Lesson 2 - The Scripture PDF

LESSON 1 LESSON 2 THE SCRIPTURE  Etymology of the Bible Etymology = study of word origins history of a word  Bible derived from an ancient Phoenician port city (old name is GEBAL) called BYBLOS – a center of trade and commerce, it specialized in the transaction of pap...

LESSON 1 LESSON 2 THE SCRIPTURE  Etymology of the Bible Etymology = study of word origins history of a word  Bible derived from an ancient Phoenician port city (old name is GEBAL) called BYBLOS – a center of trade and commerce, it specialized in the transaction of papyrus scrolls (scrolls function like a book today) imported from Egypt Phoenician city- north  PAPYRUS Papyrus is made from a plant that grows on the banks of the Nile River in Egypt. Aquatic Plant, Cyparus papyrus, up to 15 tent. Its green, triangular stem has long pointed leaves and clusters of flowers up to 20 inches. Papyrus paper is made from the stem of this plant. Development of the word: BYBLOS The English word Bible is from the Latin biblia, Latin biblia sacra = "holy books“ The Greek ta biblia ="little papyrus books" was "an expression of Hellenistic Jews used to describe their sacred  The Bible is a collection of books; a small library which contains history, drama, poetry, fiction, edifying stories, prophecies, and letters. The Bible is the greatest Love Story ever written. It speaks of the tremendous love of God for mankind, i.e. God’s enduring, unconditional love for every human being.  The Bible is the written record of God’s revelation. The Bible also contains the revelation of man: his dignity, his weakness in responding to God’s love and his destiny. The Bible is one of the two "channels“ through which God’s revelation reaches us. The other "channel" is the Sacred Tradition of the Church.  One principal author – GOD One main theme – salvation What is Revelation? Revelation is God’s manifestation of Himself and of His will/plan of salvation. The manifestation of God and His will, takes place through "deeds and words" which are intrinsically bound with each other. The most intimate truth which this revelation gives us about God and the salvation of man shines forth in CHRIST, who is himself, both the mediator and the sum total of revelation. Who wrote the Bible? The Bible has both – a Divine Author and many human authors. The Divine Author of the Bible is God. The human authors of the various books of the Bible are many. They are God’s intelligent and free instruments. God inspired them to interpret those events, and to share their insights with other people their preaching or writing. How did the Bible come about? The writers of the Old Testament were members of the faith community, who felt especially chosen as bearers of God’s promise. Their writing was an expression of the faith of the community. It was the result of the process of listening to God’s Word in history, the religious experience of a nation, the personal life of the prophet or writer. The Bible is the Word of God in the words of men. The Bible was written over a span of more than one thousand years by an immense number of people! The writings that make the Bible are considered "sacred" by both Jews and Christians. Why are the Books of the Bible considered Sacred? The books of the Bible are considered sacred by the believers because they were written by human authors under God’s special intervention technically called, INSPIRATION. What is Biblical Inspiration? Inspiration refers to the divine act by which the writer becomes an instrument of God in the composition of the Bible. "All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful for teaching, refuting error, for correcting and training in Christian life…" (2 Tim 3:16) What is Biblical Inerrancy? The fact that the books of the Bible have been written under God’s inspiration makes them error-free. This error-free does not apply to grammar, historical information, or technical data. Biblical Inerrancy means that the books of the Sacred Scripture firmly, faithfully and without error teach the truth about faith and morals. DIVISIONS OF THE BIBLE DIVISIONS OF THE BIBLE The Bible is divided into two parts: the Old Testament and the New Testament. The Old Testament was written before Christ and is composed of 46 Books. The New Testament was written after the death of Christ and is composed of 27 books. What is the meaning of Testament? The Latin word for testament is " testamentum." While the Greek word for testament is " diatheke. " Both means last will or agreement. “Testamentum” and "diatheke" are used to express the biblical idea of covenant (in Hebrew "Berith”). COVENANT The Old Testament revolves around the covenant God made with His people Israel on Mount Sinai. The Jews were convinced that they had a special "covenant/agreement" with God. The COVENANT Formula is "I will be your God and you will be my people." The COVENANT d emands "Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul and with all your strength." (Deut 6:5) The Jewish Division of the Old Testament are as follows: 1. Torah (or Law) – Torah 2. Prophets – Nevi’im 3. Writings – Kethubim While the Christian classifies the Old Testament as follows: 1. Pentateuch 2. Historical Books 3. Didactic Books (Wisdom Books) 4. Prophetic Books Languages in the Bible Hebrew Aramaic Greek WHAT IS THE CANON OF THE CATHOLIC BIBLE? The canon or official list of books of the Catholic Bible is comprised of 72 books (73 if Lamentations is separate from Jeremiah). The Old Testament has 45 (or 46) books and the New Testament has 27.  