How was the Old Testament canon formed?

We know that the Torah was established in the time of Jesus. However, you might wonder, outside the Torah, what did Jesus think the Old Testament was? How did the Old Testament become to be what it is today? In this short video, my guest Dr. John Meade shares critical data to answer these questions.

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[melissarains]

Thanks. This is timely. We are currently working through History of the church and the Bible and Hermeneutics in our Bible study group.

[TheMrSONIC]

Whoah… if Ruth is intended to be the true ending of Judges, that really changes the tone of that book!

[daverogg]

Well that was super cool and informative. Thank you, Alisa, for having him on!!!

[annapobst]

Thank you for all of your great work and insights 🙏 may God bless you

[fnjesusfreak]

The concept of the Tenach (Law-Prophets-Writings) certainly existed in the 1st century since Jesus explicitly mentions it in Luke 24.44. The LXX didn't have this specific arrangement - that seems to favor the concept that Jesus and co. knew the Hebrew canon.

[greentree]

Please do a video on the formation of the New Testament canon.

[dougmichalak]

UPDATE: I later found this following part of my comment to be a false story that was being spread as true; I stand by the rest of my comments... ***FALSE: Esther was recently identified among the Dead Sea Scrolls, BTW... It was previously unreadable, but through new technology was able to make it legible, and it was found to be Esther. So all of the books of the Jewish/Protestant canon were represented in the Dead Sea Scrolls.*** TRUTH: All of the books of the Jewish Tanakh EXCEPT Esther were found in the Dead Sea Scrolls.

Now—what was not mentioned in the video are the books of the Roman Catholic, Eastern Orthodox, Ethiopian Orthodox, and varied other Oriental Orthodox Christian Churches. (These are books over and above the 66-book Protestant canon, as ALL churches everywhere across the globe accept at least those 66 books.)

The 'extra' books are mostly found in the Septuagint, which was a translation of the Hebrew Bible done around 250 B.C. The Septuagint is the Bible that Jesus and the Apostles quoted from. It was only AFTER the destruction of the Second Temple that the Jews narrowed their canon to the 66 books—which is why Josephus said what he did.

Many of the books from the Septuagint, as well as Jubilees and 1 Enoch from the Ethiopian Orthodox Church, were found among the Dead Sea Scrolls.

We show our biases not by what we say, but by what we fail to include in our discussion.

[charliedontsurf]

Well if we are talking about quotes and allusions are reasons for why something is canon, then what about Jude’s quotes of 1 Enoch?

[codeincomplete]

OR what if the opposite happened and the books were seperated rather than combined such as what is found in Rabinical Judiasim.

[cookingwithmammajee]

🤗🤲❤❤❤❤😭🙏🇵🇰 Assalamu Alaikum Mama Ji aapko Jindagi sehat tandurusti aur Jindagi Mein bahut sari kamyabi and Hai Ameen

[JamesRichardWiley]

The OT is the translated and copied writings of ancient authors who shared a common belief in a supernatural being that created them and was overseeing their lives.

[terrypaul]

The Old Testament is based on the human mind! The tabernacle was in the pattern of the human brain! The right side ( righteousness) is the right hemisphere of the brain which has imagination, love, creativity, the left is intellect, control. That’s why Jesus said the kingdom is within. What a man thinks so he is! To consume not with the mouth but mind can harm your thoughts and you suffer. Jesus said my words are spirit, words come from thoughts, that’s why you are to have the mind of Christ! The kingdoms and city’s are thoughts that rule and govern you. Men women and children are what is birthed in those thoughts. That’s why animals which are your animalistic thoughts are sacrificed. When you understand and read any scripture through this lens there is no fear, no contradictions and a pure knowledge of truth

[royhiggins]

I don't believe in a God and I am grateful I escaped the Mind Prison of Christianity. But let's be clear...if there is a God I am grateful as well. That's the real point! None of us really know anything about a God and any claim otherwise is just pretense. I am grateful that the brain I was given by a God or through evolution and reproduction was able to overcome the brainwashing of my youth. I am grateful that I don't believe in resurrections, demons, devils or eternal torture. I am grateful that I can accept and be empathetic to those who are not like myself. I have no problems with immigrants (illegal or otherwise), Transgender, Homosexual, Muslim, Mormon, Christian, Hindu, Buddhist, People of Color, Albinos or Wiccan. I am grateful that I can see that once you can become comfortable forcing your beliefs upon others...is the moment when your beliefs start to divert from idiosyncratic to a group think that can embrace evil entities like the Trump-Republican-Jesus Taliban. A group think that embraces Fox news as they demonize the LBGT community as this real world consequence leads to murder and harm. A group think that denies the science of climate change and vaccines that helps lead the world to a more dangerous place. A group think that forces raped women and children to give birth even though they actually believe the majority of those born will burn in eternal suffering. I am grateful that I can see the beauty in science and truth and I am grateful that I can face my life with bravery, courage and not the fear of the unknown and death.

[anarchorepublican]

6:29 Who cares about Josephus canon?...what was Jesus's canon ?...
For instance, Jesus's own brother, Jude quoted from the Book of Enoch (Jude14), which is largely extra canonical Jewish apocrypha...there was a lot of this mystical stuff in Jesus day...its Apocalyptism and DÆmo-angelogy clearly influenced early Christian thought, or as here in Jude, fleshing out the common understanding of concise, and frustrating too limited Old Testament Narrative...the life of the translated saint Enoch, was of a particular interest...as is the mysterious Melchizedek, who also figures prominently in Jewish Apocrypha...
That being said that...far too much can be made of this...I don't believe any 1st Century Jew, even the most mystical or Magical, ever considered, any apocryphal work in the same category as Torah of Moses or the Tannakh of the prophets (which is basically ours as well) ..On the other hand, Jude clearly accepts that what the Book of Enoch says about Enoch is true. Perhaps based on a commonly known Jewish Enochian tradition that is much older than the apocryphal work, extant today. Or more likely Jude is quoting from Enoch, much like "a Prophecy Teacher" might quote from Hal Lindsay, to strengthen his point...or a preacher might quote the words of a popular Hymn to make a clear theological point he agrees with...

[sanjeevgig]

95% of Xtians don't know that gospels are ANONYMOUS. The church just labeled them Matthew, Mark etc.
LOL

[terrypaul]

It’s hilarious how you people are pharassiees thinking you are not 😂 you are cherry picking by doing exactly what the pharassiees did! ‘ it says here Jesus, how dare you go against our book’. Jesus was explaining the scriptures to them. They thought they understood by taking it literal! He gave the spiritual meaning. Paul says the letter ‘ literal’ kills. You cannot hear it because you don’t understand the spirit. You do not have eyes to see Jesus was saying. Nothing has changed. Few will find it. Because of pride and traditions of men you are doing the same. It is the glory of God to conceal a thing! To this day when the Old Testament is read there is a veil. You are veiled. Your sin is your pride. Humble yourself and you will see. But then you will be persecuted