WHAT IS THE
CHRISTIAN BIBLE?
2Timothy 3:15-17; 2Peter 1:19-21
What is in a book?
Over
two billion people in the world put their faith in a collection of ancient
writings called the Bible. What is this volume called The Bible? It is a
library of 66 books, 39 of which are called the Old Testament and the remaining
27 called the New Testament. It is difficult to find any book which has been as
read, as studied, as analyzed, as dissected, as summarized and as criticized as
the Bible. Millions of books and articles have been written about it. Thousands
base their education on it. Others base their livelihood on it. Kings and
nations have tried to destroy it, atheist philosophers have tried to discredit
it over the centuries. But the Bible has proved practically indestructible.
It
possesses power to transform lives. Wicked men reading it see their wickedness
rebuked and their lives changed. The foolish read it and learn wisdom. The
grieved read it and are comforted. The hopeless read it and find hope. It
offers hope for now and for the future. Many nations, though they may not admit
it, base their laws on it.
The
book teaches about God and creation, evil, the coming of Christ, future
judgement on wickedness and coming reward for righteousness. This book is our
Bible. We read it, study it, live by its precepts, get married according to its
standards, bring our children up by its principles, and conduct our business
based on its guidelines. We place our hope of eternal life in the saving work
of our Saviour Jesus Christ as recorded in it. It is an extremely authoritative
book. What is it that makes the Bible as indispensable as it is? It is an
inspired book. It is God’s book though written by men who were inspired by the
Holy Spirit.
NAMES OF THE BIBLE
The
Bible we read today is known by many names, all of which are to be found in the
Bible itself. These names describe to us the Writer of the Bible, the functions
of the bible, the character of the Bible, its importance in the relationship
between God and mankind. They reveal to us the purpose of God for writing the
Bible and endowing it with such power. Here are some of the names by which the
bible is called.
(i)
The Word of God (Heb.4:12; Eph.6:17; Col.1:25; Luke 8:11)
(ii)
The Word of the Lord (Jer.1:2, 11;
Ezek.1:3; Isa.1:10; Acts 8:25; 1 Pet.2:23-25)
(iii)
The Word of Christ (Col.3:16)
(iv)
The Word of Life (Phil.2:16)
(v)
The Word of Truth (Eph.1:13)
(vi)
The Word of Faith (Rom.10:8)
It
is also called The Scriptures (28 times in the NT and once in the OT), invested
with divine authority, in contrast to the uninspired works of men
(2Tim.3:15-16)
The
Bible is called the Oracles of God literally the speech of God (Heb.5:10)
SYMBOLS OF SCRIPTURE
(a)- Fire (Jer.23:29); (b) Hammer (Jer.23:29); (c)
(Lamp (Psalm 119:105; (d) Mirror (James 1:23); (e) Milk (1Pet.2:2); (f) Rod
(Rev.11:1-2); (g) Seed (1Pet.1:23; Luke 8:11); (h) Sword (Heb.4:12; Eph.6:18);
(i) Water (Eph.5:26; John 15:3; 17:17); (j) Gold (Psalm 19:7-10); (k) Honey
(Psalm 19:10; Rev.10:10), etc.
What
we find out is that the word of God lives up to all these symbols by which it
is described. You can begin to appreciate its awesome power.
THE BIBLE IS AN INSPIRED LIBRARY
2Tim.3:15-16; 2Pet.1:20-21; Jer.1:9
The
Bible’s firm declaration is, “All scripture is given by inspiration of God and
is profitable for doctrine, for correction and for instruction in righteousness…”
(2Tim.3:16). By “All Scripture”, we mean the Christian Bible containing 39 OT
and 27 NT books. This includes the Jewish Bible containing the 39 OT books.
This is the Bible that is inspired of God – God breathed on the writers what He
desired to communicate to us. Inspiration does not mean dictation. A standard
pattern of speech in OT is, “Thus saith the LORD”, or, “And the Lord said
unto…” or “And the word of the Lord came to me…” For instance, God laid His hand on the mouth of
Jeremiah the prophet as a means of transferring the prophetic words to Him
(Jer.1:9). With Ezekiel, God caused him to eat the “scroll”, or “roll”,
representing the word of God, and he went forth to prophesy in the “heat” of
his spirit (Ezek.3:1-4 , 14). This is what is known as inspiration.