OLD TESTAMENT THE PENTATEUCH The first classification of the Old Testament is the Pentateuch or the Law (Torah). The word comes from Greek "Pentateuchos" (the book of five volumes) and indicates the number of books that makes up the opening portion of the Bible. The Pentateuch is composed of Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers and Deuteronomy. It is also called Torah (Hebrew word) which means Law. It emphasizes the main content of Pentateuch -- that of the Law. THE HISTORICAL BOOKS The Historical Books of the Old Testament include Joshua, Judges, Ruth, 1 and 2 Samuel, 1 and 2 Kings, 1 and 2 Chronicles, Ezra, Nehemiah, and Esther. Together, these books tell one long narrative that covers approximately 1,000 years. This narrative recounts the life of the people of Israel, from their experiences in the Promised Land of Canaan to subsequent exiles due to their unbelief and disobedience. These books also tell about the reigns of the judges, the establishment of kings, and the division of Israel into the northern (Israel) and southern (Judah) kingdoms. The descriptions of events in these books are more often concerned with an important religious teaching about God, as well as God’s relationship with Israel, than they are THE HISTORICAL BOOKS The Historical Books of the Old Testament include Joshua, Judges, Ruth, 1 and 2 Samuel, 1 and 2 Kings, 1 and 2 Chronicles, Ezra, Nehemiah, and Esther. Together, these books tell one long narrative that covers approximately 1,000 years. This narrative recounts the life of the people of Israel, from their experiences in the Promised Land of Canaan to subsequent exiles due to their unbelief and disobedience. These books also tell about the reigns of the judges, the establishment of kings, and the division of Israel into the northern (Israel) and southern (Judah) kingdoms. The descriptions of events in these books are more often concerned with an important religious teaching about God, as well as God’s relationship with Israel, than they are THE FIVE MAJOR EVENTS The conquest and settling of Canaan — Joshua and Judges tell of God’s people as they cross the Jordan River and settle into the Promised Land. When the Israelites demonstrated godly obedience, the Lord faithfully fought His people’s battles, but when the Israelites’ hearts grew cold and indifferent, they suffered multiple defeats by the hands of their enemies. Early in the nation’s history, the tribes were governed by judges. The book of Ruth takes place during the rule of the judges and reveals the ancestry of King David. THE FIVE MAJOR EVENTS The move from tribal rule to monarchy — The books of 1 and 2 Samuel and 1 Kings tell of the nation’s first three kings, Saul, David, and Solomon. During this period, the nation became increasingly unified while enjoying many years of relative peace and prosperity. After removing the crown from Saul, Israel’s first king, God bestowed special favor on David and, later, on David’s son Solomon. THE FIVE MAJOR EVENTS The dividing of the kingdom — The books of 2 Kings and 2 Chronicles record the tragic dividing of the nation of Israel into two separate kingdoms, the northern kingdom (Israel) and the southern kingdom (Judah). Regrettably, King Solomon’s tolerance of sin and idolatry led to the split of the once mighty Israel into two weaker nations. THE FIVE MAJOR EVENTS The loss of national sovereignty and the fall into foreign bondage — Despite the dire warnings of God’s holy prophets such as Amos, Hosea, Isaiah, Jeremiah, and Ezekiel, the disobedient people of both kingdoms turned deaf ears to God’s call for repentance. In doing so, they incurred the judgment of God. The Assyrians conquered the northern kingdom, and the Babylonians sacked Jerusalem in the southern kingdom. Under Babylon’s King Nebuchadnezzar, thousands of Jews were forced from their land to live as exiles in Babylon. Note: 1 and 2 Kings and 1 and 2 Chronicles contain the history of all of ancient Israel’s monarchs, while the book of Esther tells of a remarkable Jewish girl’s rise to prominence during the time of exile. THE FIVE MAJOR EVENTS The return to the Promised Land — The final event in the historical books of the Bible is the return of God’s people from foreign bondage to their own land. The books of Ezra and Nehemiah chronicle the rebuilding of Jerusalem and its temple. Sadly, the restoration of Israel and its national sovereignty were short-lived, for, by the time of the birth of Jesus, the land was ruled by disdainful foreigners and their corrupt quislings, and Jerusalem’s streets were patrolled by Roman soldiers. WISDOM BOOKS Wisdom literature in the Old testament deals with man and the whole realm of his behavior. It is didactic or instructive in nature, full of wise sayings and practical advice. Wisdom literature exalts the virtues of kindness, industry, truthfulness, chastity, honesty, faithfulness, and the deeper aspects of life like: the contrast between the good and evil; the meaning of man’s activities. In Israel, the wisdom literature was nourished by their faith in God thus wisdom begins with the fear of the Lord. The PROPHETIC BOOKS The Prophetic books record God’s messages to the people of Israel and Judah in the form of speeches or sermons, visions, and life experiences of prophets who preached between about 750 and 450 B.C. Some of the messages are of judgment and warning, while others focus on forgiveness and renewal. The Prophetic Books are often divided into two categories: the