Zone1 When Was The Very First Bible Published?

[Stann]

The first published Bible was the Gutenberg Bible printed in 1455. 180 copies were printed, most on paper, some on a writing surface made of calfskin. I think there are something like 48 of these Bibles still in existence and some of those are fragments of the original.

Gutenberg also invented the printing press with the first operational one put to use in 1440. This was the catalyst of the Renaissance as for the first time most people were able to read classical literature like the Bible for themselves without having to go through an intermediary who too often 'edited' the contents.

The Renaissance freed minds making the Reformation possible in the 16th Century changing the traditions of Christianity, even in the Roman Catholic Church, forever.

Trivia: It is estimated that a Gutenberg Bible would sell for more than $5 million today.

Before that time they were painfully produced manuscripts that the monks in monasteries produced by hand. Really quite beautiful. The scarcity of bibles was probably one of the reasons the public wasn't allowed to read them, plus most people were illiterate back then. That gave the church centuries to come up with a more consistent story line

 

[Foxfyre]

200 BCE ... and even older versions of The Torah are known to have existed.

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The question though was not when all the various manuscripts of the Bible were written but when the first Bible was published, i.e. produced for public sale or readership. The Torah is not the whole Bible.

 

[Foxfyre]

Let's really think about that.

OK, so it is human nature to think in terms of the teacher/student mode, where "I know and you don't know", which is also how you probably see the conve u & I are having right now. Another mode that's possible is "we work together to find truth". In addition there's also the fact that back when so few people could read and write we really did have to have "teachers" that could read and share what they had.

Through it all, my take is that the goal was to increase knowledge in the community, not increase ignorance.

Not in the Middle Ages so much. The clerical heirarchy and many kinds/heads of state used the Church to control the people. They did not want them to read the scriptures for themselves and a populace that was essentially illiterate was far easier to control.

 

[Foxfyre]

Before that time they were painfully produced manuscripts that the monks in monasteries produced by hand. Really quite beautiful. The scarcity of bibles was probably one of the reasons the public wasn't allowed to read them, plus most people were illiterate back then. That gave the church centuries to come up with a more consistent story line

That's pretty accurate I think. Many popes and monarchs joined forces and used the Church to keep the people in line and obedient to the will of the powers. It was in the best interest of those powers to be able to dictate what the scriptures required and for the populace to not read them for themselves. It is one of the components of what helped define what we call the 'dark ages', i.e. a scarcity of good literature and other written content.

That is why Gutenberg and his printing press and ultimately mass producing the Bibles went hand in hand with the Renaissance. For the first time people could read classical literature, including the Bible, for themselves. It gave public education/literacy a massive boost, opened minds, renewed cultural and scientific advancement, and changed the world forever. Mostly for the good I think.

 

[BreezeWood]

Around 5,500 years ago Moses wrote the Torah. The Torah is the first 5 books in the Bible. (Many argue that Moses also wrote and included Job with the five books) Copies were made at that time and for the next 3,000 years it was added to by prophets, kings and the disciples. It was mostly complete by 100 AD and the last letter by Jude (Jesus's half brother) discovered and included by 300AD.

It was published regularly since Moses first wrote it. Inclusions of the other books came about 100 years after when they were initially written. But they had the complete Bible we know today at 300 AD.

But they had the complete Bible we know today at 300 AD.

really ...

Christianity in the 4th century was dominated in its early stage by Constantine the great and the First Council of Nicaea of 325, which was the beginning of the period of the First seven Ecumenical Councils (325–787), and in its late stage by the Edict of Thessalonica of 380, which made Nicene Christianity the state church of the Roman Empire.

interesting when they only began compiling the c-bible in the 1st quarter of the 4th century that lasted that entie century till completion. the state religion of the roman empire.

 

[Stann]

The question though was not when all the various manuscripts of the Bible were written but when the first Bible was published, i.e. produced for public sale or readership. The Torah is not the whole Bible.

I believe you read to much into the OP's question. He simply asked when people began to learn about the teachings of the Christian Bible. Nothing about being able to read it for themselves or purchase one; which was forbidden. So that could not have been before they decided what books to put in the Bible. It's all ironic to me because Jesus did not intend to found a new religion in the first place.

 

[expat_panama]

Not in the Middle Ages so much. The clerical heirarchy and many kinds/heads of state used the Church to control the people. They did not want them to read the scriptures for themselves and a populace that was essentially illiterate was far easier to control.

