1. AN OVERVIEW OF THE BIBLE
Ascension Men’s
Bible Study

2. Let’s Get Acquainted with the Bible
General Theme of the Bible
How the Bible developed
Bible Timelines and Covenants
What was the time for each book
The Old and New Testaments
Words used in our Catholic Faith Expression

3. Theme or Purpose of the Bible
What is the primary story throughout the Bible?
The Bible is the story of God’s Love for His chosen people.
What method does God use to express His love for His chosen people?
Expressed by relating God’s Covenants in the stories given to us in the Books of the Bible

4. Covenants What is a Covenant?
Covenant Mediator
Adam
Noah
Abram
Moses
David
Jesus
Covenant Role
Husband
Father
Chieftain
Judge
King
Royal High Priest
Covenant form
Marriage
Household
Tribe
Nation
National Kingdom
Catholic Church
Covenant Sign
Sabbath
Rainbow
Circumcision
Passover
Throne
Eucharist
Scripture Reference
Gen 1:26 – 2:3
Gen 9:8-17
Gen 12:1-3; 22:16-18
Ex 19:5-6; 3:4-10
2 Sm 7:8-19
Mt 26:26-28
What is a Covenant?
It means to “come together” or “to agree”. Involves a formal, solemn and binding pact between two or more parties. Each party must live up to its end of the bargain. It is more than a contract in that it is an exchange of persons versus the exchange of properties.
It is sworn by a promise and an oath

5. The development of the Bible
Oral Traditions/stories
Scribes began writing down these accounts as literacy was developed
Assembly of the stories was first started in the time of the Kings
Prophets were often literate or had scribes who wrote for them
New Testament writings were written by clerks or assistants of the apostles, eye witnesses, or by the Apostles themselves

6. The development of the Bible
What does it mean when we say the Bible is “inspired”?
When and where does “inspiration” take place?
Scripture
Preaching
Individual letting the Holy Spirit speak to us
What does our catechism say about inspiration of the scriptures?
Inspiration: CCC105 God is the author of Sacred Scripture. "The divinely revealed realities, which are contained and presented in the text of Sacred Scripture, have been written down under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit." "For Holy Mother Church, relying on the faith of the apostolic age, accepts as sacred and canonical the books of the Old and the New Testaments, whole and entire, with all their parts, on the grounds that, written under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, they have God as their author, and have been handed on as such to the Church herself."

7. How was it assembled? What does the word Bible mean?
Library or collection of books
What do we know about how the Bible was put together?
Assembling the Bible (library) took a long time
Choices had to be made about which writings
General usage within Judaism and Christianity played a major role.
Are there differences between our Catholic Bible and other Bibles?
Catholic Bible contains books that are not included in some other Bibles
Catholic Bible contains some writings that are not in other Bibles

8. The “Canon” What do we mean when we say “Canon”?
What criteria was used for selecting the books to be included?
The books included in the Canon were in common use in the Christian community from early on as the teachings of the Apostles were written – by approximately 300 A.D. a definitive set were in general use
The books supported the theme of God’s love for his people.
The Official Roman Catholic Bible was not approved in its final form until the Council of Trent in the 16th Century

9. Timelines and Covenants
1000 BC
Beginning
DATE
Monarchy
Creation
Messiah
ERA
1. Adam - Marriage
COVENANTS
5. David – National Kingdom
6. Jesus – Catholic Church
2. Noah - Household
3. Abram - Tribe
4. Moses - Nation
Covenant is the central thread woven throughout scripture. The stories describe how God the Father, through a series of covenants moves from dealing with one couple to the whole world. Viewing the history of salvation through the covenants enables us to see the fatherly wisdom and power of God.

10. The Books of the Bible How are the books organized/arranged?
OLD TESTAMENT
The Pentateuch
Historical Books
Wisdom Books
Prophetic Books
NEW TESTAMENT
Gospels
New Testament Letters
Catholic Letters

11. Books of the Bible Old Testament
900 BC
1000 BC
Beginning
1200 BC
DATE
Monarchy
Creation
Judges
ERA
Adam - Marriage
COVENANTS
David - Kingdom
Noah - Household
Abram - Tribe
1 Samuel
Moses - Nation
Genesis
2 Samuel
Joshua
1 Kings
Exodus
Judges
1 Chronicles
Leviticus
Ruth
2 Chronicles
Psalms
Numbers
Proverbs
Deuteronomy

12. Books of the Bible Old Testament
900 BC
800 BC
DATE
Divided
Kingdom
Babylonian
Exile
ERA
COVENANTS
2 Kings
Nahum
Song of Songs
Habakkuk
Ecclesiastes
Zephaniah
Amos
Jeremiah
Ezekiel
Hosea
Daniel
Isaiah
Lamentations
Micah
Obadiah
Jonah
Baruch

13. Books of the Bible Old Testament
100 BC
500 BC
300 BC
DATE
from Exile
Return
ERA
COVENANTS
Zechariah
Haggai
Judith
1st Maccabees
Joel
2nd Maccabees
Ezra
Tobit
Esther
Sirach
Nehemiah
Job
Book of Wisdom
Malachi

14. Books of the Bible New Testament
70 AD
90 AD
100 AD
48 AD
DATE
COVENANT
Jesus – Catholic Church
Colossians
1 Thessalonians
Jude
Philemon
Mark
John
Acts
2 Thessalonians
1 John
Titus
1 Corinthians
2 John
Galatians
2 Corinthians
1 Timothy
3 John
Romans
2 Timothy
Revelation
James
1 Peter
Luke
2 Peter
Ephesians
Hebrews
Philippians
Matthew

15. The relationship between the Old Testament and the New Testament
What is the relationship between the Old and the New Testaments?
The New Testament is revealed through the Old Testament when we see the “types” or representatives of Jesus in the Old Testament figures.