New Life Bible Church
The History of the Bible
Locations & Times
New Life Bible Church, Twin Lakes
112 W Main St, Twin Lakes, WI 53181, USA
Sunday 5:00 AM
The History of the Bible
(1 Bible)
Which Bible is the Best?
1. The Bible is the inspired Scripture of God
Bible - Biblia is the Greek word for books (plural). But the books came to be known as the one book: The Bible. It was written by 40 authors over a 1500 year period from 1400 B.C. to 90 A.D.
The Bible is inspired by God
2 Timothy 3:16-17 All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, 17 that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.
θεόπνευστος - from Theós, God, and pnéō, to breathe or blow. Prompted by God, divinely inspired, occurs only in 2 Tim. 3:16 in the NT. (CWSDNT)
The Bible was given to us from God through people by the Holy Spirit
2 Peter 1:20-21 knowing this first of all, that no prophecy of Scripture comes from someone’s own interpretation. 21 For no prophecy was ever produced by the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.
To bear along or carry. In the passive voice it means to be borne along, as in a ship before the wind, or be driven (CWSDNT)
Observation: The Bible is the scripture of God, inspired by Him, but using the unique language and personality of the human person He used to write it.
2. There are 66 books in the Bible
There are sixty six books that make up the Holy scripture, 39 Old Testament and 27 New Testament. The word Testament means covenant. The Old Covenant was the law. The New Covenant is grace.
The 66 books of the Bible are the Canon of Scripture
Canon - In the course of time, the terms canon and canonical came to be applied to the catalogue or list of sacred books distinguished and honored as belonging to God’s inspired Word. “Greek Christians by the fourth century A.D. had given the word a quasi-technical religious meaning, applying it to the Bible, especially to the Jewish books.”
The formation of the Old Testament Canon (2 Hebrew Bible)
It was the Jews’ fear of religious “contamination” during the time of Ezra that motivated them to create an “official version of the various Scriptures and gather them into one organic collection.” In fact, the primary reason for the final compilation of the sacred Aaronic writings into an authentic, authoritative canon of Scripture was to combat an insidious counterfeit system of worship arising out of Samaria during the post-exilic period.
In order to preserve the true worship of God, it was essential to differentiate between the sacred Hebrew texts of the Jerusalem Jews and the Hebrew writings utilized by the apostate Samaritan Jews. The key step was to organize the sacred Levitical documents into a final, closed canon of Scripture. Then, accurate copies of the entire canonized text were made and distributed to Jewish synagogues throughout the Persian Empire. Once canonized, the Scriptures could be preserved without fear of corruption. (https://afaithfulversion.org/commentary-canonization/)
The formation of the New Testament Canon (3 Greek Bible)
The Canon of the New Testament began to take shape as early as Clement of Rome (c. A.D. 95) who mentioned at least eight New Testament books in a letter; Ignatius of Antioch (c. A.D. 115) also acknowledged about seven books; Polycarp, a disciple of John, (c. A.D. 108), acknowledged fifteen letters. That is not to say these men did not recognize more letters as canonical, but these are ones they mentioned in their correspondence. Later Irenaeus wrote (c. A.D. 185), acknowledging twenty-one books. Hippolytus (A.D. 170-235) recognized twenty-two books. Even more important was the witness of the Muratorian Canon (A.D. 170), which was a compilation of books recognized as canonical at that early date by the church. The Muratorian Canon included all the New Testament books except Hebrews, James, and one epistle of John.
In the fourth century AD there was a final recognition of a New Testament canon. When Athanasius wrote in A.D. 367 he cited the twenty-seven books of the New Testament as being the only true books. In A.D. 363 the Council of Laodicea stated that only the Old Testament and the twenty-seven books of the New Testament were to be read in the churches. The Council of Hippo (A.D. 393) recognized the twenty-seven books, and the Council of Carthage (A.D. 397) affirmed that only those canonical books were to be read in the churches. There were 2 tests to determine of a book was canonical:
(1) Authentication on the Divine side—Inspiration. Did the book give internal evidence of inspiration, of being God breathed? Was it of proper spiritual character? Did it edify the church? Was it doctrinally accurate? “The Apocrypha and Pseudepigrapha were rejected as a result of not meeting this test. (4 Catholic Bible) The book should bear evidence of high moral and spiritual values that would reflect a work of the Holy Spirit.”72
(2) Authentication on the human side. (a) Was the author an apostle or did he have the endorsement of an apostle? (b) Universal acceptance
https://bible.org/seriespage/7-bible-holy-canon-scripture
Observation: The Bible is made up of the 66 books, 39 Old Testament and 27 New Testament books, that were determined to be inspired by the orthodox community of faith of its day.
