Study 1. What's the Bible?

Welcome to this series of notes and thoughts for you to explore. Let me start by saying: the Bible is incredible.

So often, I hear guys say that it just isn’t relevant or exciting for their lives. I want to be honest right from the start—there are times when I read the Bible and I’m astounded by how it speaks directly into my life at a particular moment or situation. Then, there are times I read it and think, “What on earth did I just read?”

Don’t be discouraged as you approach the Bible. It’s profoundly deep and has the potential to impact your life—right now—as you're sitting there with a cup of tea and six biscuits. (Sorry, maybe that’s just me.)

Let me give you a bit of background and foundation on what we actually have in the Bible. You’re looking at 66 books that have been brought together to form the version we have today—whether that’s printed or digital.

The Bible is a collection of various types of written documents. We have:

• Historical records about kings, queens, and the early foundations of the people of Israel—including their journeys, battles, and national life.
• Poetry and songs.
• Prophetic writings—messages from God delivered through individuals to the people of Israel.
• Letters and eyewitness accounts, especially centered around the life and teachings of Jesus.

The Bible is divided into two parts, or “testaments”: the Old and the New. It’s the same God in both, but the way He is revealed to humanity develops over time—and it all culminates in the New Testament with the revelation of Jesus.

If you’re wondering how we even got the Bible, the answer is: this amazing book was carefully passed down through generations. As the original eyewitnesses and early believers began to pass away, their stories and teachings were written down and preserved.

For example, the eyewitness accounts of Jesus’ life in the New Testament were written only about 30 years after the actual events occurred. (In the world of ancient manuscripts, that’s incredibly reliable!)

On top of that, the Bible has more surviving manuscripts and ancient sources than many of the famous works of people like Aristotle or Plato—making it one of the most well-documented historical texts in existence.

So, what is the Bible?

It’s a collection of many different books, reliably recorded and brought together to tell one consistent story. A story with a powerful and incredible theme.

What is that theme?

Let’s read on.

(I’ve included a couple of Bible verses for you to check out—one from the Old Testament and one from the New. The name of the book, followed by the chapter and verse, helps us find the right spot in the Bible.)

Want to keep going?

If you like what you're reading in this series, check out The Manual Starter Pack from the CVM shop. It’s a 4-book set that lets you dig deeper into this stuff, one day at a time. Each book gives you a month’s worth of reading notes to go through at your own pace. Just head over to the CVM website and have a look.