Whether the hierarchy wanted the masses to read the Bible or did not want the masses to read the Bible made no difference. The masses could not read. The fact that the hierarchy shared info means something. If the hierarchy of the middle ages wanted the masses ignorant, then this hierarchy would not have read the Bible to them.

Of course there was control involved. When you drive a car your speed is controlled by patrol cars that will check you and have the power to arrest u if u speed. Believe me, we want to live w/ a hierarchy that exerts control. What we are discussing here is whether the hierarchy of the middle ages wanted to increase ignorance or increase knowledge.

 

[Stann]

Whether the hierarchy wanted the masses to read the Bible or did not want the masses to read the Bible made no difference. The masses could not read. The fact that the hierarchy shared info means something. If the hierarchy of the middle ages wanted the masses ignorant, then this hierarchy would not have read the Bible to them.

Of course there was control involved. When you drive a car your speed is controlled by patrol cars that will check you and have the power to arrest u if u speed. Believe me, we want to live w/ a hierarchy that exerts control. What we are discussing here is whether the hierarchy of the middle ages wanted to increase ignorance or increase knowledge.

Conquer ( and control ) by indoctrination. You talk as if the governments were free in any way. Remember the church was all powerful and you know what they say about absolute power. It corrupts absolutely.

 

[fncceo]

The Torah is not the whole Bible.

Sefer Torahs, even today, are hand lettered, checked and rechecked for accuracy by skilled artisans. They have always been for sale.

The Torah, in the form of the Tanakh, which includes The Books of Moses, the books of The Prophets, and other Writings are the entire scripture.

Unless you include unauthorized, non-canonical, sequels by other authors --- which I don't.

 

[Stann]

Sefer Torahs, even today, are hand lettered, checked and rechecked for accuracy by skilled artisans. They have always been for sale.

The Torah, in the form of the Tanakh, which includes The Books of Moses, the books of The Prophets, and other Writings are the entire scripture.

Unless you include unauthorized, non-canonical, sequels by other authors --- which I don't.

" Always " is a very strong word. Where do you think the Christians got the idea of propriety when it comes to religious dogma. HuffPost - Breaking News, U.S. and World News>entry Why Christians were denied access to the Bible for 1,000 years. May 20, 2013 Updated July 29, 2013.

 

[fncceo]

Why Christians were denied access to the Bible for 1,000 years.

Maybe because they couldn't agree on one. At one point, there were over 100 gospels, acts, epistles, and other various writings dedicated to the history of Jesus, his life, and the lives of his family and apostles. Most of which today are considered non-canonical.

But, as I said, I don't consider the "New" testament to be a bible.

 

[Stann]

Maybe because they couldn't agree on one. At one point, there were over 100 gospels, acts, epistles, and other various writings dedicated to the history of Jesus, his life, and the lives of his family and apostles. Most of which today are considered non-canonical.

But, as I said, I don't consider the "New" testament to be a bible.

Actually the books of the Bible were chosen by the Council of Hippo and the next Council in 393C.E. reconfirmed it.

 

[fncceo]

Actually the books of the Bible were chosen by the Council of Hippo and the next Council in 393C.E. reconfirmed it.

In fact, there have been dozens of ecumenical councils in both the Catholic and Orthodox churches where xtian scriptures were confirmed or discarded according to the will of the attending bishops.

The Protestant churches have held their own.

The xtian scriptures have been in a constant state of flux since they began to appear in the 1st Century CE.

 

[Stann]

In fact, there have been dozens of ecumenical councils in both the Catholic and Orthodox churches where xtian scriptures were confirmed or discarded according to the will of the attending bishops.

The Protestant churches have held their own.

The xtian scriptures have been in a constant state of flux since they began to appear in the 1st Century CE.

In fact, there have been dozens of ecumenical councils in both the Catholic and Orthodox churches where xtian scriptures were confirmed or discarded according to the will of the attending bishops.

The Protestant churches have held their own.

The xtian scriptures have been in a constant state of flux since they began to appear in the 1st Century CE.

You forget the OP's original question. Surely Christian bibles were being produced ( by hand ) shortly after it was first agreed upon which books would be included, the Orthodox churches didn't organize yet and the Protestants weren't to come into existence for another thousand years. And I don't know right off hand about the Coptic Christians. Who knows, maybe they beat everyone else to the punch.

