Handout #4
Dating
A. The examination two histories
1. The history in the text: This history is the more or less
chronological account that one finds in the biblical story
2. The history of the text: This history is the story of how the
books came to be written
B. The Bible holds the Scriptures of God’s people:
1. God did not reveal himself through written books but rather
through the lived experiences of his people
2. As Stephen Binz writes: The Bible was written of the people, by
the people and for the people; it is the book of the community of
faith (Introduction to the Bible, 32)
C. Comparing the Events
World Events (OT)
- 15,000 BC cave paintings
created at Lascaux, France
- 9,000 BC first permanent
settlement at Jericho
Early Bronze Age (34002100 BC)
- 3300 BC Sumerian city
states form; invention of
cuneiform writing;
development of religious
traditions
- 3000 BC Egyptian nation
state is formed
- 2330 BC Sargon I
conquers Mesopotamian
city states
- 3000-1200 BC Canaan falls
under Egyptian influence
and control
Middle Bronze Age (21001550 BC)
Biblical Events (OT)
1. 1850-1700 BC period of
the Patriarchs Abraham,
Isaac, and Jacob
2. 1720 BC possible
connection between the
Hyksos period and Joseph
3. 1250 BC possible period
of the Exodus from Egypt
4. 1200-1125 BC possible
period of the Judges (A)
5. 1025-1005 BC Reign of
King Saul
6. 1005-965 BC Reign of
King David; establishment
of Jerusalem as the capital
city
7. 965-928 BC Reign of
King Solomon (B) (C);
construction of the
Temple in Jerusalem
8. 928 BC Split of the
Biblical Books (OT)
A. 1200-900 BC fragments
of biblical poetry such as
the Song of Deborah
(Judges 5), the Song of
Miriam (Exodus 15:21),
verses from the Book of
Jashar (Joshua 10:13), and
poems hailing the Lord as
warrior (Numbers 21) are
composed orally
B. 950-850 BC some of the
elements that are
eventually incorporated
into the Pentateuch (later
called the J source) are
composed orally or in
written form
C. 950-587 BC royal
archives and court records
from Israel and Judah are
kept
- 1850-1700 Nomadic
Hebrews roam the Fertile
Crescent in the age of the
Biblical Patriarchs (1)
- 1700 BC Hammurabi of
Babylon produces a law
code
- 1720-1570 period when
the Hyksos (a Semitic
people) dominated Egypt
(2)
Late Bronze Age (1550-1200
BC)
- 1294-1279 BC Reign of Seti
I in Egypt
- 1279-1213 BC Reign of
Ramses II in Egypt (3)
- 1213-1203 BC Reign of
Merneptah in Egypt
- 1275 BC Earliest mention
of the Sea Peoples in
Egyptian records
- 1250-1200 BC The siege of
Troy by the Mycenaean
Greeks
Iron Age (1200 BC)
- 1200 BC Philistines (Sea
Peoples) arrive in Canaan
and undermine Egyptian
control (4) (5)
1000 BC Final mention of
Sea Peoples in Egyptian
records (6) (7)
- 924 BC Egyptian pharaoh
Shishak invades Judah and
Jerusalem (10)
- 722-721 BC Assyrian
armies invade Israel (12)
- 701 BC Assyrian ruler
Sennacherib invades
Judah (14)
- 612 BC Babylonians sack
Nineveh and depose
Assyrians
United Kingdom of Israel
into two kingdoms
9. 928-722 BC Duration of
the Northern Kingdom of
Israel (D) (E) (F) (I)
10. 928-586 BC Duration of
the Southern Kingdom of
Judah (H) (M) (N)
11. 745-727 BC Rule of King
Ahaz in Judah (G)
12. 722 BC Fall of Samaria,
capital of the Northern
Kingdom – dispersal of the
10 northern tribes and
extinction of the northern
kingdom of Israel
13. 727-698 BC Rule of
King Hezekiah in Judah
14. 701 BC Attack on
Jerusalem by the Assyrians
