chapter-url = https://books.google.com/books?id=2Vo-11umIZQC&q=%22Baruch%22%22second+century+BC%22&pg=PA799

  • {{cite book | editor1-last = Coogan | editor1-first = Michael D. | chapter-url = https://books.google.com/books?id=Nc-i_pQsiW8C&q=Ecclesiastes&pg=PA944

  • {{Cite book | editor1-last = Dunn | editor1-first = James D. G. | editor2-last = Rogerson | editor2-first = John William | chapter-url = https://books.google.com/books?id=2Vo-11umIZQC&q=%22Sirach+probably+wrote+the+Hebrew+after+196%22&pg=PA779

  • {{Cite book | editor1-last = Mills | editor1-first = Watson E. | editor2-last = Wilson | editor2-first = Richard F. | chapter-url = https://books.google.com/books?id=doqYxT-1RzEC&q=%22Daniel+was+the+subject+of+many+legends%22&pg=PA89

  • {{Cite book

  • {{Cite book | editor1-last = McKenzie | editor1-first = Steven L. | editor2-last = Graham | editor2-first = Matt Patrick

  • {{cite book

  • {{Cite book | editor1-last = Dunn | editor1-first = James D. G. | editor2-last = Rogerson | editor2-first = John William | chapter-url = https://books.google.com/books?id=2Vo-11umIZQC&q=%22date+of+Judith%22%22latter+part+of+the+second+century%22&pg=PA748

References

  1. {{harvnb. Bernstein. 1996
  2. [[Raymond E. Brown]], ''An Introduction to the New Testament'', [[Anchor Bible]], 1997. pp. 456-466.
  3. Mounce, Robert H.. (1998). "The Book of Revelation". Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing.
  4. Wong, Gregory T.K. (2007). "[https://www.jstor.org/stable/42614746 Song of Deborah as Polemic]." ''Biblica'', vol. 88, no. 1 p. 1.
  5. Coogan, Michael D. (2009), ''A Brief Introduction to the Old Testament: The Hebrew Bible in its Context'', Oxford University Press, p. 183.
  6. ''Dictionary of Deities and Demons in the Bible'', p. 296
  7. [https://www.jstor.org/stable/3557916 "The Challenges of Ketef Hinnom: Using Advanced Technologies to Recover the Earliest Biblical Texts and their Context", Gabriel Barkay et al., Near Eastern Archaeology, Vol. 66, No. 4 (December 2003), pp. 162–171 (at JSTOR)] {{Webarchive. link. (16 January 2017 .)
  8. Stephenson, F.R.. (1969). "The Date of the Book of Joel". Vetus Testamentum.
  9. Williams, David Salter. (1994). "The Date of Ecclesiasticus". [[Vetus Testamentum]].
  10. Grabbe, Lester L.. (2001). "The Book of Daniel: Composition and Reception". Koninklijke Brill.
  11. Grabbe, Lester L.. (1991). "Maccabean Chronology: 167-164 or 168-165 BCE?". Journal of Biblical Literature.
  12. (2019). "T&T Clark Encyclopedia of Second Temple Judaism". Bloomsbury Publishing.
  13. Dyer, Brian R.. (2021). "The Oxford Handbook of the Apocrypha". Oxford University Press.
Info: Wikipedia Source

This article was imported from Wikipedia and is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License. Content has been adapted to SurfDoc format. Original contributors can be found on the article history page.

biblical-criticism biblical-studies chronology
Want to explore this topic further?

Ask Mako anything about Dating the Bible — get instant answers, deeper analysis, and related topics.

Research with Mako

Free with your Surf account

Content sourced from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.

This content may have been generated or modified by AI. CloudSurf Software LLC is not responsible for the accuracy, completeness, or reliability of AI-generated content. Always verify important information from primary sources.

Report