Overview of the Bible

contact writer

Questions for Discussion

1.      What are some things to be concerned about in the selection of a Bible?

2.      What are some of the issues that you would expect the Bible to cover?

3.      How is it determined whether a writing should be included in the Bible or not?

4.      What are some of the major differences between the Old Testament and the New Testament?

5.      Why would some of the things that Jesus did be a model for Christians while others would not?

All sorts of strange things have been found in the Bible by those who came looking for strange things.  Does that mean that God put them there for that reason?  Probably not.  It just means that if you go to the Bible with your mind made up, you will probably find that for which you are looking.  We need to approach the Bible as a book that will teach us, not as a book that will confirm our prejudices and opinions.

Some have found a prophecy of automobiles in the Old Testament.  Others have found reasons for forbidding women to wear pants to church.  Still others have found secret codes with all sorts of predictions for our times.  None of these represent a correct understanding of the Bible.  They are interesting, but they do not represent a clear understanding of the message that God put in the Bible.  Finding your own opinion in some obscure passage of the Bible is not the same as finding what God has put there to teach and instruct you.

The Bible is first of all a book about God.  It begins with an account of the Creation and closes with a promise of the return of Jesus, the Son of God.  The glory of God, His character, His majesty, His sovereignty and His authority are major lessons to be learned from a study of the scriptures, both Old and New Testament.  In fact, reading only the Old Testament or only the New Testament will result in a distorted view of God.  There are not two Gods, one in the Old Testament and one in the New.  The same God is revealed in all of His glory as one reads both the Old and New Testament.

We could almost say that incidentally the Bible is a book about people.  It is people, in their relationship with God that forms much of the narrative that is the Bible.  People’s lives are shaped by their interaction with God.  They grow in the “grace and knowledge” of Jesus (2 Peter 3:18 ) or they are counted among the rebellious based on their lack of respect for God and His rule in their lives.

The Bible is a book that is mostly historical documents.  It deals with real people who lived in this world.  It traces the history of the Jewish people from the call of Abraham around 1800 BC down to the middle of the first century AD.  It contains prophecies of the fate of his descendants down to our own times.  The history is written with a spiritual emphasis.  It relates the lives of people and describes their relationship with the one true God.

The Bible has two major sections, the Old Testament and the New Testament.  The Old Testament contains a record of those things occurring before Christ was born.  The New Testament relates those things occurring after the birth of Jesus.  There is a gap of about 420 to 430 years between the two testaments, or between the book of Malachi  and the book of Matthew .  There are extra books in the Catholic Bible, including 1 and 2 Maccabees , which relate some of the events occurring during this period.

The Old Testament contains 39 books or individual writings and the New Testament contains 27.  The Jewish division of the Old Testament is a little different than the Protestant yielding a different number of books, but both the Jewish and the Protestant Old Testaments contain the same material.  The Jewish people refer to the Old Testament as the Tanakh since obviously, for them; there is no New Testament so the Old Testament is not “old.”

The Catholic Bible has additional writings in the Old Testament.  These writings were made a part of the Catholic Bible by a decision of the Council of Trent  in 1564.  The writings that they added were: Tobit , Judith , 1 and 2 Maccabees , Wisdom , Sirach  (Ecclesiasticus) , Baruch, and additions to the books of Esther  and Daniel .  These additional writings were never a part of the Jewish Bible.  These writings were never quoted by Jesus or his apostles.  The Catholic Church made a decision to include these books in their Bible at the Council of Trent along with other decisions, many of which were intended to discredit Martin Luther and the Protestant Reformation.  A clear distinction was made at the Council of Trent between Catholic teaching and that of the reformers.  The changes in the Old Testament were a part of their plan to discredit the reformers and make clear the difference between the Catholic Church and those who had been put out or excommunicated.

The Jewish Old Testament is divided into “the law, the prophets and the psalms.  (See, for example, Luke 24:43  although often the gospels simply refer to “the law and the prophets.)  Because of a different arrangement of the books in the Protestant Old Testament, it is more easily divided into the following sections:  Law (the books of Moses: Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers and Deuteronomy), History (Joshua, Judges, Ruth, 1 and 2 Samuel, 1 and 2 Kings, 1 and 2 Chronicles, Ezra, Nehemiah and Esther), Poetry (Job, Psalms, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes and Song of Solomon), Major Prophets (Isaiah, Jeremiah, Lamentations, Ezekiel and Daniel) and Minor Prophets (Hosea, Joel, Amos, Obadiah, Jonah, Micah, Nahum, Habakkuk, Zephaniah, Haggai, Zechariah and Malachi).

The New Testament can be divided similarly.  It begins with the gospel in four accounts written by Matthew, Mark, Luke and John.  Please note that there are not four gospels, but only one.  It is one gospel recorded by four inspired men chosen by God.  The New Testament continues with a book of Christian history, Acts, followed by Paul’s letters (Romans, 1 and 2 Corinthians, Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, 1 and 2 Thessalonians, 1 and 2 Timothy, Titus and Philemon).  Next there is a letter to Jewish Christians, Hebrews (author unknown), then general letters written by the men whose names they bear (James, 1 and 2 Peter, 1, 2 and 3 John and Jude).  The New Testament concludes with a book foretelling the future, Revelation, written by John.

