How We Got the Bible: The Structure and Divisions of the Bible

Transcription

1 How We Got the Bible: The Structure and Divisions of the Bible INTRODUCTION Today, we began a series of lesson entitled, How We Got the Bible. In the 13 years since we last studied this subject, we have a new generation of young people who need understanding in this area. Older members also need reminders of truths and principles they might have studied at an earlier point. This series of lessons has been adapted from A General Introduction to the Bible, Revised and Expanded, by Norman Geisler and William Nix. [Geisler, N. L., & W. E. Nix. A General Introduction to the Bible (Rev. and expanded). Chicago: Moody Press, 1986]. DEFINING FAMILIAR WORDS Meaning of Bible The word Bible can rightfully claim to be the great grandson of the Greek word βίβλος [biblos], which was the name given to the outer coat of a papyrus reed in Egypt during the eleventh century B.C.. The plural form of biblos is biblia and by the second century A.D. Christians were using this latter word to describe their writings. Biblia gave birth to the Latin word of the same spelling, biblia, which was in turn transliterated into the Old French biblia by the same process. The modern English word Bible is derived from the Old French, with the Anglicized ending. The word is thus the product of four stages of transliteration and transmission. The term Bible is often used synonymously with Scripture or Word of God (see chap. 3). The American Heritage Dictionary says the Bible is the sacred book of Christianity, a collection of ancient writings including the books of both the Old Testament and the New Testament. This English word comes from Middle English, from Old French, from Late Latin biblia, from Greek plural of biblion, book, diminutive of biblos, papyrus, book, from Bublos, Byblos. i The Greek noun βιβλίον [biblion], derived from biblos [a scroll, spec. a book], refers to a paper, book [Thomas 975]. This word occurs 34x in 29 Bible verses (Matt. 19:7; Mark 10:4; Luke 4:17, 20; John 20:30; 21:25; Gal. 3:10; 2 Tim. 4:13; Heb. 9:19; 10:7; Rev. 1:11; 5:1, 2, 3, ; 6:14; 10:8; 13:8; 17:8; 20:12; 21:27; 22: ). In the NASB, it is translated book (27x), books (4x), certificate (2x), and scroll (1x).

2 BDAG say βιβλίον, ου, τό is derived from βύβλος, Egyptian papyrus, from whose strips writing material was manufactured, and refers to (1) brief written message, document; (2) long written composition (either of a total work or of parts of a work), scroll, book. Matthew 19:7 (NASB95) 7 They said to Him, Why then did Moses command to give her a *certificate of divorce and send her away? Mark 10:4 (NASB95) 4 They said, Moses permitted a man to write a *certificate of divorce and send her away. Luke 4:17 (NASB95) 17 And the *book of the prophet Isaiah was handed to Him. And He opened the *book and found the place where it was written, Luke 4:20 (NASB95) 20 And He closed the *book, gave it back to the attendant and sat down; and the eyes of all in the synagogue were fixed on Him. John 20:30 (NASB95) 30 Therefore many other signs Jesus also performed in the presence of the disciples, which are not written in this *book; John 21:25 (NASB95) 25 And there are also many other things which Jesus did, which if they were written in detail, I suppose that even the world itself would not contain the *books that would be written. Galatians 3:10 (NASB95) 10 For as many as are of the works of the Law are under a curse; for it is written, Cursed is everyone who does not abide by all things written in the *book of the law, to perform them. 2 Timothy 4:13 (NASB95) 13 When you come bring the cloak which I left at Troas with Carpus, and the *books, especially the parchments. Hebrews 9:19 (NASB95) 19 For when every commandment had been spoken by Moses to all the people according to the Law, he took the blood of the calves and the goats, with water and scarlet wool and hyssop, and sprinkled both the *book itself and all the people, Hebrews 10:7 (NASB95) 7 Then I said, Behold, I have come (In the scroll of the *book it is written of Me) To do Your will, O God. Revelation 1:11 (NASB95) 11 saying, Write in a *book what you see, and send it to the seven churches: to Ephesus and to Smyrna and to Pergamum and to Thyatira and to Sardis and to Philadelphia and to Laodicea. Revelation 5:1 (NASB95) 1 I saw in the right hand of Him who sat on the throne a *book written inside and on the back, sealed up with seven seals.

3 Revelation 5:2 (NASB95) 2 And I saw a strong angel proclaiming with a loud voice, Who is worthy to open the *book and to break its seals? Revelation 5:3 (NASB95) 3 And no one in heaven or on the earth or under the earth was able to open the *book or to look into it. Revelation 5:4 (NASB95) 4 Then I began to weep greatly because no one was found worthy to open the *book or to look into it; Revelation 5:5 (NASB95) 5 and one of the elders said to me, Stop weeping; behold, the Lion that is from the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has overcome so as to open the *book and its seven seals. Revelation 5:8 (NASB95) 8 When He had taken the *book, the four living creatures and the twenty four elders fell down before the Lamb, each one holding a harp and golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints. Revelation 5:9 (NASB95) 9 And they sang a new song, saying, Worthy are You to take the *book and to break its seals; for You were slain, and purchased for God with Your blood men from every tribe and tongue and people and nation. Revelation 6:14 (NASB95) 14 The sky was split apart like a *scroll when it is rolled up, and every mountain and island were moved out of their places. Revelation 10:8 (NASB95) 8 Then the voice which I heard from heaven, I heard again speaking with me, and saying, Go, take the *book which is open in the hand of the angel who stands on the sea and on the land. Revelation 13:8 (NASB95) 8 All who dwell on the earth will worship him, everyone whose name has not been written from the foundation of the world in the *book of life of the Lamb who has been slain. Revelation 17:8 (NASB95) 8 The beast that you saw was, and is not, and is about to come up out of the abyss and go to destruction. And those who dwell on the earth, whose name has not been written in the book of *life from the foundation of the world, will wonder when they see the beast, that he was and is not and will come. Revelation 20:12 (NASB95) 12 And I saw the dead, the great and the small, standing before the throne, and *books were opened; and another *book was opened, which is the book of life; and the dead were judged from the things which were written in the *books, according to their deeds. Revelation 21:27 (NASB95) 27 and nothing unclean, and no one who practices abomination and lying, shall ever come into it, but only those whose names are written in the Lamb s *book of life.

