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Home , 4Q120, Jeremiah 10

How I Got My

G. Jorg Medna

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The writing and transmission of the

G. Jorg Medna • events were written down in Hebrew.

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Some portions of the Old Testament were written in : • 10:11 • Daniel 2:4–7:28 • Ezra 4:8–6:18; 7:12–26 • Hebrew and Aramaic use the same square script alphabet, but the grammar and vocabulary are as different as Spanish and French

The Lord commanded the writing of the Scriptures •“Then the Lord said to , “Write this for a memorial in the book and recount it in the hearing of Joshua…”” (Exodus 17.14)

“And Moses wrote all the words of the Lord…” (Exodus 24:4) “Then he took the Book of the Covenant and read in the hearing of the people. And they said, “All that the Lord has said we will do, and be obedient.”” (Exodus 24:7) Other Old Testament writers, inspired by God, include leaders, kings, and .

“Moreover the Lord said to me, “Take a large scroll, and write on it with a man’s pen…” (Isaiah 8:1)

Divisions of the Hebrew Scriptures •“The law and the prophets were until John…” (Luke 16:16) •“These are the words which I spoke to you while I was still with you, that all things must be fulfilled which were written in the Law of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms concerning Me.” (Luke 24:44)

The Hebrew way: TANAKH • = Law of Moses •Nevi’im = Prophets •Kethuvim = Writings

•Paul referred to the Hebrew Bible as “the old covenant” or “old testament” “But their minds were blinded. For until this day the same veil remains unlifted in the reading of the Old Testament, because the veil is taken away in Christ.” (2 Corinthians 3.14) Collected Ezra, a priest and scribe, may have collected and arranged the books of the Hebrew Bible, about 450 BC.

Ezra reading the law

Greek Translation The is a Greek translation of the Hebrew Bible (the Old Testament). It was translated between 250 and 100 BC by Jewish scholars in Alexandria, Septuagint Fragment . (4Q120, from Leviticus)

The word Septuagint means 70, referring to the legend that 70 or 72 Jewish scholars translated it. It is often abbreviated LXX, the Roman numeral for 70. The books were arranged by subject: historical, poetic, and prophetic.

Apocrypha The Septuagint included some Jewish religious writings—later known as “Apocrypha”—that had never been included in the Hebrew and Aramaic Scriptures. The word apocrypha is from the Greek meaning “hidden” or “unclear.” Today, they are not included in Protestant , but many of the books can be found in Orthodox and Roman Catholic Old Testaments. Books not included in the Protestant Old Testament in blue.

Tobit Wisdom of Solomon Judith Sirach (Ecclesiasticus) Esther (additions) Baruch (includes letter of 1 Maccabees Jeremiah) 2 Maccabees Daniel (includes Susanna; Bel and the Dragon)

Apocrypha or Deuterocanonicals

The writers of the New Testament never quoted the Apocrypha as Scripture. Jesus never quoted the Apocrypha as the Word of God.

Apocrypha

Evidence derived from 1st century AD Jewish writers, like Josephus, indicates that the Hebrew and Aramaic Bible never included the Apocrypha. Josephus

Why same books as the Jews?

“What advantage then has the Jew, or what is the profit of circumcision? Much in every way! Chiefly because to them were committed the oracles of God.” (Romans 3:1–2) The preservation of the Hebrew Bible

G. Jorg Medna

Masoretes were Jewish scribes who preserved the Hebrew and Aramaic Scriptures (AD 400– 1000). Hebrew and Aramaic have no written vowels. Masoretes added accents and vowel markings (“vowel points”) to guide readers.

Masoretes kept statistics about: How often certain words were used. Differences (variants) in the manuscripts. Number of words in each book and section of the Scriptures. The Old Testament preserved by the Masoretes is known today as the Masoretic Text.

Codex Leningradensis – 11th century AD – 10th century AD Codex Cairensis – 9th century AD The

G. Jorg Medna

The Dead Sea Scrolls Scrolls were discovered in 1947 in caves along the Dead Sea. They contained some of the oldest known copies of portions of the Old Testament. These copies were made between 100 BC and AD 100.

About 15 miles from 11 Caves until 1956 Almost 1000 documents 12th cave discovered in January 2017 1QIsa; (4QMessianic Apocalypse)

1. Biblical manuscripts (Genesis, Psalms, Isaiah) 2. (Biblical commentaries) 3. Legislative (Rules for the life of the community)

What “community”? The Withdrawn from to expect Messiah Considered the Temple priesthood as “apostate” Known as “The Way” A scroll of Isaiah is the oldest Relevance? complete manuscript of any book of the Bible copied before the time of Christ. It is remarkably close to the modern Hebrew text, with most of the variants being nothing more than differences in spelling.

The scrolls provide confirmation that the methods used to preserve the Masoretic Text were effective.

An Aramaic scroll from Cave 4 speaks of a coming figure who will be called “Son of God” and “Son of the Most High” who will be “Great” and who will reign forever. The Melchizedek Scroll from Cave 11 forecasts the coming of one who seems to be God himself, possessing the power to forgive sin, heal, and defeat Satan. Academic Edition of the Dead Sea Scrolls in 2 volumes

http://dss.collections.imj.org.il

The Books of the New Testament

G. Jorg Medna

The Authority of Jesus Jesus (c. 4 BC–AD 33) quoted the Old Testament Scriptures often. “Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them.”—Matthew 5:17 These are the words which I spoke to you while I was still with you, that all things must be fulfilled which were written in the Law of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms concerning Me.” And He opened their understanding, that they might comprehend the Scriptures. Then He said to them, “Thus it is written, and thus it was necessary for the Christ to suffer and to rise from the dead the third day.” (Luke 24:44–46)

Jesus commanded at least some of His disciples to write: “Saying: “I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last,” and, “What you see, write in a book [Greek: gráphon eis biblíon] and send it to the seven churches…” (Revelation 1:11)

Jesus assumed His followers would pass on His teachings: “I do not pray for these alone, but also for those who will believe in Me through their word.” (John 17:20) “Word” —> Spoken or written (?)

Followers of Jesus Eyewitnesses of the risen Lord Jesus and their close associates wrote: Accounts of the life of Jesus (Gospels) written by Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. History of the early church (Acts) written by Luke. Letters (epistles) to churches and to individual Christians written by Paul, Peter, John, and others. An apocalypse, known as Revelation, written by John. The Apostle John

They quote from all but eight of the books found in the Hebrew and Aramaic Old Testament. Their writings became known by the end of the 100s AD as the “” or “New Testament.” The Apostle Paul

“New Testament” or “New Covenant” refers to the covenant that God promised in :31–34: “‘The days are coming,’ declares the Lord, ‘when I will make a new covenant with the people of Israel and with the people of .’”—Jeremiah 31:31

Review Questions

1. Hebrew is written and read from ______to ______2. What is the “Tanakh”? 3. Who and when possibly collected and arranged the books of the Hebrew Bible? Review Questions

4. What is the “Septuagint”? 5. Give some reasons why we don’t use the Apocrypha (or Deuterocanonicals) 6. Who were the Masoretes and when did they live?

Review Questions 7. What are the Dead Sea Scrolls and why are they important to our view of the Hebrew Bible (Old Testament)? 8. Who authorized the writing of the New Testament and why do we accept that authority?

Assignment

Please read the textbook The Book We Call the Bible chapters 3, 4, 5 and 6. Read the Book of Genesis, one chapter per day (14 chapters until next meeting). Memorize John 5:39 and Luke 24:46–47

Questions?

G. Jorge Medina, MTS, MAT Email: [email protected]