How Was the Bible Put Together?
The question “How was the Bible put together?” is one of the most important questions in Christian theology. The Bible is not a single book written by one author at one moment in history. It is a unique library of 66 different books composed by numerous writers from diverse backgrounds—statesmen, peasants, kings, herdsmen, fishermen, priests, tax-gatherers—across roughly 1,600 years, in Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek. It contains poetry, prophecy, history, narrative, letters, and apocalyptic visions, yet Christians confess that this diverse collection speaks with a unified voice as the word of God.
Understanding how the Scriptures were formed helps Christians appreciate the divine wisdom and historical depth of the Bible, while also recognizing the centrality of Jesus and the Gospel in shaping both the Old Testament and the New Testament canon.
The Bible as a Collection of Books
The Bible contains:
39 books in the Old Testament
27 books in the New Testament
Between these two parts lies a 400-year gap, sometimes called the intertestamental period. During this period, no new inspired writings were produced, though Jewish history, literature, and expectation continued to develop.
The diversity of the Bible’s human authors
These writers lived in radically different circumstances:
Moses wrote as a leader and lawgiver.
David wrote as a shepherd-king.
Solomon wrote wisdom and poetry.
Isaiah and Jeremiah wrote prophetic oracles.
Luke wrote as a historian.
Paul wrote as a missionary apostle.
John wrote as an eyewitness disciple.
Despite this diversity, Scripture reveals one unified story: God’s plan to redeem the world through his Messiah.
How the Old Testament Took Shape
The Old Testament grew gradually over centuries. Israel recognized certain writings as Scripture long before the time of Jesus.
Criteria Israel used to recognize Scripture
Connection to God’s covenant people
Use in worship and synagogue reading
Prophetic authority or connection to God’s appointed leaders
Enduring, Spirit-empowered usefulness
Jewish communities treated books such as the Torah, Psalms, and Prophets as sacred long before the Christian era. Jesus himself confirmed the authority of the Hebrew Scriptures, referring to them as the authoritative word of God (Matthew 5:17; Luke 24:44; John 10:35).
First-Century Judaism Expected More Scripture
One often-overlooked fact is that Judaism in the first century did not view its Scriptures as complete. The people were waiting for God to finish the story of redemption.
They were “looking for the Messiah” (John 1:41).
They were “waiting for the consolation of Israel” (Luke 2:25).
They longed for “the redemption of Jerusalem” (Luke 2:38).
They anticipated “the restoration of the kingdom” (Acts 1:6).
Because God had promised a New Covenant (Jeremiah 31:31), faithful Jews expected new revelation to accompany its arrival. When Jesus appeared, fulfilled the promises, died, rose again, and sent the Spirit, the natural question emerged:
“If the Messiah has come, where are the books of the New Covenant?”
How the New Testament Was Written
The New Testament did not begin with a committee selecting books. Instead, books were written by apostles and close associates of Jesus, and the early church recognized their authority because of their connection to the risen Christ and the Holy Spirit.
Why the apostles’ writings carried automatic authority
Jesus breathed on his disciples and said, “Receive the Holy Spirit” (John 20:22).
Jesus promised the Spirit would guide them into all truth (John 16:13).
The church built its teaching on the foundation of the apostles (Ephesians 2:20).
Paul claimed divine authority for his writings (1 Corinthians 14:37).
Peter referred to Paul’s writings as Scripture (2 Peter 3:15–16).
Thus, Christians did not choose which books had authority; they recognized the authority those documents already possessed through their apostolic origin.
How the early church treated New Testament writings
Churches read them aloud in worship (Colossians 4:16).
Believers copied and shared them among congregations.
False writings were compared against apostolic teaching.
Books known to come from apostles were accepted widely.
By the second century, the four Gospels and Paul’s letters formed the nucleus of the New Testament.
What About Other Writings?
Some writings circulated in the early centuries that were not included in the Bible. These were called apocryphal—from the Greek apocryphos, meaning hidden or strange—or sometimes non-canonical.
