Biblical prophecies and the ‘end times’ 1 study
History of the Bible 1 study
Contradictions 1 study
Historical notes 11 studies
- 4The land of Canaan
- 5The different Bible versions
- 6The Apocryphal Writings
- 7Examples of the Deuteronomist source
- 8The Catholic Bible
Biblical prophecies and the ‘end times’
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DAN000
General Introduction to the Book of Daniel
General introduction to the book of Daniel, a major prophetic text of the Old Testament. The article lays the historical, literary, and theological foundations necessary for understanding this apocalyptic book, addressing its structure, authorship, main themes, and exegetical debates concerning its dating and reliability.
Daniel 5.31 (King James Version) :And Darius the Median took the kingdom, being about threescore and two years old.King James Version (1769), domaine public — texte : eBible.org
History of the Bible
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BIB002
The Writing and Compilation of the Texts of the Old Testament
This article examines the complex composition of the Old Testament, from oral transmission to written compilation. It covers various sections of the Hebrew Bible, such as the historical books recounting the history of Israel and the poetic books offering reflections on faith. The prophetic texts are also analyzed, highlighting the prophets' calls to repentance. The impact of these texts, at first limited to the Jewish people, is now worldwide.
Contradictions
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CTD009
Was John the Baptist the Elijah who was to come?
Jesus regards John the Baptist as the prophesied Elijah, indicating a symbolic mission, but John denies this identity literally, according to John 1:19-21. This distinction between mission and personal identity clarifies an apparent biblical contradiction.
Matthew 11.14 (King James Version) :And if ye will receive it, this is Elias, which was for to come.King James Version (1769), domaine public — texte : eBible.org
Historical notes
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INF011
The land of Canaan
The land of Canaan, corresponding to present-day Israel, Palestine, Lebanon and parts of Jordan and Syria, is described in the Bible as 'the most beautiful of all lands'. Inhabited by the Canaanites, Amorites, Hittites and Philistines, it is the land promised to the Hebrew people. Two stages, separated by 470 years, mark its conquest: Abraham's arrival, followed by Joshua's conquest after captivity in Egypt and wandering in the wilderness.
Ezekiel 20.6 (King James Version) :In the day that I lifted up mine hand unto them, to bring them forth of the land of Egypt into a land that I had espied for them, flowing with milk and honey, which is the glory of all lands:King James Version (1769), domaine public — texte : eBible.org -
INF012
The different Bible versions
There are not several Bibles, but different translations of the same Greek and Hebrew source texts. Changes in language require regular revisions. Catholics include seven deuterocanonical books that are absent from the Protestant canon. The Jehovah's Witnesses' New World Translation is criticised for its theologically motivated choices.
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INF029
The Apocryphal Writings
The apocryphal books are religious writings excluded from the official biblical canon. A distinction is made between the Old Testament apocrypha (Tobit, Judith, Maccabees, Sirach…), recognized as deuterocanonical by Catholics and Orthodox, and those of the New Testament (the Gospels of Thomas, Philip, Mary Magdalene…), often with a Gnostic coloring. Their study sheds light on the religious history and debates of the first Christian centuries, without placing them on the level of the canonical Scriptures.
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INF036
Examples of the Deuteronomist source
This article examines the Deuteronomist source, highlighting its role and influence in the Hebrew Bible through Deuteronomy and other historical books such as Joshua, Judges, Samuel and Kings. Focusing on themes of law, covenant and centralized worship, it explores Deuteronomistic theology and its implications for Israel.
2 Kings 22.1-20 (King James Version) :Josiah was eight years old when he began to reign, and he reigned thirty and one years in Jerusalem. And his mother’s name was Jedidah, the daughter of Adaiah of Boscath.And he did that which was right in the sight of the LORD, and walked in all the way of David his father, and turned not aside to the right hand or to the left.And it came to pass in the eighteenth year of king Josiah, that the king sent Shaphan the son of Azaliah, the son of Meshullam, the scribe, to the house of the LORD, saying,Notedoor: Heb. thresholdGo up to Hilkiah the high priest, that he may sum the silver which is brought into the house of the LORD, which the keepers of the door have gathered of the people:And let them deliver it into the hand of the doers of the work, that have the oversight of the house of the LORD: and let them give it to the doers of the work which is in the house of the LORD, to repair the breaches of the house,Unto carpenters, and builders, and masons, and to buy timber and hewn stone to repair the house.Howbeit there was no reckoning made with them of the money that was delivered into their hand, because they dealt faithfully.And Hilkiah the high priest said unto Shaphan the scribe, I have found the book of the law in the house of the LORD. And Hilkiah gave the book to Shaphan, and he read it.Notegathered: Heb. meltedAnd Shaphan the scribe came to the king, and brought the king word again, and said, Thy servants have gathered the money that was found in the house, and have delivered it into the hand of them that do the work, that have the oversight of the house of the LORD.And Shaphan the scribe shewed the king, saying, Hilkiah the priest hath delivered me a book. And Shaphan read it before the king.And it came to pass, when the king had heard the words of the book of the law, that he rent his clothes.NoteAchbor: or, AbdonNoteMichaiah: or, MicahNotewardrobe: Heb. garmentsNotein the…: or, in the second partAnd the king