Inspiration
can also be in the form of revelation, where God communicated truth to man that
which could not be discovered by natural reasoning. God reveals Himself and His
purposes to man through a human agent. Although there are things that are
recorded in the Bible by experience and observation, they are no less
revelation from God to man (Deut.29:29; John 16:12-15)
PROOFS OF INSPIRATION OF THE BIBLE
MIRACULOUS
EVENTS IN THE BIBLE
The
Bible is a book of miracles – a miracle is a supernatural act of power done by
God. The Bible contains numerous accounts of miracles – the Red Sea dividing,
manna falling from heaven every morning for 40 years, Water coming out of the
rock, the dead being raised, the lame walking, the blind seeing, etc., etc.,
etc., etc… No work of man is comparable.
PROPHECY
AND FULFILMENT
Prophecy
is the foretelling of events before they occur. The Bible itself is called the
book of prophecy. Event were accurately predicted generations before they occurred.
This can only happen because God caused men to pen down such predictions. This
is also a sign of inspiration of the Bible.
UNITY
OF THE BIBLE
The
66 books of the Bible were written over a period of 1600 years, by
approximately 40 different authors (Kings, statesmen, prophets, peasants,
fishermen, herdsmen, priests, tradesmen and prisoners) who lived in different
cultures and different countries (Egypt, Rome and Babylon) they wrote the Bible
in three different languages (Hebrew, Aramaic and Greek). What they wrote
contains almost every kind of literature (History, Law, Prophecy and Poetry).
Yet the book is amazingly unified. It is as if each author produced a certain strand
which fits in and harmonizes with the rest of Scripture. We affirm that the
Bible the written word of God has one primary message – the revelation of the
Living Word of God, our Lord Jesus Christ.
MIRACULOUS
PRESERVATION
The
bible boast many superlatives. It is not only the most loved book, it is also
the most hated book! Multiplied millions of it have been either burnt or
destroyed one way or the other. Some countries ban it and forbid their people
reading it. It’s authority has been the subject of constant vicious attack. But
through the centuries, the Bible has survived all attacks and continues its
work of changing lives. It is still loved by millions
INFLUENCE
OF THE BIBLE
The
influence of the Bible as a book is unmatched by any other book. It has influenced
some of the most beautiful music, art, law, science and education. Millions of
lives have been changed by its truth. Only eternity will reveal the full
influence of this holy book.
THE OLD TESTAMENT CANON
The
simplest explanation of canon is that it is the standard by which we know what
is inspired Scripture and what is not. The Jewish Scripture is called the
Tanach standing for Torah (5 Books of Moses), Nevi’im (The Prophets) and Ketuvim
(The Writings headed by the Psalms). Those are the three major divisions in the
Hebrew Bible today. The OT is the book of God’s Covenant first made with Noah
(Gen.9:8-17) with the rainbow as the seal. The second was made with Abraham
(Gen.15:8; 17:1-4) with the seal of circumcision.
There
is a lot that can be said of the OT but suffice it to say that Jesus gave His
approval of it during His ministry on earth. He recognized the OT Canon, quoted
it often in His teaching (Isa.61:1; Luke 24:27, 44-46; 11:50-52 (Gen.4:8;
2Chro.24:20-22)). Notice His approval of the three divisions of the Jewish OT (Luke
24:44). The Hebrew Bible today contains the exact number of Books (39) found in
the Old Testament but with a different arrangement. The OT is therefore part of
the Christian Bible. Some Church traditions add some other books called
apocrypha. But these are considered not inspired. At every stage, God’s people understood
what God’s word was and bound themselves to do them (Exod.24:3-7); (2 Kings
23:1-3); (Neh.8:1-9:38).
THE NEW TESTAMENT CANON
The
New Testament is the most reliable collection of writings of any work of
antiquity. Within 125 years of its completion, 43% of all the verses can be
found in papyri. Within 125 years of completion, 0% classical literature is
found any manuscript form. There are three times more of NT manuscripts with
its first 200 years than the average Greco-Roman author has in 2000 year (D.B.
Wallace). Some writers have said that the New Testament is the answer to the
Old Testament. It is also important to note that the New Testament cannot stand
without the Old Testament. God has planned that both testaments of His Word
will be indispensable of each other. The Supreme subject of the NT is Jesus
Christ, the Messiah of mankind. Its supreme purpose is the redemption of
mankind. The Gospels declare the arrival of the Messiah (Luke 2:10-11). In the
Epistles we see the Lordship of the Exalted Messiah (Heb.8:1). And in
Revelation we see the soon returning of the Lord (Rev.22:7)
The
NT has 27 books. Athanasius was the first father of the Church, who recorded
all 27 books of the NT in 367 AD. The books of the NT were written within 50
years of Christ’s ascension.
