AS ORIGENS DA BÍBLIA: HENRIQUE CALDEIRA (ESTRANHA HISTÓRIA) - Inteligência Ltda. Podcast #1180

Inteligência Ltda・2 minutes read

The text explores the history, evolution, and variations of the Bible, delving into topics like the Dead Sea Scrolls, the development of the canon, and the influence of different cultures on biblical narratives. It discusses the transition from oral transmission to written texts, the significance of sacred books, and the diverse interpretations and versions of the Bible across different communities and time periods.

Insights

  • The Dead Sea Scrolls, dating back over 1000 years before known texts, provide insights into biblical text variations and historical developments.
  • The transition from temple worship to valuing texts in ancient Judaism was driven by the destruction of the Temple of Jerusalem and the need to preserve religious practices.
  • The development of the Bible's canon was a gradual, community-driven process, with texts gaining authority over time through recognition and validation.
  • The Apocrypha, including additional books like the Prayer of Manasseh and the Story of Suzana, offers insights into texts once seen as almost as sacred as the Bible.

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Recent questions

  • What is the significance of the Dead Sea Scrolls?

    The Dead Sea Scrolls are crucial as they provide versions of biblical texts that are over 1000 years older than previously known texts. They date back to between the third and first centuries before Christ, containing texts like the book of Isaiah and the Torah. Variations in content and length compared to later texts, like the Masoretic text, highlight the evolution of biblical books over time. The Scrolls offer insights into the development and variations of biblical texts, shedding light on the historical context and changes in the sacred texts.

  • How did the Bible transition from scrolls to codices?

    Before the Bible was in codices, books were in scroll form, like Jeremiah. Scrolls allowed for individual books to be separate, not requiring a complete set, making it easier to add or remove books compared to bound volumes. The material form of scrolls facilitated flexibility in book organization. The transition to codices marked a change in reading methods, impacting how the Bible was accessed and interpreted.

  • Why is the Bible considered a sacred book?

    The Bible is viewed as a sacred book due to its significance in various religious traditions. Different versions, like Protestant, Catholic, Greek Orthodox, and Ethiopian variations, emphasize the varying number of books included, illustrating the complexity of defining the Bible. The Hebrew Bible's equivalence to the Old Testament in Protestant Bibles showcases the variations within Christianity and Judaism. The diverse books included in different Bibles highlight the sacredness attributed to the text.

  • How did the Bible's format evolve over time?

    The Bible's format evolved from scrolls to codices, impacting how the text was organized and accessed. The transition allowed for individual books to be separate, offering flexibility in adding or removing content. The Dead Sea Scrolls, discovered in the 20th century, provided versions of biblical texts that predated known texts by over 1000 years, showcasing the evolution of the Bible's content and format. The digital format of the Bible raises questions about future relationships with sacred texts, reflecting ongoing changes in how the Bible is presented and interpreted.

  • What influenced the development of the Bible's canon?

    The development of the Bible's canon was an organic process influenced by community recognition rather than formal decisions. Councils in Carthage during the 4th and 5th centuries discussed the authority of books, repeating lists known since the 2nd century. Authors like Ignatius of Antioch cited texts that later entered the New Testament, recognizing existing traditions. The closure of the canon was about recognizing the already established importance of certain texts rather than deciding which books were important. The Canon Muratori listed authoritative books, focusing on reliability for understanding sacred history.

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Summary

00:00

"Exploring Bible Versions and Sacred Texts"

  • The program "limited intelligence" is introduced, where the presenter brings guests who are more intelligent and interesting.
  • Anecdotes about wetting the bed are shared, with humorous exchanges about the age at which it occurred.
  • Instructions for participating in a special live event on Telegram are provided, requiring channel membership.
  • The presenter showcases his collection of DUT glasses, with a link for viewers to purchase.
  • The guest, Henrique, discusses the history and science of religion, focusing on the Bible's creation.
  • The evolution of the Bible's format from scrolls to codices is explained, highlighting the change in reading methods.
  • Different versions of the Bible are discussed, including Protestant, Catholic, Greek Orthodox, and Ethiopian variations.
  • The concept of the Bible as a sacred book is explored, with emphasis on the varying number of books in different versions.
  • The diversity of books included in different Bibles is illustrated, showcasing the complexity of defining the Bible.
  • The Hebrew Bible's equivalence to the Old Testament in Protestant Bibles is mentioned, emphasizing the variations within Christianity and Judaism.

