Thirty-Five Things Worth Knowing About the Bible

8/14/2019 Thirty-Five Things Worth Knowing About the Bible

1/15

Thirty-Five Things Worth Knowing About the Bibleby Greg Williamson (c) 2008

(AC21DOJ.org)

Unless otherwise noted, all Bible quotations are from the New English Translation (NET).

1 What are some basic facts about the Bible? The Bible was written over a period of approximately 1,400 years -- from the time of Moses until theend of the first century AD/CE. Despite the fact that its 66 individual books were written over such along period of time by many different people from various walks of life, the Bible presents a unifiedmessage of God's plan to rescue the human race.

The Bible is divided into two main sections, the Old Testament (OT) and the New Testament (NT).The OT is held in very high esteem by the world's three largest monotheistic (= belief in one God)religions: Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. The OT, written in Hebrew (and some Aramaic), depictsGod's dealings with humankind in general, and with his chosen people, Israel, in particular. The NT,written in Greek, presents the coming of Jesus Christ, the birth of the Christian Church, and the

spread of the Gospel message of salvation through personal, saving faith in Christ.

2 WHO SAID WHAT

A thorough knowledge of the Bible is worth more than a college

education.-- THEODORE ROOSEVELT (1858-1919) [REF] *

3 How can we know about God?The Bible is built on the fact that there is a real and personal God who created people in order tohave a real and personal relationship with us. Because God is a supernatural being, we cannot see,hear, or touch him. And so he must choose to reveal himself to us before we can know anythingabout him. God has chosen to make himself known in two ways, often referred to as generalrevelation and specialrevelation. General revelation refers to God's communication of himself in ageneral sense. This is what can be known of God through nature (including human nature) andhuman history. The design and beauty of nature, the preservation of the nation of Israel, and ourreligious nature -- these are all general ways in which God reveals himself to us. [REF]

SCRIPTURE SAYS

The heavens declare the glory of God; the sky displays his handiwork. Day after day it speaks out; nightafter night it reveals his greatness. There is no actual speech or word, nor is its voice literally heard. Yet its

voice echoes throughout the earth ... (Psalm 19:1-4)

For since the creation of the world his invisible attributes - his eternal power and divine nature - have been

clearly seen, because they are understood through what has been made ... (Romans 1:20)


2/15

4 APOLOGETICS 101

Why should I believe in God when no one can prove he exists?

God is spirit. We cannot see, hear, or touch spirit. Therefore, we cannot

see, hear, or touch God -- at least not directly. That is why he gave us hisWord, the Bible. And that is why we must look at Jesus to see God.

Lots of things cannot be "proven" through the scientific method. Love, forexample, cannot be weighed on a scale or poured into a test tube. Andyet we know love is as real as anything in this world. People set

themselves against tremendous odds, endure tremendous hardships, gotremendous distances -- all in the name of love. The greatest example of

love, of course, is God's love for us: "For this is the way God loved the

world: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes inhim will not perish but have eternal life" (John 3:16).

In addition, while there may be little direct evidence for God's existence,

there is much indirect or circumstantial evidence: [REF] The universe must have had a beginning -- and hence a

"beginner." Complicated design -- that is, evidence of an intelligent designer --

is found throughout all of nature, even down to the DNA within a

single cell.

Certain moral laws -- against murder, rape, stealing, lying, etc. --

have been and still are accepted by many and various culturesaround the world.

5 Why isn't general revelation enough?By itself general revelation is limited for at least two reasons: 1) "due to their fallen condition," humanbeings "suppress this knowledge and pervert its message," and 2) general revelation cannot prove

that the God spoken of in the Bible actually exists. [REF]In addition, if all we had to go by was generalrevelation, we could reach some very misleading conclusions. For example, without knowing anythingelse about God, all the pain, suffering, and evil in the world could easily lead us to conclude that thebeing who created this world is unloving, powerless, or both. [REF]

General revelation lays the foundation for special revelation, which is God's communication of himselfin a particular sense. This is what can be known of God through his many personal encounters. Asrecorded in the Bible, God communicated directly with such individuals as Abraham, Moses, and theOT prophets of Israel. God's ultimate revelation, however, came with the appearance of Jesus Christ.Through Jesus, God made himself known as never before.

