The Bible, revered as sacred scripture by millions across the world, presents an interesting conundrum when examined across different religious traditions. While all Christians share the same New Testament, the Old Testament varies significantly among Jewish, Orthodox, Catholic, and Protestant Bibles. This article delves into these differences, exploring the varying numbers of books, their order, and how they are categorized across these traditions.
Key Bible Verse: Acts 18:24
The verse in Acts 18:24, “And a certain Jew named Apollos, born at Alexandria, an eloquent man, and mighty in the scriptures, came to Ephesus,” is a testament to the importance of the scriptures in the early Christian communities. This highlights the deep-rooted connection to the Hebrew scriptures, which, despite their shared origins, have diverged in form and content among different branches of Judaism and Christianity.
The Disagreement About the Old Testament
The New Testament, with its twenty-seven books, is uniformly accepted by almost all Christian denominations. However, the Old Testament, which precedes it, is where significant differences arise. These differences are not only in the number of books but also in their order and categorization.
Total Number of Biblical Books
One of the most striking differences lies in the total number of books considered canonical in the Old Testament across different religious traditions:
- Jewish Bible: 24 books
- Orthodox Bible: 48 books
- Catholic Bible: 46 books
- Protestant Bible: 39 books
The variation in these numbers stems from different traditions in counting and including books. For example, Jews count The Twelve Minor Prophets as one single book, while Christians divide them into twelve separate books. Additionally, certain books present in the Orthodox and Catholic Bibles are entirely absent from the Jewish and Protestant versions.
The Hebrew Bible: A Foundation for All
The Hebrew Bible, also known as the Tanakh, forms the basis for the Christian Old Testament. However, its structure and content are unique. It is divided into three main sections:
- Torah (Law): Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy
- Nevi’im (Prophets): Former Prophets (Joshua, Judges, 1-2 Samuel, 1-2 Kings), Latter Prophets (Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, The Twelve)
- Ketuvim (Writings): Includes books like Psalms, Proverbs, Job, and others, with the Hebrew Bible ending with 1-2 Chronicles.
Orthodox Bibles: The Septuagint Tradition
The Orthodox Bible follows the Septuagint (LXX), a Greek translation of the Hebrew scriptures that was widely used by early Greek-speaking Jews and Christians. The Septuagint includes additional books not found in the Hebrew Bible:
- Law: The Pentateuch (Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy)
- Historical Books: Includes books like Joshua, Judges, Ruth, and the longer version of Esther, among others.
- Wisdom Books: Psalms 151, Prayer of Manasseh, and Wisdom of Solomon, among others.
- Prophets: Contains books like Isaiah, Jeremiah, Baruch, and the longer version of Daniel.
Interestingly, the books of the Apocrypha, such as 1 Esdras, Tobit, and 3 Maccabees, were officially recognized by the Orthodox Church at the Council of Jassy in 1642. However, even today, some Orthodox scholars consider them less inspired than the other canonical books.
Catholic Bibles: A Middle Ground
The Catholic Bible also draws from the Septuagint but has a slightly different canon. It includes:
- Law: The traditional five books of the Torah.
- Historical Books: Joshua, Judges, the longer version of Esther, and 1-2 Maccabees, among others.
- Wisdom Books: Psalms 150, Wisdom of Solomon, Sirach (Ecclesiasticus).
- Prophets: Includes major prophets like Isaiah, Jeremiah, and Ezekiel, along with Baruch and the longer version of Daniel.
The Catholic Old Testament contains 46 books, aligning closely with the Orthodox tradition but with minor differences in the inclusion and order of certain books.
Protestant Bibles: The Reformation Canon
The Protestant Bible, following the Reformation, streamlined the Old Testament to include only those books found in the Hebrew Bible, albeit following a different order:
- Law: Genesis through Deuteronomy.
- Historical Books: Joshua, Judges, Ruth, and others, ending with Esther.
- Wisdom Books: Psalms, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, and Song of Solomon.
- Prophets: From Isaiah to Malachi, with Daniel placed among the prophets.
Protestants rejected the additional books found in the Septuagint, categorizing them as Apocrypha, valuable for reading but not canonical.
Order of Bible Books
The order of books in the Bible also varies across these traditions. In the Hebrew Bible, the Latter Prophets (Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel) come before the Writings (Psalms, Proverbs, etc.). Therefore, while the Protestant and Catholic Bibles end with the book of Malachi, the Hebrew Bible concludes with 2 Chronicles, providing a different theological emphasis.
Categorization of Books
Certain books are categorized differently depending on the tradition. For instance:
- Daniel and Ruth: In the Hebrew Bible, Daniel and Ruth are placed in the Writings, while Christian Bibles categorize Daniel among the Prophets and Ruth among the Historical Books.
Orthodox and Catholic Deuterocanonical Books
The Orthodox and Catholic traditions include several books considered deuterocanonical, meaning they are part of the second canon, accepted as scripture in these traditions but not in the Jewish or Protestant Bibles. These include:
- Judith
- Tobit
- 1 and 2 Maccabees
- Wisdom of Solomon
- Sirach (Ecclesiasticus)
- Baruch
- Letter of Jeremiah
- Longer versions of Esther and Daniel
- Psalm 151 (Orthodox only)
These books provide additional historical, theological, and moral teachings and are integral to the liturgical and theological traditions of the Orthodox and Catholic Churches.
Conclusion: A Rich and Varied Scripture
The Bible, despite its varying forms, remains a cornerstone of faith for Jews and Christians alike. The differences in the Old Testament canon among Jewish, Orthodox, Catholic, and Protestant traditions reflect diverse historical, theological, and cultural developments. These differences invite believers and scholars to explore the rich tapestry of biblical texts, understanding how each tradition has preserved and interpreted these sacred writings.
As Immanuel Kant aptly put it, “The existence of the Bible as a book for the people is the greatest benefit which the human race has ever experienced.” This sentiment underscores the profound impact of these scriptures, regardless of the tradition through which they are read and revered.