# Do major Christian denominations have an opinion on WHEN the old testament was written? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [October 27, 2020, 3:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-major-christian-denominations-have-an-opinion-on-when-the-old-testament-was-written/924032 "2020-10-27T15:00:56Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 1\ **Showing post:** 24
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2020, 11:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-major-christian-denominations-have-an-opinion-on-when-the-old-testament-was-written/924032/24 "2020-10-29T23:18:11Z")
> [@tomndebb](#): > > The point is that the words, written in 2d Century Greek would have been extremely unlikely to show up in 6th Century Hebrew or Aramaic when Greek influence did not even enter the Levant for several hundred years. The Greeks were all over the place. > **[Ancient Greek Colonization and Trade and their Influence on Greek Art | Essay...](https://www.metmuseum.org/toah/hd/angk/hd_angk.htm)** > > The ancient Greeks were active seafarers seeking opportunities for trade and founding new independent cities at coastal sites across the Mediterranean Sea. Now, I agree with Daniel being a fairly late book, but a few borrowed words dont mean much. The prophesies are the sticking point. [The Case for a Sixth Century Dating of Daniel. Appendix 3 of Daniel: Faithful Discipleship in a Foreign Land](http://www.jesuswalk.com/daniel/app3_early-date-of-daniel.htm) _Questions of Language_ _The late date of Daniel was supported by scholars who claimed that the Aramaic sections in Daniel belonged to a later period. However, more recent studies have found that the Aramaic used in Daniel was used in the courts and chancelleries from the seventh century BC on, and tends to support an early date for Daniel.[[313]](http://www.jesuswalk.com/daniel/app3_early-date-of-daniel.htm#_ftn313)_ _The presence of Persian and Greek loanwords in the text of Daniel, primarily in the words for musical instruments, was long taken as a proof that Daniel was written in the Greek period after Alexander’s conquests. It is now generally recognized that there were many earlier contacts with the Greeks and Persians, including Greek colonies in Egypt in the mid-seventh century BC and Greek mercenary troops in the Battle of Carchemish in 605 BC. Also, the names of musical instruments could well be found along with the instruments at the Persian court.[[314]](http://www.jesuswalk.com/daniel/app3_early-date-of-daniel.htm#_ftn314) Today, linguistic arguments for a late date of Daniel are considered quite weak._ --- _[View the full topic](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-major-christian-denominations-have-an-opinion-on-when-the-old-testament-was-written/924032)._