Background, Organization, and Purpose Bible 101 Background, Organization, and Purpose

Your Bible(s) How many Bibles do you have? What are some ways or situations in which you use them? What are some things that you wonder about the Bible?

The Bible Biblical Books and their Divisions The Bible is a library of different literary types rather than a single book (Greek biblia—books (plural)). 66 Books total Old Testament: 39 books New Testament: 27 books (3 x 9)

The Old Testament Books of the Law Genesis 1 Samuel Exodus 2 Samuel Leviticus Numbers Deuteronomy History Joshua Judges Ruth 1 Samuel 2 Samuel 1 Kings 2 Kings 1 Chronicles 2 Chronicles Ezra Nehemiah Esther

Poetry Job Psalms Proverbs Ecclesiastes Song of Songs Major Prophets Isaiah Jeremiah Lamentations Ezekiel Daniel Minor Prophets Hosea Joel Amos Obadiah Jonah Micah Nahum Habakkuk Zephaniah Haggai Zechariah Malachi

Old Testament Structure 5 12

The New Testament The Gospels (History) Matthew Mark Luke John History 1 Thessalonians 2 Thessalonians 1 Timothy 2 Timothy Titus Philemon Hebrews James 1 Peter 2 Peter 1 John 2 John 3 John Jude Prophecy Revelation The Gospels (History) Matthew Mark Luke John History Acts Letters Romans 1 Corinthians 2 Corinthians Galatians Ephesians Philippians Colossians

Structure of the New Testament History Paul’s Letters General Letters Prophecy Matthew Romans Hebrews Revelation Mark 1 Corinthians James Luke 2 Corinthians 1 Peter John Galatians 2 Peter Acts Ephesians 1 John Philippians 2 John Colossians 3 John 1 Thessalonians Jude 2 Thessalonians 1 Timothy 2 Timothy Titus Philemon

The Canon The 66 books are referred to as the canon. Derived from the Greek “Kanon” Early meaning – a measuring rod Later meanings: A standard by which something is judged A list Our interest here: The list of books that belong in the Bible How we got them What is canonical, what is not, and why

Canonicity Historical Questions Actions of Church Councils What writings had Palestinian Jews come to recognize as Scripture at Jesus’ time? OT canon What Christian writings did Christians come to recognize as Scripture in the few centuries after Jesus’ time? NT canon Actions of Church Councils The regional or local Church Councils of Hippo, 393 A.D., and Carthage, 397 A.D., and later, Carthage 419 A.D. gave us the canon of Sacred Scripture as we know it today. http://www.catholicevangelism.org/h-canon1.shtml

Chapters and Verses Chapters (1,189 chapters) Verses (31,101 verses) OT began to be put into sections before the Babylonian Captivity (586 B.C.); by the time of the Council of Nicaea (325 A.D.), the NT had been divided into paragraphs Archbishop of Canterbury Stephen Langton devised the basis for the modern chapter division in the early 1200’s Verses (31,101 verses) OT: Rabbi Isaac Nathan numbered verses according to longstanding units in the Hebrew Bible around 1440 NT: Robert Estienne (a.k.a. Stephanus) introduced the current verse division in 1551

Apocrypha Books that are not in most protestant Bibles Apocrypha is from the Greek word ἀπόκρυφα, meaning "those having been hidden away" are texts of uncertain authenticity, or writings where the authorship is questioned. When used in the specific context of Christian theology, the term apocrypha refers to any collection of scriptural texts that falls outside the canon.

Apocrypha Apocryphal Books (Belgic Confession, 1561, Article 6) Third and fourth books of Esdras; the books of Tobit, Judith, Wisdom, Jesus Sirach Baruch; what was added to the Story of Esther; the Song of the Three Children in the Furnace; the Story of Susannah; the Story of Bell and the Dragon; the Prayer of Manasseh; and the two books of Maccabees. “The church may certainly read these books and learn from them as far as they agree with the canonical books. But they do not have such power and virtue that one could confirm from their testimony any point of faith or of the Christian religion. Much less can they detract from the authority of the other holy books.”

The Message of the Bible What does the Bible say about itself? What is its purpose?

What the Bible says about itself… I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you. (Psalm 119:11) When you received the word of God… you accepted it not as the word of men, but as it actually is, the word of God, which is at work in you who believe. (1 Thessalonians 2:13) All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness so that the man (person) of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work. (2 Timothy 3:16, 17)

What the Bible says about itself… (cont.) For the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing the soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart. (Hebrews 4:12) Do not merely listen to the word and so deceive yourselves. Do what is says. (James 1:22)

What the Bible says about itself… Summary and Application What key words or concepts do you remember from the preceding verses? What are some implications of these words and concepts for the ways that we should live and worship?

Purpose of the Bible Salvation in Jesus Christ Four States of Redemptive History (Augustine) Creation: able to sin, able not to sin (posse peccare, posse non peccare) Fall: not able not to sin (non posse non peccare) Redemption: able not to sin (posse non peccare) – again Consummation: not able to sin (non posse peccare)

The Sufficiency of Scripture Belgic Confession (1561) Article 7 “We believe that this Holy Scripture contains the will of God completely and that everything one must believe to be saved is sufficiently taught in it.”

The Old and the New “Testament” The Latin translation (testamentum) for “covenant”: a binding agreement between God and His people Old Testament God’s covenant with Abraham/Israel (Gen. 12-17) The Law’s requirements stated: The Ten Commandments (Exodus 20) Prophecies of the coming Messiah: The Suffering Servant (Isa. 53) New Testament God’s covenant with all mankind (Jer. 31:31-34, Mt. 26:28, 2 Cor. 3:6) The Law’s requirements re-stated: Love the Lord your God (Mt. 22:37) The acts of the crucified and risen Messiah: The Savior of the world (John 3:16)

Covenant An agreement between God and his people in which God makes certain promises and requires certain behavior from them in return. God’s covenant with Abraham: 1) great nation, bless those who bless & curse those who curse him (12:1-3); 2) give him the land from Egypt to the Euphrates (15:18-21); 3) make him a father of many nations (17:1-8); 4) circumcision as sign of the everlasting covenant (17:9-14) God’s promise of a new covenant: Jer. 31:31-34: “"The time is coming," declares the LORD,        "when I will make a new covenant        with the house of Israel        and with the house of Judah.” Jesus brings the new covenant: Mt. 26:28: “For this is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for many for the remission of sins” (KJV); “For this is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins” (NASB) The church has the new covenant: 2 Cor. 3:6: “He has made us competent as ministers of a new covenant—not of the letter but of the Spirit; for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life.”

For those who want to do more Reflect Purpose of Bible? Your response? Read the following books. Bickel and Jantz, Knowing the Bible 101. pp. 17-35; Donahue, Foundations: How We Got Our Bible. pp. 35-41 Read the following chapters in the Bible. Genesis 1: Creation Genesis 3: Fall and promise of a Redeemer Genesis 12: Abraham's call Genesis 17: God’s Covenant with Abraham Exodus 20: Ten Commandments Joshua 24: Choose you this day

Bible 101 “This book will keep you from sin or sin will keep you from this book.” Anonymous