 

[fncceo]

You forget the OP's original question.

The question was, when were "bible" first published.

Bibles, as I know them, have been published (as in copies produced and sold) for over a thousand years before xtiaity was conceived of.

 

[Stann]

The question was, when were "bible" first published.

Bibles, as I know them, have been published (as in copies produced and sold) for over a thousand years before xtiaity was conceived of.

I could definitely be wrong ( it wouldn't be the first time ) but I'm pretty sure he was referring to the Christian Bible, given the vague nature of the question People on here often seem to overcomplicate things on this site.

 

[fncceo]

but I'm pretty sure he was referring to the Christian Bible

Then he probably should have been more specific.

 

[Foxfyre]

I believe you read to much into the OP's question. He simply asked when people began to learn about the teachings of the Christian Bible. Nothing about being able to read it for themselves or purchase one; which was forbidden. So that could not have been before they decided what books to put in the Bible. It's all ironic to me because Jesus did not intend to found a new religion in the first place.

I certainly could have but it all depends on how you translate the question. The OP put it into the last hundred years or so. I know that widespread knowledge of the classical literature of the Bible, commentaries, Christian thought was not available to any but a very small few until the printing press made it available to many, the Reformation freed people to be able to interpret it all for themselves, and the Renaissance restored critical thinking and expansion of thinking in most of developed world at that time.

I honestly don't know what Jesus thought of religion as he never addressed that. I know he practiced at least some of the Jewish traditions that he was brought up in such as the Passover meal, but there is nothing in the Bible suggesting this is required of believers. For Him it was not a set of rules and rituals but critical thinking, common sense, and a relationship with Him, the living God, that he emphasized.

Human beings are pack animals and creatures of customs and traditions though, so it was no time at all that remnants the old Jewish traditions and/or Pagan traditions, festivals, customs were transformed and adapted into Christian ones. And by the end of Jesus' century, new Christian manuscripts had been written for use in the Christian congregations as well as copies of Paul's letters to the churches.

By the second and third centuries there were disagreements in what was required for Christian piety, obedience, celebration, salvation, even what languages should be used, and schisms were developing. Nevertheless, like the Jews before them, the Christians were skilled at organization structures and holding things together despite pockets of terrible persecution, and by the fourth century, Constantine, Emperor of Rome, recognized and wanted to harness that, made the Church legal and favored in the Empire, and the rest is as they say, history.

 

[Foxfyre]

Whether the hierarchy wanted the masses to read the Bible or did not want the masses to read the Bible made no difference. The masses could not read. The fact that the hierarchy shared info means something. If the hierarchy of the middle ages wanted the masses ignorant, then this hierarchy would not have read the Bible to them.

Of course there was control involved. When you drive a car your speed is controlled by patrol cars that will check you and have the power to arrest u if u speed. Believe me, we want to live w/ a hierarchy that exerts control. What we are discussing here is whether the hierarchy of the middle ages wanted to increase ignorance or increase knowledge.

Mostly the hierarchy of the middle ages was to use the people for the advancement of the power, wealth, and influence of the Monarchy and the Church at the highest levels. And it was in the interest of that hierarchy to keep the people ignorant and compliant less they be excommunicated and damned. Which is why from Constantine's time, and for many centuries following, the Church and the Monarchy functioned pretty much as one ruling entity.

The Reformation followed by the Renaissance broke the absolute hold on the people and education became fashionable again. And the people did begin to learn to read, figure out things and make choices for themselves. Which would culminate in a new understanding of and desire for freedom and self determination, and eventually the creation of the USA that set a whole new standard for what good government should be.

As the world turns nothing stays the same except old soap operas.

 

[Foxfyre]

Sefer Torahs, even today, are hand lettered, checked and rechecked for accuracy by skilled artisans. They have always been for sale.

The Torah, in the form of the Tanakh, which includes The Books of Moses, the books of The Prophets, and other Writings are the entire scripture.

Unless you include unauthorized, non-canonical, sequels by other authors --- which I don't.

I won't argue that point with you because if your faith/religion/understanding comforts you, then who am I to question it?

I happen to be of a different belief and traditions and love and obey God from a different perspective.

In truth, I suspect when we meet in Heaven, we will have a good laugh at how much of all this we both got wrong.