Jesus' many miracles, his sacrificial death, and his resurrection from the dead verified his teachingsand made a way for us to enter into a personal relationship with God. This is the message thefollowers of Jesus (the first Christians) took to all the world beginning in the first century AD/CE.

SCRIPTURE SAYS

After God spoke long ago in various portions and in various ways to our ancestors through the prophets, inthese last days he has spoken to us in a son, whom he appointed heir of all things, and through whom he

created the world. The Son is the radiance of his glory and the representation of his essence, and he sustains


3/15

all things by his powerful word ... (Hebrews 1:1-3)

"And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among people by which

we must be saved. (Acts 4:12)

6 WHO SAID WHAT

A single line in the Bible has consoled me more than all the books I

have ever read.-- IMMANUEL KANT (1724-1804) [REF]

7 Why should the Bible be accepted as the authoritative Word of God?While there exists overwhelming historical evidence for both the OT and NT, the main reason weaccept the Bible as the authoritative Word of God is because of Jesus and his apostles. As Godincarnate, Jesus had ultimate authority. Jesus verified the OT in his own teachings, and he

commissioned his handpicked representatives, the apostles, to take his teachings to literally theentire world. [REF] In addition, the apostles' writings (our NT) are saturated with OT quotations andallusions. The apostles held the OT in highest esteem, and their own writings amounted to a divinelyinspired, authoritative commentary on the OT. [REF]

SCRIPTURE SAYS

"But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you everything, and

will cause you to remember everything I said to you." (John 14:26)

Then Jesus came up and said to them, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Thereforego and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy

Spirit, teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And remember, I am with you always, tothe end of the age." (Matthew 28:18-20)

They were devoting themselves to the apostles teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and toprayer. Reverential awe came over everyone, and many wonders and miraculous signs came about by the

apostles. (Acts 2:42-43)

who was appointed the Son-of-God-in-power according to the Holy Spirit by the resurrection from the dead,

Jesus Christ our Lord. Through him we have received grace and our apostleship to bring about the obedience

of faith among all the Gentiles on behalf of his name. (Romans 1:4-5)

8 How can we know the Bible is historically reliable?There are three main tests historians use for determining the reliability of an ancient document: [REF]

BIBLIOGRAPHICAL TEST.This has to do with how a document was preserved as it waspassed from generation to generation.

INTERNAL EVIDENCE TEST.This has to do with contradictions and other inconsistencies. EXTERNAL EVIDENCE TEST.This has to do with other sources outside the document that

help to prove the document is true and trustworthy.


4/15

When subjected to these standard tests, both the OT and the NT are shown to be historically reliable.

9 APOLOGETICS 101

Isn't the Bible really just a book of myths and legends?

This question is often asked by folk who are skeptical or even criticalregarding the Bible's origin. However, it is not what the authors of the

Bible books believed; they were absolutely convinced they were recording

actual, historical events.

Many of the alleged myths in the OT were actually verified by Jesushimself. Examples include Adam and Eve (Matthew 19:4), Noah and the

flood (Matthew 24:37-39; Luke 17:26-27), and Jonah and the whale(Matthew 12:39-40).

