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Revision as of 05:58, 9 August 2008
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The Bible is the collection of documents acknowledged by Christians to be inspired by God. The Protestant Bible contains 66 books (Catholic and Orthodox contain 73) and is divided into the Old Testament and the New Testament. It tells of the story of the creation of the universe and man by God, the rebellion of man against God and his rescue plan for humanity through his Son, Jesus Christ.
The word Bible comes from the Greek word for book, biblion.
Old Testament
Three sections make up the Old Testament - The Books of the Law, History and Poetry, and the Books of the Prophets. The Old Testament is a Christian term for the original Hebrew Bible which is known as the Tanak (which is an acronym for what the OT contains Law, Prophets, and Writings). The Old Testament sets the stage for what happens in the New Testament it provides the rules, the nature of God, the promise of GOD which are fulfilled further in the New Testament.
Books of the Law
The first 5 books of the Bible Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy. These five books tell us of Creation, the Fall, the emergence of the children of Israel and the legal codes that God gave them.
Three law codes that are relevant to Christians are the Ten Commandments, Shema (Love the LORD your God with all your heart), and Love thy neighbour.
Prophets
The Prophets take up a large body of space. They range from the Book of Isaiah and the Book of Jeremiah who are classified as the major prophets to Hosea, Joel, and Jonah who are minor prophets. Prophets were divinely appointed spokesman for God. The Hebrew word for prophet 'nabi' means spokesman. They preached about the corruption of Israel, God's judgement and His future restoration. One vital cornerstone that has bearing for us would be the coming of the Messiah. This is mentioned in Isaiah 53 in the major prophets and last chapters of Zechariah in the minor.
History and poetry
Writings range from the historical such as Joshua, the Samuels, Chronicles, or Kings to poetry such as Song of Solomon, or Psalms and wisdom such as Job, Ecclesiastes, and Proverbs. They describe the nature of God such as Psalm 23, the wisdom of God and man's reaction such as in Job, or the History of Israel and God's involvement such as establishing King David and his legacy which led to Jesus Christ his most famous descendant of all.
New Testament
The New Testament contains different categories as well.
Gospel
Gospel is the Old English word god-spiel (good speak) the original Greek word was Evangel. Gospel means Good News. The Good News was that Jesus had arrived and was the Messiah that would fulfill the Old Testament, as Jesus himself declared of his death and resurrection, "As written in the Law, Prophets, and Psalms." There are Four Gospels - Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. Mark is the oldest Gospel and the most barebones of all the Gospels, he wrote in AD 60 and served as a secretary for Peter. After Peter's death he wrote the first account of Jesus' life and times. Matthew was written towards a Jewish audience, he constantly emphasised how Jesus fulfilled the prophecies laid out in the Old Testament and was therefore the Messiah. Luke is the only non-Jewish author in the Bible. He wrote for a Gentile audience. Luke tended to use historical context of his day such as the Census and who was in charge in Rome and Palestine during Jesus' day to back up his claims that Jesus was the Saviour. Because Matthew, Mark, and Luke contain similar stories and sayings they are known as the Synoptic Gospels (Gk for to-be-seen-together). John is slightly different. It contains Jesus' I AM statements in which Jesus testifies that He is the Saviour. These four books tell the story of Jesus and show why He came to Earth. To die on the Cross and to rise again so that our sins were taken away and we would be made right with GOD.
Epistles
Epistles are letters to Christian communities. The major letter writers in the Early Church were Paul, Peter, James, John, and Jude. Peter and Paul were the major missionaries in their day and they wrote letters to the communities they preached to. Paul wrote towards Gentile communities such as Corinth, Ephesus, and Rome. He would talk about Jesus Christ, how Christians should act, and advise them on certain issues such as eating meat, dealing with others, and how to behave in worship. Peter and James also wrote likewise.
History
This is seen in the Book of Acts. Acts was written by Luke and it tells of the persecutions, the work of Peter and Paul, and provides us with a great historical context of Mediterannean culture in the 1st century. It too shows God's hand in the founding of the Early Church with the Holy Spirit coming down upon the 12 disciples and gives us our mission that all peoples must hear the Gospel.
Prophecy
Prophecy is a thread constant in the Gospels and the Epistles, but it also has it's own separate book in the form of Revelation. Revelation gives us a symbolic understanding of the Last Days with vivid descriptions of the End Times. It is advised that one read this book carefully and with prayer. The main message in Revelation is that Jesus Christ is coming back for us and that is what we must look forward to.
Apocrypha
A number of books are not considered to be part of the Bible by Protestant Christians, but are by other denominations - these books are referred to as apocryphal literature. Below is a list of the apocryphal books
Included by Orthodox and Roman Catholics, but not by Protestants (or Jews)
- Tobit
- Judith
- 1 Maccabees
- 2 Maccabees
- Wisdom (of Solomon)
- Ben Sira
- Baruch, includes Letter of Jeremiah
- Additions to Daniel
- Additions to Esther
Included by Orthodox but not by Roman Catholic
Included by Russian Orthodox and Ethiopian Orthodox
Included by Ethiopian Orthodox only
Included by Syriac Peshitta Bible:
Formation of the Bible
Translation of the Bible
Sola Scriptura
Quotes
Abraham Lincoln
- I believe the Bible is the best gift God has ever given to man. All the good from the Savior of the world is communicated to us through this book.
Patrick Henry
- The Bible is worth all other books which have ever been printed.
Elizabeth Cady Stanton
- The Bible and the Church have been the greatest stumbling blocks in the way of women's emancipation.
Charles H. Spurgeon
- Defend the Bible? I would just as soon defend a roaring lion.
Isaac Newton
- There are more sure marks of authenticity in the Bible than in any profane history.
Isaac Asimov
- Properly read, the Bible is the most potent force for atheism ever conceived.
Immanuel Kant
- The existence of the Bible, as a book for the people, is the greatest benefit which the human race has ever experienced. Every attempt to belittle it is a crime against humanity.
Goethe'
- Let mental culture go on advancing, let the natural sciences progress in ever greater extent and depth, and the human mind widen itself as much as it desires, beyond the elevation and moral culture of Christianity, as it shines forth in the gospels, it will not go.
Ralph Waldo Emerson
- Make your own Bible. Select and collect all the words and sentences that in your reading have been like the blast of triumph out of Shakespeare, Seneca, Moses, John and Paul.
Lord Tennyson
- Bible reading is an education in itself.
- Thomas Huxley
The Bible has been the Magna Carta of the poor and oppressed. The human race is not in a position to dispense with It.
Links
- Bible Gateway
- CCEL - World Wide Study Bible
- Crosswalk.com
- Bible.org
- E-Sword Bible Software
- Bible Database
Bible Study Links
- The World wide Study Bible
- Bible Study Tools
- Trust worthy Bible Study Tools
- Free Bible Software "Without payment you have received; without payment you are to give." (Mat 10:8 ISV)
- FREE Bibles and Bible Study Software Downloads
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