The Bible - Overview PDF

The Bible a. 1 Samuel 8:1 b. Luke 15:3 c. Psalm 23:2 d. Nahum 1:2 e. Romans 3:4 f. Deuteronomy 25:2  What is the Bible? A. The Bible or Sacred Scripture is the written, inspired, Word of God. 2 Tim 3: 16-17 B. The Bible is a “fundamental” source of Divine Revelation. J...

The Bible a. 1 Samuel 8:1 b. Luke 15:3 c. Psalm 23:2 d. Nahum 1:2 e. Romans 3:4 f. Deuteronomy 25:2  What is the Bible? A. The Bible or Sacred Scripture is the written, inspired, Word of God. 2 Tim 3: 16-17 B. The Bible is a “fundamental” source of Divine Revelation. John 21: 24-25 C. Divine Revelation is God’s self-communication, the unveiling of the mystery of God and of his redeeming activity. God’s salvific activity has been present from the beginning of time and made manifest to every age and every generation. His salvific work is evident in creation, in the covenants with the patriarchs, in the mighty works of the exodus, in the choosing of a people, in the giving of the law and covenant at Sinai, in the conquest of the promised land, in the sending of his Son. This is what we call salvation history, God reaching out to us time and time again.  D. The fullness of Divine revelation of God’s redeeming works is Jesus Christ (Hebrews 1: 1-4) the promised, incarnate, eternal Word of God made flesh for our salvation. E. Jesus’ life (deeds, words, preaching, person), death (passion, suffering, crucifixion), resurrection (victory over death) also known as paschal mystery unveils the totality of who God is and his plan of salvation. F. This fullness of revelation continues to be handed down to us through Sacred Tradition, the living, authentic, unbroken, oral transmission of Jesus’ teachings and through the Bible.  What is the relationship between the Bible and Sacred Tradition? Jesus words did not vanish with Jesus’ ascension, His teachings continued to live under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit in the preaching of the Apostles and their successors, the Pope and the bishops, collectively known as the Magisterium or teaching body of the Church. This oral teaching, this living memory, this unbroken reception of the living Word of God from one generation of Christians bishops to the next is what we call, Sacred Tradition. The Magisterium is the guardian of this Sacred Tradition.  What is the meaning of the word Bible? The word Bible comes from the Greek word “Biblia” meaning “books”. The Greek word Biblia itself is derived from Biblion, meaning paper, book or scroll and was a diminutive of the word Byblos or papyrus. Hence, Byblos is the root word for Biblia. The name comes from the Phoenician port Byblos from whence Egyptian papyrus was exported to Greece. The phrase “Ta Biblia”, “The books” was used by Hellenistic Jews to referred to their sacred books, the Septuagint, in particular. This was the Greek version of the Hebrew scriptures. The Christian Scriptures was referred to in Greek as Ta Biblia as early as 223 A.D. The Word Bible itself is not found in any book of the Bible.  How is the Bible Divided? The Bible is divided in two sections: A. Old Testament or O.T. B. New Testament or N.T. The word Testament means “Covenant” or “Contract” and is derived from the Hebrew word “Berit”. The Old Testament or Hebrew scriptures comprises stories about an ancient covenant between Yahweh and the Hebrews, as revealed to Moses. It also tells how this covenant worked out. The New Testament includes stories and teachings about a new covenant between God and humanity based on the life of Jesus Christ, the Son of God.  What is the Canon of the Scriptures? For Christians the books found in the Old and New Testament comprise the Canon of the Scriptures. The word Canon comes from the Greek “kanon” or Hebrew “qaneh” meaning a reed, rule, list or measuring stick. This word (s) was employed by ancient writers to denote a rule or standard. Therefore, the Canon of the Scriptures is the authoritative list of books that are acknowledged as “divinely inspired” by the Church, and are set as the standard for Christian teaching, preaching and edification.  How many Canons are there? Most Jews in Palestine adopted a canon containing the Tanak an acronym for the : Torah, The Prophets, The Writings. This canon contains 24 books and is known as the Palestinian or Masoretic Canon. This was the canon later adopted by the Protestant reformers in the 16th century. Jews outside of Palestine known as Hellenistic Jews had all the books contained in the Palestinian or Masoretic canon plus other books considered canonical by the Rabbis of these Jewish communities in the diaspora, as well as by some Rabbis in Palestine. Their Canon was known as the Alexandrian Canon or the Septuagint, translated by Jewish scholars in Alexandria, Egypt from early Hebrew and Aramaic versions of the Hebrew Scriptures. This canon consisted of 46 books, and was written in Koine Greek around the year 250 BC.  