It has been shown that it takes at least two full generations for a myth todevelop. The events of the NT are drawn from eyewitness testimony and

were recorded by Jesus' contemporaries. [REF]

In response to the claim that the NT gospels contain legendary or

romantic accounts, renowned professor, writer, and Christian apologist C.S. Lewis wrote: "I have been reading poems, romances, vision-literature,

legends, myths all my life. I know what they are like. I know that not one

of them is like this." [REF]

10 How was the OT written and preserved? The OT was written over a period of about one-thousand years -- from Genesis circa 1400 BC/BCE to Malachi circa 400 BC/BCE -- and involvedbetween 30 and 40 writers, including prophets, judges, and kings. [REF]The first OT manuscripts (=

handwritten documents) used only the consonantal Hebrew alphabet, and were written withoutdivisions (to preserve space). Schools of scribes meticulously hand copied the text in this way untilthe time of the Masoretes (circa AD/CE 500-900), who were Jewish scholars and scribes that addedvowel points and made other improvements to the text. The OT we have today is called the Masoretictext (MT) because of the tremendous contribution made by the Masoretes as they preserved andpassed on the Hebrew Bible. [REF] Both prior to and including the period of the Masoretes, those whocopied the manuscripts did so with a sense of reverence, care, and precision rivaling any modernscientific endeavor. [REF] Why? Because they remained absolutely convinced they were dealing withthe very thoughts and words of Almighty God.

11 WHO SAID WHAT

A man who loves his wife will love her letters and her photographs

because they speak to him of her. So if we love the Lord Jesus, we

shall love the Bible because it speaks to us of him.-- JOHN R. W. STOTT (1921- ) [REF]


5/15

12 Does the Bible contradict itself?If God really did inspire men to write the Bible, then we would expect the Bible to be free ofcontradictions and errors. Which is exactly what the doctrine of inerrancy (inerrant = "without error")teaches: when correctly interpreted (a crucial point) the Bible is completely true and trustworthy in allthat it affirms.[REF] Many Bible critics have pointed to errors or contradictions in the text -- only to beproved wrong following new archaeological discoveries, new manuscript evidence, etc.

SCRIPTURE SAYS

Every scripture is inspired by God and useful for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in

righteousness, that the person dedicated to God may be capable and equipped for every good work. (2Timothy 3:16-17)

Above all, you do well if you recognize66 this: No prophecy of scripture ever comes about by the prophet'sown imagination, for no prophecy was ever borne of human impulse; rather, men carried along by the Holy

Spirit spoke from God. (2 Peter 1:20-21)

13 APOLOGETICS 101

Hasn't the Bible been translated and copied so many times thatwhat w e have today cannot be trusted?

Of course it's true that the Bible has been translated into a vast numberof languages. In fact, the Bible is the most translated book in the world,

and in many cases a language was first put into writing by Christian

missionaries for the express purpose of making the Bible available to aspecific people group. And it's also true that the Bible manuscripts were

repeatedly copied by hand for many hundreds of years (until the advent

of the printing press, invented in Europe in the 15th century). In bothcases, mistakes were made.

Far from making the Bible unreliable, however, the vast number oftranslations and thousands of hand copied manuscripts still in existence

help to ensure the accuracy and reliability of our modern Bible. How so?

Through the science of textual criticism, which can be defined as:"Comparison and evaluation of the different readings of the manuscripts

of the Bible in order to construct the history of the text through itsvarious stages and to establish, as far as possible, the original." [REF]

In the case of the NT, today there exists nearly 5,700 Greek manuscripts,

some fragments of which can be dated to within only a few years ofJesus' death and resurrection. This number has been said to be

embarrassingly high when compared with other ancient writings. While no

two manuscripts are exactly alike, modern Bible scholars have arrived ata text that is very nearly 100% accurate. What's more, any questions or

uncertainties that remain do not impact any major Bible doctrine. [REF]


6/15

14 What about the other books not included in the Bible?For both the OT and the NT, there arose a number of books from the same time period that were notincluded. The process of determining which books to include and which to exclude is known as the"canonization" of Scripture (canon = "an accepted principle or rule" [REF]). There were certain strictcriteria that had to be met before a book could become part of the Bible. The book had to: be writtenby a prophet (an official spokesman for God); be confirmed by miraculous acts; speak the truth aboutGod; and be accepted by the people of God. [REF]

15 WHO SAID WHAT

All things desirable to men are contained in the Bible.-- ABRAHAM LINCOLN (1809-1865 ) [REF]

16 Why w as the NT written?During the earliest years of the Christian mission there was no real need for a written record of Jesusand his teachings. The material contained in the writings that we know today as the NT gospels

(Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John) was circulated by word of mouth, and there were lots ofeyewitnesses still alive to verify what was being said. As the eyewitnesses eventually began dyingout, their testimony was preserved in writing.

