The Bible is a collection of books written by many different authors over a period of 1,500 years. The Hebrew Scriptures, known to Christians as the Old Testament, records God’s dealings with the nation of Israel. It contains 24 books (divided into 39 in the Christian Bible). The literature of the Hebrew Bible includes historical narrative, poetry, and prophecy. The New Testament contains 27 books including the four gospel narratives of the life of Christ, an account of the activities of the apostles (Acts), 21 early church letters, and Revelation, disclosing the prophetic future. Roman Catholics and Greek Orthodox include additional Old Testament books known as the Apocrypha. The name “Apocrypha” means “hidden” and refers to the fact that these books were not considered suitable for public reading because of their questionable content. They are also called”deutero-canonical” (second canon). The Apocrypha or deutero-canonical books (Tobit, 1-2 Maccabees, Baruch, Ecclesiasticus, etc.) were declared a part of Scripture by the Council of Trent in 1546.
What does the word “Bible” mean?
The word “Bible” is derived from the name of the ancient Phoenician city of Byblos. It was there at the papyrus plant was cut and dried in strips for use as writing paper. The manuscript material was called biblos after the place of its manufacture. The word “Bible” means “little books,” derived from the Greek word biblia, a diminutive form of biblos.
Who wrote the Bible?
The Bible contains the writings of many different authors. Some of the authors are identified in the writing itself. Other authors are known only by ancient tradition. Some of the books of the Bible are anonymous. Major contributors of the Bible include the following: Moses–The largest contributor to the Hebrew Bible was Moses, author of the Torah or Pentateuch (Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers and Deuteronomy). Luke–Although he wrote only two books, Luke wrote a greater volume of material than any other New Testament writer. David–Gifted with both musical and poetic abilities, David authored 73 psalms. Solomon–Noted for his great wisdom, Solomon wrote Ecclesiastes, Proverbs and the Song of Solomon. Jeremiah–The prophet wrote the Book of Jeremiah and his Lamentations over the destruction of Jerusalem. Paul–The apostle Paul authored 13 of the 27 New Testament books.
Is the Bible an “inspired” book?
Many believe that the Bible is unique among the sacred writings of the great religions. Most Christians believe that the Bible is divinely inspired. This belief is based on what the Bible says about itself. “All Scripture is inspired by God . . . “(2 Tim. 3:16). The word inspired literally means God-breathed. The doctrine of inspiration means that God so directed the human authors of Scripture that the truth He desired to reveal was recorded in the original manuscripts without error.
Must one believe that the Bible is divinely inspired in order to study and enjoy it?
Many people who have no particular religious convictions have read, studied, and enjoyed the Bible. The Bible is recognized as a sacred book by the Jews, Christians, and Muslims. The Bible contains some of the greatest literature ever written–captivating stories, dramatic poetry, elevating prayers, mysterious parables, engaging allegories, powerful sermons, and memorable letters. Biblical laws and ethical principles form the foundation of our own American legal system. A truly educated person should not be unfamiliar with the Bible. For many, the Bible is simply great literature. For others of us, it is the Word of God.
When was the Bible written?
Although some would place them later, the Bible chronology indicates that the books authored by Moses were written around 1400 B.C. The Book of Job may have been written even earlier. Malachi, the last of the Old Testament books, was written around 432 B.C. The first New Testament book was probably the Epistle of James, written around A.D. 45. Paul’s letter to the Galatians was probably next, around A.D. 49. Although debated, I suggest that Matthew’s Gospel was written about A.D. 50. Paul’s letters were completed by A.D. 67. The Apostle John finished off the New Testament with the Book of Revelation around A.D. 90. And so the books of the Bible were written over a period of about 1500 years.
Is the Bible the world’s oldest book?
During the last century, archaeologists have found the remains of several ancient libraries which contain clay tablets written long before the oldest books of the Bible. Enuma Elish, the Babylonian Creation account discovered in the excavation of Asherbanipal’s library at Nineveh, was probably composed about 1800 B.C. The Gilgamesh Epic recorded on clay tablets found in Asherbanipal’s library is said to date from around the beignning of the second millennium B.C. It records the adventures of Gilgamesh and contains a flood account which has numerous parallels to Genesis 6-9. The Code of Hammurabi, dating around 1723 B.C. is the longest Babylonian document ever found. It records the laws of Hammurabi, sixth king of the First Dynasty of Babylon. In 1875 archaeologists discovered the remains of an ancient library at Ebla (Tell Mardikh). There they found over 15,000 clay tablets, many of which date from the third millennium B.C. They give us a detailed picture of the laws, science, mathematics, religion, and economic life in the Middle East one thousand years before the time of Abraham. This evidence makes it clear that the Bible is not the world’s oldest book, but of all ancient writings, it is the most well known.
In what language was the Bible originally written?
Most of the Hebrew Bible was written in classical Hebrew, a Semitic language spoken by the ancient Israelites. Small portions of the Old Testament were written in Aramaic, a dialect spoken in Syria and Mesopotamia which is closely related to Hebrew. The Aramaic sections of the Bible include Daniel 2:4-7:28, Ezra 4:8-6:18, 7:12-26, and Jeremiah 10:11. The New Testament books were written in Koine (common) Greek, the international language of the Roman world in the first century.
When was the Bible first translated?
