The Concept and Formation of the Old Testament Canon

The Bible Emerges
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The Bible Emerges
Describe the Concept and Formation of the Old Testament Canon
The formation of the Old Testament Canon dates back to the period before the birth of Jesus, commonly known as the Old Testament. This process was influenced by the creation and fall of mankind, with Israel’s history as the turning point. For that reason, there was the need to provide laws to guide people’s behaviors. This need led to the formation of the canon of scriptures: a collection of books that measure all the beliefs, behaviors, reasoning, ethics, traditions, and practices (Chapter 16, p. 215). It took over a thousand years to write the Old Testament Canon. Moses wrote the oldest parts of the scriptures whereas the latest parts were composed after the Babylonian exile. The books were recognized individually as being canonical. After individual books were written, collected, and edited in Jerusalem Temple or the Jewish royal court, they began to be assembled into divisions (Chapter 16, p. 215). By the time of Jesus and his apostles, the Old Testament comprised 39 books of the law, the prophets, and the writings (Vimeo.com, 02.53).
Chart out the Development of the New Testament. What were the Key Historical Markers and Criteria that Resulted in the Selection of its 27 Books?
The New Testament has 27 books falling into two sections: the Gospels which tell the story of Jesus and the epistles written by Paul and other Christian leaders to provide guidance for the earliest Christian communities. Key historical markers that resulted in the formation of the New Testament were the awareness of the writing of God’s word and canon consciousness of the apostles (Chapter 16, p. 221). New Testament authors needed to be aware that they were both speaking and writ...