The Old Testament was written in Hebrew except for the last part of Daniel (written in Aramaic).  About 32 men wrote the Old Testament.  The New Testament was written in Greek.  Eight men wrote the New Testament.  Our English Old Testament is a translation from a carefully copied text passed down by Jewish copyists with some changes as indicated from the Dead Sea Scrolls.  Our English New Testament is translated from a Greek text compiled from thousands of manuscripts that were hand copied from the first to the twelfth centuries.  The number and reliability of the manuscripts for both the Old and the New Testaments are unprecedented among writings so old.  Most ancient writings are found only in a manuscript or two.  To find thousands of manuscripts of a writing as old as the Bible is amazing.  This is an indication of the importance attached to these writings.

Early translations were made of the New Testament into the languages of people to whom the gospel was taken.  In Egypt , Syria and Rome , people soon had God’s word in their own languages.  It was much later that the Latin Vulgate became the standard translation for the church and the people no longer had access to versions of the Bible in their own language.  All across Europe there were no Bibles available in the common language of the people.  Germans, Spaniards, French, English, etc. could only read the Bible in Latin.

It was not until the 14^th century that the whole Bible was translated into English.  John Wycliffe was the translator.  It was against church policy at that time to make the Bible available in the common language of the people.  This was a great departure from the New Testament church that read the Bible in the language of the common people.  In frustration, church leaders dug up the bones of Wycliffe and burned them.  This was done to express the outrage of church authorities at the actions of this man in translating the Bible.  There were other things taught by Wycliffe that were also in opposition to established church doctrines.  Some would include Wycliffe as the first of the Protestant reformers.

Other translations followed that of Wycliffe.  Finally, in the early 16^th century, the King of England authorized a new English translation.  His name was King James.  The translation made in his name became the standard translation among English speaking people for hundreds of years.  In beauty and form it has never been surpassed among English translations.  Today its language is out of date and difficult for many to understand because of changes in the English language.

Meanwhile others were busy translating the Bible into the common language of other nations.  For example, Luther provided German speaking people with a translation in their native tongue.  Efforts have continued down through the years to provide people with a copy of the scriptures in a language that they could read and understand.  Translations into the current languages of our world continue to be made by scholars.  Several organizations have been formed whose principal business has been to translate the Bible into the languages and dialects of our world.

For many Americans in the late 20^th century, the King James Version was like reading a foreign language.  The archaic phrases and words that had been common for many years became more and more unfamiliar to new readers of the Bible.  In the late 20^th century many people took up the task again of providing English readers with a translation that the common people could read and understand.  Those translators gave us such versions as the American Standard Version, the Revised Standard Version, the New English Bible, Good News for Modern Man, the New International Version and others.  Then there were new translations of these editions with the New American Standard Version, the New Revised Standard Version and even the New King James Version.

Some individuals and groups took up the tools of translation to give emphasis to particular and peculiar doctrines that they held.  Instead of being translations produced by a cross section of religious views they produced translations by people with a single sectarian bias.  Such works have not been generally accepted in the religious world because of the obvious intentions of the translators.

Generally the best translations are made by committees.  This is true when the committee contains people with differing views on Bible doctrines.  Those who hold a particular view cannot so readily put those views into the translation.  They are balanced by those who may be more objective or offer a different perspective on the doctrine in question.  In the give and take of a group the erroneous views of the translators may be eliminated by a consensus of the group.  At least that is what is supposed to happen.

There are several observations we might make about translations.  First of all, the Bible message of salvation is simple and is repeated over and over again through the scriptures.  For that reason, it is possible to find in any translation, God’s plan for your personal salvation.  I have yet to find a translation that was able to completely obscure God’s plan of salvation.  Second, any view that depends upon one particular translation and cannot be sustained by others is not usually correct.  Something that is true will be found among most, if not all, standard translations.  Third, there are good and bad translations.  If one has a choice, that choice should be made to read one of the better translations rather than one of the worse.  Three that we would recommend are: the King James Version (for those who are familiar with its language), the New American Standard (for those who want a more up-to-date language edition) or the New King James Version (which preserves much of the original King James Version without the archaic expressions and word forms).  This is not to say that versions written in a more readable style cannot be read with profit by those who wish to learn what God intends for their life.  It is far better to read a version one can understand than to stay away from the Bible because a particular version is too difficult.

A good place to begin reading the Bible would be to start in the gospels, Acts and the letters to Christians.  Yet the reading can never be considered as complete or even adequate without giving attention to the Old Testament.  The writings of Moses and the books of history ought to be familiar territory to one dedicated to serving God.  Later the prophets and the other writings ought to be perused with a view to understanding the God who has called us out of darkness to be His people.

There is a common theme that runs through the entire Bible.  It is the theme of a God who loves people and moves to bring them to believe in Him.  It is written of Abraham, “He believed in the Lord; and He reckoned it to him as righteousness.”  (Genesis 15:6)   Concerning Noah, the Bible says, “By faith Noah, being warned by God about things not yet seen, in reverence prepared an ark for the salvation of his household, by which he condemned the world, and became an heir of the righteousness which is according to faith.”  (Heb 11:7)

There are differences in the details of what God expects of people living at different times and in different circumstances, but there is one thing God always expects.  “Without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who seek Him.”  (Heb 11:6)   God expects people to trust Him and to have confidence in Him.  It was true for Adam and Eve, for Noah, for Abraham and for all those who have followed after them.