The Palestinian and Alexandrian Canons were more normative than other canons at the time of Jesus and the Early Church. The Alexandrian canon was the canon of the Old Testament used and adopted by the Apostles and early Christian communities. It is the canon accepted and quoted by the Church Fathers and acknowledged as canonical by early Church councils such as Hippo 393 A.D and Carthage 397 A.D.. It is also the version used by the writers of the New Testament when quoting the Old Testament.  Did you know? The books found in the Palestinian or Masoretic canon are known as Proto-canonical or first canon. The books found in the Alexandrian canon or Septuagint but not found in the Palestinian canon are known as Deuterocanonical or second canon. The deuterocanonical books are: Tobit, Judith, 1 and 2 Maccabees, Wisdom, Sirach or Ecclesiasticus, Baruch and parts of Esther and Daniel not found in the Palestinian Canon, but found in the Greek version.  Who wrote the Bible? The Bible was written by different human authors, mostly Hebrews, many of them unknown. These sacred writers wrote under the inspiration and guidance of the Holy Spirit at different times and places over a period of about a thousand years from 900 B.C to 150 A.D. These human authors wrote from numerous geographical locations and cultures from Babylon, Palestine, Egypt, Rome , Corinth among others. They also wrote in different languages: Hebrew, Aramaic, Greek.  Who wrote the Bible? It was the Holy Spirit who moved these human authors to communicate, to gather, to research, to edit , to pass on, to write down their collective experiences, stories, and oral traditions of faith. God did not dictate the Bible, the Holy Spirit encouraged these human authors to freely cooperate, using their skills, language, culture, talents, literary abilities, knowledge, oral traditions, and happenings to convey the people’s experience of God’s self-communication.  How many Books are in the Bible? The Roman Catholic Canon based on the Septuagint has 73 books divided this way: Old Testament: 46 books New Testament: 27 books. The Protestant Canon based on the Palestinian Canon has 66 books divided this way: Old Testament: 39 New Testament: 27  What are the sections of the Old Testament? Catholic Bibles Hebrew Bibles Torah or Pentateuch The Law (Torah) Historical Books The Prophets (Nebhim) Wisdom Books The Writings (Kethubhim)* The Prophets *In the Hebrew Canon the Historical books are part Deutero-canonical of the Prophets and Wisdom books are part of the books.* writings. * This section occurs only when they are not intercalated with the rest of the Old Testament books, and are grouped together as a separate section.  Books of The Old Testament -Catholic Canon Pentateuch Historical Books Wisdom Books Prophets 1. Joshua 1. Job 1. Isaiah 1. Genesis 2. Psalms 2. Jeremiah 2. Judges 2. Exodus 3. Ruth 3. Proverbs 3.Lamentations 3. Leviticus 4. Ecclesiastes 4. Ezekiel 4. I Samuel 5. Song of Songs 5. Daniel 4. Numbers 5. II Samuel Deuterocanonical 6. Hosea 5.Deuteronomy 6. I Kings 1. Tobit 7. Joel 7. II Kings 2. Judith 8. Amos 8. I Chronicles 3. Wisdom 9. Obadiah 9. II Chronicles 4. Eclessiasticus or 10. Jonah 10. Ezra Sirach 11. Micah 5. Baruch 12. Nahum 11. Nehemiah 6. 1 Maccabees 13. Habakkuk 12. Esther 7. 2 Maccabees 14. Zephaniah 15. Haggai Also fragments of 16. Zechariah Esther and Daniel 17. Malachi found in the Greek Version... Books of the Old Testament – Palestinian Canon  The four sources of the Torah or Pentateuch The Yawist or (Y) used Yahweh as Gods name. This author pay special attention to the Southern kingdom of Judah, employed a great deal of narratives, highlighted God’s intimate closeness to humanity, and depicted God acting as a human person also known as anthropomorphic language. The Elohist or (E) described God as Elohim or Lord. The Elohist compose about the Northern Kingdom of Israel and was apprehensive about idolatry and morality. One interesting characteristic of the Elohist is that he presents God speaking through symbols such as the burning bush. The Deuteronomist or (D) stressed the importance of the Law as the foundation for the Kingdom of Judah. The Deuteronomist appeared toward the end of the monarchy, when the Covenant Law seemed to have been forgotten. The Priestly writer or (P) highlighted religious rituals and the function of the Priesthood. This writer portrayed God as more distant and used a more ceremonial style. This source was written after the Babylonian Exile. (Adapted from the Catholic Youth Bible)  The Torah or Pentateuch Genesis 50 Chapters 1-11 Origen of the Human race 39-50 Story of the Patriarchs Exodus 40 Chapters 1-18 The suffering of the Israelites, The exodus. 