16:12

Evolution of Biblical Texts: From Scrolls to Print

  • Apocryphal books in the New Testament are not used by Jews, as they are considered sacred but not accepted as reports.
  • The Bible became more accessible with the invention of the printing press, as previously copies were made manually by copyist monks in monasteries.
  • Writing was not widespread in antiquity, with oral transmission being more common than written records.
  • The Bible in Portuguese was translated from Hebrew and Greek texts, with the oldest Hebrew text known being from the year 1000 after Christ.
  • Manuscripts of the Bible were copied manually for around 1000 years before the printing press, leading to variations and errors in the texts.
  • The Dead Sea Scrolls, discovered in the 20th century, are important as they provide versions of biblical texts that are over 1000 years older than previously known texts.
  • The Dead Sea Scrolls date back to between the third and first centuries before Christ, containing texts like the book of Isaiah and the Torah.
  • Differences between the Dead Sea Scrolls and later texts, like the Masoretic text, show variations in the length and content of certain biblical books.
  • The stability of the biblical text is debated, with some seeing significant differences as a challenge to the idea of a perfectly preserved text.
  • The historical relevance of the Dead Sea Scrolls lies in providing insights into the development and variations of biblical texts over time.

30:27

Evolution of Sacred Texts in Judaism

  • Before the Bible was in codices, books were in scroll form, like Jeremiah.
  • Scrolls allowed for individual books to be separate, not requiring a complete set.
  • The material form of scrolls made it easier to add or remove books compared to bound volumes.
  • The Dead Sea Scrolls included various books beyond what is in the Bible today.
  • The digital format of the Bible raises questions about future relationships with sacred texts.
  • The Elephantine Jewish community had many books, unlike the Dead Sea Scrolls community.
  • The Elephantine Jews focused more on ritual practices than on reading texts.
  • The importance of texts in ancient Judaism grew when the temple was destroyed.
  • Texts became crucial for preserving religious practices when access to temples was lost.
  • The shift to valuing texts over temple worship occurred due to the destruction of the Temple of Jerusalem by the Babylonians.

45:18

Sacred Texts: History, Desecration, and Preservation

  • Changing a word in the Bible is considered a profanation due to the sacred nature of the text.
  • The story of David is recounted in the book of Samuel and Chronicles, with divergences between the two versions.
  • Each letter of the text is considered sacred, with significance in Jewish tradition, numerology, and Bible Codes.
  • The desecration of the book of Samuel is highlighted, emphasizing the sacredness of the text.
  • Geopolitical dynamics in ancient times involved kingdoms like Judah and Israel, situated amidst Mesopotamia, Egypt, and Syria.
  • Assyria's attack on Israel in 722 BC led to the destruction of the kingdom and the mixing of populations.
  • Babylon's invasion of Judah around 581 BC resulted in the destruction of the temple and dispersion of the people.
  • The Persians, led by Cyrus the Great, allowed the return of the people to Judah and the rebuilding of the temple.
  • The destruction of the temple by the Romans in 70 AD led to the growth of Christianity and Rabbinic Judaism.
  • The transition from a religion of worship to a religion of books led to the preservation of Jewish culture through texts like the Mishnah and Talmud.

59:50

Organic Development of Bible Canon and Authority

  • The Gospels emerged independently, with each evangelist writing a gospel without planning to create one of the four Gospels.
  • The fundamental content of the Gospels revolves around Jesus walking, performing miracles, teaching, dying, and rising again.
  • Initially, the story of Jesus was communicated orally, spreading quickly but losing credibility over time due to secondhand accounts.
  • To provide a more reliable support for the story, texts were written to maintain the memory of sacred events.
  • Luke's Gospel emphasizes the importance of investigating and organizing oral traditions into a written text for authenticity.
  • The authority of texts is not inherent but developed over time through references and validation from known sources.
  • Various references to other texts within the Bible, like the Book of the Wars of Yahweh, highlight the interconnectedness of historical accounts.
  • The process of developing authoritative texts was gradual, with recognition and importance growing over time within communities.
  • The closure of the canon of the Bible was not about deciding which books were important but officially recognizing the already established importance of certain texts.
  • The development of the Bible and its canon was an organic process, with texts gaining authority through community recognition rather than a formal decision-making process.

