Likewise, these recent studies are focusing more on the social contexts that led both Jews and Christians to establish their biblical canons as well as on the literature that was excluded from those collections. These new studies are giving rise to questions that were once thought settled in most religious communities, especially those regarding the criteria employed to select the biblical books and the consistency with which those criteria were applied in the canonization processes. Many books, articles, and essays have emerged that also raise new questions about the origin and canonization of the books that comprise the Jewish and Christian Bibles. The study of canon formation, that is, the study of the origin, transmission, and recognition of the books that comprise the Bibles of Judaism and Christianity, has expanded considerably in recent years. NY: Facts on File, 1992 'Creating the Canon'.A biblical canon is the collection of books that comprise the sacred scriptures or Bibles of Jews and Christians. PA: Jewish Publication Society, 2004 Wigoder, Geoffrey, Ed.

Furthermore, the two Bibles differ in their sequence of the texts and writings, as well as the order of importance in the placement of texts.

These texts include – 1-4 Maccabees, Judith, and Psalms of Solomon. The Greek Bible includes several additional books, which were not accepted into the Hebrew Bible.

The canon of the Hebrew Bible is somewhat different than that of the Greek Bible (which is the basis for the Christian Bible). The conclusion of the last section of the Bible, ketuvim (Writings) is debated however, a majority of scholars believe its final canonization occurred in the second century C.E. The Neviim (Prophets) were finalized during the Persian era, approximately 323 B.C.E. The Pentateuch ( Torah), as we know it today, was completed during the Babylonian exile, by the time of Ezra. Canonization is the long procedure of collecting and sequencing of the texts in an order of authority and importance. This choosing of texts for the Bible is referred to as canonization, a method of measuring a text’s importance. Nevertheless, there are numerous other texts that never made it into the Bible, many of which are lost today. These texts have become a governing guide for the Jewish people. The books that are found in the Bible were selected on account of their divine inspiration. Jewish Holy Scriptures: Jewish Holy Scriptures: Table of Contents

Bible canonization timeline