Various problems and difficulties arose within the new churches that were being started far and wide.This situation resulted in what we know today as the NT epistles (= letters), most of which werewritten by the apostle Paul in an effort to help the fledgling churches work through their difficultiesand, most of all, fully understand and live out the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Paul and the other apostleswere guided by God's Holy Spirit in communicating his truths that remain valid and binding to thisday.[REF]

17 APOLOGETICS 101

Isn't it narrow -minded for Christians to think that only they havethe truth? Isn't all truth relative?

Christians claim that God is the source of all truth. And since the Bible isthe inspired, authoritative Word of God, we must check our view of reality

against it.

Jesus said: "I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to

the Father except through me" (John 14:6). If that sounds narrow, it's

because truth is narrow. For example, it's true that 1 + 1 = 2, period.

By definition, "truth" is what corresponds to reality and is true for allpeople, at all times, in all places. While our understanding or perception

of truth may change with time, truth itself never changes.

Today it's common to hear someone say that "all truth is relative." Butsuch a statement is self-defeating for two reasons: 1) it itself is making

an absolute claim regarding truth, and hence 2) if it's true, it's false. [REF]


7/15

18 How did the NT develop, and how old are the copies of the NT writings wehave today?At first the NT books were circulated individually. By late in the first century and early in the second,they were being grouped together into the fourfold gospel, the book of Acts, and Paul's letters. Byabout AD/CE 150 the Church at large had accepted most of the NT books as authentic (some of thebooks found at the end of the NT were disputed). But by AD/CE 367 the limits were firmly in place,and a church council meeting in 393 ratified what had already been accepted by the Church at large

as the limits of the NT writings. [REF]

The NT writings were copied by hand and distributed abroad. Today there exist in various languagesmore than 25,000 manuscripts, with more than 5,600 in Greek. The earliest NT manuscript inexistence is dated to the beginning of the second century AD/CE (circa 114); manuscripts of entirebooks are dated circa 200; manuscripts for most of the NT are dated circa 250; and manuscripts ofthe entire NT are dated circa 325. This can be compared, for instance, to Homer's Iliad. Originallywritten in 800 BC/BCE, the earliest copy dates 400 years later (circa 400 BC/BCE), and there are lessthan 650 copies in existence. [REF]

19 Are there any ancient sources other than the NT that speak of Jesus? Early non-Christians whose writings speak of Jesus and/or the movement he founded include:

Cornelius Tacitus (circa 55120), Roman historian.

Gaius Suetonius (circa 69140), Roman historian.

Flavius Josephus (37circa 100), Jewish military officer and historian.

Pliny the Younger (circa 61c. 113), Roman writer and administrator.

Emperor Trajan (52117).

Lucian (circa 125circa 190), Greek writer.[REF] [REF]

While none of these secular sources offer any facts beyond what is recorded in the NT gospels, [REF]they do help to confirm that: [REF]

Jesus was a real person who lived a wise and morally upright life despite which he was put to death by

crucifixion under Pontius Pilate in Jerusalem on the charge of being "the king of the Jews"

he performed extraordinary acts and was worshipped as divine by followers who rejected polytheism (=

the belief in many gods)

and his small group of followers multiplied rapidly, including establishing a presence in the the veryheart of the empire, the city of Rome.

20 APOLOGETICS 101

Wasn't J esus just a great moral teacher, but not God in the flesh(as Christians claim)?

As has often been pointed out, a close examination of Jesus' own claimsabout himself leaves us with only one of three conclusions:

Jesus was a liar, or Jesus was a lunatic, or Jesus was (and is) the Lord.