01:14:46

Development of Biblical Canon in Early Christianity

  • Councils in Carthage during the 4th and 5th centuries discussed the authority of books, repeating lists known since the 2nd century.
  • Authors like Ignatius of Antioch cited texts that later entered the New Testament, recognizing an existing tradition.
  • The Canon Muratori, around 170 years after Christ, listed authoritative books, not necessarily sacred, focusing on reliability for understanding sacred history.
  • The Canon Muratori did not include Hebrews but featured the Wisdom of Cac, a book found in Catholic Bibles.
  • Constantine did not define the Bible's Canon; the Council of Nicaea did not discuss this theme, contrary to popular belief.
  • The Codex Alexandrinos, a Greek Bible from the 4th and 5th centuries, followed a different list of books post-conciliar decisions.
  • The Canon remained open even after conciliar decisions, with variations in lists of books across different manuscripts.
  • Luther disputed the authenticity of certain books like James and Revelation, which historically were considered disputed texts.
  • Eusebius of Caesarea produced 50 volumes of important Christian texts for Constantine, including recognized and disputed texts.
  • The Protestant Bible, like the King James Version of 1611, included the Apocrypha, additional books not found in all versions of the Bible.

01:28:47

"Exploring Apocrypha: Texts, Perspectives, Diversity"

  • The Apocrypha includes the Prayer of Manasseh, the Idol of Bel and the Dragon, and the Story of Suzana, which are additions to the Book of Chronicles and the Book of Daniel.
  • The story of Bel and the Dragon involves Daniel solving a problem with a dragon in a room.
  • The Song of the Three Young People, a story of Daniel, includes prayers before being thrown into a furnace.
  • The Apocrypha also contains Baru and the Letter of Jeremiah, present in the Jerusalem Bible and Orthodox Bibles.
  • The Apocrypha, considered almost sacred, includes texts that were once seen as more or less sacred than others.
  • The Pastor of Hermas and the Didache were important for personal edification but not part of liturgy.
  • Historical perspectives help understand the Bible's changing texts and interpretations over time.
  • The Bible's diversity in authors, historical periods, and interpretations challenges the idea of a uniform book.
  • The New Testament and Old Testament names refer to the covenant and relationship with God.
  • Blank pages between the Old and New Testaments symbolize Prophetic Silence, a period without revelations from prophets.

01:43:26

Ancient Texts and Prophetic Wisdom: A Summary

  • Prophetic Silence refers to the diminishing presence of ancient-style prophets like Isaiah, Jeremiah, and Ezekiel, as societies transitioned away from monarchies.
  • The concept of the Seven Deadly Sins has a long history, with Pope Gregory and Thomas Aquinas formulating the classic list based on earlier writings by Evagrius do Ponto.
  • Evagrius do Ponto's list of eight evil thoughts predates the Seven Deadly Sins, with similarities to later formulations.
  • The idea of Vices and Virtues predates biblical references, with Cicero and Horace also discussing similar lists.
  • The Book of Enoch, attributed to the Patriarch Enoch, is a significant text in ancient Judaism and Christianity, despite not being part of the Hebrew or Christian Bibles.
  • The Book of Enoch influenced theological ideas like fallen angels and demons, even though it is considered apocryphal.
  • The Letter of Jude quotes the Book of Enoch, indicating its recognition as a prophetic and authoritative text.
  • Gnostic texts present Jesus as a figure revealing true knowledge and challenging the concept of the demiurge as an imperfect creator.
  • The Gospel of Thomas and the Childhood Gospel of Thomas contain enigmatic parables about Jesus' early life, including miraculous events.
  • The issue of Jesus' lost years led to the creation of stories like those in the Childhood Gospel of Thomas to fill the gap in traditional Christian narratives.

01:57:17

Biblical texts and their cultural influences

  • The gospel of Judas is not the gospel of Jesus' brother, but rather a different text.
  • The gospel of James is considered the gospel of Jesus' brother, emphasizing Mary's perpetual virginity.
  • Joseph, being a widower with children, marries Mary, leading to the idea of Jesus having brothers.
  • The term "cousin" is suggested to replace "brother" to maintain Mary's perpetual virginity doctrine.
  • Various cultures, including the Greeks, have flood stories similar to Noah's Ark.
  • The Epic of Gilgamesh predates the Bible and shares narrative parallels with the story of Noah's Ark.
  • The Bible's evolution from texts to a sacred book is influenced by the community's reliance on written reports.
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