commanded Hilkiah the priest, and Ahikam the son of Shaphan, and Achbor the son of Michaiah, and Shaphan the scribe, and Asahiah a servant of the king’s, saying,Go ye, enquire of the LORD for me, and for the people, and for all Judah, concerning the words of this book that is found: for great is the wrath of the LORD that is kindled against us, because our fathers have not hearkened unto the words of this book, to do according unto all that which is written concerning us.So Hilkiah the priest, and Ahikam, and Achbor, and Shaphan, and Asahiah, went unto Huldah the prophetess, the wife of Shallum the son of Tikvah, the son of Harhas, keeper of the wardrobe; (now she dwelt in Jerusalem in the college;) and they communed with her.And she said unto them, Thus saith the LORD God of Israel, Tell the man that sent you to me,Thus saith the LORD, Behold, I will bring evil upon this place, and upon the inhabitants thereof, even all the words of the book which the king of Judah hath read:Because they have forsaken me, and have burned incense unto other gods, that they might provoke me to anger with all the works of their hands; therefore my wrath shall be kindled against this place, and shall not be quenched.But to the king of Judah which sent you to enquire of the LORD, thus shall ye say to him, Thus saith the LORD God of Israel, As touching the words which thou hast heard;Because thine heart was tender, and thou hast humbled thyself before the LORD, when thou heardest what I spake against this place, and against the inhabitants thereof, that they should become a desolation and a curse, and hast rent thy clothes, and wept before me; I also have heard thee, saith the LORD.Behold therefore, I will gather thee unto thy fathers, and thou shalt be gathered into thy grave in peace; and thine eyes shall not see all the evil which I will bring upon this place. And they brought the king word again.King James Version (1769), domaine public — texte : eBible.org -
INF039
The Catholic Bible
This article explores the composition of the Catholic Bible, its books and its distinctive features, notably the deuterocanonical books and the canon fixed at the Council of Trent.
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INF040
The Protestant Bible
This article analyzes the content and differences of the Protestant Bible, compared with the Catholic Bible, focusing on the Old and New Testaments.
Genesis 1.1 (King James Version) :In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.King James Version (1769), domaine public — texte : eBible.org -
INF045
The Tanakh
The Tanakh is the canon of the sacred Scriptures of Judaism, corresponding to the Christian Old Testament. Its name is an acronym formed from its three sections: Torah (Pentateuch), Nevi'im (Prophets) and Ketuvim (Writings). Written mainly in Hebrew with a few passages in Aramaic, it forms the theological, moral and liturgical foundation of Judaism and the common roots of the Jewish and Christian traditions.
Esther 1.1 (King James Version) :Now it came to pass in the days of Ahasuerus, (this is Ahasuerus which reigned, from India even unto Ethiopia, over an hundred and seven and twenty provinces:)Notepresent: Heb. foundNoteblue, hangings: or, violet, etcNoteof red…: or, of porphyre, and marble and alabaster, and stone of blue colourNoteroyal…: Heb. wine of the kingdomNotestate: Heb. handKing James Version (1769), domaine public — texte : eBible.org -
INF051
The Codex Alexandrinus
The Codex Alexandrinus is a Greek biblical manuscript of the fifth century, made up of 773 leaves of vellum and containing most of the Old and New Testaments. Originating in Alexandria, it was presented to King Charles I of England in 1628 by Patriarch Cyril Lucaris. Today held in the British Library in London, it belongs to the Byzantine family of the text and is a major witness for textual criticism and the history of the transmission of the Scriptures.
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INF052
The Codex Ephraemi Rescriptus
The Codex Ephraemi Rescriptus is a palimpsest manuscript of the 5th century (AD 400-440), discovered by Tischendorf in 1840 and held in the National Library of France. Written in Greek uncial script, it contains portions of the Old and New Testaments and belongs to the Alexandrian family of the biblical text, regarded as close to the originals. It is fundamental for textual criticism and the history of the transmission of the Scriptures.
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INF068
The Vulgate
The Vulgate is a Latin translation of the Bible made by Saint Jerome at the end of the 4th century at the request of Pope Damasus I. Translated mainly from the Hebrew for the Old Testament and revised from the Greek for the New Testament, it became the standard version of the Roman Catholic Church for more than a thousand years. The Council of Trent officially made it the authentic edition in the 16th century. Its influence on Western culture, theology and liturgy is considerable.
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INF069
The Peshitta
The Peshitta is one of the oldest translations of the Bible into the Syriac language (Aramaic). Its Old Testament was translated from Hebrew in the 2nd century, and its New Testament from Koine Greek in the 5th century. Meaning 'simple' or 'common', it is the standard Bible version of the Syriac Orthodox and Catholic Churches. It plays a major role in the transmission of the biblical texts and is a valuable source for textual criticism.
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ANN044
The Nazirite vow
The Nazirite vow is a vow of consecration to God, derived from the Hebrew for 'to separate oneself', defined in Numbers 6. The Nazirite abstains from wine, from…
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ANN054
The Jews
Article ANN054 clarifies the terms used to describe the people of Israel: Jew, Israelite, Israeli, Hebrew, and Semite. Each term has a distinct meaning depending on the…
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ANN081
The fulfilment of the prophecies
The article examines how the prophecies of the Old Testament find their fulfillment in the life of Jesus, by identifying 24 points marked by events…