Lesson 7- What Is the Bible?

Overview:

The word Bible is from the Greek word, biblos,  which means book  It is a book, however, unlike any other in all of mankind's history. The Bible is perhaps the most published,most read and most translated book of all the world's literature. In literary works, it is ranked also as the greatest and the most inspiring. However,it is more than just a literary endeavor of man. It is the inspired word of God ( 2 Timothy 3:16) and it is this uniqueness which has accounted for its enduring quality and its lasting message. It contains within its pages the guidelines for everyone's life. There is no other book in all the world, nor in the history of mankind, to which we can turn that will show us the pathways that we should follow in our lives. It is not a dead or static book nor is it a book of mythology but rather it is a book of real people and their relationship with their God. No other book is as alive as the Bible. No other book is as relevant as the Bible. No other book has so many important things to say to guide our life. No other book offers us such peace,happiness or the true meaning of wisdom that mankind often seeks in vain from worldly sources and relationships.

The Bible is not a single book but rather a collection of many books,66 in all,written by about 40 people at various times. Moses is credited with writing the first book,Genesis, and the Apostle John wrote the last book,The Book of Revelations. Of this total,39 books are dedicated to the Old Testament and 27 are concerned with the New Testament.   See Tabular Overview

The Bible has 3 divisions,or Dispensations, that relate to the manner by which God dealt with man. During the first dispensation,God spoke to the people through the fathers,or elders,such as Abraham and Jacob. This period is called the Patriarchal.   Later,God chose Moses to be His spokesman to convey His commands to the people. God's Laws governing the conduct of man were contained in the Ten Commandments, which were given to Moses on Mt. Sinai ( Exodus 20). This period,or Dispensation, is called the Mosaic and covers the time from Moses until the death of Christ. The third and final Dispensation is known as the Christian era and extends from Pentecost to the end of the world. Today,God speaks to us through His Son Jesus and the Bible is His revealed Word.
(Heb. 1:1, 2)

Some believe that the Bible can be understood only by specially trained people and not by the average person. Many believe this myth and consequently do not undertake a study of the Bible. To believe that God had not intended everyone to understand the Bible is to say that God is partial to only certain persons. We know this is not true. Peter tells us that God is an impartial judge. He would not base our salvation on the testimony of others. So it follows that the responsibility for a proper study and understanding of the Bible falls with the scope of each individual and not someone else.

Our next Lessons will examine the role of the Old Testament and the New Testament in God's plan for man's salvation.

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Page last updated: July 11, 2005