When was the latest writing of the New Testament completed?

Answer 1

The question of when the books of the New Testament were written is controversial, so the question of when the last work in the New Testament was written is also controversial.

Most conservative New Testament scholars would place all of the New Testament in the first century AD. There are substantial grounds to accept this judgement, although there are questions on the fringes. Some scholars put the letters of John later, but there are no substantive reasons to reject an earlier date. Similarly, there are no grounds to reject the claim in the book of Jude that it was written by the brother of James, and that this James is the one that Paul describes as the brother of Jesus.

Many New Testament scholars either leave the question of the authorship of 1 and 2 Timothy and Titus open, or hold that these works were not written by Paul. The writing style of 1 Timothy and Titus suggests that Paul did not write these works. Furthermore, the theology of 1 Timothy seems not to be strictly Pauline. If these works were not written by Paul it is difficult to date them, with dates between AD 80 and AD 150 being possible. However, there is no reason to seriously question Paul's authorship of 2 Timothy, although scholars have not taken up this point in earnest.

Many New Testament scholars also doubt Peter's authorship of 1 Peter, but this doubt seems to be misplaced. It is primarily founded on the proposition that Peter could not have written the Greek prose in that text. In considering this matter, scholars appear to have failed to properly consider the proposition that Peter could have, and probably did, dictate the work in Aramaic, and that someone else created the Greek text.

The other reason for doubt about Peter's authorship of this work is that it seems to draw some of its material from Paul's letter to the Ephesians. Yet, if Peter wrote 1 Peter, and it is dated quite early, as is possible, and indeed likely, then this argument carries less weight. Furthermore, the follow-on arguments against Paul's authorship of Ephesians and Colossians fall to the ground, on the grounds that it likely that Paul drew upon 1 Peter when writing these works.

For some New Testament scholars, the case against Peter's authorship of 2 Peter is considered to be irrefutable. Nevertheless, it has its weaknesses. They point to the Greek prose of 2 Peter, noting that it is quite different from that in 1 Peter. Yet this is not a difficulty: if the Greek of 1 Peter was from someone who translated his Aramaic, the same thing could have happened with 2 Peter, but with Peter using a different translator. Of more difficulty is the relationship between 2 Peter and Jude, since 2 Peter contains material that seems to be taken from Jude, and it is likely that Jude was written after Peter died.

While this is quite difficult to untangle, we should look for the simplest solution that deals with all of the evidence; this is the approach generally favoured by scholars. Such a solution does appear if one is able to posit that 2 Peter actually contains two works. On this basis, one could say that 2 Peter 2:3b-22 (which contains borrowings from Jude) was probably being written in the middle of the 2nd century, and the rest of 2 Peter was written by Peter.

On these grounds, one could say that the composite work, 2 Peter, was the last writing of the New Testament to be completed.

On the other hand, if it is believed that the questions raised by New Testament scholars about Paul's and Peter's authorship of 1 Timothy, Titus and the fragment of 2 Peter can be successfully rebutted by arguments not considered here, then it is likely that either the Gospel of John, or Revelation was the last writing of the New Testament to be completed.

AnswerThe last book of the New Testament to be written was probably 2 Peter, around 150 CE. Scholars normally look forthe simplest explanation that requires the least number of unproven assumptions. Clearly 2 Peter contains most of the second-century Epistle of Jude, with alterations, so its completion must be later than Jude. The hypothesis that parts of 2 Peter were written prior to Jude, possibly by Peter himself, and that a subsequent editor more or less seamlessly inserted the Judematerial adds unnecessary complexity for no purpose other than to allow us to remain comfortable in the belief that Peter wrote at least part of 2 Peter (and of course 1 Peter). If a second-century Christian would feel free to tamper with an epistle actually written by one of the apostles, he would certainly feel free to write an entire epistle in Peter's name, just as others did in Paul's name.

Other books in the New Testament that were written long after the apostolic era include the Pastoral epistles (1 Timothy, 2 Timothy, Titus), the Johannine epistles, Jude, 1 Peterand Revelation. The Pastorals, although addressing issues that arose in the second century, are much earlier than 2 Peter, as are the Johannine epistles. The Epistle of Jude declares that the author was not a disciple and that the disciples had lived long before, so is attributed to the second century, but its inclusion in 2 Peter means it must pre-date that epistle. Regardless of how late 1 Peter was written, it also predates 2 Peter. Revelation is an enigma but is generally attributed to the period around the end of the first century. These were therefore all written before 2 Peter. Thus the latest writing of the New Testament was completed around 150 CE.

Answer 2

The last book of the New Testament to be written was probably 2 Peter, around 150 CE. Scholars normally look for the simplest explanation that requires the least number of unproven assumptions. Clearly 2 Peter contains most of the second-century Epistle of Jude, with alterations, so its completion must be later than Jude. The hypothesis that parts of 2 Peter were written prior to Jude, possibly by Peter himself, and that a subsequent editor more or less seamlessly inserted the Jude material adds unnecessary complexity for no purpose other than to allow us to remain comfortable in the belief that Peter wrote at least part of 2 Peter (and of course 1 Peter). If a second-century Christian would feel free to tamper with an epistle actually written by one of the apostles, he would certainly feel free to write an entire epistle in Peter's name, just as others did in Paul's name.

Other books in the New Testament that were written long after the apostolic era include the Pastoral epistles (1 Timothy, 2 Timothy, Titus), the Johannine epistles, Jude, 1 Peterand Revelation. The Pastorals, although addressing issues that arose in the second century, are much earlier than 2 Peter, as are the Johannine epistles. The Epistle of Jude declares that the author was not a disciple and that the disciples had lived long before, so is attributed to the second century, but its inclusion in 2 Peter means it must pre-date that epistle. Regardless of how late 1 Peter was written, it also predates 2 Peter. Revelation is an enigma but is generally attributed to the period around the end of the first century. These were therefore all written before 2 Peter. Thus the latest writing of the New Testament was completed around 150 CE.