Lesson 1 - THE HOLY BIBLE

THE HOLY BIBLE

We will investigate this topic in four parts.

1. THE CONTENT OF THE HOLY BIBLE

2. THE AUTHORITY OF THE HOLY BIBLE

3. THE HOLY BIBLE’S ROLE IN HUMANITY

4. THE PERFECTION OF THE HOLY BIBLE

1. THE CONTENT OF THE HOLY BIBLE

The Holy Bible contains two large parts, “The Old Testament” and “The New Testament.” These two parts contain sixty-six books. “The Old Testament” has thirty-nine Books and “The New Testament” has twenty-seven. The Holy Bible has been written by the hand of at least forty different people. The Holy Bible was written over a period of at least 1600 years (1500 BC- 100 AD), although some scholars insist that it began to be written earlier. Some people think that the first five Books were written by Moses. Some scholars assert that “Genesis,” the first Book of the Bible, was written before Moses. All the Books, in both the Old and New Testaments, have one common purpose. “The Old Testament” Books were written in Hebrew, except for the Books of Daniel and Nehemiah, which are in Aramaic. Nearly complete copies of the Old Testaments were found in caves near the Dead Sea in an area called Qumran in 1946-47. In those manuscripts only the Book of Esther was missing. Those manuscripts were written between 1000 BC and 10 AD. When we compare those Books, to the Books we have in the Bible which is in our hands today, we find no essential variation. This shows us one more time the Holy Bible’s exactness. The New Testament has been written in the Greek language. It has approximately 13,000 old manuscripts.

The Old and New Testaments have four kinds of writings.

THE OLD TESTAMENT                                  THE NEW TESTAMENT

A. Histories                                                            A. Histories

B. Laws (rules)                                                      B. Teaching

C. Wisdoms and poetry                                         C. Letters

D. Prophecies                                                        D. Prophecies

2. THE AUTHORITY OF THE HOLY BIBLE 

The Holy Bible is God’s Book, and God’s servants have written it, while being guided by the Holy Spirit. (2Ti.3:16; Heb.1:1, 2; 2Pe.1:21; Rev.22:18, 19) In the Bible we find that God led His servants to write a book, in order that He might let His Mind and Word be known to the generations. (Jer.30:1, 2) There are historical facts in the Bible that are of interest to those who want to know God’s works. To make these facts known, God led a person who was well-informed about God’s works to write of these events. An example would be the historiographer Luke, who wrote the Book of Acts. In each of these cases, The Holy Spirit of God has blessed and used this method in order that the testimony of His works be exact and give the facts which God wants humanity to know. Therefore, the Holy Bible is God’s Word and Mind written through the words of people, whom He chooses. Some may say, “Aren’t there several kinds of words in the Bible? Are there not the words of God, the words of Angels, and the words of humans? Why do we say that only God’s Word is written in the Bible?” It is correct that there are three kinds of words in the Holy Bible, but they are all serving God’s purpose and showing His Mind. The words and stories of human beings and good or evil angels’, each serve as a quotation by which God reveals the thoughts of human beings and angels. These words and stories serve God’s purpose and contribute to our learning. (1Co.10:6, 11)

God determined to guarantee the exactness of these writings. The book writers weren’t used as microphones. They maintain their identities and they have expressed God's mind with their language and ability. If that were not the case, the whole Bible would have the same style, words and expressions.

In addition to the testimony the Holy Bible itself gives, that it is the Word of God, we also see in the Scripture a miraculous unity, intelligence, law and judgment. We see also in the prophecies of the future, miraculous fulfillments of those prophecies which could have been fulfilled. For all these reasons we can be sure that the Holy Bible is God's Word and Mind.

3. THE BIBLE'S ROLE IN HUMANITY 

All of God’s Word and His will for mankind find their highest point in the Gospel. By listening to and following the Gospel's message, human beings may: 

A. Escape from the eternal judgment to come and have eternal life by believing the Gospel
     (Jn.20:30, 31; 1Co.15:1, 2)

B. Recognize their creator and not stray from the truth. (Mt.22:29)

C. Be admonished, improved, rebuked and trained in righteousness so that they might grow to perfection. (Col.1:28; 2Ti.3:16, 17)

4. THE PERFECTION OF THE HOLY BIBLE

The Holy Bible is perfect! It does not need to be perfected or developed. Its author, (God) is perfect and has no deficiency, nor will He ever have one. He is forever the same. There are no accidents for God. He is all wise and knows everything beforehand. He enlightens all with His perfect Word. There is no need to add or take away anything from His Book. (Rev.22:18, 19) Since the Holy Bible is perfect, it can take man to perfection.

Conclusion: The Holy Bible is the Word and Mind of God through the words of His people. The ultimate conclusion of the Bible is found in the Gospel. The Bible is a perfect work, touching every human need and feeling. It needs no addition or subtraction and to do so is prohibited by God.