Creation of the Bible

 The Bible is a book consisting of sixty-six smaller books, written by numerous authors over a period of 1,600 years. The word “Bible” is derived from a Latin word biblia, which means books. 

The Bible’s Purpose

The Bible is ultimately the revelation of God to man. Its main purpose is man’s redemption, providing instruction on salvation. Its main theme is Jesus Christ. The Bible not only reveals God’s plan for the redemption of man, but also provides man with a basic understanding of God’s nature and will.

 Canonization

The sixty-six smaller books became part of the Bible through a process called canonization. The word canon is derived from a Greek word kanon and means a measuring stick. The canonization process involved measuring or examining these books to ensure they were truly God’s Word. 

The three main elements used for canonization included: 

     (1) apostolic authorship 

     (2) usefulness to the early church and 

     (3) conformity with the teachings of Jesus and orthodoxy (regula fidei)

Over time, various councils met to formalize the books which would constitute the canon. Bible scholars completed the canonization process by the fourth century at the Council of Hippo in 393 AD and now we have our current Bible.

The Old Testament

The Old Testament consists of thirty-nine books and is divided into four main areas: 

     · The Law includes the first five books of the Bible (the Pentateuch)

     · the historical books

     · the books of poetry and wisdom

     · the Prophets (Major Prophets and Minor Prophets)

The Old Testament includes the same books as the Hebrew Bible, though they are arranged in a different order. 

The New Testament
The New Testament is comprised of the remaining twenty-seven books and is generally divided into three main parts:      

     · the historical books, such as the Gospels and Acts,      

     · the epistles or letters     

     · prophecy which encompasses Revelation  

Though thirty-six men of varied backgrounds, social levels and occupations wrote the Bible, it is amazingly cohesive. This is because the Holy Spirit penned the Bible through the writings of these men; it is “god-breathed” (2 Tim. 3:16). This cohesiveness also gives great evidence to its divine authorship. “Above all, you must understand that no prophecy of Scripture came about by the prophet's own interpretation. For prophecy never had its origin in the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit” (2 Peter 1:19-21). The Holy Spirit allowed the Bible to be written by different men, using their personalities and unique traits, and yet still provided perfect harmony for its main theme. Thus, Scripture is the inspired, inerrant, infallible Word of God. It is errorless, flawless and complete.