3. The Bible has been translated into many different languages and versions
God showed He approved of translating the Bible into other languages
The Gospel writers’ quotes come from the Septuagint, showing God’s acceptance of translation -
The Septuagint is the common term for the Old Greek translation of the Hebrew Scriptures. The word means “seventy”, which is a reference to the tradition that 72 Jewish translators are alleged to have produced a version in the time of Ptolemy II in 285-246 B.C. The first five books of Moses were done around 280 B.C., with the rest being completed by 150 B.C. As a result, the name Septuagint came to denote the complete Hebrew Scriptures translated into Greek.
When Jesus is quoted quoting from the Old Testament, most often that quote follows the Septuagint reading. Even in Matthew, [the most Hebrew of the Gospels], the Old Testament quotations lean toward the Septuagint. Of the 80 times in Matthew, where the OT is quoted from or alluded to, about 30 are from the Septuagint. Most of these are at the times Jesus or John the Baptist is in direct speech. https://christianpublishinghouse.co/2017/03/06/did-jesus-speak-greek-or-quote-the-septuagint/
The Bible has been translated into many different languages
The Old Testament was written in Hebrew (except for some Aramaic in Ezra, Jeremiah, and Daniel). The New Testament was written in Greek, so most people in the world have to read translations of the original languages. (5 German Bible)
There are different kinds of translations.
Word for word translations match Hebrew and Greek as closely as possible (such as the king James version and English Standard Bible) Other translations focus on thought for thought, such as the New International Version. The Living Bible is a paraphrased and they take a lot of liberty to make a readable English version. Compare these verses in the different version
John 5:39-40 (6 Versions)
39 Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me. 40 And ye will not come to me, that ye might have life. (KJV)
39 You search the Scriptures because you think that in them you have eternal life; and it is they that bear witness about me, 40 yet you refuse to come to me that you may have life. (ESV)
39 You study the Scriptures diligently because you think that in them you have eternal life. These are the very Scriptures that testify about me, 40 yet you refuse to come to me to have life. (NIV)
39 "You search the Scriptures, for you believe they give you eternal life. And the Scriptures point to me! 40 Yet you won’t come to me so that I can give you this life eternal! (TLB)
Observation: The Bible has been translated with God’s approval into many languages and into many different versions through the centuries.
4. The Bible has been preserved by God
How do we know the Bible we have is right?
God promised to preserve His word
Psalm 12:6-7 (NKJV) The words of the LORD are pure words, Like silver tried in a furnace of earth, Purified seven times. 7 You shall keep them, O LORD, You shall preserve them from this generation forever.
There is archeological evidence that God has preserved His word (7 Dead Sea Scroll)
In 1947 the Dead Sea Scrolls were found, providing a copy of Isaiah that is conservatively dated approximately 200 B.C. It predated our existing Hebrew texts of Isaiah by over 1000 years. For the first time, scholars could examine the accuracy of the Masoretic text.
Yigael Yadin points out that, “The great importance of the antiquity of the Dead Sea Scrolls, therefore, lies in the fact that they belong to the period in which no standardization of the holy scriptures had been effected. This is at once obvious by comparing the text of the scrolls with that of the translations on the one hand and the Masora on the other. What is astonishing is that despite their antiquity and the fact that the scrolls belong to this pre-standardization period, they are on the whole almost identical with the Masoretic text known to us” (The Message of the Scrolls 83). http://truthmagazine.com/archives/volume45/V4501040102.htm
Observation: The Bible has been preserved by God through the centuries so we can have confidence that we have the word of God today.
The Point: The Bible is a book written and preserved by God, even though it has been translated into many languages and versions, and it is written so everyone from every tongue, tribe and nation can know how to have a relationship to Him.
