By way of introduction let me say
that a majority of the present generation
of Bible readers would favour the Bible without the breaks into chapters and
verses. Well, originally there were no divisions as we have it today. It was written in larger sections that flow between plots, just like other letters or
narratives. The only division would have been
sections like the Psalms and Proverbs. So where did the division into
chapters and verses come from in our Bibles?
The brief history of the chapters
(esp. the New Testament), is as follows. These were
not added until late in the medieval period. The Bible is said to have been first divided into chapters about 1250 by
Cardinal Hugo, for references in a Latin
concordance. Although there may be more evidence
for the Bible being divided into chapters first by about 1228 by Stephen
Langton, the archbishop of Canterbury.
It is believed that the Bible was divided
into slabs of words, which became chapters, as they were more suitable for
public reading, study or teaching. The purpose of the present division into
chapters was to favour reference finding. These divisions sometimes (but not always),
ignore logical and natural plot flow and division.
Down through
the ages, it has been asked if this chapter division has had an unintended effect and hindered
the fuller meaning of the text. It could be asked, was the idea of chapter divisions
based on an Old Testament biblical practice? For example, we see some of this
in the Old Testament.
·
The Psalms are individual songs and were
separate from the beginning.
·
In a sermon, Paul quotes from the ‘second psalm’
(Acts13:33).
· Lamentations was
divided into five separate poems. Four of these five poems are 22 verses each
(the number of letters in the Hebrew alphabet).
It seems clear that this size of
text was conveniently chosen for reading,
study, etc. Next week we will take a look at breaking the Chapters into verses.
Hmm, something to mull over as we
read the Bible.
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