A Layman's Guide to Who Wrote the Books of the Bible?

About the Book

“Bible” as used in the title of this book refers to the Bibles used by mainstream American Jews, Roman Catholics and Protestants.  This book deals with the books of the Bible, from Genesis to Revelation, including those of the Apocrypha.

This is a study of the people who wrote the books of the Bible and of the historical, political and social settings in which they wrote and of the factors that caused the authors to write.  The search for the authors and what motivated them to write takes the readers into the origins of the stories that make up a large part of the Bible.

While many popular and scholarly books have been written about the authorship of specific books of the Bible, this is the only book known to the author that deals with all of the books of the Bible in less than several volumes.  It is in laymen’s language with footnotes suggesting where readers can find further information for expanded study.

Where scholars have offered differing views of biblical matters that affect the determination of authorship, this book presents the various views — in laymen’s language. 

Because many of the authors of the books of the Bible wrote in response to the social and political situations in which they lived, this book looks into those situations.  For example: The exile of the Hebrews of Judah to Babylon set the stage for the collection and editing of what became the first books of the Old Testament.  The person or team who did that work did so as preparation for taking “the law” back to Judah and Jerusalem.  In a not-too-dissimilar fashion, the political and social climate of the Roman Empire in the first three centuries A.D. caused Christians to gather and worship in secret, isolated groups.  That led to the development of aberrant local doctrines, such as Gnosticism.  That in turn contributed to the flow of correspondence between Christians.  Some of that correspondence became or contributed to the books of the New Testament. 

Another example: When Emperor Constantine made Christianity the official religion of Rome in A.D. 318, the previously hidden schisms came to the surface.  That led to the Council of Nicea and the debate between Arius and Athanasius about the nature of Jesus and to the writing of the Nicene Creed stating belief in Father, Son and Holy Spirit.  Those events helped to set the tone for at least some of the books of the New Testament.

It is all there in laymen’s language.   Read, learn and enjoy!

C. Jack Trickler

About the Author

Trickler is a Christian layman with an interest in history, particularly in the history of Christianity. After military service in World War II he completed his degree in Mechanical Engineering and went to work for a manufacturer of industrial air-moving equipment. (Think of such as the control of air pollution from chemical plants.) He worked his way up through research to engineering management, to manufacturing management, and retired as vice president of corporate development, all with the same company.

After retirement Trickler found time to delve more deeply into his interest in the history of Christianity. What began simply as reading for personal enjoyment led to making notes, and then to arranging those notes so as to put his conclusions in logical order. That led to thoughts of putting his work together so as to make it available for his children and grandchildren. (He jokes about visualizing his grandchildren pointing with pride to his book and telling friends, "My Grandpa wrote that; someday I’m going to read it."

When Trickler asked a set of friends and family, those he terms his "consultants" in the Acknowledgments in his book, to read and comment on what he had written he received suggestions to expand his work and to make it available to others than his family. That is, to publish it.