in response to Hezekiah’s
revolt
15. 640-609 BC Rule of
King Josiah in Judah (J) (K)
(L)
16. 597 BC First
Babylonian siege of
Jerusalem by the
Babylonians in response to
Jehoiakim and Jehoiakin’s
revolt
17. 586 BC Second
Babylonian siege on
Jerusalem in response to
Zedekiah’s revolt;
destruction of the city and
razing of the Temple (O)
18. 586-538 BC Babylonian
Exile of Judah’s Jews in
Babylon (P) (Q) (R)
19. 538 BC First Jews
return to Jerusalem after
the exile
20. 520-515 BC
D. 850-750 BC an
alternative “northern”
version of Israel’s
ancestral tradition and law
emerges, mostly in oral or
primitive written form
E. 750 BC The Prophet
Amos preaches in Israel;
his words are later
collected by his disciples
F. 746-735 BC The Prophet
Hosea delivers his oral
message in Israel; his
words are later collected
by his disciples
G. 740-701 BC Isaiah of
Jerusalem delivers his
message to King Ahaz
regarding Assyria’s threat
to Judah; his words are
later collected by his
disciples
H. 740-700 BC The Prophet
Micah delivers prophetic
oracles to Judah that are
later recorded and kept in
the Jerusalem Temple
I. 700-621 BC The central
part of Deuteronomy (1226) is put into writing
J. 630-609 BC The oracles
of Zephaniah are delivered
and later compiled
K. 621-609 BC The first
edition of the
Deuteronomistic History is
produced, incorporating
older documents such as
royal records (C), ancient
songs and documents (A),
and current writings by
the Levitical
Deuteronomistic
Historians
2
- 609 BC Egyptian pharaoh
Neco invades Judah (15)
- 597 BC Nebuchadrezzar II
lays siege to Jerusalem
(16)
- 586 BC Babylonians
capture and destroy
Jerusalem (17) (18)
- 539 BC Persian empire
captures Babylon and
deposes Babylonian
empire
- 559-530 BC Cyrus II (the
Great) of Persia (19)
- 336-323 BC Rule of
Alexander the Great of
Macedonia (Greece)
- 175-164 BC Rule of
Antiochus IV Epiphanes
(Seleucid rule) (24) (25)
(26)
Reconstruction of the
Temple in Jerusalem
(Second Temple Period
begins) (S)
21. 458 BC Mission of Ezra,
the Priest-Scribe (X)
22. 445-438 BC Mission of
Nehemiah in the
reconstruction of the city
of Jerusalem
23. 300-195 BC Judea falls
under the jurisdiction of
the Egyptian Ptolemies (Z)
24. 195-152 BC Judea falls
under the jurisdiction of
the Seleucids (Syria)
25. 167-152 BC The
Maccabees struggle to
free Judea from Seleucid
control (AA) (BB)
26. 164-63 BC The period
of Hasmonean
(Maccabean) rule in
Palestine
27. 63 BC The Roman
General Pompey enters
Jerusalem and makes
Palestine a client kingdom
of Rome, incorporating it
into the Roman Empire
L. 612 BC Nahum delivers
oracles on the fall of
Nineveh; later they are
written down
M. 609-598 BC Habukkuk
delivers oracles on the
Babylonian threat; later
they are written down
N. 600-587 BC Some of the
prophetic oracles of
Jeremiah are recorded by
his secretary Baruch
O. 587 BC The Prophet
Obadiah Edom for its role
in Babylon’s destruction of
Judah and Jerusalem
P. 580 BC The prophet
Ezekiel’s visions in
captivity are recorded;
Baruch compiles more of
Jeremiah’s oracles and
adds biographical material
Q. 550-500 BC Collections
of legal and ritual
materials are combined
with earlier JE exodus
narratives (B and D) to
create a first version of
Exodus, Leviticus and
Numbers
R. 540s BC Second Isaiah
delivers oracles of hope in
Babylon; that are later
recorded (40-55) and
added to the first chapters
1-39 (G)
S. 520 BC Postexilic
