God has used people to write down His Words. Those Words are collected in several scrolls or books, we call the “Bible” (from Biblia = collection of books) or the Holy Scriptures or book of books.
In that “Collection of books” that constitute the Scripture of the Christian churches we find 66 books of which it is agreed they should be considered as the infallible Words of God. Though for the Jews only the first part of the Bible, the Judaic Books or Old Testament is considered as God’s Word we should take at heart. These Pre-messianic Scriptures talk a lot about the Messiah to come. The Jews or children of Israel, are still expecting this promised Messiah, but we as Christians do believe that Jeshua is the send one from God about whom was been spoken all the time in those older works. We fall under that ministry of him in which we also have become in a restored relationship with God now being able to call ourselves children of the promise and children of God.
Roman Catholics add apocryphal books (from the Greek ἀπόκρυφος, apókruphos, meaning “hidden” or apokruptein ‘hide away’) to those adopted by other Christian bodies. By the Eastern Orthodox per the Synod of Jerusalem those books are called anagignoskomena. By protestants those books are also sometimes called deuterocanonical books.
The Apocrypha include the following books and parts of books: First and Second Esdras; Tobit; Judith; the Additions to Esther; Wisdom of Solomon; Sirach (also called Ecclesiasticus); Baruch; the Letter of Jeremiah (in Baruch); parts of Daniel (the Prayer of Azariah and the Song of the Three Young Men; see also Bel and the Dragon and Susanna1); First and Second Maccabees; the Prayer of Manasses (see Manasseh). All are included in the Septuagint and Vulgate versions but not in the Hebrew Bible, with the exception of 2 Esdras (4 Ezra). However, they were not included in the Hebrew canon (ratified c.C.E. 100), being considered Sefarim hizonim (extraneous books).
Jewish and Christian works resembling biblical books, but not included among the Apocrypha, are collected in the Pseudepigrapha. {The Columbia Encyclopedia, 6th ed. 2016; The Oxford Dictionary of Phrase and Fable 2006}
Anglican and Protestant translations of the Bible have, since the 16th century, placed books of the Apocrypha between the Old and New Testaments.
According to Christian belief, the collection of 5 (hence also called Pentateuch or Humash) Law books (Torah) with 22 Prophetic books (Nevim or 2nd main division of the Tanakh) and 12 Writings or Kethuvim Aleph as 3rd part of the Tanakh form the Old Testament were supplemented with the Messianic writings or Kethuvim Bet which consist of 27 books also called the New Testament.
Those books are given to mankind so that he can come to see what the Divine Creator wants from him and what the Plans are. In all those writings man can find God’s revelation of what all people need to know about their origins, rebellion against God, sinful nature, salvation, spiritual development, and destiny.
The idea of a collection of holy writings developed early in Hebrew-Christian thought. Daniel in the 6th century B.C. E. spoke of a prophetic writing as “the books” (Daniel 9:2). The writer of 1 Maccabees (2nd century B.C.E.) referred to the Tanakh or Old Testament as “the holy books” (12:9).
Master teacher rabbi Jeshua, in the present world better known as Jesus Christ used the scrolls to show people the way to God. He alluded to the Tanakh as “the scriptures” (Matthew 21:42), and Paul spoke of them as “the holy scriptures” (Romans 1:2).
Matthew 21:42 (RNKJV): Yahushua saith unto them, Did ye never read in the scriptures, The stone which the builders rejected, the same is become the head of the corner: this is יהוה’s {Jehovah’s) doing, and it is marvellous in our eyes?
Romans 1:1-3 (RNKJV): Romans 1
1 Paul, a servant of Yahushua the Messiah, called to be an apostle, separated unto the glad tidings of יהוה, 2 (Which he had promised afore by his prophets in the holy scriptures,) 3 Concerning his Son Yahushua the Messiah our Saviour, which was made of the seed of David according to the flesh;
After Jeshua (Jesus Christ) died and the apostles of Jesus Christ got enlightened by God‘s Spirit they dared to come out of their isolation and wrote down what they remembered from their adventures with their master teacher. They had very well listened to the send one from God and knew his importance for mankind. Because they were convinced he was that promised Messiah, and the son of God who could lead us to God, they presented his words to their pupils and gave us the Messianic writings so that our and coming generations also would be able to find the Way to God.
