Bible 101

Lesson 1: Where do the Scriptures we know as “The Bible” come from ?

Different Translations

We now know that the manuscripts that make up the Bible were originally written on papyrus, and later on parchment and vellum. We also know that papyrus decays, and so scribes would copy one scroll onto another, so as not to loose the text contained therein. Further, we understand now that fragments, and sometimes whole manuscripts, have survived the tooth of time, and the sum of these discoveries, as well as the duplication of scripture from various surviving manuscripts from different decades and epochs, point decisively toward the fact that our collection of manuscripts, known as the Bible, is indeed a complete collection of ancient manuscripts.

Yet, it is noteworthy that not all the surviving OT manuscripts are written in Hebrew, nor are all the surviving NT texts in Greek. Why?

Considering the turbulent history of the Jewish people, as well as the frequency of captivity, scattering, and reunification, it is logical that different scribes adapted to their surroundings and wrote in the language or dialect of the land. The subsequent surviving products of their labor are termed accordingly:

• The Septuagint is the name of the Greek translation of the Hebrew scriptures. It dates to ca 270 BC. (8)
• The Masoretic translation, dated about 916 AD, is very similar to the Septuagint, and thereby establishes a continuity of the text, and a preservation of the integrity of the manuscripts. (9)
• The Samaritan Text translation dates to the fifth century BC, and contains the Pentateuch, the first five books of the OT in a translation from Hebrew into Aramaic. In comparison with the Masoretic translation, it is again apparent that there is no breach in continuity or integrity of the preserved manuscript. (10)
• The Vulgate translation contains the OT text, except the Psalms, in Latin. It dates to about 400 AD. (11)

Congratulations! You have now finished the first lesson of Bible 101, and should be rather knowledgeable about the origins and various translations of the Bible manuscripts. Why not test your knowledge now by doing the Lesson 1 Knowledge Quiz?

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