A
fragment called The Muratorian fragment (dated 170 A.D.) contains 21 of the 27
NT books, showing us that the 27 book canon was established very early in the
life and worship of the Church.
The
early Church considered the canon of the NT closed by 100 AD. This was about the
time when the last apostle, John died. Anything written after the apostles were
not at all considered to be part of Scripture, because the eye witnesses
inspired by the Holy Spirit did not stamp their authority on such.
Councils
of Hyppo (393AD) and Carthage (397 AD) recognized and affirmed the 27 books we
have today as the books of the NT.
CRITERIA FOR CANONICITY
The
27 books of the NT had to pass a strict test for canonicity before they were
accepted by the universal Church. The books had to show:
(1)
APOSTOLIC AUTHORITY – the author must
be an apostle of Jesus Christ or someone who has a close connection to an
apostle.
(2)
DATE OF WRITING – the book must be
written within the lifetime of the apostles (the last apostle died at about 100
AD.
(3)
ORTHODOXY – the teachings in the book
must be in agreement with the teachings in other books of the NT and in deed
other books of the OT.
(4)
CATHOLICITY – the book must be
accepted by the Church as a whole, not just in one region.
(5)
TRADITIONAL USE – the book must have
some tradition of having been used as scripture by the Church.
(6)
INSPIRATION – the book must show
signs of inspiration of the Holy Spirit, and in most cases claim this
inspiration.
All
27 books of the NT met all of the above conditions. All the other books written
after these did not meet these criteria. So we are very confident that all the
books we have in our NT are the only books that were recognized by the Church
from the very beginning. So all the other books you hear about like the book of
Enoch, or the Gospel of Thomas, even if some quotation from them found their
way into the NT, did not meet these conditions and thus were excluded from the
canon (Jude 1:14).
THE FOCUS OF THE BIBLE
The
Bible reveals God’s plan of redemption through the ages. From Genesis 3:15, we
see God’s promise of redemption after the fall of Adam and Eve. This fall would
affect every human being in the world and cut them off from the glory of God.
The
Bible traces for us how God from the very beginning planned the redemption of
man. He called Abraham and made a covenant with him to build a nation. Through
that Nation Israel, God’s Anointed One – the Messiah would be born.
From
Genesis 3:15, prophecy after prophecy was given concerning the identity of the
Messiah. All those prophecies are fulfilled in Jesus Christ (Micah 5:2 in
1Pet.1:20; Isa. 7:14 in Mat.1:22-23; Zech.9:9 in Mat.21:1-7; Isa.53:4-7 in
Mat.27:12-14; 1Pet.2:21-25; psalm 22:1ff; Psalm16:8-11).
Now
we know that all these prophecies concerning Jesus have been fulfilled. This
means that the rest of the prophecies concerning His return in the Rapture and
to judge the living and the dead will surely come to pass. Are you ready for
that?
HOW TO APPROACH THE BIBLE (2Tim.3:15-17; 1Pet.2:2-3)
The
bible has set objectives that it seeks to achieve in the life of believers – to
TEACH, REBUKE, CORRECT and TRAIN in righteousness. The Bible can do this for us
because it is perfect (Psalm 19:7-11). In Halley’s Bible Handbook we find some
useful suggestions on how we should approach the Bible.
(i)
Accept the Bible. It is the word of
God. Do not worry about the theory of critics. Pin your faith in it. It will
never let you down. Trust and practice its teachings and your joy will be full
and you will be happy forever.
(ii)
Read the Bible with an open mind. Do
not put it into a strait jacket of a few pet doctrines. Remember it was given
by inspiration of the Omniscient mind of God. Read it fairly. Read it honestly.
Apply its teachings to your daily life.
(iii)
Read the Bible Thoughtfully. Set your
mind to understand what it is communicating to you.
(iv)
Write its instructions down. You are
free to mark its content as the Holy Spirit illuminates it for you.
(v)
Memorize Verses of the Bible. Repeat
them to yourself. Use them in your prayers and in your worship. Claim its
promises. Obey its commands.
(vi)
Memorize the names of the books. Know
what the books are, the other in which they are arranged, and what they teach.
(vii)
Love and cherish the Bible. It is
God’s book to you. The teachings of Christ and His apostles recorded in the
Bible will lead you to salvation.