The Bible is a collection of 66 books written by over 40 authors over a period of 1500 years that tell the unified story of God’s plan to redeem humanity from sin and death. Here are some common questions people have about the different books of the Bible:
How many books are in the Bible?
There are 66 books in the Bible, divided into the Old Testament and the New Testament. The Old Testament contains 39 books written before the time of Jesus, while the New Testament contains 27 books written after Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection.
What are the different genres of books in the Bible?
The books of the Bible feature a variety of literary genres. In the Old Testament there are books of Law (e.g. Leviticus), history (e.g. 1-2 Kings), poetry (e.g. Psalms), prophecy (e.g. Isaiah), and wisdom (e.g. Proverbs). In the New Testament, the four gospels tell the story of Jesus’ life, Acts recounts the early history of the church, the epistles are letters of instruction to churches and individuals, and Revelation is an apocalyptic text prophesying future events.
Who wrote the first five books of the Bible?
The first five books of the Bible – Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy – are together known as the Pentateuch or the Torah. Traditionally, they have been attributed to Moses, either as the sole author or the compiler of earlier sources. Many modern scholars believe they were written by multiple authors over an extended period of time, then compiled and edited together into their final form.
What time period is covered in the Old Testament?
The Old Testament covers a vast sweep of history, from the creation of the world in Genesis through the patriarchs Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, the Exodus from Egypt, the kings and prophets of Israel, the exile to Babylon, and finally the return from exile and rebuilding of Jerusalem. This covers a time period of over 4,000 years from roughly 2000 BC to 400 BC.
What languages was the Bible originally written in?
The Old Testament was written primarily in Biblical Hebrew, with some portions in Biblical Aramaic. The New Testament was written in Koine Greek, the common language of the eastern Mediterranean world at that time.
Why are there four gospels instead of just one?
Having four gospels allows us to gain a more complete understanding of who Jesus is. Each gospel writer portrays a unique perspective of Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection. Matthew highlights Jesus as the fulfillment of Old Testament prophecy as the Messiah. Mark depicts Jesus as the suffering servant who came to serve. Luke emphasizes Jesus’ humanity and compassion. John focuses on Jesus’ divine nature as the eternal Son of God.
Who wrote the book of Acts?
The book of Acts was written by the physician Luke, who also wrote the gospel bearing his name. Acts provides a history of the early church following Jesus’ ascension, including the coming of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost and the missionary journeys of Paul. Luke likely relied on eyewitness testimony in compiling his account.
Why are there so many letters in the New Testament?
A majority of the New Testament consists of letters written by church leaders like Paul, Peter, James, and John to provide teaching, correction, and encouragement to early churches and individuals. These letters assisted in the spiritual growth and theological unity of believers spread across the Roman empire. Paul wrote the most letters, traveling extensively to preach the gospel.
What is the purpose of the book of Revelation?
Written by the apostle John, the book of Revelation utilizes apocalyptic imagery and symbolism to depict God’s plans for bringing judgment on the world and establishing His eternal kingdom. Though containing some puzzling prophecies, its overall message is to encourage persecuted Christians that God is still sovereign and will ultimately triumph over evil.
Why do Catholics and Protestants have different versions of the Bible?
Catholic Bibles contain 73 books including the apocryphal/deuterocanonical books, while Protestant Bibles contain 66 books and exclude the apocrypha. At the Reformation, Protestants rejected the apocrypha, considering only the 66 books of the Hebrew Bible to be divinely inspired Scripture. This distinction remains, though with some debate, to this day.
Do any original biblical manuscripts still exist?
No complete original manuscripts of the biblical texts are known to exist today. The oldest extant Hebrew manuscript is the Dead Sea Scrolls from c. 200 BC to AD 100. For the New Testament, the oldest fragments date back to AD 125, with full manuscripts from AD 350 and later. Though we do not possess any originals, the abundance of ancient copies gives high confidence in the Biblical texts.
What extrabiblical sources corroborate the Bible?
Archaeological finds, early church father quotations, and ancient non-Christian historical writings confirm many people, places, events described in the Bible. These include countless artifacts unearthed in the Middle East, Roman historians like Tacitus mentioning Jesus and Christians, and over 19,000 manuscripts of biblical texts in the original languages that validate the modern translations.
How did the biblical canon develop?
The 39 books of the Old Testament canon were largely confirmed by the Jewish Council of Jamnia around AD 90. The 27 books of the New Testament were recognized as authoritative Scripture in the early church through citation and use in worship. Key criteria were apostolic origin or connection, conformity to orthodox doctrine, and widespread acceptance in the churches.
Why are there genealogies included in the Bible?
Genealogies were important to establish a person’s lineage and rightful inheritance. Key biblical genealogies include Adam to Noah (Gen 5), Abraham to Jacob (Gen 25, 35), Aaron’s priestly line (Exo 6, 1 Chr 6), David’s royal line (Ruth 4, 1 Chr 1-3), and Jesus’ human ancestry from Abraham and David (Matt 1, Luke 3). They demonstrate God’s faithfulness across generations.
How should the Law and Old Testament apply to Christians today?
While Christians are not under obligation to follow the Old Testament law, its moral principles still provide guidance. The ceremonial and dietary laws were fulfilled in Christ, but the 10 Commandments give God’s timeless standards. The Old Testament provides indispensable background to understand the New Testament and still speaks through its prophecies, poetry, wisdom, and revelation of God’s character.
Why are there two creation stories in Genesis?
Genesis 1 and 2 tell the creation story from different perspectives. Genesis 1 provides the big picture, with humanity as the climax of God’s creative work in six days. Genesis 2 zooms in on the sixth day to show Adam and Eve placed in the Garden of Eden and God’s personal involvement in creating mankind.
How did the New Testament authors view Jesus?
The New Testament writers unanimously present Jesus as the divine Son of God, the long-awaited Messiah and Savior of the world. Though each author has variations in emphasis, they agree Jesus is fully God and fully man, lived a sinless life, died for our sins, rose victorious over death, ascended into heaven, and will one day return to judge the living and the dead.
Why is Romans considered so important?
The book of Romans is a theological treatise by Paul detailing the core doctrines of justification by faith alone, condemnation under sin, and righteousness from God. Martin Luther said Romans was “the most important piece in the New Testament. It is purest Gospel.” Romans has profoundly shaped Protestant theology and the Christian understanding of salvation.
What is God’s overall plan in human history?
The overarching narrative of Scripture depicts God’s plan to bring redemption through Jesus out of His great love for humanity. Despite human sin and rebellion beginning in Eden, God initiated a plan to restore people to Himself. Jesus’ death and resurrection fulfilled this plan. One day, God will unite heaven and earth in the new creation for eternity.
These are just some of the many questions people have about the purpose, origins, themes, history, and meaning found in the books of the Bible. Studying both the Old and New Testaments in unity allows us to fully understand God’s revelation through His Word.