In addition, only Jesus Christ said and did what we would fully expectGod-in-the-flesh to say and do, including: [REF]


8/15

being born in a way different from any other human being being completely perfect

performing tremendous miracles teaching the greatest truths ever taught

having a profound and universal influence

satisfying our deepest spiritual hunger overcoming our greatest enemy: death

21 I f, as the Bible teaches, humanity started out perfectly, what went wrong?As recorded in the first book of the Bible (Genesis), when God created the earth, he planted a gardenand placed within it the first human pair. Adam and Eve's world was filled with beauty, peace, andpurpose. With only one exception, they could have and do anything their hearts desired. BecauseGod made Adam and Eve to be fully human beings and not mere robots, he gave them theopportunity to respond to his love by choosing to trust in and obey him. By choosing to abstain fromthe tree of the knowledge of good and evil, the first human pair would prove that they loved God andwere willing to trust him for their every legitimate need.

Adam and Eve chose to disobey God by eating of the forbidden fruit. In so doing, they rebelled

against God's rightful rule over their lives. Moreover, that single, decisive act of disobedience openedthe door to the immeasurable pain and suffering that has been the lot of the human race ever since.Adam and Eve introduced sin into the world, and each one of us is born into this world tainted by thatsame sin -- and thus separated from a pure and holy God.

While God certainly had the right to give up on us, he refused to do so. The OT tells how he chose anation set apart to know, love, and serve him -- the nation of Israel. While Israel ultimately failed toobey God completely, she was the one through whom came God's Son, Jesus Christ. The NT tellshow personal, saving faith in Christ brings a spiritual rebirth that includes a deep and abiding desire toobey God.

SCRIPTURE SAYS

for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. (Romans 3:23)

Consequently, just as condemnation for all people came through one transgression, so too through the one

righteous act came righteousness leading to life for all people. For just as through the disobedience of the

one man many were made sinners, so also through the obedience of one man many will be made righteous.(Romans 5:18-19)

But when the appropriate time had come, God sent out his Son, born of a woman, born under the law, toredeem those who were under the law, so that we may be adopted as sons with full rights. And because you

are sons, God sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, who calls "Abba! Father!" (Galatians 4:4-6)

22 What is so special about Jesus?Jesus Christ is the single most influential person who ever lived. Why? What was so special aboutJesus? Jesus claimed to be both man and God. While his humanity was apparent for all to see, hisdeity had to be revealed through his words and works. One significant proof for Jesus' deity is theway in which what was said of God in the OT is now said of Jesus in the NT. To give just a fewexamples: [REF]


9/15

Old Testament New Testament Commentary

God said to Moses, "I AM

that I AM." And he said,

"You must say thisto the

Israelites, 'I AM has sent

me to you.'"

Exodus 3:14

Jesus said to them, "I tell

you the solemn truth,

before Abraham cameinto existence, I am!"

John 8:58

"I am! is an explicit claim to deity. Although each

occurrence of the phrase "I am"in the Fourth Gospel

needs to be examined individually in context to see ifan association with Exod 3:14 is present, it seems

clear that this is the case here (as the response of the

Jewish authorities in the following verse shows)."

[REF]

For God will evaluate

every deed, includingevery secret thing,

whether good or evil.

Ecclesiastes 12:14

For we must all appear

before the judgment seatof Christ, so that each one

may be paid back

according to what he has

done while in the body,whether good or evil.

2 Corinthians 5:10

(The subject here is the judgment of works. It has to

do with our motives, and it awaits everyone -- savedand unsaved alike.)

... I saw the sovereign

master seated on a high,elevated throne. ...

Seraphs stood over him ...They called out to one

another, "Holy, holy, holy

is the Lord whocommands armies! His

majestic splendor fills theentire earth!"

Isaiah 6:1-3

Isaiah said these things

because he saw Christ'sglory, and spoke about

him.John 12:41

"It is clear that [John] presents Isaiah as having seen

the preincarnate glory of Christ, which was the veryrevelation of the Father (see John 1:18; John 14:9)."[REF]

[The LORD] will become

... a stone that makes aperson trip, and a rock

that makes one stumble ...