22-40 The covenant, The law Leviticus 27 Chapters 1-7 Laws of sacrifice 8-10 Consecration of the Priesthood 11-16 Law of Clean and unclean 17-27 The holiness code Numbers 36 Chapters 1-4 Census 5-25 Historical accounts 26 Census 27-36 Historical accounts Deuteronomy 34 Chapters 1-11 Moses’ address 12-26, 29 revised laws  Major and Minor Prophets Prophets are usually classified as The Minor Prophets are called this Major and Minor Prophets. way because they are smaller works. The Prophets were the moral There are 12 Minor Prophets: conscience of Israel. Their mission was to announce and to remind the Hosea people of Israel about the love that God had for them. They also Joel denounced the people’s neglect of Amos the covenant. Obadiah Jonah The Major Prophets are four: Micah Nahum A. Isaiah Habakkuk B. Jeremiah Zephaniah C. Ezekiel Haggai D. *Daniel Zechariah Malachi (Daniel is not classified as a prophet in the Hebrew Canon)  Historical Books The Historical books narrate the early history of Israel, the conquest of Canaan, the era of the Judges, the emergence and division of the Monarchy into Northern and Southern Kingdoms and the events leading to the captivity of both kingdoms by the enemies of Israel. These books are classified under Prophets in the Hebrew canon. The historical books are: Joshua Judges I and II Samuel I and II Kings  The Wisdom Books The “Wisdom books” are so called because they are mixture of philosophical treaties and poetry. These books are grouped in the Hebrew canon under “the writings”. The Wisdom books are: Job Psalms Proverbs Ecclesiastes Song of Songs or Song of Solomon Note: Sometimes the books of Wisdom, Ecclesiasticus or Sirach are intercalated with the Wisdom books. Sometimes they are grouped with the rest of the Deutoro- Canonical books.  Reflective Points about the Old Testament The Old Testament like the rest of the Bible is a document of faith. Its purpose is to elicit faith in those who ponder upon its divine content. The O.T. is not meant to be read as document of science, archeology, astronomy or history. The Term Old Testament does not mean outdated. The message of the Hebrew Scriptures remains as new as ever. God’ faithfulness, love, redemptive work, covenant, are themes that never go out style in God’s language. When reading the O.T. one must take into consideration the time, culture, language in which it was written. One cannot apply to the O.T. the assumptions and presuppositions of our modern era. The Old Testament is a sacred document of great importance in our Catholic liturgy, one must approach the text of the O.T. with a prayerful attitude of reverence and awe, for it is the word of God. How To Read the Bible? Parable of The Prodigal Son -- Luke 15: 11-32 Name of Book Verses Lk 15: 11-32 Chapter  What is the New Testament? The New Testament or Christian Scriptures are the inspired testimony about Jesus Christ the Son of God and the New Covenant (relationship) he came to establish between humanity and God. Luke 22:20 The New Testament is centered in the Person of Jesus of Nazareth, his life, death, resurrection also known as Paschal Mystery. The New Testament present to us Jesus’ ministry and teachings, and the Church’s post-resurrection understanding (theology) of who Jesus really was. The New Testament is for Christians the living word of God as fully revealed in the person of Christ and his preaching about the Kingdom of God.  How is the New Testament Dived? The New Testament is divided in four main sections: A. Gospels B. Acts Pauline Letters C. Letter or Epistles Hebrews A. Apocalyptic Catholic Epistles  What is the meaning of the word Gospel? The word Gospel comes from the Greek word “Euangelion” or Good News. The canonical Gospels were written in Koine Greek in the period 65—100 A.D. The are four Canonical Gospels: Matthew Mark Synoptic Gospels Luke John The Gospels are not arranged in chronological order. Matthew for instance, was not the first Gospel to be written nor is the first book from the New Testament to be written. Biblical Scholars believe the Gospel of Mark was the first to be written around the years 65-75 A.D. Mark seems to have been the source of early material for the other two synoptic Gospels. The synoptic Gospels are: Matthew, Mark and Luke. The word Synoptic literally means “seen with the same eyes”. These Three Gospels share a great deal of similarities in the events they cover.  