God has chosen men to tell the stories that are recorded in the Bible in order to cause others to believe.  The stories of Genesis, Exodus, Joshua, Judges and others recorded in the Old Testament are told “for our instruction.”  (Rom 15:4)   They are not fables and myths from the past, but the real-life stories of men and women who struggled with the problems of life in this world.  Sometimes they are stories of people who chose to love and serve God and others are stories of those who chose disobedience and disloyalty to God.  As men of old told these stories they told them from the viewpoint of God.  We can believe in God because of the record He has left to inspire us to serve Him.  “So faith comes from hearing, and hearing by the word of Christ.”  (Rom 10:17 )

God chose particular people to write the Bible.  Peter says of those whom God chose:  “But know this first of all, that no prophecy of Scripture is a matter of one’s own interpretation, for no prophecy was ever made by an act of human will, but men moved by the Holy Spirit spoke from God.”  (2 Peter 1:20-21)   Paul wrote to his friend and young preacher, Timothy:  “You, however, continue in the things you have learned and become convinced of, knowing from whom you have learned them; and that from childhood you have known the sacred writings which are able to give you the wisdom that leads to salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.  All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness; that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work.”  (2 Timothy 3:14-17)

While God’s plan for our salvation begins with faith, it does not end there.  Adam and Eve were to trust God, but they were also to tend and keep the garden.  Noah “found favor in the eyes of the Lord,” but he had to build the ark to save his family from the flood.  Abraham “was looking for the city which has foundations, whose architect and builder is God,” but he had to leave his home in Ur of the Chaldees and go to live in the land of Canaan .  God did not declare him righteous by faith until he had followed the instructions God gave him.  As James wrote, “faith without works is dead.”  (James 2:17)

We have already referred to the division of the Bible into an Old Testament and a New Testament.  We have also pointed out the need for a Christian to be familiar with the material that is in both the Old and the New Testaments.  There are many things that they share in common.  In both, God demands that those whom He blesses must be believers.  It is the same God who is author of both Testaments.

However, there is an important distinction to be made between the Old and New Testaments.  Jeremiah refers to this matter in a prophecy found in Jeremiah 31:31-34 .  “‘Behold, days are coming,’ declares the Lord, ‘when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah, not like the covenant which I made with their fathers in the day I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt, My covenant which they broke, although I was a husband to them,’ declares the Lord.  ‘But this is the covenant which I will make with the house of Israel after those days,’ declares the Lord, ‘I will put My law within them, and on their heart I will write it; and I will be their God, and they shall be My people.  And they shall not teach again, each man his neighbor and each man his brother, saying, ‘Know the Lord,’ for they shall all know Me, from the least of them to the greatest of them,’ declares the Lord, ‘for I will forgive their iniquity, and their sin I will remember no more.’”

There are many covenants in the Bible.  God made a covenant with Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden.  They broke that covenant.  After the flood, God made a covenant with Noah of which the rainbow was a sign.  God made a covenant later with Abraham.  That covenant was repeated to his son and grandson, Isaac and Jacob.  Covenants are agreements between two or more parties.  The covenants may include promises, responsibilities for one or more parties concerning duties to be carried out, penalties and the like.

The first covenant to which Jeremiah refers is that for which the Ten Commandments stands as the core.  It is the covenant contained in the last half of Exodus with further details recorded in Leviticus, Numbers and Deuteronomy.  It is that which we sometimes call the Old Testament or more properly, the old covenant.  This covenant was the agreement by which the descendants of Jacob ( Israel ) were governed by God.

Jeremiah’s prophecy of a new covenant was written about 600 BC.  The Babylonians were threatening God’s people.  The future looked bleak.  The covenant with God had been broken by long years of negligence and worse.  In the midst of this despair, Jeremiah foresaw a time when God would come in a new way to redeem His people.  There would be a new covenant and all the past sins would be forgotten.

There would be fundamental differences between the new covenant and the old covenant.  The new covenant would be written upon their hearts instead of upon tablets of stone.  There would be no need to teach the covenant to their neighbors and brothers.  All who were under the new covenant would already know God.  Under the old covenant children were included by virtue of their birth to descendants of Jacob. Under the new covenant children would not be included until their new birth when they accepted the lordship of Jesus.  While ignorance often prevailed under the old covenant, knowledge would be a basis for inclusion in the new covenant.

Under the new covenant there would be no continual remembrance of sin in sacrifices and offerings.  Sins would be remitted by a “once for all” sacrifice. The sacrifice of Jesus would suffice for every person.  There would no longer be a need for the temple, the altar, the mercy seat and the Levitical priesthood.  Worship would be different and rules for daily life would be changed.

The prophecy of Jeremiah is quoted in Hebrews 8:8-12 .  The writer then draws a conclusion, “When He said, ‘A new covenant,’ He has made the first obsolete.  But whatever is becoming obsolete and growing old is ready to disappear.”

One other passage to be considered is the statement of Jesus in Matthew 5:17 :  “Do not think that I came to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I did not come to abolish, but to fulfill.”  The writer of Hebrews refers to the covenant (which contained the law as well as promises and other matters) as becoming obsolete.  He does not say that it was abolished.  Neither does Jesus say that the covenant would be in force forever, but rather he says that it would be fulfilled.  The word “fulfill” means to fill up, complete or finish.  Jesus fulfilled the law.  He completed the covenant and made it obsolete.  The law was finished as a code by which to live.  By his death he instituted a new arrangement, a new covenant with his people.

In many religious groups there is a mixing of the old and the new covenant in determining what they will and will not do.  Some laws from the old covenant are still observed and some laws from the new covenant.  Other laws from each covenant are ignored.  God is not the author of such confusion.  It is impossible without a temple and priesthood to comply with the laws found in the old covenant.  It is obvious that God has intervened to make His will plain.  His will for those who love him is found in the new covenant sealed by the blood of Jesus on a tree at Golgotha .

