OT Canon, Versions

Canon

reed → standard → authoritative writings

“the authoritative writings that guide belief and practice for a religious group”

Content of the canon

protestant christianity: ot and nt

catholic christianity: ot, nt, and apocrypha

mormons: Bible Bk of mormon, pearl of great price, doctrine and covn’ts

muslims: koran

jews: ot in different order, groupings (law, prophets, writings)

why is the catholic canon different?

When Jewish community recognized their holy books, some books were deemed helpful but not inspired, called Apocrypha (“hidden,” doubted, disputed)

-Included in Greek OT (Septuagint—LXX)

-Also translated for Latin Bible ca. A.D. 400

-Used by Catholic Church, later rejected by Reformers

terms for canon

“canon” 1st used by christians 4c. ad

judaism: “holy books”, “sacred writings”, books that “defile the hands”

hebrew canon witnesses

• intro to sirach (apo. c. 190-180 bc)

• Josephus (c. ad100)

• Jesus (Lk 24:44, 16:29, Matt. 23:35)

• later judaism: mishnah (c. ad 200) - bible has books that “defile the hands”

hebrew canon

• process of canonization - uncertain

  • written by prophets or prophetically gifted person

  • consistent with earlier versions

  • continuing relevance to God’s ppl

• by 1. ad(?) jews recognized certain books as inspired and canonical, but many others not

• known in other languages

septuagint (LXX)

significance

• 1st translation of any sacred text

• bible of many 2T jews, nt authors, early christians

• serve jews of alexanderia

• letter of aristeas only direct evidence of creation

ptolemy II (285-247 bc)

• librarian demetrius of phalerum to collect all books in world

evaluation

• fewer translations

• validity questioned

samaritan pentateuch

• broke from judaism 4c bc?

• temple destroyed by John Hyrcanus (134-04)

• focused on pentateuch

• sam pent discovered 1616

aramaic targums

jews spoke aramaic, needed translation

• used 2T-middle ages

• made in palestine and babylon

syriac

early christian church

• biblical texts date from 5c ad

latin vulgate

jerome - early 5c ad

• hebrew or → grk nt

• bible for latin speaking church

• inc. Apo. though not authoritative