"The Two Testaments"

“The Word of God” as a whole comes to us in two separate parts: one written, originally in Hebrew: the other in Greek. Only in the Versions are these two combined, and bound together in one Book.

These divisions, of course, are not human, though the names are by which they are commonly known.

Up to the second century the term “Old Covenant” was used by the Greeks to describe the Hebrew Bible. This passed into the Latin Vulgate as “Vetus Testament,” from the English term “Old Testament” was taken.

By way of distinction, the Greek portion was naturally spoken of as the “New Testament.” But neither of these names is Divine in its origin.

The Separate Books of the Bible.

When, however, we come to the Separate Books, though their origin is Divine, the human element is at once apparent.

The Books of the Old Testament. The Books as we have them today are not the same as in the Hebrew Canon, either as to their number, names or order.

The change first came about when the first Translation of the Hebrew Bible was made into Greek in the Version known as the Septuagint.

It was made in the latter part of the third century B.C. The exact date is not known, but the consensus of opinion leans to about 286-285 B.C.

It is the oldest of all the translations of the Hebrew Text, and its Divisions and arrangement of the Books have been followed in every translation since made.

Man has divided them into four classes: (1). The Law, (2). The Historical Books, (3). The Poetical Books, and (4). The Prophetical Books.

The Lord Jesus divides them into Three classes: (1). The Law, (2). The Prophets, and (3). The Psalms. And who will say that He did not rightly divide them! But His Division was made according to the Hebrew Bible extant in His day, and not according to man`s Greek Translation of it, which was extant also at that time.

In the Hebrew Canon these three Divisions contain twenty-four Books, in the following order:

(i). “The Law” (Torah), (1). Genesis, (2). Exodus, (3). Leviticus, (4). Numbers, (5). Deuteronomy. These five books form the Pentateuch.

(ii). “The Prophets” (Neviim). (6). Joshua, (7). Judges, (8). Samuel, (9). Kings, (10). Isaiah, (11). Jeremiah, (12). Ezekiel, (13). The Minor Prophets. “The Former Prophet” and “The Latter Prophets.”

(iii). “The Psalms” (K`thuvim) or the other writing. (14). Psalms, (15). Proverbs, (16). Job, (17). Song of Songs, (18). Ruth, (19). Lamentations, (20). Ecclesiastes, (21). Esther, (22). Daniel, (23). Ezra-Nehemiah, (24). Chronicles.

These are how the Books are rightly divided in the Hebrew Bible. And it is sad to find so many good men exercising their ingenuity in order to find some Divine spiritual teaching in the utterly human and different order of the Books given in the Translation. One actually manufactures “five  Pentateuchs,” quite dislocating the Books of the Bible: and he arbitrarily re-arranges them to suit his theory. Another divides them by re-arranging them in what he conceives to be the chronological order, which results, among other calamites, in the Psalms being dispersed among the Historical Books.

We fear it is hopeless ever to look for the books to be rightly divided and arranged in the order of the Hebrew Canon: so we shall have to make the best of man`s having wrongly divided the Word of truth from the very outset.

The number of Concordances and Commentaries and general works where reference is made to the present chapters and verses would be sufficient to make such a change impossible, however desirable it might be on other grounds.

Nevertheless, it is well for those who would study the Word of truth to have this information, and to be in possession of the facts of the case, even if the result is only to present them from attaching any importance to the present order of the books, and keep them from elaborating some scheme of doctrine or theology based on what is only human in its origin.

                      "The Books of the New Testament"

As to the Books of the New Testament the problem presented is somewhat different. we find them in the Manuscripts generally in five groups: (1). the Gospels, (2). the Acts, (3). the General Epistles, (4). Paul`s Epistles, and (5). the Apocalypse.

The order of these groups varies in certain Manuscripts: and the order of the books also in the different groups varies. This is, however, one exception which we have elsewhere point out as to Thessalonians being written first but placed last: the Epistles of Paul which are addressed to Churches are always in the same order as we have them in our English Bibles today. Out of the hundreds of Greek Manuscripts, not one has ever yet been seen where the Canonical order of these Epistles is different from that in which they have come to us.

We can therefore build our teaching on a sure foundation, though we cannot do so on the order of the other New Testament books.