Several Christians talk about the Bible and then think only of the New Testament, but they should know that the New testament cannot be without the previous Old Testament. Because rabbi Jeshua constantly refers to the Judaic Scriptures followers of Christ should also have to know the Pre-Messianic Scriptures or the Old Testament. Actually “testament” is the translation of a Greek word that might better be rendered “covenant.” It denotes an arrangement made by God for the spiritual guidance and benefit of human beings. Through the ages many covenants were agreed between God and man. As such we can find an Edenic, Mosaic, Abrahamic, Old and New Covenants. The covenant is unalterable: humankind may accept it or reject it but cannot change it. “Covenant” is a common Old Testament word; of several covenants described in the Old Testament, the most prominent was the Law given to Moses, often referred to as Mosaic Law. While Israel was chafing and failing under the Mosaic covenant, God promised them a “new covenant” (Jeremiah 31:31).
Jeremiah 31:31 (RNKJV)
Behold, the days come, saith יהוה, that I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel, and with the house of Judah:
The term “new covenant” appears several times in the New Testament. Jesus used it when he instituted the Lord’s Supper; by it he sought to call attention to the new basis of communion with God he intended to establish by his death (Luke 22:20; 1 Corinthians 11:25).
Luke 22:20 (RNKJV): Likewise also the cup after supper, saying, This cup is the new testament in my blood, which is shed for you.
1 Corinthians 11:25 (RNKJV)
After the same manner also he took the cup, when he had supped, saying, This cup is the new testament in my blood: this do ye, as oft as ye drink it, in remembrance of me.
The apostle Paul also spoke of that new covenant (2 Corinthians 3:6, 14; Hebrews 8:8; 9:11–15).
2 Corinthians 3:6 (RNKJV):Who also hath made us able ministers of the new testament; not of the letter, but of the spirit: for the letter killeth, but the spirit giveth life.
2 Corinthians 3:14 (RNKJV)
But their minds were blinded: for until this day remaineth the same vail untaken away in the reading of the old testament; which vail is done away in the Messiah.
By the offering of Jesus, giving his body for the sins of all people, and God accepting his ransom offering, for those who will come in Christ the veil shall be taken away whilst the Jews still face the Old or Παλαιος (ancient) in contrast to καινος (fresh, verse 6) arrangement. The detailed description of Gods new method of dealing with people (on the basis of the finished work of Christ at the stake) is the subject of the 27 books of the New Testament.
From the older works we come to hear how God got on with and arranged matters for people in anticipation of the coming of this Messiah (Hebrew equivalent of “Christ,” meaning “anointed one”). His promise made in the Garden of Eden (long before Abraham was born) presenting a solution against the curse of death, is certainly the major theme of the 39 books of the Pre-Messianic books or Old Testament, though they also deal with much more than that.
Latin church writers used testamentum to translate “covenant,” and from them the use passed into English; so old and new covenants became Old Testament and New Testament.
At least the first half of the Old Testament follows a logical and easily understood arrangement. In Genesis through Esther the history of Israel from Abraham to the restoration under Persian auspices appears largely in chronological order. Then follows a group of poetic books and the Major (not meaning important, but meaning the books that are relatively long) and Minor Prophets (meaning the books that are relatively short), known as the Shnem Asar, i.e. ‘The Twelve’.
The Second Writings, variously called the Netzarim or Nazarene Writings, the Messianic Writings, Kethuvim Bet, the New Covenant, haBrit haHadasha or the New Testament, also follows a generally logical arrangement. It begins with the presentation of the personal views from Jeshua his chosen disciples. As personal representatives those chosen ones describe the birth, life, teachings, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ in four Gospels.
In that first part of the New Testament we witness already how Jesus trained his disciples to carry on his work after his ascension. How they carried on is further shown in the Book of Acts. It details the founding of the church and its spread through Mediterranean lands.
In the latter part of the Messianic writings the spotlight focuses on Saul of Tarsus better known as the apostle Paul and his church-planting activities. In the Pauline letters or epistles Paul addresses the churches he founded or young ministers he tried to encourage. Following the Pauline Epistles comes a group commonly called the General or Pastoral Epistles.
