Who Wrote the Bible…And Does It Really Matter?
Though transcribed by human hands, “all Scripture is inspired by God'' (2 Timothy 3:16 NRSV) according to Christian tradition, and therefore necessarily contains elements that human scholarship cannot fully appreciate. This assertion does not imply that humans should accept Scripture without question, but rather that biblical scholarship will respond to some important fundamental questions while revealing its own shortcomings in answering others. One of the first steps taken by historical-critical scholars is determining biblical authorship. However, research and prayerful reflection has led me to the postmodern conclusion that the historicity of the text need not be a primary concern for Christians, as Scripture is ultimately a collaborative effort by ancient writers, modern readers, and the final editor: God.
Firstly, it is important to define exactly what is meant when I refer to Christians reading Scripture in this article. Proper contextualization of Scripture within history, linguistics, and rhetorical motivation is not entirely irrelevant – in fact, a lack thereof has had disastrous effects in the past, leading to the use of the Bible to justify evils such as racism, sexism, and other forms of discrimination in the name of religion. But for the purposes of this article, a line must be drawn based on the reader’s goal in Biblical study. Those studying the Bible academically or seeking to extract a worldview from the text should of course conduct historical-critical research and properly evaluate their sources. But for the devout Christian doing a daily Bible study and finding themselves overwhelmed by questions of historicity, reading the Bible through a postmodern lens in which personal worship supersedes authorship may allow for a deeper, more personal understanding of how people of faith lived in the ancient world, and a more thoughtful reflection on God’s character. Thus, we will assume that “studying the Bible” refers to the latter example: a form of worship for practicing Christians.
In his book How to Read the Bible: A Guide to Scripture, Then and Now, Harvard Starr Professor Emeritus James L. Kugel explores this dilemma in detail. His chapter on the Psalms contradicts the historical- critical tendency to call King David’s authorship into question and insist on the role of temple workers in psalm-writing, adopting instead the more postmodern view that "when someone reads the words of a psalm as an act of worship, he or she takes over, in a sense, the psalm's authorship" (Kugel 472). Take the line, “Bless the Lord, O my soul,” for example. When I sing this, I am not quoting the 2013 hit song by Matt Redman, the 1973 hymn by Andraé Crouch, or the Psalm 103 passage that inspired them both. I am simply worshiping God. I am alone with Him, adopting others’ words of praise as my own and using them to glorify Him.
This postmodern idea of a co- opted authorship between past, present, and timeless can be extrapolated to apply to the Bible as a whole. As Kugel indicates, reading Scripture with an adopted “attitude of prayer pushes to the background the historical circumstances of the [passage’s] composition” (473). I can quote any translation of the Bible, repeat one comforting verse like a mantra, or work through a modern devotional: God hears and deciphers my prayers. Any effective contemplation of His Word – even if we can never be completely certain who wrote it or why – brings us closer to Him in worship and communion. So try to not get too caught up in the details. Allow God to reveal what He wants you to learn. Pray to receive His wisdom and understanding. Spend time with the Lord through His Scripture, and trust Him to handle the rest, regardless of who first put pen to paper.
Kugel, James L. How to Read the Bible: A Guide to Scripture, Then and Now. Free Press, 2007.