Judaism and Christianity are Abrahamic religions, which means they have the same roots. However, these religions do have some different beliefs and teachings.
The word “Bible” comes from the Greek word “biblia,” which means “books” (or “scrolls). The Christian Old Testament contains all the books of the Tanak, which were written in Hebrew and Aramaic. However, the New Testament was written in Greek.
The Hebrew Bible and the Christian Bible both contain works of semi-historical and prophetic nature. Together, they form the single most influential book (or set of books) in history. While their contents are more or less similar, they have certain differences that set them apart. This article will discuss those differences.
Summary Table
| Hebrew Bible | Christian Bible |
| Contains Old Testament only | Contains the Old Testament and the New Testament |
| The Twelve Minor Prophets are compiled into a single book; Ezra and Nehemiah are compiled into a single book | The twelve minor prophets each have their own books; Ezra and Nehemiah have their own books |
| Three main sections | Four main sections in the Old Testament and four main sections in the New Testament |
| Total of 24 books | Total of 66 books (Protestant); 73 books (Catholic); up to 81 (Orthodox) |
Definitions
The Hebrew Bible, or Tanakh, is the definitive collection of Jewish written texts. Most of these texts, or “books,” are written in Biblical Hebrew. Some books, however, have passages written in Biblical Aramaic. The word Tanakh is actually shorthand for the Hebrew Bible’s three main parts: the Torah (the Five Books of Moses), Nevi’im, (the books of the Prophets), and Ketuvim (which includes the Psalms and Proverbs). All in all, the Hebrew Bible has 24 books.
The Jewish Bible, or Tanakh, covers the covenant relationship between God and Abraham. This is the basis for Judaism. The Tanakh contains information about this relationship between God and the Jewish people. The information in this holy book includes the history, culture, laws, and language of the Jewish people.
In the Jewish tradition, Moses is credited with writing the Torah, the first five books of the Tanakh. The Jewish religion believes in one God, who is the creator and sustainer of the universe.
The Torah includes Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy. Nevi’im contains two sub-groups: The Former Prophets (Joshua, Judges, 1 & 2 Samuel, and 1 & 2 Kings) and the Latter Prophets (Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, and the Twelve Minor Prophets). The Twelve Minor Prophets combines the writings of the following into a single text:
- Hosea
- Joel
- Amos
- Obadiah
- Jonah
- Micah
- Nahum
- Habakkuk
- Zephaniah
- Haggai
- Zechariah
- Malachi
Finally, Ketuvim consists of the following:
- Psalms
- Proverbs
- Book of Job
- Song of Songs
- Book of Ruth
- Lamentations
- Ecclesiastes
- Book of Esther
- Book of Daniel
- Book of Ezra-Nehemiah
- Chronicles
The Christian Bible consists of the full text of the Hebrew Bible (known as the Old Testament) and writings based on the life and teachings of Jesus Christ and his apostles (known as the New Testament). While the contents of the New Testament are consistent across the three major branches of Christianity, there are some variations in the content of the Old Testament. Also, the twelve minor prophets have their own books instead of being compiled into a single book. While the books of Ezra and Nehemiah are separated in the Catholic and Protestant Bibles, they form part of 2 Esdras in the Orthodox Bible. The Catholic Bible also includes seven additional books, known as the Deuterocanonical books. However, these are omitted in the Protestant Bible.
Inconsistencies aside, however, all Christian Bibles have eight major parts:
- Pentateuch (Books of Moses)
- Historical Books
- Wisdom Books
- Prophets
- Gospels
- Acts of the Apostles
- Epistles
- Book of Revelation
The Catholic Bible has 73 books; the Protestant Bible has 66 books, and the Orthodox Bible has up to 81 books.
The Christian Bible is a “library” or collection of books that are put together. These books are considered to be the Word of God (the same God of the Jewish people).
In the New Testament, the practices and beliefs of Christianity are set out. The books also include the life and teachings of Jesus Christ, God’s son. The Christian New Testament includes:
- Matthew
- Mark
- Luke
- John
These are the four Gospels. The New Testament also includes:
- The Acts of the Apostles
- Romans
- I & II Corinthians
- Galatians
- Ephesians
- Philippians
- Colossians
- I & II Thessalonians
- I & II Timothy
- Philemon
- Hebrews
- James
- I & II Peter
- I, II, III John
- Jude
- Revelation
None of these books are found in the Tanakh (the Jewish Bible).
The Gospels were written between 50 to 100 AD and describe Jesus Christ’s life and ministry. In these books, Christ shows why he is important to the Christian faith. He also teaches the people and does various miracles. The rest of the New Testament explains what happened after Christ ascended into heaven. The apostles, especially Paul, wrote many letters to the various churches all across the Roman Empire.
Hebrew Bible vs Christian Bible
What are the differences between the Hebrew Bible and the Christian Bible? The main differences lie in their contents and the arrangement of the books.
Contents
The Hebrew Bible consists of all texts that comprise what is known as the Old Testament. On the other hand, with some variations, the Christian Bible consists of the Old Testament and the New Testament, which is based on the life and teachings of Jesus Christ and his apostles.
Treatment of the Minor Prophets
In the Hebrew Bible, the Twelve Minor Prophets are a single text. In contrast, the twelve minor prophets have their own books in the Christian Bible.
Arrangement
In the Hebrew Bible, the books fall into three main sections: the Books of Moses, the Prophets, and the Writings. Meanwhile, the Christian Bible organizes the Old Testament books following the Greek translation of the Hebrew Bible: the Law, Historical Books, Wisdom Books, and the Prophets. The New Testament Books are further organized into the following: Gospels, Acts of the Apostles, Epistles, and the Book of Revelation.
Number of Books
Because the Hebrew Bible includes only the Old Testament books and combines the books of Ezra and Nehemiah and the Twelve Minor Prophets, the total number of books is 24. As a result of the inclusion or exclusion of certain books in the Old Testament, the number of books in Christian Bibles can vary from 66 to 81, depending on denomination.
Video
Click on the video below to watch a documentary about the origins of the Hebrew Bible.