When were the Gospels Written? In chronological sequence Mark 65-75 A.D Matthew 75-90 A.D Luke 80-95 A.D. John 90 A. D  The Gospels Gospel Date Author Audience Matthew 75- 90 A.D Unknown, maybe a Jewish Disciple of Matthew Presents Jesus as the Fulfillment of the messianic prophecies and as a great teacher Mark 65-75 A.D Mark Gentiles (according to Papias Presents Jesus as bishop of Hierapolis 130 Messiah and Son of God A.D) Luke 80-95 A.D According to Tradition Greek and Roman Luke, the physician readers. companion of St. Paul Presents Jesus as a universal savior John 90 A.D Unknown, according to Written for the Clement of Alexandria instruction of the early the Gospel was written Christian Church. by John the beloved Presents Jesus as the disciple eternal word of God who became flesh. How is John different from the Synoptic Gospels? A. John has no birth story or reference to a virginal birth. B. John has no record of Jesus’ baptism by John the Baptist. C. John does no include any narrative regarding Jesus being tempted in the desert by Satan. D. John never makes mention of Jesus exorcisms E. John does not employ parables of the synoptic type to present Jesus teaching, instead Jesus makes use of long philosophical discourses. F. John does not report any reinterpretation of the Mosaic Law as do the synoptics, nor does he give any ethical directives regarding: divorce, the Sabbath, ending the law of retaliation, and forgiving enemies G. John does not make any predictions regarding the fall of Jerusalem. H. John does not make any predictions regarding the second coming. I. John does not preserve a communion ritual or the institution of a new covenant at the Last Supper. J. The Jesus portrayed by John does not undergoes any agony before his arrest. (Source: Stephen L. Harris, The New Testament)  The Importance of the Gospels The Gospels are four intimate portraits of the person of Jesus, as he was understood, interpreted, venerated, and remembered by the Christian communities that were touched by the experience of his paschal mystery: life, death, and resurrection. These sacred accounts of Jesus’ life and ministry are not biographical accounts of Jesus in the modern sense of the word. They are first and foremost theological documents of the Church’s faith, a deep faith in Jesus as savior of the world and his message about the Kingdom of God that he inaugurates among men The Gospels are the soul of the New Testament, they are the primary source for the words, sayings, teachings, sermons, parables, deeds, actions, miracles, preaching in the life of Jesus and his ministry among the men and women of his time. The Good News of Jesus Christ attested by the Gospels, through the centuries, continue to transform and to enrich the lives of those who come in contact with the living Son of God through the Gospel and its message of salvation. The life of the Church today also continues to be nourished in its liturgy, sacramentality, and mission by the richness and power of the Good News.  Did you know? The Gospel of Luke and the book of Acts of the Apostles were written by the same author as a single unit around the year 80 A.D. Tradition assigns authorship of this two-volume work to Luke, the physician companion of the Apostle Paul. Acts is placed in the canon separate from Luke. The book of Acts was accepted in some circles as canonical as early as 200 A.D. Acts is the only early account of the Christian community found in the New Testament. It begins with a prologue and the account of Jesus ascension into Heaven. Acts narrates the birth of the Christian Church at Pentecost; Its 28 chapters covers the first 30 years of the Church’s life after the death of Jesus. Acts narrates the expansion of the Gospel from Palestine to Rome and Paul’s conversion and missionary journeys to Judea and throughout the Roman world, up to his imprisonment in Rome.  