From God to Us: A Guide to How We Got Our Bible
(Lesson 1: Introduction)
From God to Us
Ø What are we studying?
Ø Where are we going?
Ø Why do we need this study?
Ø How should we study it?
What are we studying?
Ø Purpose: to understand how God gave us the Scriptures
Ø Where did it come from?
Ø How did we get it?
Ø Our Bible is the result of a long history of complex events and processes.
What is the Bible?
From God to Us: A Guide to How We Got Our Bible
(Lesson 1: Introduction)
From God to Us
Ø What are we studying?
Ø Where are we going?
Ø Why do we need this study?
Ø How should we study it?
What are we studying?
Ø Purpose: to understand how God gave us the Scriptures
Ø Where did it come from?
Ø How did we get it?
Ø Our Bible is the result of a long history of complex events and processes.
What is the Bible?
Ø “Bible” comes from the Greek word biblia = “books”
Ø The Bible is a collection of sacred books that serve as the authoritative writings for the Christian church.
Ø 66 different books or writings
Ø 2 Testaments or “Covenants”
Ø Old Testament = 39 books
Ø New Testament = 27 books
The Old Testament
Ø Law: Genesis - Deuteronomy
Ø History: Joshua - Esther
Ø Poetry: Job – Song of Songs
Ø Prophets
o Major: Isaiah - Daniel
o Minor: Hosea - Malachi
The Hebrew Bible
Ø Called the Tanak
o Torah (Law)
o Nebiim (Prophets)
o Kethubim (Writings)
Luke 24:44
He said to them, "This is what I told you while I was still with you: Everything must be fulfilled that is written about me in the Law of Moses, the Prophets and the Psalms."
Ø Torah: Genesis - Deuteronomy
Ø Nebiim: Joshua, Judges, Samuel, Kings, Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, The Twelve
Ø Kethubim: rest of the books; beginning with Psalms, ending with Chronicles
Luke 11:51
from the blood of Abel to the blood of Zechariah, who was killed between the altar and the sanctuary. Yes, I tell you, this generation will be held responsible for it all.
Ø This three-fold division of the Hebrew Scriptures (Law, Prophets, Writings) was set by the time of Jesus.
Ø The number and arrangement of the books of the Hebrew Bible was set by Jesus’ time.
The New Testament
Ø Gospels: Matthew - John
Ø History: Acts
Ø Epistles: Romans - Jude
Ø Prophecy: Revelation
The Bible
Ø These 66 books were not all written at the same time.
Ø The Bible, as a collection of all 66 books, did not exist until around 2nd century A.D.
Ø Prior to this time, these books were transmitted individually or as part of smaller collections.
Ø “Book of books” that we call the Bible came into being over a period of 1500 years, using 40 different authors.
Ø Diverse book with long history:
o Diverse Writers
ü Kings (David & Solomon)
ü Statesmen (Daniel)
ü Herdsmen (Amos)
ü Fishermen (Peter & John)
ü Priests (Jeremiah & Ezekiel)
ü Prophets (Isaiah & Micah)
ü Tax collector (Matthew)
ü Rabbi (Paul)
ü Physician (Luke)
ü Palestine (most of OT)
ü Italy (Paul’s prison epistles)
ü Greece (Romans)
ü Asia Minor (1 Corinthians)
ü Egypt (Jeremiah)
ü Mesopotamia (Daniel)
ü History
ü Laws
ü Poetry
ü Prophecy & Apocalyptic
ü Gospels
ü Letters
ü Wisdom
ü Hebrew (most of OT)
ü Aramaic (portions of Ezra and Daniel, 1 verse in Genesis)
ü Greek (all of NT)
Implications:
Ø Bible did not fall into our hands as a completed book.
Ø Composed of individual books, written over a long span of time.
Ø Individual writings were copied and collected into groups and then eventually into one book.
Ø Scriptures transmitted through the centuries by copying and translating into languages of the world.
Ø This study involves an understanding of the complex history of these processes over time.
Where are we going?
Ø Composition
Ø Canonization
Ø Transmission
Ø Translation
What is composition?
Ø Writing of original manuscript (autograph) by biblical author
Ø Not the product of human imagination or ingenuity
Ø A written record of God’s revelation to his people
Ø Authoritative Word of God
What is composition?
Ø What makes these books different?
o Holy Spirit’s superintendence
ü Revelation
ü Inspiration
ü Inerrancy
ü Authority
What is canonization?
Ø Canon refers to the writings regarded as Holy Scripture
Ø Canonization refers to the historical process by which certain books came to be regarded as Holy Scripture and other books did not.
Ø Which books are included in the canon?
Ø How did these books come to be included in the canon?
Ø Why are only these books included and not other “sacred writings”?
What is transmission?
Ø How the Scriptures were transmitted around the world and to later generations.
Ø Accomplished through copying of biblical texts.
Ø Hand-copied until c. A.D. 1450
Ø Printed after c. A.D. 1450
What is translation?
Ø Translation of Scripture from Hebrew, Aramaic, Greek into other languages.
Ø Focus on English translations
Ø History of English Bible
Ø Philosophy of Translation Methodology
Why this study?
Ø Lack of knowledge
Ø False ideas
Ø Unnecessary division
Ø Defending our faith
How should we study?
Ø Avoid unhealthy extremes:
o Undiscerning acceptance
o Critical unteachableness
Ø Healthy balance:
o Discerning teachableness
It is my prayer that this study will give us a greater appreciation for the Word of God and a greater desire to know its contents.
I also pray that it will cause us to stand in awe at the grace of God, which has allowed us to have his message in our hands.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Cameron Jungels
Eastside Baptist Church
May 1, 2013 Sun PM
Unless otherwise noted, the verses are in NIV.
