100 million copies are sold each year. 50 copies are sold per minute. Its complexity can dazzle great minds, yet its simplicity can be understood by children. It is the most widely read, most fiercely debated, and most cited book in history.
What is? The Bible.
But what is the Bible, exactly? How was the Bible written and by whom? Why did the Bible have such a profound impact on people throughout history? What relevance does the Bible have for our lives today?
Let’s start with some basic facts about the Bible. The Bible is one book, divided into two main divisions: the Old Testament, which contains 39 separate books, and the New Testament, which contains 27 books. Each of these books is divided into chapters and verses.
The Old Testament conveys the history of God and his people before the birth of Christ. It begins with creation and describes the history of the Jewish nation. The Jews call the first five books of the Bible (Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy) the Law or Torah. These five books contain the Ten Commandments and the stories of Abraham, Noah and Moses, among others.
The New Testament begins with the life of Jesus Christ and explains the history of God and his people from the birth of Christ. The first four books of the New Testament are called “the Gospels.” These four books (Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John) give an account of the witnesses to the life of Christ.
What is the Bible about?
The Bible is God’s love letter to mankind and his instruction manual for mankind. Within the pages of the Bible you will find the truth to believe, the promises to claim, the commands to obey and the examples to follow. 1 Timothy 3:16-17 says: “All Scripture is inspired by God, and useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting, and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be equipped for every good work.”
The Bible tells us about God, ourselves and how to live, now and forever. The Bible helps us to know God, love God, and follow God. But it also helps us understand humanity. The Bible contains God’s master plan of salvation and how we can be assured of God’s forgiveness and salvation through Jesus. In fact, God’s love and his plan to save people are intertwined throughout the Bible: the Old Testament and the New Testament.
When and where was the Bible written?
The Bible was written for more than 1,500 years, on three continents (Asia, Europe, and Africa) by more than 40 authors (some authors wrote more than one book of the Bible), who wrote in three different languages: The Old Testament was written mainly in Hebrew with some Aramaic. The New Testament was written in Greek.
The oldest parts of the Old Testament were recorded around 1400 BC The writings of the Old Testament were completed by the Book of Malachi, around 400 BC The Book of Malachi is followed by a time interval of approximately 400 years before it begins the new Testament. The New Testament books were written between AD 44 and AD 95.
Who wrote the Bible?
In human terms, the Bible was written by more than 40 authors. The first five books of the Old Testament are attributed to Moses. The prophetic books of the Old Testament bear the names of their author. For example, the prophet Isaiah wrote the book of Isaiah, Hosea wrote the book of Hosea, and so on. Much of the New Testament was written by the apostle Paul, who wrote letters of encouragement and instruction to churches in various cities in Europe and Asia.
Biblical authors lived in different times, and came from different cultures. Some were Jews and some were Gentiles (non-Jews). Some were kings and others were poor. Some were highly educated and some had little formal education. Some were religious leaders, some were political leaders, some were prophets, and some were just ordinary people. The variation in author background is huge, to say the least.
With this vast disparity, one might expect the Bible to contain different truth claims. But, in fact, the Bible has a continuous and unifying message from the first book to the last. The probability that more than 40 people, writing in three different languages, living on three different continents, at different times, would come up with one continuing message, one continuing theme, and one continuing plan of salvation is almost miraculous. No other religious book shares the uniqueness of the Bible.
How is the Bible structured?
Most people assume that the books of the Bible are in chronological order, but they are not. Instead, the Bible is organized by genre.
A godly mentor once simplified the structure of the Bible for me by dividing it into three easy-to-remember categories: History, Experience, and Prophecy.
Both the Old and New Testaments begin with history (Genesis – Esther recounts the story of creation and the Jewish nation, Matthew – Acts recounts the story of Jesus and the early church). History is followed by experience (Job – Song of Solomon records the individual’s personal experience with God; Romans – Jude explains how believers are to experience new life in Christ). Experience is followed by prophecy (Isaiah – Malachi were Old Testament prophets, Revelation reveals prophecy about what is to come).
History. Experience. Prophecy. This is an easy way to remember how the Bible is structured. Here is a more detailed breakdown of the structure of the Bible:
- Law: Genesis – Deuteronomy
- Story: Joshua-Esther
- Poetry: Job – Song of Solomon
- Major Prophets: Isaiah – Daniel
- Minor Prophets: Hosea – Malachi
- Gospels: Matthew – John
- Church History: Acts
- Epistles: Romans – Jude
- Apocalypse: Revelation
The Bible is the Word of God
The Bible makes bold statements about its origin and its power. The apostle Paul wrote these words to his disciple Timothy: “All Scripture is inspired by God” (2 Timothy 3:16 NLT). The apostle Peter wrote: “Above all, you must understand that no prophecy of the Scriptures was produced by the prophet’s own interpretation of things.” Because the prophecy never had its origin in the human will, but the prophets, although human, spoke from God, since they were carried by the Holy Spirit “ (2 Peter 1:20-21).
Clearly, these are bold claims. The Bible declares itself to be the very words of God. God inspired God breathed. If this is true, then you can expect his words to be life-transforming. And they are.
the bible is relevant
“Because the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it pierces even to the dividing of soul and spirit, joints and marrow; judge the thoughts and attitudes of the heart” ( Hebrews 4:12 )
While most literature is passive in nature, the Word of God is alive and active. He penetrates our hearts, assesses our attitudes, and his words can alter the course of our lives. In fact, the Bible has altered the lives of millions of people in every nation, of all colors, all races, and all languages.
Unlike books that become outdated over time, the Bible provides a new perspective, new nuggets of truth, and new applications every time we read it. The Bible is as relevant today as it was 3,000 years ago. Truths like: “Your Word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path” (Psalm 119:105) or, “The law of the Lord is perfect, it refreshes the soul. The statutes of the Lord are trustworthy, making the simple sages “ ( Psalm 19:7 ) never become irrelevant.
The Bible remains the same, even when society changes
Even when society changes, the need for truth, wisdom, and direction remains constant. The truth is always true.
The psalmist wrote: “Your word, Lord, is eternal; she stands firm in the heavens” ( Psalm 119:89 ). Isaiah wrote: “The grass withers and the flowers fall, but the word of our God stands forever” ( Isaiah 40:8 ). In the New Testament, Peter echoes this truth when he quotes Isaiah in 1 Peter 1:25 .
In a world where stability is fleeting, the Word of God, the Bible, is not. The unchanging nature of God and His Word makes the Bible the only source of faith and practice for Christians throughout the ages.