Time and history of each book in the bible

[SH89]

How do we know what time each book of the bible was written in? How do we know that the bible today is the same as it has been for 3,000 years?

I have a general idea, but i would like some details please .

 

[AngCath]

In general, a book is "dated" by the language used, historical references contained, and any mention of it in other sources.
For example: the clues for dating Ecclesiastes, which no one can say for sure are as follows.
1. the theology of life after death is relatively undeveloped.
2. the Hebrew is that of the 4th or 3rd century BC
3. the style is a type of Hebrew only used in literature
4. inclusion of Aramaic, a later dialect
5. although "credited" to Solomon, very unlikely because of 1:16 where the author alludes to the line of kings before him.

these lead most scholars to date Ecclesiastes to about 300 BC. Now, as you ask, there may have been an earlier version that may have been passed down and elaborated upon and in the case of Ecclesiastes this seems to be the case in verses 3:17, 7:18, 8:12-13, 11:9b, and 12:9-14.

What it comes down to is that we can only date what we have, and in many cases there is evidence of earlier manuscripts that simply did not survive to the present day.

 

[filosofer]

In general, a book is "dated" by the language used, historical references contained, and any mention of it in other sources.
For example: the clues for dating Ecclesiastes, which no one can say for sure are as follows.
1. the theology of life after death is relatively undeveloped.
2. the Hebrew is that of the 4th or 3rd century BC
3. the style is a type of Hebrew only used in literature
4. inclusion of Aramaic, a later dialect
5. although "credited" to Solomon, very unlikely because of 1:16 where the author alludes to the line of kings before him.

And in this case #2-4 are open to debate about whether those are clues to the dating, and especially the late dating that is suggested.

In Christ's love,
filo

 

[AngCath]

yes quite true. I have 5 study bibles (in addition to other resources in my office) and quite often they disagree over things such as this. Some take things at face value and others go the other way and are over-skeptical.