Isaiah 8:14

[Jesus Christ has become]

... a stumbling-stone anda rock to trip over

1 Peter 2:8

"A quotation from Isa 8:14." [REF]

"I am the Lord! That is

my name! I will not share

my glory with anyoneelse, or the praise due me

with idols."

Isaiah 42:8

"And now, Father, glorify

me at your side with the

glory I had with youbefore the world was

created."

John 17:5

"Whatever else may be said, the statement in 17:5

strongly asserts the preexistence of Jesus Christ.

"It is important to note that although Jesus prayed fora return to the glory he had at the Father's side beforethe world was created, he was not praying for a "de-

incarnation." His humanity which he took on at theincarnation (John 1:14) remains, though now

glorified." [REF]

This is what the LORD,Israel's king, says, their

protector, the LORD who

commands armies: "I amthe first and I am the last,

there is no God but me."

Isaiah 44:6

... "Do not be afraid! I amthe first and the last" ... "I

am the Alpha and the

Omega, the first and thelast, the beginning and

the end!"

Revelation 1:17; 22:13

"Revelation ... attributes to Jesus Christ titlesuniquely attributed to the Lord in the Old Testament.

This data is death to any theology that withholds full

deity from Jesus Christ; it illustrates why Revelationis said to present a 'high Christology.'" [REF]


10/15


11/15

upon himself the punishment our sins deserve. He did so by coming to earth in the form of JesusChrist, who died as an atoning sacrifice for the sins of the world. By confessing our sinful conditionand our need for God's forgiveness available only through personal faith in Jesus Christ, we arebrought into a real, lasting, personal relationship with God.

SCRIPTURE SAYS

For this is the way God loved the world: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes inhim will not perish but have eternal life. (John 3:16)

So you will be saved, if you honestly say, "Jesus is Lord," and if you believe with all your heart that God

raised him from death. God will accept you and save you, if you truly believe this and tell it to others. TheScriptures say that no one who has faith will be disappointed, no matter if that person is a Jew or a Gentile.

There is only one Lord, and he is generous to everyone who asks for his help. All who call out to the Lord

will be saved. (Romans 10:913, CEV)

26 What is the key to understanding the Bible? On one level, the Bible is a simple story of God's interaction with human beings. And so we can openit up and begin reading at virtually any point, and before long we will see God working in the lives ofpeople. There are heroes and villains, kings and peasants, angels and demons, and all of them canteach us valuable lessons both about God and ourselves. If we stop there, however, we will missmost of what God wants us to know.

In a word, the key to understanding and applying the Bible is proper interpretation.To "interpret" is "toexplain or tell the meaning of; present in understandable terms." [REF] In one respect, our Englishlanguage Bibles come to us already interpreted, since the translators explain the meaning of theBible's original languages (Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek). However, a full understanding of any book,including the Bible, calls for much more than simply knowing what the words mean.

27 APOLOGETICS 101

The Bible is so complicated. How can I understand it?

The Bible is actually much simpler than many people realize. It is made

up of several types of literature (narrative, poetry, prophecy, etc.) thattells a unified story of God's plan and purpose for the human race. The

first part of the Bible (the Old Testament) centers on God's dealings withthe nation of Israel. The second part of the Bible (the New Testament)

centers on the coming of Jesus Christ and the establishment of hisChurch.

At the heart of Scripture is the story of the gracious and loving God whomercifully extends salvation to us rebellious and undeserving sinners. In a

word, it's about reconciliation.

Today as never before, there exists a wide array of helps for

understanding the Bible. For example, Bible dictionaries, commentaries,introductions, and word study aids offer a wealth of knowledge.

(Visit this webpage for some suggested titles:http://AC21DOJ.org/BibleStudyResources/Resources.html)


12/15

28 What about the fact that the Bible is so ancient and mysterious?Because the Bible is an ancient book, inspired by God, and written in a foreign land, there are severalareas in which major gaps exist between the Bible and us living today . [REF]

CHRONOLOGY.No human being living today can claim firsthand knowledge of the people,places, and events described in the Bible.