The Letters There are twenty one letters or Epistles in the New Testament. Thirteen of these letters or epistles are attributed to the Apostle Paul and form what is known the Pauline Corpus. The other seven are called Catholic Epistles, the authorship of these letters is attributed to the Apostles for whom they are named. They are called Catholic ( a word that means universal) because they are not written to specific communities as in the case of the Pauline letters, but to a broader, general, audience. The Epistle to the Hebrews written in the year (s) 60 or 70-80 A.D. is considered more a sermon than an Epistle and was in the past attributed to Paul even though neither the author nor the audience is explicitly mentioned.  Pauline Corpus 1 Thessalonians 51 A.D. Early Letters 2 Thessalonians 51 or 90 A.D. Galatians 54-57 A.D Philippians 56-57 A.D Great Letters 1 Corinthians 57 A.D 2 Corinthians 57 A. D Romans 58 A.D Philemon 56-57 or 61-63 A.D Captivity Letters Colossians 61-63 or 70-80 A.D Ephesians 61-63 or 90-100 A.D Titus 65 or 95-100 A.D Pastoral Letters 1 Timothy 65 or 95-100 A.D 2 Timothy 66-67 or 95-100 A.D  Deutero-Pauline Letters The Dutero-Pauline Letters or “Disputed letters” are the epistles Biblical scholars believe were written by Paul’s followers after his death, rather than Paul himself. The opinion of Biblical scholars on this matter is evenly divided, with some arguing for their authenticity. The Deutero-Pauline Letters or “Disputed letters” are: Ephesians Colossians 2 Thessalonians 1 and 2 Timothy Titus  Catholic Epistles The Catholic Epistles are seven. The Catholic Epistles in order of They deal with different themes composition are: such as: 1 Peter 64 or 70-80 A.D A. The relationship between works and James 62 or 70-80 A.D faith Jude 70-90 A.D B. Faithfulness and Holiness of Life 1 John 90 A.D. C. The necessity to preserve the truth 2 John 90 A.D from false teachings 3 John 90 A.D D. The value of Jesus death and 2 Peter 100-150 A.D resurrection E. Christological and Theological themes. Note: 2 Peter is the last work of the F. Hope in the Second Coming New Testament to be written. All the Books considered canonical in the New Testament were written by 150 A.D.  Did you know? Paul’s writings are the earliest Christian Scriptures to be written and considered canonical in the New Testament. Paul wrote about two thirds of the New Testament. The first book of the New Testament to be written was the First Letter of Paul to the Thessalonians in the year 51 A.D. The earliest tradition of the “Institution of the Eucharist” comes from the writings of Paul and not from the Gospels as most people think. This early Eucharistic tradition is found in 1 Corinthians 11: 23-33  Revelation The book of Revelation or Apocalypse was written around the year 90 A.D. This book affirms Christianity’s hope for an immediate transformation of the world, the destruction of all evil powers and the establishment of Christ’s reign. The message of Revelation is a perennial message of Hope in the midst of tyranny and persecution; this message is conveyed through symbols, metaphors, and cryptic language typical of the Jewish apocalyptic literature of the time. Authorship of this book is attributed by some in the 2nd century to the Apostle John who also wrote the fourth Gospel and the letters. Modern Scholars, however, believe that the Gospel of John and Revelation were written by different authors. Most scholars refer to the author of Revelation simply as John. The book of Revelation was considered suspect by some early Fathers since it was used by an early 4th century heretical group of chiliasts ( millenarianists).  How did the New Testament came about? Biblical Scholar, Jesuit Father Felix Just S.J. proposes 10 stages in the development, formation, and transmission of the New Testament canon these are: 1. The Historical Jesus: The New Testament begins with the Jesus event: his life, words, and deeds being performed. 2. Oral Traditions: Traditions and beliefs about Jesus are developed, preserved, and pass on by early Christian communities in their preaching. 3. Written Sources: Some of the miracles and sayings of Jesus are compiled and recorded in early written documents 4. Written Texts: individual letters, full Gospels, are written with particular messages for particular situations 5. Distribution: Some writings are copied and shared with others Christian communities throughout the Mediterranean 6. Collection: Certain Christians begin collecting the letters of Paul and gathering together several different Gospels. 7. Canonization: Four Gospels, several collections of letters of Paul and a few other texts are accepted as authoritative scriptures. 