Bible: Old & New Testaments

Bible: Old & New Testaments

What is the Bible?

  • 2 Timothy 3:16 states, "All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work."

Inspiration

  • Inspiration is the supernatural action of the Holy Spirit on the minds of the Bible's authors.
  • It ensures that their writing is not their personal memoirs but the word of God.
  • The Bible is perfect from God’s perspective with authority, and perfectly human so we can understand it.
  • The inspired authors are the harp of the Holy Spirit.

Languages of the Bible

  • The Old Testament was mainly written in Hebrew, with some Aramaic.
  • The New Testament was written in Greek (Koine Greek dialect).

The Septuagint

  • The Septuagint is the first Greek translation of the Hebrew Bible (Old Testament).
  • It was translated in 250-100 BC by Jewish scholars in Alexandria, Egypt.
  • The word “Septuagint” means seventy and is often abbreviated as LXX.
  • King Ptolemy requested the Torah of Moshe to be written in Greek.
  • Tradition holds that 70 or 72 men translated it, with 6 from each of the 12 tribes.

Canonization

  • Church fathers accepted the writings of the Gospels and Paul’s letters as canonical around AD 200-300.
  • Canonical refers to the rule of faith and truth, derived from a Greek word.

The Printing Press

  • The world’s first printing press with moveable metal type was invented in AD 1455 in Mainz, Germany, by Johann Gutenberg.
  • This invention significantly influenced the spread of the Bible.

The Gutenberg Bible

  • The Gutenberg Bible is the first book ever printed with the printing press.
  • This Latin Vulgate version was often illuminated by artists.

The Dead Sea Scrolls

  • The Dead Sea Scrolls, found in a cave in AD 1947, contain the oldest known copies of portions of the Old Testament.
  • These copies were made between 100 BC and AD 100.

Daily Schedule

  • Dedication to a plan.
  • Read in order.
  • Make notes (a Bible that is falling apart belongs to someone who isn't).
  • Get to know your creator intimately.

Things to Research

When Studying a Book in the Bible:

  • Author
  • Purpose
  • Overall Theme
  • Overall Tone
  • Historical and Cultural Backdrops
  • Recipients
  • Who
  • What
  • Where
  • Why

Books of the Bible

Old Testament
  • Law: Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy
  • History
  • Poetry
  • Major Prophets
  • Minor Prophets
New Testament
  • Gospels: Matthew, Mark, Luke, John
  • Acts: Church History
  • Letters: Romans, 1 & 2 Corinthians, Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, 1 & 2 Thessalonians
  • Hebrews, James, 1 & 2 Peter, 1, 2, & 3 John, Jude
  • Prophecy: Revelation

Orthodox Canon of Scripture

  • Total Books in the Bible: 73 (66 + 7)
  • Old Testament: 46 (39 + 7); Extra 7 are Deuterocanonical Books
  • New Testament: 27
  • Different jurisdictions of the Church may have a different canon.
  • Flexibility in determining Scripture, beneficial books, and heretical books

The Pentateuch

  • Πεντάτευχος: "penta" means five, and "teukhos" means scrolls/cases/books, referring to the first five books of the Old Testament.
  • Equivalent to the Torah (The Law of Moses).
Theological Foundation
  • God's revelation about the origin of the world with man made in the image of God.
  • Entrance of sin & the judgment that followed.
  • Origin of the Israel & her covenant.

Types of Offerings

Burnt Offering
  • Israelites saw it as a means of avoiding God's wrath and obtaining God's favor. God's blessing was the result of a burnt offering, not of man's good deeds.
Grain Offering
  • Oil, wheat, frankincense or flour were bloodless sacrifices to God. Was not a sacrifice of atonement, but one of worship to God's divine provision of needs
Sin Offering
  • The Sin Offering is an offering for a specific sin. All of the blood sacrifices are related to a specific, defined sin. It is not an offering for sin in general, or for a general state of sinfulness
Guilt Offering
  • When a person commits a violation and sins unintentionally in regard to any of the Lord's holy things, he is to bring to the Lord as a penalty a ram from the flock, one without defect and of the proper value in silver, according to the sanctuary shekel.
Peace Offering
  • An act of thanksgiving or to fulfill a special vow, or as a freewill offering. Israelite would begin by selecting an animal without any defect, either male or female, from the herd or from the flock. Was given as a meal after the blood and fat were offered.

Burnt Offering

  • Male only, unblemished, symbolizing Christ.
    • Christ is the Son of God and the Holy One who is innocent and without sin.
  • Offered at the door of the tabernacle, symbolizing that Christ suffered