
INTRODUCTION: William Tyndale and the Bible for the masses!
Q29: WHAT IS THE BIBLE?
PART 1: TECHNICAL ANSWERS
The Bible is a library of books.
66 separate books
39 in the Old Testament
27 in the New TestamentThe Bible was written over
The Bible contains 8 different
- Narrative (approx 35%)
- Poetry (approx 15%)
- Prophecy (approx 10%)
- Law (approx 10%)
- Gospel (approx 10%)
- Epistles (Letters) (approx 10%)
- Wisdom/Proverbs (approx 5%)
- Apocalyptic (approx 5%)
The Bible needs to be read with acknowledgment of the genre and context:
Ie: Psalm 137:9 (NLT) - 9 Happy is the one who takes your babies and smashes them against the rocks!
Ie: Deuteronomy 25:11-12 (NLT) 11 “If two Israelite men get into a fight and the wife of one tries to rescue her husband by grabbing the testicles of the other man, 12 you must cut off her hand. Show her no pity.
Genre/Context of Psalm 137:9…
Genre/Context of Deuteronomy 25:11-12
“The Bible wasn’t written
The Bible is viewed from 7 different ‘approaches’
(1) LITERAL / FUNDAMENTALIST APPROACH
“A: It is the inerrant Word of God, to be taken literally and as factually true. It is the ultimate authority in matters of faith and life practice!”
(2) CONSERVATIVE / EVANGELICAL APPROACH
“A: It is the inspired Word of God, authoritative in what it teaches, but it should be interpreted in light of genre, context and intent!”
(3) CONSERVATIVE / MAINLINE APPROACH
“A: The Bible is inspired by God, but the focus needs to be on the larger redemptive story rather than the details, which are open to interpretation!”
(4) HISTORICAL-CRITICAL / MAINLINE APPROACH
“A: The Bible is a product of its time and contains divine inspiration alongside of human elements. The interpretation of the Bible evolves with culture and time!”
(5) PROGRESSIVE CHRISTIAN APPROACH
“A: The Bible is an important spiritual document but it contains errors. It is a great metaphorical, allegorical, non-literal book that needs to be considered alongside other spiritual texts!”
(6) LIBERAL CHRISTIAN APPROACH
“A: The Bible is a historical document describing the beliefs and values of ancient communities. Previous interpretations can’t be trusted and the Bible needs to be re-evaluated through academic, feminist, liberationist, postcolonial and queer-culture lenses.”
(7) POST-CHRISTIAN / SECULAR APPROACH
“A: The Bible is a significant cultural and literary work, however, it is outdated, controversial and inconsistent with contemporary values. It is a relic of a bygone era and belief in its messages is potentially dangerous.”
PART 2: SPIRITUAL ANSWERS
Lindsay’s perspective
The Riverwood Statement of Faith
The Old and New Testaments, inerrant as originally given, were verbally inspired of God and are a complete revelation of His will for the salvation of humanity. They constitute the divine and only rule of Christian faith and practice (2 Tim. 3:16-17; 2 Pet. 1:20-21).
1) The Bible is the
2 Timothy 3:16-17 (NLT). 16 All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do what is right. 17 God uses it to prepare and equip His people to do every good work.
2) The Bible is
Hebrews 4:12 (NLT) - 12 For the word of God is alive and powerful. It is sharper than the sharpest two-edged sword, cutting between soul and spirit, between joint and marrow. It exposes our innermost thoughts and desires.
3) The Bible is
Psalm 19:7 (NLT) - 7 The instructions of the Lord are perfect, reviving the soul. The decrees of the Lord are trustworthy, making wise the simple.
4) The Bible reveals God’s
Hebrews 1:1-2 (NLT) - 1 Long ago God spoke many times and in many ways to our ancestors through the prophets.2 And now in these final days, He has spoken to us through His Son. God promised everything to the Son as an inheritance, and through the Son He created the universe.
5) The Bible is a
Luke 24:27 (NLT) - 27 Then Jesus took them through the writings of Moses and all the prophets, explaining from all the Scriptures the things concerning Himself.
SOME INTERESTING STATS:
1993 -
2013 -
2022 -
2022 -
2022 - Q: Is the Bible an ageless truth and relevant for modern life?
65% of evangelical Christians agreed
23% of mainline Christians agreed
26% of Catholic Christians agreed
5 PRACTICAL TIPS FOR READING THE BIBLE:
Set a specific
Start
Get a
Keep a
Conduct
CONCLUSION:
Q29: What is the Bible?
A: “The Bible is a God-breathed collection of 66 books, serving as the complete revelation of His will for the salvation of humanity. It is alive and powerful, providing divine guidance and correction to lead believers in righteousness. Authoritative and infallible in its original form, the Bible reveals God’s character and His redemptive plan for humanity through a unified narrative from Genesis to Revelation.”