As Jesus instituted communion he said, “This is My blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for forgiveness of sins.”  (Matt 26:28)   The death of Jesus would prove to be the beginning of a whole new arrangement between God and His people.

Any religious system that fails to recognize the fundamental distinction between the old and the new covenant is flawed.  Mixing the two covenants and taking elements from each does not result in a religion that is blessed by God.  The old covenant was the basis for the Jewish life and religion.  The new covenant forms the basis for the Christian life and religion.

The model for Christian worship is not to be found in the altars of Abraham, nor in the temple of Solomon nor in the tabernacle of David.  Christian worship is found in the New Testament.  Jewish worship is found in the Old Testament.  Jewish worship included priests in vestments, lighting lamps, burning incense and an altar for sacrifice.  It also included instrumental music, choirs and annual holy days.  Christian worship included none of these things.  At least there is no mention of these things in the worship of the church as revealed through the apostles whom Jesus chose.

Inclusion in the family of God in the Old Testament was a matter of parentage, that is, physical birth.  Inclusion in the family of God in the New Testament is a matter of a second, a spiritual, birth.

The Gospel tells us the story of Jesus.  He was born under the law.  His worship was that of the Old Testament.  The commandments he obeyed were the commandments delivered by Moses.  Yet in his death, as well as in much that he taught, we find the new covenant of God.  A careful distinction must be made between the two covenants in order to determine the response that God requires of Christians.

The following will give a brief summary of each of the 66 books that form our Bible.

Genesis – The Bible begins with a simple statement that God is the Creator.  The creation is described and is followed by an account of the first sin.  In the subsequent stories it is made clear that God chooses people on the basis of their faith and punishes those who continue in disobedience.  With the choosing of Abraham the Bible begins the story of how Jesus was to be brought into the world through the descendants of this man and his family.  Genesis concludes with an account of how the descendants of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob came to Egypt where they would later become slaves.

Exodus – Moses is chosen by God to lead the slave nation out of Egypt to freedom.  The battle between God and Pharaoh’s gods is described with the culmination in the Passover and the death of the first born in Egypt .  Moses leads the people out through the Red Sea and they continue on to Mt. Sinai where God appears to them and delivers His law, the Ten Commandments and the accompanying statutes.

Leviticus – The duties of the priests are described and various laws regulating the conduct of the people are given in detail.

Numbers – An account is given of the failure of the people to trust God and take the promised land.  The travails of 40 years wandering in the wilderness until all the men who came out of Egypt were dead are detailed.  The circumstances by which they arrived on the east side of the Jordan are given.  The story of Balaam, the prophet of God, who was called to curse Israel but blessed them instead is told.

Deuteronomy – Moses words of exhortation and challenge are laid before the people prior to his death on Mt. Nebo .  There is also a second record of the Ten Commandments.  This book completes the writing of the law for Israel .

Joshua – Under the leadership of Joshua the Israelites cross over the Jordan on dry ground and invade the land of Canaan .  The first battle is fought at Jericho .  A campaign is waged against the southern kings and then the army turns north to face a northern confederation that opposed their occupation.  Finally the land to the west of the Jordan is divided between nine and a half tribes with the other two and a half tribes inheriting land east of the Jordan .

Judges – For 400 years the Israelites existed as a loose confederation of tribes.  In times of crisis God raised up men (and one woman, Deborah) who were called judges to lead the armies and deliver the people from their oppressors.  The stories of people such as Gideon, Jephthah and Samson are told.  The prevailing belief was such that “every man did what was right in his own eyes.”

Ruth – A story set during the period of the judges, Ruth provides a welcome relief from the brutal stories of Judges.  Ruth, a Moabite woman, came to Israel with her mother-in-law Naomi after the death of Naomi’s husband and both sons.  She married into the family of Judah and becamd an ancestor of King David through her son, Obed.

1 Samuel – The prophet and judge, Samuel, forms a bridge between the period of the judges and the kings of Israel .  Samuel was the last of the judges and anointed the first two kings, Saul and David.  The exploits of these three men up to the death of Saul are recorded here.  The birth of Samuel as a result of Hannah’s prayer, Saul’s failure as a king and David’s battle with Goliath are highlights of 1 Samuel.

2 Samuel – Here we find David’s reign as king over Israel .  He began in Hebron as king over Judah and assumed his reign over all of Israel after the death of Ishbosheth, the son of Saul.  His reign was marked by conquests on every side and was only marred by the affair with Bathsheba and the death of her husband, Uriah, in an attempt to cover up what he had done.  The consequences of that sin, imposed by God, led to the death of his and Bathsheba’s first son, the death of his oldest son, murdered by his brother, and the rebellion of another son, Absalom, who attempted to usurp the kingdom.  In spite of his faults, David is called a man after God’s own heart and is ranked first among the kings of Israel .

1 Kings – The story continues from 1 Samuel and begins with the death of David and the fight between Adonijah and Solomon for the throne.  Solomon began his reign by asking God for wisdom to judge the people.  He built a magnificent temple where God would be worshipped and many other structures in the city of Jerusalem .  In the end his heart was turned away from God by the idolatry of his foreign wives.  After the death of Solomon the kingdom was divided with ten tribes following Jereboam and two tribes, Judah and Benjamin, following the son of Solomon, Rehoboam.  In the north, Jereboam established places of worship to discourage the people from going back to Jerusalem .  The establishment of these places and the appointment of priests outside the line of Levi were a continuing source of evil and led the people further and further from God.  It was during this time that God raised up Elijah as a prophet in the north.