Why apocryphal books were rejected
They lacked apostolic authorship.
They contradicted established teaching.
They were not used widely in worship.
They often promoted theological errors.
Gnostic writings, for example, taught that the physical world was evil, that salvation comes through secret knowledge, and that Jesus was a heavenly being who only appeared to be human. These teachings contradict Scripture’s storyline and the message of the Gospel.
Books such as the Gospel of Thomas or Gospel of Judas were written far too late to be connected to the apostles and often used their names artificially to gain influence.
The Formation of the Christian Canon
As the church continued to grow, leaders summarized the books already recognized as Scripture. This was not the creation of new authority but the recording of what had been trusted for generations.
Key moments in recognizing the canon
By the second century, a stable core of books was in universal use.
By the third century, nearly all churches agreed on the same books.
Athanasius’ Festal Letter (A.D. 367) listed the exact 27 books we recognize today.
Athanasius did not invent the canon. He described books the church had already affirmed for centuries.
Canonical vs. non-canonical
Canonical means “measuring rod,” indicating books that meet the standard of divine authority.
Non-canonical means books not recognized as Scripture.
The canon’s formation shows both human recognition and divine guidance, reflecting the Spirit’s work in leading the church into truth.
How the Bible Became a Unified Volume
Once Christian communities recognized the biblical books, they began arranging them in an order that reflected literary connections and historical flow:
Typical Christian ordering
Narratives and histories (Genesis through Esther; Gospels and Acts)
Poetry and wisdom (Job through Song of Songs)
Prophecies (Isaiah through Malachi)
Epistles (Romans through Jude)
Apocalyptic writings (Revelation)
This structure came from Greek and Latin Bibles and eventually shaped English Bibles. Over time, people increasingly read the Bible not simply as a collection of books but as a unified revelation—the word of God.
This shift encouraged Christians to see deeper connections between books, reinforcing the unity of God’s plan in Scripture and the centrality of Jesus in the story of redemption.
The Bible’s Unity and the Gospel
Though the Bible was written across centuries, it forms a cohesive story because God is its ultimate author. Jesus’ life, death, resurrection, and kingdom mission unite both Testaments.
Old Testament foundations
God’s promises of redemption (Genesis 3:15).
Covenant with Abraham (Genesis 12:1–3).
The promise of a king (2 Samuel 7:12–16).
The hope of a New Covenant (Jeremiah 31:31).
New Testament fulfillment
Jesus is the promised Messiah (John 1:41).
The Gospel fulfills the law and prophets (Matthew 5:17).
Redemption is accomplished through Christ’s work (Ephesians 1:7).
Scripture is fulfilled in him (Luke 24:27).
The Bible’s formation reflects this grand narrative: a story moving from promise to fulfillment, from creation to new creation.
Conclusion
How was the Bible put together? It emerged through centuries of God’s guidance, the faithfulness of Israel, the authority of Jesus, the witness of the apostles, and the discernment of the early church. The Scriptures were recognized—not invented—as the inspired word of God. The Old Testament prepared for the Messiah; the New Testament testified to his coming. Together they form a unified canon that proclaims God’s redeeming work in Jesus and invites believers into the story of salvation.
Bible verses about how the Bible was put together
“All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching.” (2 Timothy 3:16)
“The word of the Lord remains forever.” (1 Peter 1:25)
“Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.” (Psalm 119:105)
“No prophecy was ever produced by the will of man, but men spoke from God.” (2 Peter 1:21)
“Scripture cannot be broken.” (John 10:35)
“Every word of God proves true.” (Proverbs 30:5)
“The law of the Lord is perfect, reviving the soul.” (Psalm 19:7)
“Thus says the Lord, the God of Israel: Write in a book all the words that I have spoken to you.” (Jeremiah 30:2)
“Jesus opened their minds to understand the Scriptures.” (Luke 24:45)
“Blessed is the one who reads aloud the words of this prophecy.” (Revelation 1:3)
