In a recent public statement, Pastor Tobi Adegboyega argued that the Bible was written by white people to enslave Black people. That claim may sound forceful, but it is historically wrong. It confuses the later misuse of Scripture during the slave trade with the much earlier origin of Scripture itself. The Bible did not begin in Europe, was not authored by colonial powers, and was not composed during the age of empire. It was written across many centuries by ancient Middle Eastern authors, and its earliest manuscripts were already in circulation long before the transatlantic slave trade began. Once the historical record is examined carefully, the claim falls apart.
Was the Bible Written by White People? What History Shows
The Bible originated in the ancient Near East, not in Europe. The lands connected to its formation include present-day Israel, Palestine, Egypt, Jordan, Iraq, and parts of Turkey and Iran. The Old Testament, also called the Hebrew Bible, was written between about 1400 BC and 400 BC. The earliest books are traditionally associated with Moses around 1400 BC. Later contributors include David around 1000 BC, Solomon around 950 BC, Isaiah in the eighth century BC, Jeremiah in the late seventh and early sixth centuries BC, and Daniel in the sixth century BC. These men were Hebrews and Jews rooted in the Middle East. They were not Europeans, and Europe had no role in producing these texts.
The New Testament Was Written by Jewish Followers of Jesus
The New Testament was written between about AD 45 and AD 100 by early followers of Jesus. Matthew likely wrote between AD 50 and 70, Mark between AD 60 and 70, Luke between AD 60 and 80, and John between AD 80 and 95. Paul’s letters were written between AD 48 and 67, while Peter, James, and Jude also wrote in the first century. Jesus Himself was born around 4 BC in Bethlehem in Judea and carried out His ministry in Galilee and Jerusalem. The New Testament was written mainly in Koine Greek, the common language of the eastern Mediterranean world. In other words, its writers were Jewish men from the Middle East, not white Europeans.
Ancient Manuscripts Prove the Bible Is Older Than Colonialism
Archaeology strengthens the case even further. The Dead Sea Scrolls, discovered between 1947 and 1956 near Qumran, date from roughly 250 BC to AD 70 and contain copies or fragments of nearly every Old Testament book. They prove that the Hebrew Scriptures existed centuries before European colonial expansion. Other major manuscripts include Codex Vaticanus, dated around AD 325 to 350, and Codex Sinaiticus, dated around AD 330 to 360. By the time the transatlantic slave trade expanded in the sixteenth century, the Bible had already existed for more than fifteen hundred years. A text that old cannot honestly be described as a colonial invention.
Africans Were Part of the Biblical Story
Africa is not absent from the Bible. In Acts 8, an Ethiopian official serving under the queen of Ethiopia is described reading the book of Isaiah before he meets Philip. He became one of the earliest recorded African converts to Christianity. The Bible also refers to Egypt, Cush, and Libya, showing that Africa was part of the biblical world. Simon of Cyrene, who helped carry the cross of Jesus, came from Cyrene in North Africa, in present-day Libya. Moses’ Cushite connection in the Old Testament also shows that biblical history was not isolated from Africa. These details matter because they undermine the lazy idea that the Bible is foreign to African history.
Africa Was One of the Earliest Centers of Christianity
Christianity also spread into Africa very early. Tertullian, born around AD 155 in Carthage, became one of the earliest Christian theologians. Origen of Alexandria, born around AD 184 in Egypt, was one of the most influential biblical scholars in the early church. Athanasius of Alexandria, born around AD 296, defended core Christian doctrine, while Augustine of Hippo, born in AD 354 in present-day Algeria, became one of the most important Christian thinkers in history. Ethiopia officially embraced Christianity around AD 330 under King Ezana of Aksum. That means African Christianity is ancient and foundational, not a late European import.
Yes, the Bible Was Misused During Slavery
It is historically true that some slave traders and colonial powers twisted parts of the Bible between the sixteenth and nineteenth centuries to justify slavery. That abuse should be acknowledged honestly. But misuse is not origin. The Bible itself contains one of history’s strongest liberation narratives in the story of Moses confronting Pharaoh and leading enslaved people out of Egypt. It also teaches that all human beings bear the image of God. Many abolitionists drew on those very truths to oppose slavery.
The evidence is clear. The Bible was written between 1400 BC and AD 100 by ancient Middle Eastern authors, not by white Europeans. Its earliest manuscripts existed centuries before colonialism, and Africans were present both in the biblical story and in the rise of early Christianity. So when Pastor Tobi Adegboyega says the Bible was written by white people to enslave Black people, the statement does not reveal hidden truth. It reveals historical confusion and biblical illiteracy. Good history matters, and honest readers should follow the evidence rather than slogans.
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