8. Translation: Biblical texts are translated into ever more ancient and modern languages: Latin, Syriac, Coptic, Armenian, etc. 9. Interpretation: The meaning of the scriptures is investigated on various levels: literal, spiritual, historical, social, etc. 10. Application: Communities and individuals use the N.T for practical purposes such as: liturgical, moral, sacramental, theological.  Canonicity Why certain books were eventually accepted into the Canon of the N.T while other were rejected have to do with Canonicity, the distinction between what is authoritative and what is not. There are four major criteria at work in the process of canonization of the books of the N.T. These are: Apostolic Origin: attributed to or based on the preaching, teaching of the first-generation apostles and closest disciples. Universal Acceptance: acknowledge by all major Christian communities in the Mediterranean world by the end of the 4th century. Liturgical Use: Read publicly along with the O.T. when early Christians gathered for the Lord’s supper or Eucharist. Consistent Message: Containing theological ideas compatible with other accepted Christian writings. Did not deny the fundamental Christian belief in the humanity and divinity of Christ. (Source: Fr. Felix Just, S.J)  Praying with the Scriptures Lectio Divina or “divine reading” is a method of prayer involving the reading of Sacred Scriptures. Lectio Divina is composed of four steps: Reading, Meditation, Prayer, and contemplation. Pope Benedict XVI has encouraged this method of praying with the scriptures in many of his most recent allocutions.  Reflective Points People read the Bible for different reasons: Some people read the Bible out of curiosity, some read the Bible from an academic point of view, while others read it to draw strength during difficult times or as a form of prayer. Faith is an important component in the reading of the Scriptures. The Power of the word of God is unleashed when the Bible is read with Faith, with complete trust in God’s self-communication. Take time each day to get to know the ever living, never ending, message of the Scriptures. Read one book at a time. Start with the Gospels. As you read visualize what you read. Pay attention to the thoughts, feelings, insights that God places in your heart. Keep a journal of the things that you read, look up the things you do not understand. There are several versions of Catholic study Bibles that can help you understand the meaning and context of a particular text. Share the word of God with others: family, friends, co-workers. Our Catholic faith invites us to share this gift of God’s word with the World. Join a Bible study group at your parish. Finally, as the rite of ordination says: “Believe what you read, teach what you believe, and practice what you teach”. BFAST  Evaluation: 1.Give 2 favorite passages in the Bible. 2.Why are they your favorite passages? 3. Why is Bible essential element of faith? The End  GENESIS- First Book of the bible which means the ORIGIN. It presents the beginning of the world and humankind, in partcular, the hebrew people. Basic Themes: a. Creation Stories b. The Fall of Man c. The Patriarchs  Creation Stories a.1. Sources 1. Creation A (Gen. 1-2:3) – P (Priestly) Document 400 BCE 2. Creation B (Gen. 2:4 ff) – J (Yawhist) Document 900 BCE  a.2. Proper Perspective in reading the Creation Accounts 1. Creation Stories evolved from Myths, Legends, and Sagas. 2. They were written in the context of Myths. However, Myths are not to be understood as fictions rather Myths are very good tools to convey Truth.  3. Creation stories are not exclusive for Hebrew people, there are other creation stories belonging to other countries eg. Babylon (enuma elish).  4. It does not ask the question HOW, but WHY. They do not attempt to give us scientific explanation or information about the origin of the present world. They aim rather at stressing the truth that there is only one God who is the source of everything. God creted the world not because He needs it but sheerly out of His love and goodness.  a.4. Implications 1. Creation A has a priestly bias as shown in 7-day pattern, 7th is the sabbath day/ day of worship. 2. Creation A man as the climax and masterpiece of all creation. Creation B man created out of clay to establish that man is weak. 3. Creation A man and woman are equal, Creation B they are complementary.\  4. Creation A man is called to be steward of God, Creation B they are co-creators of God. 5. Creation A God' sovereignty and almighty is shown, Creation B God is anthrpomorphic God.