Application: Go has gone to unbelievable lengths to put His word in your hands. Commit yourself to reading it every day.
Which one is the best Bible?
(8 Reading the Bible)
(1 Bible)
Which Bible is the Best?
1. The Bible is the inspired Scripture of God
Bible - Biblia is the Greek word for books (plural). But the books came to be known as the one book: The Bible. It was written by 40 authors over a 1500 year period from 1400 B.C. to 90 A.D.
The Bible is inspired by God
2 Timothy 3:16-17 All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, 17 that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.
θεόπνευστος - from Theós, God, and pnéō, to breathe or blow. Prompted by God, divinely inspired, occurs only in 2 Tim. 3:16 in the NT. (CWSDNT)
The Bible was given to us from God through people by the Holy Spirit
2 Peter 1:20-21 knowing this first of all, that no prophecy of Scripture comes from someone’s own interpretation. 21 For no prophecy was ever produced by the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.
To bear along or carry. In the passive voice it means to be borne along, as in a ship before the wind, or be driven (CWSDNT)
Observation: The Bible is the scripture of God, inspired by Him, but using the unique language and personality of the human person He used to write it.
2. There are 66 books in the Bible
There are sixty six books that make up the Holy scripture, 39 Old Testament and 27 New Testament. The word Testament means covenant. The Old Covenant was the law. The New Covenant is grace.
The 66 books of the Bible are the Canon of Scripture
Canon - In the course of time, the terms canon and canonical came to be applied to the catalogue or list of sacred books distinguished and honored as belonging to God’s inspired Word. “Greek Christians by the fourth century A.D. had given the word a quasi-technical religious meaning, applying it to the Bible, especially to the Jewish books.”
The formation of the Old Testament Canon (2 Hebrew Bible)
It was the Jews’ fear of religious “contamination” during the time of Ezra that motivated them to create an “official version of the various Scriptures and gather them into one organic collection.” In fact, the primary reason for the final compilation of the sacred Aaronic writings into an authentic, authoritative canon of Scripture was to combat an insidious counterfeit system of worship arising out of Samaria during the post-exilic period.
In order to preserve the true worship of God, it was essential to differentiate between the sacred Hebrew texts of the Jerusalem Jews and the Hebrew writings utilized by the apostate Samaritan Jews. The key step was to organize the sacred Levitical documents into a final, closed canon of Scripture. Then, accurate copies of the entire canonized text were made and distributed to Jewish synagogues throughout the Persian Empire. Once canonized, the Scriptures could be preserved without fear of corruption. (https://afaithfulversion.org/commentary-canonization/)
The formation of the New Testament Canon (3 Greek Bible)
The Canon of the New Testament began to take shape as early as Clement of Rome (c. A.D. 95) who mentioned at least eight New Testament books in a letter; Ignatius of Antioch (c. A.D. 115) also acknowledged about seven books; Polycarp, a disciple of John, (c. A.D. 108), acknowledged fifteen letters. That is not to say these men did not recognize more letters as canonical, but these are ones they mentioned in their correspondence. Later Irenaeus wrote (c. A.D. 185), acknowledging twenty-one books. Hippolytus (A.D. 170-235) recognized twenty-two books. Even more important was the witness of the Muratorian Canon (A.D. 170), which was a compilation of books recognized as canonical at that early date by the church. The Muratorian Canon included all the New Testament books except Hebrews, James, and one epistle of John.
In the fourth century AD there was a final recognition of a New Testament canon. When Athanasius wrote in A.D. 367 he cited the twenty-seven books of the New Testament as being the only true books. In A.D. 363 the Council of Laodicea stated that only the Old Testament and the twenty-seven books of the New Testament were to be read in the churches. The Council of Hippo (A.D. 393) recognized the twenty-seven books, and the Council of Carthage (A.D. 397) affirmed that only those canonical books were to be read in the churches. There were 2 tests to determine of a book was canonical:
(1) Authentication on the Divine side—Inspiration. Did the book give internal evidence of inspiration, of being God breathed? Was it of proper spiritual character? Did it edify the church? Was it doctrinally accurate? “The Apocrypha and Pseudepigrapha were rejected as a result of not meeting this test. (4 Catholic Bible) The book should bear evidence of high moral and spiritual values that would reflect a work of the Holy Spirit.”72
(2) Authentication on the human side. (a) Was the author an apostle or did he have the endorsement of an apostle? (b) Universal acceptance
https://bible.org/seriespage/7-bible-holy-canon-scripture
Observation: The Bible is made up of the 66 books, 39 Old Testament and 27 New Testament books, that were determined to be inspired by the orthodox community of faith of its day.