The last book, Revelation of John, also called Book of Revelation (Lat., revelare, ‘to unveil’) or Apocalypse of John or Vision of John, is an apocalyptic work, using the epistolary, the apocalyptic, and the prophetic genre. It is perhaps, by its extensive use of visions, symbols, and allegory, including figures such as the Whore of Babylon and the Beast, culminating in the Second Coming of Jesus, the most difficult book of the collection. It is itself also a collection of separate units composed by unknown authors who lived during the last quarter of the 1st century, though it purports to have been written by an individual named John — who calls himself “the servant” of Jesus — at Patmos, in the Aegean Sea. The text includes no indication that John of Patmos and John the Apostle are the same person. It begins with John, on the island of Patmos in the Aegean, addressing a letter to the “Seven Churches of Asia“.
Three languages were used for the Holy Scriptures: Hebrew with a few isolated passages in Aramaic in the latter books of the Old Testament and mainly Greek for the Messianic writings which are therefore also often called Greek Scriptures or Greek Writings.
The first books, or the Pentateuch, were written by Moses by about 1400 B.C.E. (provided one accepts the early date proposed for the exodus). If the last of 12 Old Testament books that bear the names of the Minor Prophets was written by Malachi (a transliteration of a Hebrew word meaning “my messenger”, before 400 B.C.E.), composition took place during a thousand years of time. All the writers (some 30 in number) were Jews: prophets, judges, kings, and other leaders in Israel.
If James was the first to write a New Testament book before the middle of the 1st century and if John was the last (composing Revelation about C.E. 95), the New Testament was written during a 50-year period in the latter half of the 1st century. All the writers (probably nine) were Jews, with the exception of Luke (writer of Luke and Acts of the apostles), and they came from a variety of walks of life: fishermen, doctor, tax collector, and religious leaders.
In spite of great diversity of authorship in the Hebrew Writings or Old Testament and the Greek Writings or New Testament, and composition spanning over 1,500 years, there is remarkable unity in the total thrust. Christians believe that God must have been superintending the production of a divine-human book that would properly present His message to humankind.
We believe the library of books from those people God chose Himself to write down His messages bring not only the history of mankind but also a divine revelation.
The Old Testament starts with the beginning of the universe and describes man and woman in the first paradise on the old earth or old world; the New Testament concludes with a vision of the new heaven and new earth or new world.
The Old Testament sees humankind as fallen from a sinless condition and separated from God; the creatures themselves having chosen to go against God’s Wishes and damaging their relationship with God. The Hebrew Writings then focus on how God offered mankind a solution for their act of rebellion. Throughout the 39 books of the Old Testament there is regularly spoken of a coming Redeemer who will rescue men and women from the pit of condemnation.
In the New Testament is revealed how those Words spoken by God in the garden of Eden become a reality and as such all those words from God ‘become flesh’. From the beginning all things came into being by the Word of God and after long waiting the world could find that now there came a new opportunity to have life. That life was the light of mankind which shines on in the darkness, but the darkness has not mastered it. The books after the major and minor prophets give us the words of the send one from God, the prophet whom God declared to be His only begotten beloved son.
John 1:1-5 (Ref.B.): John 1
1 In [the] beginning+ the Word*+ was, and the Word was with God,*+ and the Word was a god.*+ 2 This one was in [the] beginning+ with God.+ 3 All things came into existence through him,+ and apart from him not even one thing came into existence.What has come into existence 4 by means of him was life,+ and the life was the light+ of men.* 5 And the light is shining in the darkness,+ but the darkness has not overpowered it. (Ref.B)
By God His speaking everything came into being and from the birth of that send one from God new life could come into existence. Those who come to believe in that send one from God can become partakers of his body and as believers are restored to favour through the sacrifice of Christ.
The New Testament reveals the Christos or Christ who brought salvation.
In most of the Old Testament the spotlight focuses on a sacrificial system in which the blood of animals provided a temporary handling of the sin problem; in the New Testament, Christ appeared as the one who came to put an end to all ritual sacrifice — to be himself the supreme sacrifice.
In the New Testament Jesus refers often to what was told in the Old Testament. He gives more information and helps people to understand those previous writings better. His actions and his words should people come to realise that Jeshua, Jesus Christ, is that in numerous predictions foretold coming Messiah who would save his people. In the New Testament scores of passages detail how those prophecies from the Tanakh were minutely fulfilled in the person of Jeshua, Jesus Christ: the “son of Abraham” and the “son of David”.
Matthew 1:1 (RNKJV)
The book of the generation of Yahushua the Messiah, the son of David, the son of Abraham.
As Augustine said more than 1,500 years ago,
“The New is in the Old contained; the Old is in the New explained.”
