Expert: Michael Clark, Ph.D. - 12/8/2005

Question
Hello. Im not sure if you are familiar with what I am looking for but I figured I'd give it a shot anyway. Basically, I'm looking for a book that talks about the origins of the bible. Is there any proof of who wrote the bible? What do we know about them? What proof is there that Jesus did all the things they say in the bible and other questions similar to these.

Is it simply all on faith? Thank you for your time.

Take Care

James  

Answer
There are many books on this. And opinions vary according to who's writing the history. Some writers try to debunk the spiritual message of the Bible by saying that all miracles were either natural or political events. Others gloss over historical documents and archeological findings to perpetuate a mythic view of the Bible. You really have to read, read, read, and make up your own mind!

I suggest you take a trip to the local library and search under subject heading >> Bible History

I'll also mention some of the ones I've looked at and would recommend:

An Introduction to the Bible by J. W. Rogerson

The Puzzle of the Gospels by Peter Vardy

Background to the Bible by Richard T.A. Murphy, O.P.

Reading the Old Testament: An Introduction by Lawrence Boadt.

Reading The New Testament, 2nd. ed. by Pheme Perkins

There are also several very good books by different publishers called “Dictionary of the Bible” or “Bible Dictionary.”

You can learn a heck of a lot, fast, by browsing through these.

And the Oxford Companion to the Bible is quite informative. Moreover, Study Bibles usually have good notes and introductory essays for each book of the Bible. There are Catholic and Protestant versions. I suggest looking at both.

Again, you just have to get your hands on what's available to you, read and make up your own mind as to what's true.

Enjoy your studies!