Was the Bible Written 500 Years After Jesus? The Truth

Did the Bible Really Come Centuries Later?

Alright, let’s get straight to the point—was the Bible written 500 years after Jesus? I’ve heard this claim a few times, and at first, it sounds kind of shocking. If that were true, wouldn’t that mean the stories about Jesus were heavily changed over time?

Well… the answer is no—but it’s also a bit more complicated than just saying "the Bible was written right after Jesus died." So let’s break it down properly.

When Were the First Christian Writings Actually Written?

The New Testament Was Written Much Earlier

The New Testament, which contains the life and teachings of Jesus, was not written centuries after his death. In fact, the earliest parts were written within 20 to 30 years of his crucifixion (which is believed to have happened around 30-33 AD).

• Paul’s Letters (Epistles) – Written around 50-60 AD. These are the oldest Christian writings we have, and Paul was writing to early Christian communities about Jesus’ teachings.
• The Gospel of Mark – Likely written around 65-70 AD, just 35-40 years after Jesus.
• Matthew & Luke – Written between 80-90 AD.
• John’s Gospel – The latest of the four, written around 90-100 AD.

So, instead of 500 years, we’re looking at 30 to 70 years after Jesus—still a gap, but within a generation or two. That means the people who personally knew Jesus (or knew people who did) were still around when these writings were circulating.

What About the Old Testament?

Now, if someone is saying "the Bible was written 500 years later," they might be confused with the Old Testament (Hebrew Bible), which was written centuries before Jesus.

• The Old Testament books were written between 1200 BC and 165 BC (so, way before Jesus).
• These were Jewish scriptures that Jesus himself referenced.
• The Christian Bible later combined these books with the New Testament.

So, if we’re talking about when the Bible, as a whole, was finalized, it’s a longer process—but the parts about Jesus were written much closer to his lifetime.

How Long Did It Take to Finalize the Bible?

Now here’s where things get messy. While the individual books of the Bible were written fairly early, the process of deciding which books belonged in the official Bible took a lot longer.

The New Testament Canon Took Centuries to Finalize

• By 200 AD, most Christian communities were already using the four Gospels and Paul’s letters.
• By 300-400 AD, church leaders were debating which writings were truly "inspired" and should be included.
• The official New Testament canon was finalized around 400 AD.

So, if someone is saying "the Bible wasn’t completed until 500 years later", they might be referring to the fact that it took a few centuries for the Church to officially agree on the version we recognize today. But that’s very different from saying it was written that late.

So, Where Did This 500-Year Myth Come From?

Honestly, I think it’s a misunderstanding of history. A few reasons why people might think this:

1. Confusing the writing with the canonization – The books were written in the first century, but the official collection was finalized later.
2. Mixing up the Old and New Testaments – The Old Testament is ancient, but the New Testament was written after Jesus.
3. Assuming the medieval Bible represents the original texts – Yes, there were copies and translations in the Middle Ages (around 500-1000 AD), but the original texts were much older.

A friend of mine once told me, “The Bible is just medieval propaganda, written centuries later.” And I had to explain that no, the manuscripts we have today come from much older sources. The earliest copies of New Testament writings date back to the 2nd and 3rd centuries AD—still way earlier than 500 AD.

Final Answer: No, the Bible Was Not Written 500 Years Later

To sum it up:

• The first Christian writings (Paul’s letters) appeared around 50 AD—just 20 years after Jesus.
• The Gospels were written between 65-100 AD, not centuries later.
• The process of finalizing the Bible took longer, but that doesn’t mean the stories were made up 500 years later.
• There’s solid historical evidence that the core of the New Testament was circulating well before 200 AD.

So, if someone tells you "the Bible was written 500 years after Jesus", you can confidently say: Nope, that’s a myth. The truth is much more fascinating than that!

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