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Preceding articles:
Are there certain books essential to come to faith
Reliability of message appears from honesty writers
Continued with: Revolt against the Authority of the Bible
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Additional reading
- Sharing thoughts and philosophical writings
- Are you looking for answers and Are you looking for God
- People Seeking for God 1 Looking for answers
- People Seeking for God 3 Laws and directions
- Inspired Word
- A question to be posed
- Looking for Answers
- Background to look at things
- Why believing the Bible
- Unsure about relevance Bible
- Coming to understanding from sayings written long ago
- Words to inspire and to give wisdom
- Who Wrote the Bible?
- The Bible: God’s Word or pious myth?
- Scripture Word from God
- Bible, God’s Word to edify (ERV)
- The Word of God in print
- Why think that (4) … God would reveal himself in words
- Why think that (5) … the Bible is the word of God
- How to look for and how to handle the Truth
- Determined To Stick With Truth.
- Bible and us
- Showing by the scriptures that …
- the Bible – God’s guide for life #1 Introduction
- the Bible – God’s guide for life #2 Needs in life
- the Bible – God’s guide for life #3 Fast food or staple diet
- the Bible – God’s guide for life #4 Not to get the best from our diet– or from ourselves
- the Bible – God’s guide for life #5 What is God like
- the Bible – God’s guide for life #6 Case example – King Josiah #1
- the Bible – God’s guide for life #7 Case example – King Josiah #2 Lessons from Josiah’s experience
- Appointed to be read
- Bible basic intro
- Absolute Basics to Reading the Bible
- Bible Word of God, inspired and infallible
- Pure Words and Testimonies full of Breath of the Most High
- Bible in the first place #1/3
- Bible in the first place #2/3
- Bible in the first place #3/3
- Loving the Word
- Fixing our attention
- Bible, helmet of health, salvation and sword of the spirit
- Human and Biblical teachings
- An uncovering book to explore
- Necessity of a revelation of creation 1 Works of God and works of man
- Necessity of a revelation of creation 4 Getting understanding by Word of God 2
- Necessity of a revelation of creation 6 Getting understanding by Word of God 4
- Necessity of a revelation of creation 7 Getting understanding by Word of God 5
- Necessity of a revelation of creation 9 Searching the Scriptures
- Necessity of a revelation of creation 12 Words assembled for wisdom and instruction
- Necessity of a revelation of creation 13 Getting wisdom
- Wisdom not hard to find nor hiding in remote places
- An anarchistic reading of the Bible—(1) Approaching the Bible
- When reading your Bible be aware of changing language
- Jesus spoke Hebrew and Aramaic
- Revival of Jesus’ language at Oxford
- Missional hermeneutics 1/5
- Missional hermeneutics 2/5
- Missional hermeneutics 3/5
- Missional hermeneutics 4/5
- Missional hermeneutics 5/5
- Bric-a-brac of the Bible
- Book of books and great masterpiece
- Unread bestseller
- The Bible is a today book
- Bible a guide – Bijbel als gids
- Bible in a nutshell
- Bible like puddle of water
- Of the many books Only the Bible can transform
- Possibility to live
- Genuine message of salvation
- Power in the life of certain
- Bible power to change
- Written down in God’s Name for righteousness
- Challenging claim
- Challenging claim 1 Whose word
- Challenging claim 2 Inspired by God 1 Simple words
- Challenging claim 3 Inspired by God 2 Inerrant Word of God
- Challenging claim 4 Inspired by God 3 Self-consistent Word of God
- Miracles of revelation and of providence 2 Providence
- Scripture words written for our learning, given by inspiration of God for edification
- Bible, sword of the Spirit to come into the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man
- Written by inspiration of God for our admonition, to whom it shall be imputed if they believe
- Full authority belongs to God
- Authority of the Bible
- The radiance of God’s glory and the counsellor
- Is God hiding His face when He is seemingly silent
- God’s promises
- Divine Plan and an Imperfect creation
- An unbridgeable gap
- Childish or reasonable ways
- Fear of God reason to return to Holy Scriptures
- By temptations, by signs, and by wonders we can see the Works of God
- Written to whom it is about to be reckoned
- Bible, best Book of books to get to know the truth
- Reading of contrasts
- Plain necessary food of the gospel
- Scripture alone Sola Scriptora
- In case you find contradiction between Old and New Testament
- Genre – Playing by the Rules
- The Need to Understand Genre
- The Metaphorical language of the Bible
- Colour-blindness and road code
- God’s design in the creation of the world
- God’s instruction about joy and suffering
- God His reward
- Incomplete without the mind of God
- A way to look for Christ, the Bible, Word of God
- Looking for blessed hope
- Working of the hope
- Words to bring into a good relationship
- Trusting, Faith, calling and Ascribing to Jehovah #3 Voice of God #4 Words in Scripture
- Trusting, Faith, calling and Ascribing to Jehovah #3 Voice of God #5 To meditate and Transform
- Trusting, Faith, calling and Ascribing to Jehovah #3 Voice of God #6 Words to feed and communicate
- Written down for God to bring us up to a virtuous life
- Written for our instruction, that through perseverance and the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope
- Testimonies to observe, inspired by God
- Who Gets to Say What the Bible Says?