The first translation of the Bible was made in Alexandria, Egypt about the middle of the third century B.C. There was a large Jewish population there and many of the younger generation no longer understood classical Hebrew. According to the Letter of Aristeas (preserved for us in Josephus Antiquities XII), an ancient writer, Egypt’s ruler Ptolemy Philadelphus was engaged in gathering books for Alexandria’s famous library. He requested that the Jewish High Priest send 72 translators (six from each tribe) to Alexandria to translate the Hebrew Scriptures. This translation is known as the Septuagint (seventy) from the approximate number of the translators. The Septuagint was a very influential translation. It was essentially the Bible of the Greek-speaking Jews of the first century. Many of the Old Testament quotations in the New Testament are from the Septuagint. The next major translation of the Bible was Jerome’s Latin Vulgate. Jerome was commissioned by the bishop of Rome to translate the Scriptures into the common language for the Latin speaking people of the church. Jerome completed his work in Bethlehem between 385 and 405 A.D. The Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem honors the traditional cave where Jerome is said to have done his translating work. We don’t see another major translation of the Bible from the original languages until William Tyndale in the 1500s.
Do we possess the original copies of the books of the Bible?
Not a single original copy of any biblical book has survived. Ancient copies of the books on papyrus and parchment have been preserved in Jewish synagogues and libraries like the one at Saint Catherine’s Monastery at Mt. Sinal. The standard text of the Hebrew Bible we have today was given its’ final form by the Masoretes in the 7th to 9th centuries A.D. They standardized the Hebrew text by recording the vowels which had been agreed upon by oral tradition. (Like modern Hebrew, the original Hebrew manuscripts were written without vowels.) Before 1947, the oldest complete copies of the Hebrew Bible dated from the 9th and 10th centuries. Then the Dead Sea Scrolls were discovered! These scrolls included parts of every book of the Hebrew Bible except Esther. The whole book of Isaiah was found on parchment. These texts date from around the first century B.C. The oldest manuscripts of the New Testament date from the 4th and 5th centuries A.D. These include: Codex Vaticanus (4th century), located in the Vatican Library. This manuscript omits Hebrews 9:14 to the end of the book, the Pastor Epistles, Philemon and the Revelation. Codex Sinaiticus (4th century), located in the British Museum. Codex Alexandrinus (5th century), located in the British Museum. This manuscript is fairly complete, especially the book of Revelation. The Greek manuscripts in existence total nearly 5300. If you don’t read Greek, you can be especially thankful that these ancient manuscripts have been translated into English!
What is meant by the canon of Scripture?
The Greek word canon means a straight stick by which something is ruled or measured. The term canon refers to the standard or measurement by which books were included or excluded from the final list of authoritative Scripture. The tests for determining which books should be included in the canon of Scripture include the following: Was it written by a biblical figure? Does the author write with God’s authority? Is the book in agreement with other revelation? Is the book universally accepted by those of like faith? The Old Testament canon was officially recognized at an assembly of eminent rabbis and Jewish leaders who met about A.D. 90 in the village of Jamnia (Yabneh). The complete canon of Scripture as we know it today was formally certified at the Council of Carthage in 397 A.D. Most of the books of the Bible had been recognized earlier, but the canon was officially recognized at this time.
What does the term testament mean? How do the New and Old Testaments differ?
The word testament is a synonym for covenant which refers to an agreement or promise. The Hebrew Bible places a great emphasis on the covenant established between God and Israel at Mt. Sinai when the Law was given to Israel. When the people broke the rules of the agreement, God disciplined His people. The ultimate consequence of breaking the covenant was exile from the Promised Land. In light of this impending judgment, the prophet Jeremiah began to speak of a New Covenant (Jer. 31:31) which God would inaugurate with His people. Christians believe that Jesus, the promised Messiah, inaugurated the New Covenant at the time of His sacrificial death for mankind (Heb. 8:13). At the Last Supper, Jesus passed the cup and said, “This cup which is poured out for you is the New Covenant in My blood” (Luke 22:20, cf. Matthew 26:27-28). In 2 Corinthians 3 Paul contrasts the glories of the Old Covenant with the surpassing glories of the New! To Christians, the Hebrew Scriptures deal with the Old Covenant, so this part of the Bible is referred to as the “Old Testament.” The writings of the Apostles deal with the New Covenant, hence the designation “New Testament.” Tertullian (160-215), an early church teacher and theologian, was the first to use this designation for the Christian Scriptures around A.D. 200. The term “Old Covenant” should not lead us to conclude that the Hebrew Bible is antiquated, outdated or irrelevant. To avoid such implications I prefer to refer to the Old Testament as the Hebrew Scriptures.
Why should someone who is not Jewish study the Old Testament?
The Apostle Paul was writing to a predominately non-Jewish audience in his first letter to the Corinthians. After citing a series of examples from the Hebrew Scriptures, Paul writes, “Now these things happened to them as an example, and they were written for our instruction, upon whom the ends of the ages have come” (1 Cor. 10:11). It is very clear that Paul appreciated the instructional value of the Old Testament. Here are five other reasons we should study the Hebrew Bible: (1) The Hebrew Bible reveals the origins and history of the Jewish people whom God chose to bring spiritual light and salvation to the world. (2) The Hebrew Bible contains some of the greatest literature ever written. A thorough education should include a basic appreciation and understanding of this literature. (3) Judaism, Islam and Christianity all recognize the books of the Hebrew Bible as part of their religious heritage. To understand and appreciate these people, a study of the Hebrew Bible is necessary. (4) The Hebrew Bible lays a foundation for any study of the life of Christ and New Testament theology. (5) The Hebrew Bible provides answers to many of the fundamental questions of life. Where did we come from? Where are we going? What is our greatest need? What is the purpose of our existence? The wisdom and insights of the writers of Scripture provide guide to living life successfully–according to the plan of God, the Author of life.
More answers to questions about the Bible are available in myLaney Bible Resources CD. The CD includes answers to difficult questions from every book of the Bible, introductions and outlines for every book of the Bible, and a number of my published articles. The cost is $25.00. Contact me at jclaney@westernseminary.edu to order your copy.