Intro to The Bible

Topical Discussion Group  —  “The Bible”

Stoughton Apostolic Church

Jan. 14, 2025

The Bible:

What is it to you verses what it is as a book. The Jesus of History vs. The Christ of Faith.

Facts About the Book                       

1. It was written by 35-40 different authors.

2. It was written on three different continents.

3. Written in Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek

4. 66 books - 39 Old Testament and 27 New Testament. OT/Hebrew Bible/ TaNaK (Luke 24:44 - “law, prophets, and the Psalms.”)

5. Since standardized approx. 1500 years ago, the Bible is the best selling book of all time, at approximately 5-7 billion copies.

6. It is estimated that Bibles are printed at a rate of around 80,000,000 per year.

The Process:

1. Some consensus that OT canon was closed by 1st century. Some criteria were Hebrew language, written by known inspired authors, and “within the Apocryphal books themselves: 1 Maccabees 4:46, 9:27, and 14:41 seem to indicate that prophecy ended with Zechariah and Malachi.”

2. New Testament books written between 45-125CE ish. Gradually letters were recognized in communities as scripture (2 Peter 3:15-16).

3. Not until the church Father Athanasius wrote his Thirty-Ninth Festal Letter in 367, did we have the first authoritative recognition of the closed cannon of New Testament scriptures which included the 27 books. These were confirmed at the 382 Council of Rome.

4. Septuagint translated around 130 BC for Greek speaking Jews, often quoted in  New Testament.  E.g. Matt. 1:23/ Is. 7:14 (virgin / young maiden )

5. 382 Jerome translated Bible to  Latin (the Vulgate). 1382 John Wycliffe first English version. William Tyndale’s 1535 version became template for English speakers.

6. Historical factors: 1453 Fall of Constantinople and 1452 Gutenberg’s Bible.

7. The Menorah in Ex. 25:31-40 prophesied the books of Bible (buds, blossoms and blooms of the almond flowers - 4 in middle, 3 on each side, each with 3 parts each)

Translations:

1. Word for Word or Literal: KJV and NKJV, ESV, NRSV, CSB, and NASB

2. Thought for Thought: NIV, NLT, CEV, and NIrV

3. Paraphrase: MSG, Living Bible, Amplified Bible

4. Factors Affecting Translation: Punctuation, idioms and sayings, styles, no one to one correlation, evolution of language, manuscripts.

Examples of variations in the texts in different translations.

Matthew 17:21 — “τοῦτο δὲ τὸ γένος οὐκ ἐκπορεύεται εἰ μὴ ἐν προσευχῇ καὶ νηστείᾳ”

Matthew 17:21 KJV — “21 Howbeit this kind goeth not out but by prayer and fasting.

Matthew 17:21 (NKJV) 21 [f]However, this kind does not go out except by prayer and fasting.”  [f] reads: “NU omits v. 21.”

Matthew 17:21 (NIV) Nothing will be impossible for you.” [21] [a] 22 When they came together in Galilee,

Matthew 17:21 NLT “Nothing would be impossible.[d] 22 After they gathered again in Galilee, Jesus told them…”

Using The Bible as Scripture:

2 Timothy 3:16-17 (NASB 1995)

All Scripture is [h]inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for [i]training in righteousness; 17 so that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work.

2 Peter 1:20-21 (NASB 1995)

 But know this first of all, that no prophecy of Scripture is a matter of one’s own interpretation, 21 for no prophecy was ever made by an act of human will, but men moved by the Holy Spirit spoke from God.

Inspired - “God-breathed” / θεόπνευστος / theopneustos — It is not the how, but the source and content that is special.

Hermeneutics / Interpret What You Read

John 5:39 (NASB 1995)

39 [a]You search the Scriptures because you think that in them you have eternal life; it is these that testify about Me;

Luke 24:44-45 (NASB 1995)

44 Now He said to them, “These are My words which I spoke to you while I was still with you, that all things which are written about Me in the Law of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms must be fulfilled.” 45 Then He opened their [p]minds to understand the Scriptures,

The Bible primarily testifies to Jesus and points us to him who is our righteousness, wisdom, redemption, and sanctification (1 Cor. 1:30).

Matthew 5:17-48 (NASB 1995) 6 x “You have heard” vs  “but I say to you”

Jesus validates what was said in the law, but then introduces a higher teaching as only he can.

Hebrews 8:6-7, 13 (NASB 1995)

But now He has obtained a more excellent ministry, by as much as He is also the mediator of a better covenant, which has been enacted on better promises. 7 For if that first covenant had been faultless, there would have been no occasion sought for a second… When He said, “A new covenant,” He has made the first obsolete. But whatever is becoming obsolete and growing old is [j]ready to disappear.

This is an example of how the scriptures must be taken as a whole and understood to be fulfilled in Jesus, the living Word, and not isolated texts.

CONTEXT MATTERS: But, God’s context! His word is eternal and not subject to cultural fads!

Psalms 119:160 (NASB 1995)

The sum of Your word is truth, And every one of Your righteous ordinances is everlasting.

Deuteronomy 21:20-21 (NASB 1995)

 “They shall say to the elders of his city, ‘This son of ours is stubborn and rebellious, he will not obey us, he is a glutton and a drunkard.’ 21 Then all the men of his city shall stone him to death; so you shall remove the evil from your midst, and all Israel will hear of it and fear.

Number 15:38-39 — Who wears tassels?

Lev. 11:9-12 — Who eats shell fish?

Lev. 19:19 — Who is wearing two kinds of materials or threads?

Culture vs Eternal - What is cultural and what is eternal and how do we tell?

Ephesians 6:5 (NASB 1995)

 Slaves, be obedient to those who are your [a]masters according to the flesh…

The Help We Need

John 16:12- 15 (NIV)

12 “I have much more to say to you, more than you can now bear. 13 But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all the truth. He will not speak on his own; he will speak only what he hears, and he will tell you what is yet to come. 14 He will glorify me because it is from me that he will receive what he will make known to you. 15 All that belongs to the Father is mine. That is why I said the Spirit will receive from me what he will make known to you.”

Even Jesus needed the Holy Spirit to make it make sense to people! Pray for understanding and that those you share Bible with will receive revelation.

1 Corinthians 2:12-14 (NIV)

 13 This is what we speak, not in words taught us by human wisdom but in words taught by the Spirit, explaining spiritual realities with Spirit-taught words.[c] 14 The person without the Spirit does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God but considers them foolishness, and cannot understand them because they are discerned only through the Spirit.

Holy Spirit helps us discern the spiritual realties of God’s truth

2 Peter 1:20 (NASB 1995)

 But know this first of all, that no prophecy of Scripture is a matter of one’s own interpretation,

The church (plural and together)  is the pillar and ground of truth (1 Timothy 3:15)

1 John 2:26 -27 (NIV)

 I am writing these things to you about those who are trying to lead you astray. 27 As for you, the anointing you received from him remains in you, and you do not need anyone to teach you. But as his anointing teaches you about all things and as that anointing is real, not counterfeit—just as it has taught you, remain in him.

We have a personal tutor, the Holy Spirit, who teaches us personally. Ask him to!

Titus 1:1 (NIV)

1 Paul, a servant of God and an apostle of Jesus Christ to further the faith of God’s elect and their knowledge of the truth that leads to godliness—

Truth will bare fruit of godliness!

Fun Facts - Bible Quotes

Philosophers — Acts 17:28 — used a quote in his sermon that Bible records.

Cretan Prophet - Titus 1:12-13 — Affirmed insult to Cretans

Book of Enoch / Apocalyptic genre — Jude 14-15 is a quote of 1 Enoch 1:9