3. The Bible has been translated into many different languages and versions
God showed He approved of translating the Bible into other languages
The Gospel writers’ quotes come from the Septuagint, showing God’s acceptance of translation -
The Septuagint is the common term for the Old Greek translation of the Hebrew Scriptures. The word means “seventy”, which is a reference to the tradition that 72 Jewish translators are alleged to have produced a version in the time of Ptolemy II in 285-246 B.C. The first five books of Moses were done around 280 B.C., with the rest being completed by 150 B.C. As a result, the name Septuagint came to denote the complete Hebrew Scriptures translated into Greek.
When Jesus is quoted quoting from the Old Testament, most often that quote follows the Septuagint reading. Even in Matthew, [the most Hebrew of the Gospels], the Old Testament quotations lean toward the Septuagint. Of the 80 times in Matthew, where the OT is quoted from or alluded to, about 30 are from the Septuagint. Most of these are at the times Jesus or John the Baptist is in direct speech. https://christianpublishinghouse.co/2017/03/06/did-jesus-speak-greek-or-quote-the-septuagint/
The Bible has been translated into many different languages
The Old Testament was written in Hebrew (except for some Aramaic in Ezra, Jeremiah, and Daniel). The New Testament was written in Greek, so most people in the world have to read translations of the original languages. (5 German Bible)
There are different kinds of translations.
Word for word translations match Hebrew and Greek as closely as possible (such as the king James version and English Standard Bible) Other translations focus on thought for thought, such as the New International Version. The Living Bible is a paraphrased and they take a lot of liberty to make a readable English version. Compare these verses in the different version
John 5:39-40 (6 Versions)
39 Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me. 40 And ye will not come to me, that ye might have life. (KJV)
39 You search the Scriptures because you think that in them you have eternal life; and it is they that bear witness about me, 40 yet you refuse to come to me that you may have life. (ESV)
39 You study the Scriptures diligently because you think that in them you have eternal life. These are the very Scriptures that testify about me, 40 yet you refuse to come to me to have life. (NIV)
39 "You search the Scriptures, for you believe they give you eternal life. And the Scriptures point to me! 40 Yet you won’t come to me so that I can give you this life eternal! (TLB)
Observation: The Bible has been translated with God’s approval into many languages and into many different versions through the centuries.
4. The Bible has been preserved by God
How do we know the Bible we have is right?
God promised to preserve His word
Psalm 12:6-7 (NKJV) The words of the LORD are pure words, Like silver tried in a furnace of earth, Purified seven times. 7 You shall keep them, O LORD, You shall preserve them from this generation forever.
There is archeological evidence that God has preserved His word (7 Dead Sea Scroll)
In 1947 the Dead Sea Scrolls were found, providing a copy of Isaiah that is conservatively dated approximately 200 B.C. It predated our existing Hebrew texts of Isaiah by over 1000 years. For the first time, scholars could examine the accuracy of the Masoretic text.
Yigael Yadin points out that, “The great importance of the antiquity of the Dead Sea Scrolls, therefore, lies in the fact that they belong to the period in which no standardization of the holy scriptures had been effected. This is at once obvious by comparing the text of the scrolls with that of the translations on the one hand and the Masora on the other. What is astonishing is that despite their antiquity and the fact that the scrolls belong to this pre-standardization period, they are on the whole almost identical with the Masoretic text known to us” (The Message of the Scrolls 83). http://truthmagazine.com/archives/volume45/V4501040102.htm
Observation: The Bible has been preserved by God through the centuries so we can have confidence that we have the word of God today.
The Point: The Bible is a book written and preserved by God, even though it has been translated into many languages and versions, and it is written so everyone from every tongue, tribe and nation can know how to have a relationship to Him.
Application: Go has gone to unbelievable lengths to put His word in your hands. Commit yourself to reading it every day.
Which one is the best Bible?
(8 Reading the Bible)