GEOGRAPHY.Most people live thousands of miles from the area in which the events

described in the Bible took place. CULTURE.Both attitudes and actions are, to a large extent, culture bound. LANGUAGE.The Bible was written in Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek -- languages largely

unknown to the average Bible reader. LITERATURE.There are many different genres (= types of literature) found within the Bible. SPIRITUAL.The Bible comes from and seeks to describe the thoughts and workings of an

infinite God.

However, we living today have access to a large number of excellent resources for bridging thesegaps, including:

different English versions/translations of the Bible study Bibles Bible dictionaries Bible encyclopedia language reference works (word study dictionaries, lexicons, and interlinear Bibles) introductions to the Bible Bible handbooks Bible commentary Bible background/historical reference works

(Visit this webpage for some suggested titles:http://AC21DOJ.org/BibleStudyResources/Resources.html )

29 WHO SAID WHAT

The Bible is a letter from God with our personal address on it.-- SOREN KIERKEGAARD (1813-1855) [REF]

30 What's the best way to study the Bible?By 1) committing to a regular schedule of Bible reading, and 2) asking questions of the Bible as we

read. The questions we should ask of the text as we read are actually the same questions we shouldask of any literature we read, including: Who? What? Where? When? and Why? Such questions canbe divided into three basic categories: [REF]

SETTING.Who wrote the book? Why was it written? What is its historical context? Where wasit written, and to whom?

CONTEXT.What genre is being employed? What is the message of this verse, passage, orbook? What is said before and after the passage under consideration?

STRUCTURE.Look for: repeated words or phrases; comparisons and contrasts; questionsand answers; progression (in time, action, or place); a climax; figures of speech; linking wordsor ideas; and verbs (action words).


13/15

31 APOLOGETICS 101

How does Christianity compare to other religions?

Today it is common to hear that all religions are basically the same and

that everyone worships the same God (although he goes by differentnames). But while it is true that most religious traditions can generally

agree on what makes a morally good person, there are major differences

regarding who/what God/god/gods is/are and how we can be rightlyrelated to him/her/them/it. [REF]

It has been observed that the most important difference between

Christianity and all other religions is Jesus Christ, and that the mostimportant difference between Jesus Christ and all other religious leaders

is Jesus' claim to be God -- a claim backed up by numerous miracles, thegreatest of which was his own resurrection.

Christianity is the only religion that offers the true teachings of Jesus, and

binds together the true followers of Jesus.

As important as the Christian faith is, however, we should be quick to

remember that the most important issue is not a religion, but arelationship. As one paraphrase renders Jesus' words:

"Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to me. Get awaywith me and you'll recover your life. I'll show you how to take a real rest.

Walk with me and work with me -- watch how I do it. Learn the unforced

rhythms of grace. I won't lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. Keepcompany with me and you'll learn to live freely and lightly." (Matthew

11:28-30, The Message)

32 How can I apply the Bible to my daily life?More than a book of facts to be learned, the Bible is a book of truths to be lived. Jesus had this sameidea in mind when he said

"Everyone who hears these words of mine and does them is like a wise man whobuilt his house on rock. The rain fell, the flood came, and the winds beat againstthat house, but it did not collapse because it had been founded on rock. Everyonewho hears these words of mine and does not do them is like a foolish man whobuilt his house on sand. The rain fell, the flood came, and the winds beat againstthat house, and it collapsed; it was utterly destroyed!"(Matthew 7:24-27)

The application part of Bible study helps us make "meaningful connections" between the passage

being studied and our contemporary world. [REF]In other words, application means going from thethen-and-there to the here-and-now. Applying God's never-changing truths to our ever-changing livesis a two step process involving 1) determining what a given Bible passage teaches concerning howpeople relate to one another and, most importantly, to God, and then 2) thinking in terms ofcontemporary human relationships found in one's home, neighborhood, workplace, school, church,state, nation, and world. [REF]While there is only one correct interpretation-- that is, the originalmessage the original author intended to convey to his original audience -- a given passage from theBible may contain any number of principlesthat can be applied to the many and various situations weencounter.


