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Biblical Authorship

Below is a list of authors and dates for all the books of the Bible. Jewish traditions often ascribe the authorship of these books to notable figures like Moses, yet these traditions remained unprovable and sometimes impossible. (How could Moses write about his own death in Deuteronomy?) The authorship and dates below represent the majority scholarly consensus.

Core Issue:

If God desired to communicate his message to all of the world with utmost certainty, it is reasonable to conclude that he would not desire anonymity from its authors. Yet, this is what we see.

Old Testament

Pentateuch (Torah)

Historical Books

Prophetic Books

Wisdom Literature

New Testament

Gospels

Acts of the Apostles

Pauline Epistles

General Epistles

Revelation

The Problem of Anonymity

The anonymity and disputed authorship of many books pose a challenge to the claim of divine inspiration. If an all-powerful, all-knowing God wanted to clearly communicate His message to humanity without any room for doubt, it is reasonable to expect that He would ensure clear, undisputed authorship of His sacred texts. The fact that most of the Bible's books were written by unknown authors raises questions about their reliability and divine origin. Additionally, the presence of pseudepigraphical works (texts written under false names) in the canon further complicates the issue of divine inspiration and inerrancy. These factors collectively suggest that the Bible may be more a product of human effort and historical circumstances rather than direct divine authorship or inspiration.