The Compilation of the Bible

The Compilation of the Bible

The Bible we have is really composed of 66 books. These were penned over a period of approximately 1,600 years by many different men in different circumstances, as the reference in Hebrews chapter one indicates. However, although many were involved in its compilation, the book carries a consistent message and teaching. This is its signature, if you will.

The question of exactly how the Bible was finally compiled is fairly complicated, not fully known and often misunderstood and misrepresented. We do not intend to explore the various theories, as many of these are very technical in nature and most of them are speculative. It is sufficient to say that there were a select number of men who penned what is written, and it is clear from the internal evidence that sometimes there came after them (particularly in the OT) those who compiled or collated their writings into the final form that we now have.

This is fairly self-evident when we compare references such as the following, which speak of Moses writing out the words recorded, then at the addendum to the book which has the words of the final compiler. This style is found in other places as well.

Num.33:2.  Now Moses wrote down the starting points of their journeys at the command of the LORD. And these are their journeys according to their starting points:

Deut.31:9.  So Moses wrote this law and delivered it to the priests, the sons of Levi, who bore the ark of the covenant of the LORD, and to all the elders of Israel.

Deut.34:5. So Moses the servant of the LORD died there in the land of Moab, according to the word of the LORD.

Deut.34:10.  But since then there has not arisen in Israel a prophet like Moses, whom the LORD knew face to face,

Rather than speculate on and be distracted by how this compilation occurred, the Bible itself quite clearly says that the compilation we have received was of Divine superintendence. That is, that God supervised the process to ensure that the core message was not lost. It is only the circular reasoning of humanistic and materialist philosophy that struggles with the concept. For them, only natural causes are possible as it is assumed that God does not exist, and therefore cannot have done what was said to have been done.