14/15

Regarding specific application, one source helpfully suggests using the acronym SPECS: [REF]

Is there a SIN to be forsaken? Is there a PROMISE to be claimed? Is there an EXAMPLE to be followed? Is there a COMMAND to be obeyed? Is there a STUMBLING BLOCK (= hindrance) to be avoided?

Having said all that, it is vital to remember that right application begins with right interpretation. Which,in turn, means taking the time and effort to hear the originalmessage and the entiremessage. A verydangerous but all too common tendency is to 1) skip interpretation altogether and go straight toapplication, and 2) look for those portions of Scripture we can personally identify with while skippingover everything else. And so, for example, the person with a gentle and quiet spirit may key in on"gentle Jesus meek and mild," while someone with a more aggressive personality type mayemphasize Jesus' anger toward the Pharisees and his driving the money-changers out of the temple.The best approach -- and, really, the only one that does justice to God and his Word -- is to read,study, and seek to apply allof the Bible. [REF]

33 WHO SAID WHAT

The Bible -- banned, burned, beloved. More widely read, more

frequently attacked than any other book in history. Generations of

intellectuals have attempted to discredit it; dictators of every age

have outlawed it and executed those who read it. Yet soldiers carry it

into battle believing it more powerful than their weapons. Fragments

of it smuggled into solitary prison cells have transformed ruthless

killers into gentle saints.-- CHARLES COLSON (1931- ) [REF]

34 What are some benefits of studying and applying the Bible?As has often been said, God loves us just the way we are -- but (thankfully) he loves us too much toleave us that way. Instead, he wants to change us from the inside out, to make us into the people hecreated us to be -- which means making us more like Christ in our attitudes and actions. As weconsistently study and apply God's inspired, authoritative Word, the Bible, we will see our liveschange for the better as God both calls us to and blesses us with specific personal qualities. To nameonly a few: [REF]

a strong and lasting desire to help others

a pure and blameless life the courage that comes from strong convictions a sense of peace and contentment a sense of direction, purpose, and meaning a hunger and thirst for what is right -- that is, righteousness a firm commitment to be truthful the fruit of God's Holy Spirit: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, gentleness,

faithfulness, and self-control (see Galatians 5:22-23)


15/15

35 WHO SAID WHAT

The mystery of the Bible should teach us, at one and the same time,

our nothingness and our greatness, producing humility and

animating hope.-- HENRY MELVILLE (1742-1811) [REF]

SOURCES

Baker Encyclopedia of Christian Apologetics

Basic Bible Interpretation

Christian Theology

Creative Bible Teaching

Dictionary of Jesus and the Gospels

Draper's Book of Quotations for the Christian World

Evangelical Dictionary of Theology

A General Introduction to the Bible

Handbook of Christian Apologetics

Holy Bible, Contemporary English Version

Holy Bible, New English Translation (NET)

Holy Bible, The Message

International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

An Introduction to the Bible

Nave's TopicsNelson's New Christian Dictionary

New Bible Commentary

The New Evidence that Demands a Verdict

The New International Dictionary of the Bible

A New Systematic Theology of the Christian Faith

New Testament Theology

Revelation, Four Views: A Parallel Commentary

A Survey of the Old TestamentTopical Analysis of the Bible

Tyndale Bible Dictionary

Merriam-Webster's 11th Collegiate Dictionary

When Skeptics Ask

Who's Who in Christian History

* - For hyperlinked [REF] and SOURCES information, please see this same article online athttp://AC21DOJ.org/35ThingsWorthKnowingAboutTheBible.html

Thirty-Five Things Worth Knowing About the Bible

Documents

Transcript of Thirty-Five Things Worth Knowing About the Bible