2 Kings – The story of the two kingdoms is continued.  In the north, there are continual eruptions and deposing of kings resulting in the death of the king and his whole family in several instances.  In the south the spiritual state of things is not much better.  There are brief periods of restoration in the south.  In the north, God’s patience is finally exhausted and the Assyrians invade and take the people away as captives to a foreign land.  They are replaced by others whom the Assyrians move in.  These are the people who we know as Samaritans in the New Testament.  In the south the kingdom continues for another 150 years until the Babylonians invade, destroy Jerusalem and take the people captive to Babylon .  In successive invasions, people such as Ezekiel and Daniel are taken away while Jeremiah is left with the people in Judah .

1 Chronicles – Early chapters give detailed lists of ancestry beginning with Adam and continuing down to the time of David.  Later chapters give the details of David’s reign as king down to his death and the coronation of Solomon to succeed him as king.

2 Chronicles – This book differs from the record in kings in that it records the history of God’s people primarily from the perspective of the descendants of David and their reign over the people in the southern part of Israel .  After the division following the death of Solomon only incidental reference is made to the people in the north.  The record continues down to the destruction of Jerusalem and the temple and the carrying away of many of the people to Babylon .

Ezra – Ezra continues the story of God’s people following the Babylonian captivity. Following the edict of the Persian king, Cyrus, Zerubbabel led a group of exiles back home to Israel where they settled in the area around Jerusalem .  Sacrifices were offered and work was begun on rebuilding the temple.  When work was halted as a result of their enemies, the temple building was not resumed until the help of a later Persian king, Darius, was enlisted in their favor.  Ezra led a second group of exiles on their return and led the people in a return to the Law of Moses and the observance of the rituals instituted under Moses.

Nehemiah – In the Persian capital word came to Nehemiah of the dire straits of God’s people in Jerusalem .  With the walls torn down, the city lay exposed to its enemies. Nehemiah received permission from the king to return to Jerusalem and rebuild the walls.  With the help of the people, the task was completed in 52 days in spite of the efforts of the enemies of the Jews to halt progress.  Later chapters give additional details and record a prayer of Nehemiah for the people.

Esther – A story of intrigue, of boundless faith and perseverance, the story of Esther inspires and moves us.  The setting is in Persia after many of the exiles had returned home.  Esther, a young Jewish maiden became queen and in a thrilling story risked her life to save her people from a plot of Haman, who had been advanced by the king to a position over all the other princes.  The feast of Purim celebrates the deliverance of the Jews.

Job – This book is perhaps the first book of the Bible to have been written.  Various theories have proposed Job, Abraham and Moses as authors.  Job is first of all deprived of all his property and his children.  He is then afflicted in his body.  Throughout his ordeal he maintains his integrity and does not turn against God.  Three friends arrive to console him and most of the book is composed of a dialogue between Job and these friends.  They accuse him and he defends himself. Finally, a young man, Elihu, joins in, but no one can explain Job’s difficulties.  God then speaks to Job who has demanded an interview with the Almighty and asks Job questions, many of which modern science has still not been able to answer.  In the end Job’s fortunes are restored.  Because of his perseverance in the face of severe trials, he is noted for his patience (endurance) in the book of James.  (James 5:11)

Psalms – The psalms are composed as poems of praise and thanksgiving to God.  They are expressive of man’s deepest feelings about life and about God.  Some express extreme views of what God ought to do to enemies.  Others plead for forgiveness and ask God’s help.  Some are historical as they relate the history of God’s people. On the whole they offer hope and consolation to those who seek after God.  There are many prophecies of Jesus scattered through the book of Psalms, for example, Psalms 2  and 22 .

Proverbs – Proverbs are statements that are generally true.  They are not statements of absolute truth. For example, “Train up a child in the way he should go, even when he is old he will not depart from it,” is a statement that is generally true. It is not a guarantee that proper training will always produce a righteous adult.  When that is understood these proverbs can be read with great profit offering wise advice to young and old alike.

Ecclesiastes – This second of Solomon’s writings portrays man’s search for meaning if there is no God.  The conclusion of that search is announced at the beginning of the book, “’Vanity of vanities,’ says the Preacher, ‘Vanity of vanities!  All is vanity.’”  In the search for meaning apart from God there are several statements in Ecclesiastes that are not literally true.  They are only true based on the assumption that there is no God.  To read the book without keeping that in mind may lead to several mistaken notions, “Money is the answer to everything,” and “the dead know nothing.”  There is a powerful conclusion in the last chapter, “Fear God and keep His commandments.”

Song of Solomon – Written as a love poem, this short book is felt by some to have no place in the Bible.  Others have seen a comparison to the love of Christ for his church and see it as prophecy.

Isaiah – The second longest book in the Bible after Psalms, Isaiah speaks of the rise and fall of many nations and looks forward to the coming of the Messiah.  During a span that covered the reigns of four kings of Judah , Isaiah continued to speak out against the sins of his people and to warn of the disasters that lay ahead.  The most vivid description of the death of the Messiah is found in chapter 53.  There are many other prophecies concerning Jesus as well.  Because of a prophecy concerning Cyrus, king of Persia in chapter 45, some have attributed the last 26 chapters of Isaiah to later writers, but that is based only on the view that the Bible is the work of men and not the work of men moved by the Spirit of God.  The early chapters of Isaiah contain prophecies concerning nations, prophecies that have been fulfilled.

Jeremiah – Before Jeremiah was born, God had chosen him to be a prophet to Israel .  As he lived through the siege and fall of Jerusalem , Jeremiah continued to speak out against the sins of his people.  He was imprisoned, thrown in a cistern and otherwise abused for his prophecies.  Finally, against his council the people went off to Egypt to escape the wrath of the Babylonians, taking Jeremiah with them.  Jeremiah’s prophecies also covered the tragedies coming to the Egyptians, the Philistines, the Moabites, the Ammonites and the Babylonians.

