Why is the Bible divided into Old and New Testaments?
The Christian Bible is divided into the Old and New Testaments, reflecting the Christian understanding of two stages in the relationship between God and humanity. The larger Old Testament comprises ancient Jewish writings from before the time of Jesus, while the much smaller New Testament consists of 27 books written after Jesus. The word testament in this context means “covenant,” or a sacred agreement between God and his people. Christianity traditionally understands the Old Testament as recording God’s covenant with ancient Israel and anticipating the coming of Jesus, whose life, death, and resurrection Christians believe established a new covenant between God and humanity. The notion of such a covenant has roots in the Hebrew Bible, particularly the promise of a new covenant in Jeremiah 31:31, and was further developed by St. Paul the Apostle in his writings (for example, 2 Corinthians 3:14).
One of the earliest known uses of the designation Old Testament dates to about 170 ce, when the Christian bishop Melito of Sardis, writing in Greek, used it in connection with a list of Jewish scriptural books. His list differed from the biblical canon that later became established in Christianity.
The Old Testament incorporates the sacred scriptures of Judaism, the Hebrew Bible. (Roman Catholic, Eastern Orthodox, and Oriental Orthodox Old Testaments include additional books and passages.) Except for a few passages in Aramaic, the Hebrew Bible was written primarily in Hebrew during the period from 1200 to 100 bce. It recounts the creation of the world, the history and genealogy of the ancient Israelites, and the covenants God made with figures such as Abraham and Moses. Its books are traditionally organized into three divisions: the Torah (Law), Neviʾim (Prophets), and Ketuvim (Writings). Together they encompass laws, historical narratives, prophecy, poetry, and wisdom literature. The texts are thus foundational to Christianity as well as Judaism. Many Christians interpret these scriptures as anticipating the advent of Jesus as God’s appointed Messiah.
The New Testament, which is not accepted in Judaism, was written in the 1st and early 2nd centuries ce. Its four Gospels recount the life, teachings, death, and resurrection of Jesus, while the Acts of the Apostles describes the early spread of Christianity. The majority of the remaining books are epistles (letters), many attributed to St. Paul the Apostle, that address the beliefs and practices of the early Christian church. The final book, Revelation to John, presents an apocalyptic vision of the ultimate triumph of God over evil.
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