- I can’t believe that … (4) God’s word would be so violent
- God’s will is that all sorts of men should be saved
- Interpreting the Scriptures (Part 5)
- Learn to read the Bible effectively
- Materialism, would be life, and aspirations
- Food as a Therapeutic Aid
- Bible containing scientific information
- When you don’t know what to do and hate yourself
- Bible for you and for life
- The Way To Life
- Chief means by which men are built up
- Engagement in an actual two-way conversation with your deities
- To find ways of Godly understanding
- Believing what Jesus says
- Do Christians need to read the Old Testament
- The importance of Reading the Scriptures
- Why can’t Bible scholars agree on how to interpret the Bible?
- Out of Context: How to Avoid Misinterpreting the Bible
- Summerholiday season time to read the Bible
- A feast for the Word of God
- Bible ownership and Bible knowledge slumped
- TV literary adaptation of The Bible
- Hebrew, Aramaic and Bibletranslation
- Some Restored Name Versions
- Celebrating the Bible in English
- What English Bible do you use?
- Murdock or Murdoch Bible
- 2001 Translation an American English Bible
- The NIV and the Name of God
- Use of /Gebruik van Jehovah or/of Yahweh in Bible Translations/Bijbel vertalingen
- יהוה , YHWH and Love: Four-letter words
- The Bible and names in it
- Comparisson Bible Books in English, Dutch and French
- Bible Translating and Concordance Making
- Accuracy, Word-for-Word Translation Preferred by most Bible Readers
- iPod & Android Bibles
- Cell phone vs. Bible
- Bible Companion now also available on Blackberry phones
- The Most Reliable English Bible
- NWT and what other scholars have to say to its critics
- King James Bible Coming into being
- Dedication and Preaching Effort 400 years after the first King James Version
- Codex Sinaiticus available for perusal on the Web
- Working on the Bible being like re-wiring an old house
- A Bible Falling Apart Belongs to Someone who isn’t
- Feed Your Faith Daily
- Devotees and spotters
- Discipleship way of life on the narrow way to everlasting life
- Bringing Good News into the world
- Bible exhibition
- Souls and Religions with Nirvana and light
- Breathing to teach
- Teaching Holy Scriptures in Schools
- How to Choose a Bible for Preaching
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Further reading
- The Bible
- The Bible: Unbreakable
- God’s Transforming Word
- God’s myth
- Books every Jew(-to-be) should have
- Amazing Tanakh, Or Five Reasons I Learned to Love the Old Testament
- Yeshayahu Thirty-Four: The Book of the Lord
- The New Covenant in Judaism and in Christianity
- 05.29.16 Guiding Light
- Is the Bible’s definition of faith opposed to logic and evidence?
- Yeshayahu Forty-One: Remember
- Yeshayahu Forty: Shepherd
- God vs. Abba
- Who are the Children of God?
- Children of God
- I am Abraham and this is my Isaac
- What Are You Building?
- Deliverance
- Did the Bible predict thousands of Muslims converting to Christ in Europe?
- Are We Really Too Busy?
- Color Coding Your Bible
- A Chivalry scroll
- The Evolution of Writing a Story
- Newly Discovered Egyptian Scrolls Reveal Pyramids were Built with Retarded Slaves
- The Mighty Quill, Wax Seals and Scrolls – scribal resources
- The Ultimate Reason We Must Weep
- New Technology Could Reveal Secrets in 2,000 Year Old Scrolls
- Titles of Psalms (4)
- What Do I Take For Granted?
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