Lamentations – This short writing, also by Jeremiah, records the prophet’s sorrow over the destruction of Jerusalem .  From this he is often referred to as “the weeping prophet.”

Ezekiel – Ezekiel was a contemporary of both Jeremiah and Daniel.  He was among those exiled from Israel and taken to Babylon where he resettled.  Several of his visions involved his “return” to Israel in the Spirit.  His writings are highly symbolic (sometimes referred to as “apocalyptic literature”) and have been used for all sorts of purposes by giving a literal meaning to what Ezekiel describes as a vision.  In a vision of a valley of dry bones, Ezekiel sees the restoration of Israel to their land and in another vision he sees the reconstructed temple.  These are prophecies that were fulfilled within a hundred years.

Daniel – Jeremiah and Ezekiel were contemporaries of Daniel.  Daniel was probably the youngest of the three and was taken into exile to Babylon while a very young man.  His prophecies were made during the reign of Nebuchadnezzar and Belshazzar, kings of Babylon and continued on into the reign of the Persian monarchs who conquered Babylon .  Many of Daniel’s prophecies involve the interpretation of dreams and the “handwriting on the wall.”  He looked into the future and saw the rise of the Persian, Greek and Roman empires and saw the coronation of God’s Messiah in the days of the Romans.

Hosea – As a sign to Israel , Hosea was ordered by God to marry a harlot.  Two children were born whose names were prophetic of what God would do to Israel .  Hosea’s wife, Gomer, then left him and he was instructed to purchase her back after she had committed adultery.  Hosea’s wife was to him as Israel was to God.  Hosea pleaded with the people to return to the Lord.  He condemned their worship of idols and called for their repentance.  His words went unheeded by Israel .

Joel – Joel opens his prophecy with a description of locusts marching through the land devouring everything.  He speaks of invasion by Israel ’s enemies.  In a striking prophecy he tells of the coming of God’s Spirit upon people that was fulfilled on the first Pentecost after the resurrection of Jesus.  In a reverse of prophecies by Isaiah and Micah he speaks of beating plowshares into swords and pruning hooks into spears.  In a great spiritual battle involving all nations, there are many who will stand in the valley of decision to decide upon whose side they will fight.

Amos – The prophet is noted for his description of himself, “not a prophet nor the son of a prophet, but a shepherd and a gatherer of sycamore fruit.”  God sent him from Judah to prophesy to Israel .  In strong language Amos condemned the luxurious lives of those who lived in defiance of God.  He warns them that sacrifice alone will not suffice to please God, but they must reform their lives and “let justice roll down like waters and righteousness like an ever-flowing stream.”

Obadiah – This shortest of Old Testament books contains a prophecy against Edom .  They had refused to help Israel in their time of need and for that God would punish them.

Jonah – The story of Jonah illustrates the principle that one cannot run away from responsibilities which God has given.  After being swallowed by a great fish which God had appointed, Jonah went to Nineveh to preach.  The powerful preaching of Jonah led the entire city to repent and God spared them from destruction.

Micah – The label that Micah puts on his prophecy is that “which he saw concerning Samaria and Jerusalem .”  These were the capitals of Israel and Judah respectively.  After speaking out against their sins, in a striking summary he says, “He has told you, O man, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?”  He also looked to a future in the “last days” when God would establish the “mountain of the house of the Lord” and “from Zion will go forth the law, even the word of the Lord from Jerusalem .”  This prophecy is also found in Isaiah, a contemporary of Micah.

Nahum – While Jonah’s preaching had led to a reformation in Nineveh , the people soon returned to their old ways.  The prophecy of Nahum warned the people of Nineveh again.  God warned of His coming wrath.  Nahum wrote, “There is no relief for your breakdown, your wound is incurable.”  Nineveh would shortly fall before the Babylonian onslaught.

Habakkuk – The prophet is troubled by the idea that God could use the wicked Babylonians to punish His people, Israel .  He calls out to God for answers.  “Why dost Thou look with favor on those who deal treacherously?”  “Why art Thou silent when the wicked swallow up those more righteous than they?”  In his concluding chapter, Habakkuk prays to God.  He promises that he will “exult in the Lord” when all his prosperity has vanished and he is reduced to poverty.  “The Lord God is my strength, and He has made my feet like hinds’ feet, and makes me walk on my high places.”

Zephaniah – Judgment is pronounced against Judah , the cities of Philistia , Moab , Ammon and the Assyrians.  A detailed prophecy is given of the fall of Nineveh , the capital city of Assyria .  For Zephaniah, the “great day of the Lord” is near.  The day of the Lord is a common expression among the prophets to denote a limited judgment against some city or nation.  The prophet closes with a vision of the return of God’s people to their land in triumph over their enemies.

Haggai – Haggai comes on the scene after the Babylonian captivity to encourage the returned refugees to complete work on the temple of God .  He chastises them for paying attention to their personal well-being while neglecting the house of God.  The prophet promises that the temple being rebuilt will exceed in glory the former temple.  This prophecy was fulfilled when Jesus came to the rebuilt temple to declare the name of God.

Zechariah – Much of the imagery employed by Zechariah is used again by John in the book of Revelation.  Written after the return from Babylon, the prophet, in dramatic fashion, tells of the times of the Messiah, his triumphal ride into Jerusalem, his enthronement as priest and king, his betrayal for thirty pieces of silver and the “fountain . . ., for sin and for impurity” referring to the blood of Jesus.  He also writes of the coming destruction of Jerusalem again.

