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Did the Jews Establish the Old Testament Canon?
Posted
August 19, 2026
Views
753
Likes
62
Comments
39
Engagement
13.41%
August 19, 2026
753
62
39
13.41%
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2:19:18Now PlayingDid Judaism possess a universally established canon of Scripture before or during the time of Christ?
In Part 1 of Who Determined the Biblical Canon?, Dr. Stephen Boyce is joined by Gary Michuta and David Szaraz to examine the historical evidence surrounding the formation of the Jewish Scriptures.
Together, they discuss Josephus and his count of twenty-two books, the traditional twenty-four-book Jewish collection, the Sadducees and Samaritans, Qumran and the Dead Sea Scrolls, and the influence of the Septuagint among Greek-speaking Jews. They also consider the biblical collections associated with Aquila, Theodotion, and Symmachus; rabbinic debates surrounding Esther, Ecclesiastes, Ezekiel, and Sirach; and whether the Council of Jamnia ever actually “closed” the Jewish canon.
Was there a single, universally recognized Old Testament canon in the time of Christ, or does the surviving evidence reveal a much more complicated history?
This four-part series will be released to FACTS members first and later made available to the public. If you have not joined the membership yet, now is the perfect time!
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