prophets Haggai and
Zechariah encourage the
rebuilding of Jerusalem’s
temple
T. 500-450 BC Third Isaiah
delivers oracles (56-66)
that are later incorporated
3
into the earlier two parts
(G and R)
U. 500-400 BC The poetic
dialogues in Job are
composed and inserted
into the framework of an
old prose tale
V. 500-300 BC Additional
psalms are composed and
used in worship in the
Second Temple
W. 490-400 BC The
prophetic books of
Malachi, Joel and Jonah
are compiled; an old
folktale is rewritten
creating the Book of Ruth
X. 450-400 BC Priestly
editors complete the
revision of legal materials
in Exodus, Leviticus,
Numbers, and
Deuteronomy; Ezra
returns from Babylon with
a revised edition of the
Torah; the Book of
Proverbs is collected and
compiled
Y. 400-300 BC The process
of canonization of the
Torah is completed; the
Book of Esther is
composed; disciples of a
Jerusalem sage compile
the Book of Ecclesiastes;
the books of Chronicles
and Ezra-Nehemiah are
written
Z. 250 BC The Torah is
translated into Greek,
forming the first part of
the Septuagint (Y)
AA. 200-100 BC The
collections of the Prophets
4
are canonized
BB. 165 BC The Book of
Daniel is composed
CC. 90-150 AD The Jewish
community determines
the parameters of its
canon in all three sections
World Events (NT)
- 40-4 BC Herod the Great
rules as the Roman
appointed king of Judea;
he rebuilds the Temple (1)
- 30 BC-14 AD Augustus
Caesar rules as emperor of
Rome (1) (2)
- 4 BC-39 AD Herod Antipas
rules at tetrarch of Galilee
(5)
- 14-37 AD Tiberius Caesar
rules as emperor of Rome
(3) (4) (5) (6)
- 26-36 AD Pontius Pilate
serves as procurator of
Judea (3) (4) (5) (6)
-37-41 AD Caligula rules as
emperor of Rome
- 41-44 AD Herod Agrippa I
is king of Judea (7)
- 41-54 AD Claudius reigns
as emperor of Rome (7)
(8) (9)
- 49 AD Jews are banished
from Rome
- 54-68 AD Nero reigns as
emperor of Rome (8) (10)
(11) (12)
- 64 AD Rome is burned
and Christians are blamed
- 66-74 AD Jewish revolt
against Rome
- 70 AD Sack of the city of
Jerusalem and destruction
of the (Second) Temple
Biblical Events (NT)
1. 6-4 BC Birth of Jesus of
Nazareth
2. 5-10 AD Birth of Paul of
Tarsus
3. 27-29 AD Ministry of
John the Baptist
4. 27-30 or 29-33 AD
Ministry of Jesus of
Nazareth
5. 30-33 AD The crucifixion
and resurrection of Jesus
of Nazareth
6. 33-35 AD The
conversion of Paul of
Tarsus
7. 44 AD The beheading of
James and possibly John
by Herod Agrippa I; the
imprisonment of Peter
8. 47-56 AD Paul conducts
missionary tours among
the Gentiles (A) (B)
9. 49 AD The Council of
Jerusalem
10. 60-62/63 AD Paul is
under house arrest in
Rome
11. 62 AD James, the
brother of the Lord, is
martyred
12. mid 60s AD Deaths of
Peter and Paul in Rome (C)
13. 81-96 AD Christians
experience hostility in Asia
Minor (F) (H) (J) (K)
Biblical Books (NT)
A. 50 AD Paul writes 1 and
2 Thessalonians; “Sayings”
of Jesus compiled (Q)
B. 54-62 AD Paul writes a
series of letters to
churches he founded or
visited (1 and 2
Corinthians; Galatians;
Romans; Colossians;
Philemon; and Philippians)
C. 67-70 AD The Gospel of
Mark is composed
D. 80-85 AD The Gospel of
Matthew is composed
E. 80-90 AD The Gospel of
Luke and the Acts of the
Apostles are composed
F. 80-100 AD Composition
of 1 Peter and Hebrews
G. 90 AD Writing of
Ephesians; beginning of
collections of Pauline
letters
H. 90-100 AD 1 Clement is
composed; the Gospel of
John is composed
I. 80-100 AD Pastorals (1