Malachi – The opening chapter condemns the worthless offerings that are being presented at the altar.  Malachi then turns his attention to the priests who bear the responsibility for what is offered on the altar.  The priests “should preserve knowledge, and men should seek instruction from his mouth.”  Instead they had caused people to stumble.  After speaking of the coming of the “messenger of the covenant,” Jesus, Malachi closes with a prophecy of the coming of “Elijah,” which was fulfilled in John the Baptist.

Matthew – The New Testament begins with an account of the life of Jesus.  None of the first four books are properly called biographies.  Each is written to give particular emphasis to some aspect of Jesus.  Matthew is concerned with Jesus and his relationship to the coming kingdom of heaven.  He closes with a declaration of Jesus that all authority has been given to him, that he is the expected Messiah, the King.

Matthew records several major speeches of Jesus.  In chapters 5 through 7 is recorded the sermon on the mount, in chapter 10 Jesus addressed the twelve, in chapter 13 there is a compilation of parables, in chapters 22 and 23 there is a discussion with the religious leaders and in chapters 24 and 25 Jesus discusses the destruction of Jerusalem and the end of the world.

Major attention is given to the miracles of Jesus in chapters 8 and 9.  The events leading up to the trial, the trial before the Jewish leaders and Pilate and the crucifixion occupy chapter 26 and 27.  Matthew closes with a brief account of the resurrection and the final appearances of Jesus in chapter 28.

Mark – In this shortest of the gospels, Mark concentrates on the deeds of Jesus.  There are no long discourses yet the ability of Jesus as a teacher shines through.  With a brief introduction of John the Baptist and his work, Mark launches into his account of the ministry of Jesus concluding with a brief account of the resurrection, appearances and ascension of Jesus.  Like Matthew, Mark gives a detailed account of Jesus last meal (the Passover) with his disciples and his trials and crucifixion.  In an ending that has been disputed by some but has endured the scrutiny of the scholars, Mark tells of Jesus commission to his disciples and the powerful testimony that God would give to their message.

Luke – Along with Matthew, Luke gives one of two accounts of the birth of Jesus.  Luke, alone, also gives us the details of the birth of John the Baptist.  Writing as an historian, Luke tells us of his careful investigation.  He records in detail the rulers and events surrounding the birth of Jesus.

Luke is notable for his inclusion of parables that are not recorded by any other writer.  The stories of the Good Samaritan, the Prodigal Son and Lazarus and the rich man enrich our understanding.  Luke also includes a long narrative of the appearance of Jesus to two disciples as they left Jerusalem on the day of the resurrection.

John – The opening of John’s gospel is modeled on the opening of the Bible at Genesis, chapter one, verse one.  John tells us of the oneness of Jesus with God and tells us of the difference between Jesus and God.  These two themes run all through John’s gospel, the two are the same, but the two are different.

John states his purpose in 20:30 -31: ; “These things are written that you might believe.”  Unlike the other evangelists who record several instances of Jesus healing all that came to him, John only mentions one occasion of multiple healings.  He chooses instead to discuss at length a few miracles and the implications of those few.  His gospel closes with the conviction of doubting Thomas and the rebuke of Peter.

Acts – Written as an historical document, Acts tells the story of the early disciples.  Peter is the dominant person through the first twelve chapters and Paul dominates the remainder of the book.  The beginning of the church is told in the first two chapters and then is recorded the spread of the gospel in Jerusalem , Judea , Samaria and unto the uttermost parts of the world.  There are three recorded mission trips of Paul and his final trip as a prisoner to Rome .  The book ends with Paul under arrest in the city of Rome .

Romans – One of the great statements of the Christian faith is found in chapters one through eight as Paul explains the power of the gospel to save those who believe.  He establishes that all are sinners and God seeks men of faith.  He reviews the turning point in dying to sin and beginning a new life in baptism.  He discusses the difficulties of overcoming sin and the power of God to help us.  Then in chapters 9 through 11 he discusses the “Jewish problem.”  If the gospel is to save all men, then what of the special relationship of Israel ?  After answering this question Romans then closes with an exhortation to live by the faith that has saved.

1 Corinthians – As Paul considers the divided state of the Corinthian church, he writes a letter to help them understand the difference between being carnal Christians and being spiritual.  Their problems stemmed from a worldly outlook rather than one based on the principles of love.  Teachers, whom they highly regarded, and a multitude of gifts of the Spirit had not made up for their lack of love.  Gifts of the Spirit had not made them spiritual people.  In fact there were even some who apparently struggled with belief in the resurrection and the goal toward which the Christian is pressing.

2 Corinthians – This second letter from Paul, written to Corinth while he was in Ephesus , takes up in greater detail a defense of his apostleship.  In anguish of spirit he writes to those who owe their spiritual lives to his work in establishing a church at Corinth .  He also exhorts them to give to the special contribution being taken for the poor among the Christians in Judea .

Galatians – One of the prickly issues which troubled the early church involved the relationship of Gentile Christians to the Law of Moses.  A decision was rendered by the apostles and elders at Jerusalem and passed on to the churches that Gentiles were not required to keep the Law of Moses.  The issue is further discussed in this letter of Paul to churches that he had established among the Gentiles.  In addition Paul discusses the need to follow the Spirit rather than the flesh in order to properly serve God.

