The Making of the Bible

“A landmark… This is a rich book treating the historical traditions that lie within the texts, the oral traditions that transmitted them down the generations, the processes by which texts were formed and collected within scribal culture, and the way in which this gradually led to the formation of various canons… If you have time to read only one book on the Bible this year, make sure that it is this one.”—Katherine J. Dell, Church Times

“Excellent… With a sure touch, the authors lead the reader through the geopolitical context of the Hebrew Bible and the setting and background of the New Testament, finding something to say about practically every book’s origins and development… The Bible is not a fixed entity, clearly delineated from all other writings, even though our culture tends to see it so.”—John Barton, The Tablet

“Outlines how different forms of the Bible came into being. Their focus is historical and philological rather than theological or literary. Yet the story they tell is engrossing: that of an unstable world needing to attend to the values of God’s kingdom. They help a non-specialist reader appreciate the fascinating diversity of ways in which the Bible’s message was regularly reinterpreted in a changing political situation… Together, Schmid and Schröter…show that the history of the Bible is much less fixed than has been imagined.”—Constant J. Mews, Australian Book Review

“A richly detailed resource…packed with interesting information about the Bible and its use in the Jewish and Christian traditions.”—Choice

“A remarkable deep dive into foundational books whose origins are often taken for granted.”—Publishers Weekly

“With this exemplary account of both origins and canonization, Schmid and Schröter have given us a superb book on how the Bible came into being. The Making of the Bible is invaluable for anyone interested in Scripture and in the intertwined histories of Judaism and Christianity.”—John Barton, author of A History of the Bible: The Book and Its Faiths

“The Making of the Bible will be a go-to for me. It does for the history of the Bible what I’ve sought to do for the Bible’s languages: to make this book real.”—Sarah Ruden, author of The Gospels: A New Translation

“An erudite history of ‘How We Got the Bible’ that addresses the key issues—historical backgrounds, oral traditions, ancient manuscripts, canon formation, and the books that were left out. Schmid and Schröter are expert guides along these rocky paths for all readers interested in the New Testament and the Hebrew Bible.”—Bart Ehrman, author of Heaven and Hell: A History of the Afterlife

“This impressive book tells the story of how the Bible was made. In the process of that telling, the authors unearth a second story of equal significance: how these different Bibles formed us, creating a world shaped by sacred scripture. Today, we’re grappling with the consequences of both stories, which makes this book an essential guide for the future.”—Martin Puchner, author of The Written World: The Power of Stories to Shape People, History, and Civilization

“This comprehensive book on the Bible—the Hebrew Bible as well as the New Testament—by two world-renowned theologians is for students and teachers alike. It will be read with pleasure and benefit by everyone interested in the most important document of Western civilization.”—Thomas Römer, author of The Invention of God

“This challenging book helps us understand the debates and struggles for consensus in this age of new knowledge of the Bible.”—Richard Elliott Friedman, author of Who Wrote the Bible? and The Exodus