Baarda was born on 8 July 1932 in Vogelenzang.[2] He studied theology and Semitic languages at the VU. He obtained his doctorate in 1975 with a dissertation titled "The gospel quotations of Aphrahat the Persian sage". His doctoral advisors were Matthew Black and R. Schippers. Baarda subsequently became a professor of Biblical criticism, exegesis and canon of the New Testament at the same university.[2]
In 1981 Baarda became extraordinary professor (Dutch: buitengewoon hoogleraar) at Utrecht University, two years later he became a regular professor. During his time in Utrecht he held the chair of Antique Judaism and explanation of the New Testament.[2] In 1990 he returned to the VU and held the chair of New Testament. He retired in 1997. During his career he specialized in the four gospels of the New Testament.[3]
Baarda became a member of the Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences in 1982.[4]
Baarda died in Amstelveen on 23 August 2017.[5]