and 2 Timothy and Titus)
are composed
J. 95-100 AD Composition
of various Jewish and
Christian apocalypses: 2
Esdras; Book of
Revelation; and 3 Baruch
K. 95-105 AD Composition
5
- 74 AD Fall of the fortress
of Masada
- 69-79 AD Vespasian
reigns as emperor of
Rome
- 79-81 AD Titus rules as
emperor
- 81-96 AD Domitian rules
as emperor (13)
-96-98 AD Nerva rules as
emperor
-98-117 AD Trajan reigns as
emperor (14)
- 117-138 AD Hadrian reigns
as emperor
- 132-135 AD Second Jewish
revolt against Rome (Bar
Kochba revolt)
- 135 AD Complete
destruction of the city of
Jerusalem by the Romans
- 135 AD Dispersion of the
Jews from the land of
Judea
14. 98-117 AD A period of
empire sponsored
persecution of Christians
(M) (N)
of 1,2, and 3 John
L. 100 AD Composition of
the Didache
M. 110 AD Composition of
the Letters of Ignatius
N. 100-110 AD Composition
of Jude and 2 Peter
O. 110-120 AD Composition
of the Gospels of Thomas
and Peter
P. 120-140 AD Composition
of The Shepherd of
Hermas, and the
Apocalypse of Peter
D. For whom was it composed?
1. The books of the Old Testament were composed for large and
small groups of Jews at various points in the history of Israel
2. The books of the New Testament were composed for
consumption among Christian communities and provided
compendiums of Jesus’ sayings and deeds as they went about
proclaiming the good news of the Kingdom of God
E. Creating a Canon
1. The Old Testament Canon (Jewish version) was determined on
the basis of three criteria1
1
Michael Coogan, The Old Testament: A Historical and Literary Introduction to the
Hebrew Scriptures, 2nd edition (New York: Oxford University Press, 2011), pp 5-6.
6
a. Preference was given for books that dated from the 4th
century BC or earlier
b. The books had to have been composed in Hebrew
c. The books needed to have been widespread in their use
among Jewish communities over extended geographical areas,
and with great frequency
2. The Old Testament Canon (Christian version) was accepted in its
Greek version for the first 1500 years of Christianity
a. At the time of the Reformation, seven books that were part
of the Greek OT tradition were not accepted (Tobit, Judith, 1-2
Maccabees, Wisdom of Solomon, Sirach, Baruch, and additions
to Esther and Daniel) and were defined as Apocryphal by
Protestants (and Deuterocanonical by Catholics)
3. The New Testament Canon (Christian version) was determined
on the basis of three criteria2
a. The writings of the NT needed apostolic origin (either real of
putative)
b. The writings of the NT were identified as those that had
survived the test of time and use; in other words, communities
were reading them, using them, reflecting upon them, and they
experienced a widespread usage
c. Acceptable writings conformed with the general rule of faith
– thus writings that denied either the humanity (Gnosticism) or
divinity (Ebionites) of Jesus were not included; texts that were
extremely anti-Jewish were not included (Epistle of Barnabas);
texts that reflected upon Jesus in undignified ways (the protoevangelium of James) were excluded; texts that reflected the
Gnostic tendencies of hatred toward the flesh or exclusive and
secret knowledge (Gospel of Judas) were not included
2
A more expanded list of criteria can be found in Stephen BInz, Introduction to the
Bible: A Catholic Guide to Studying Scripture (Collegeville, MN: The Liturgical Press,
2007), pages 74-75.
7