Ephesians – Paul sets forth God’s eternal purpose in calling people out of the world into the church founded upon apostles and prophets with Jesus as its only head for salvation and redemption.  In chapter four there is an impassioned plea for unity based on proper attitudes and proper beliefs.  This is followed by an extended discussion of proper Christian conduct in all the relationships of life.  The letter closes with a description of the Christian’s armor in standing firm for God against all the wiles of the devil.

Philippians – Outside of a brief mention of a disturbance between two women in the Philippian church, this letter of Paul encourages Christians in several ways.  Paul speaks of the encouragement given to others by his steadfastness in prison.  He speaks of the willingness of Jesus to give up glory for service to people.  He speaks of the things that he has given up for the sake of knowing Christ.  He writes to encourage them to rejoice through all difficulties and be content with what they have.

Colossians – There is much in common between this letter and the letter to the Ephesians, probably written about the same time.  There is a statement describing the glory of Christ.  Paul speaks of how we are complete in Christ and then goes on to discuss the implications of that for living in this world in all of life’s relationships.

1 Thessalonians – Paul’s first letter and perhaps the first part of the New Testament to be written was addressed to a congregation established by Paul on his second mission journey.  It reminds them of the things they had shared together and includes a detailed description of what will happen when Jesus comes again.  In particular Paul wanted them to know that those who died before the second coming would not lose out, but would be the first to be raised.

2 Thessalonians – While Paul continued his encouragement of the Christians in Thessalonica he also wrote about the judgment that awaited those who persecuted Christians.  He spoke also about certain things that must take place before the end comes and contradicted those who said that the Lord had already come.  He encouraged them to keep working and warned those who were disobedient to the instructions he had given.

1 Timothy – Paul wrote three letters to preachers of which this is the first.  Much of the letter is concerned with the conduct of affairs in the congregation including the qualifications for elders and deacons and the qualifications for widows who were to be supported by the congregation.  The letter closes with an exhortation not to be given to the “love of money.”

2 Timothy – In this second letter to Timothy, Paul reminds the evangelist of his duties and responsibilities.  He also speaks of the hardships that must be endured and speaks of the reward that awaits those who remain faithful to their calling.

Titus – There are instructions for organizing the churches in Crete as well as instructions for the various relationships of life in this letter to a preacher.  Paul encourages Titus to speak with confidence and warns him to avoid foolish controversies over things that detract from the message of salvation.  There are also instructions on how to deal with those who cause division.

Philemon – Onesimus had once been Philemon’s slave.  He had run away and been converted by Paul.  Paul sent him back to Philemon with instructions to this Christian man encouraging him to set Onesimus free and return him to serve Paul in his imprisonment.

Hebrews – Much of this letter is devoted to speaking of the greatness of Jesus.  Jesus is higher than the angels, greater than Moses and more enduring than the priests under the Law of Moses.  The covenant of Jesus is also compared to the covenant made through Moses.  In every case the conclusion is that Jesus and his covenant are superior.  The former arrangements are seen as preludes to the coming of Jesus and the establishment of a covenant which grants superior promises to those who embrace it.  The letter closes with a warning and an encouragement to Christians to patiently endure their hardships for the cause of Christ.

James – Short sections giving God’s wisdom as advice to Christians characterize this letter.  For this reason it is sometimes called the “Proverbs of the New Testament.”  Some of the topics dealt with are the pursuit of wisdom, dealing with temptation, the danger of wealth, the need for works to display one’s faith, the need to control the tongue and the efficacy of prayer.

1 Peter – Peter speaks first of our hope and the means by which we have obtained it.  Of importance are the new birth and the putting aside of sin and an understanding of God’s word.  As strangers and aliens, Christians are to live in this world.  A Christian’s relationships to government, to masters, to husbands and wives are described.  There follows an exhortation to be zealous for the good and to endure persecution and suffering and beware of the devil who prowls seeking whom he may devour.

2 Peter – The letter opens with an exhortation to grow as a Christian.  There follows a warning against false prophets with a description of their methods.  In the closing chapter Peter warns against those who see the delay in the second coming as evidence that Jesus is not going to return.  Peter assures his readers that the end will come and they need to be constantly prepared for that day.

1 John – As in the gospel, John tells us why he has written this letter.  “These things have I written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, in order that you may know that you have eternal life.” (1 John 5:13)  While John does not tell us how one becomes a Christian, he describes in detail what must be done for a Christian to remain secure in his hope of eternal life.

2 John – A short warning against deceivers and an exhortation to abide in the teaching of Christ takes up most of this letter.  Typical of John is also an included exhortation to “love one another.”

3 John – There are two points of concern in this short letter, first to act faithfully toward those who have gone out into the world to preach and second, to call attention to the ungodly actions of Diotrophes.

Jude – Some points of similarity exist between this short letter and 2 Peter.  Both warn of those who oppose godliness and the true teaching of Christ with vivid descriptions characteristic of other writings such as Zechariah, Daniel and Revelation.

Revelation – The key to establishing a time frame for Revelation lies in the first three verses which place the fulfillment of the visions in chapters 4 through 19 in the first century.  A second key is found in 17:9-10 which points us to the reign of Nero as the date for the writing.  A third key is found in the repeated references in chapter 20 to a period of a thousand years, thus placing the events of the last three chapters far in the future.  A fourth key toward a correct understanding is found in the repeated reference in chapters 2 and 3 to “the one who overcomes” or “he that overcomes.”  The book is written to encourage first century Christians in the face of fierce opposition from the Jews and the Roman government to be “faithful unto death.”  It thus stands as an encouragement to all Christians down through the ages to be faithful and God will grant them peace in the world to come.