4 Revelation 22:7 (NASB95) 7 And behold, I am coming quickly. Blessed is he who heeds the words of the prophecy of this *book. Revelation 22:9 (NASB95) 9 But he said to me, Do not do that. I am a fellow servant of yours and of your brethren the prophets and of those who heed the words of this *book. Worship God. Revelation 22:10 (NASB95) 10 And he said to me, Do not seal up the words of the prophecy of this *book, for the time is near. Revelation 22:18 (NASB95) 18 I testify to everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this *book: if anyone adds to them, God will add to him the plagues which are written in this *book; Revelation 22:19 (NASB95) 19 and if anyone takes away from the words of the *book of this prophecy, God will take away his part from the tree of life and from the holy city, which are written in this *book. The root noun, βίβλος [biblos], of uncertain origin, refers to (the inner) bark (of a papyrus plant), hence a scroll, specifically a book [Thomas 976]. This word occurs 10x in 10 Bible verses (Matt. 1:1; Mark 12:26; Luke 3:4; 20:42; Acts 1:20; 7:42; 19:19; Phil. 4:3; Rev. 3:5; 20:15). In the NASB, it is translated book (8x), books (1x), and record (1x). BDAG say βίβλος, ου, ἡ refers to (1) a specific composition or class of composition, book; (2) a book of accounts, record book, especially, the book of life (Phil 4:3; Rv 3:5 13:8; 20:15; etc.). Matthew 1:1 (NASB95) 1 The *record of the genealogy of Jesus the Messiah, the son of David, the son of Abraham: Mark 12:26 (NASB95) 26 But regarding the fact that the dead rise again, have you not read in the *book of Moses, in the passage about the burning bush, how God spoke to him, saying, I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob? Luke 3:4 (NASB95) 4 as it is written in the *book of the words of Isaiah the prophet, The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Make ready the way of the Lord, Make His paths straight. Luke 20:42 (NASB95) 42 For David himself says in the *book of Psalms, The Lord said to my Lord, Sit at My right hand, Acts 1:20 (NASB95) 20 For it is written in the *book of Psalms, Let his homestead be made desolate, And let no one dwell in it ; and, Let another man take his office.

5 Acts 7:42 (NASB95) 42 But God turned away and delivered them up to serve the host of heaven; as it is written in the *book of the prophets, It was not to Me that you offered victims and sacrifices forty years in the wilderness, was it, O house of Israel? Acts 19:19 (NASB95) 19 And many of those who practiced magic brought their *books together and began burning them in the sight of everyone; and they counted up the price of them and found it fifty thousand pieces of silver. Philippians 4:3 (NASB95) 3 Indeed, true companion, I ask you also to help these women who have shared my struggle in the cause of the gospel, together with Clement also and the rest of my fellow workers, whose names are in the *book of life. Revelation 3:5 (NASB95) 5 He who overcomes will thus be clothed in white garments; and I will not erase his name from the *book of life, and I will confess his name before My Father and before His angels. Revelation 20:15 (NASB95) 15 And if anyone s name was not found written in the *book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire. Meaning of Testament Next to the fact that the Bible is a biblos, or one book, the most obvious fact is that it is divided into two parts called testaments. The Hebrew word for testament is berith, meaning a covenant, or compact, or arrangement between two parties. The Greek word diathēkē is often translated testament in the King James Version. This is a poor translation, and is one of the corrections made in newer versions of the Bible that regularly translate it as covenant. The Greek version of the Old Testament, the Septuagint (LXX), translates the Hebrew word berith as diathēkē, thus showing the derivation of the Greek term. The Old Testament was first called the covenant in Moses day (Ex. 24:8). Later, Jeremiah announced that God would make a new covenant with His people (Jeremiah. 31:31 34), which Jesus claimed to do at the Last Supper (Matt. 26:28, cf. 1 Cor. 11:23 25; Heb. 8:6 8). Hence, it is for Christians that the former part of the Bible is called the Old Covenant (Testament), and the latter is called the New Covenant. Read Jeremiah 31:31 34; Matthew 26:28; 1 Corinthians 11:23 25; Hebrews 8:6 8 Jeremiah 31:31 34 (NASB95) 31 Behold, days are coming, declares the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah, 32 not like the covenant which I made with their fathers in the day I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt, My covenant which they broke, although I was a husband to them, declares the Lord. 33 But this is the covenant which I will make with the house of Israel after those days, declares the Lord, I will put My law within them and on their heart I will write it; and I will be their God, and they shall be My people. 34 They will not teach again, each man his neighbor and each man his brother, saying,

6 Know the Lord, for they will all know Me, from the least of them to the greatest of them, declares the Lord, for I will forgive their iniquity, and their sin I will remember no more. Matthew 26:26 29 (NASB95) 26 While they were eating, Jesus took some bread, and after a blessing, He broke it and gave it to the disciples, and said, Take, eat; this is My body. 27 And when He had taken a cup and given thanks, He gave it to them, saying, Drink from it, all of you; 28 for this is My blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for forgiveness of sins. 29 But I say to you, I will not drink of this fruit of the vine from now on until that day when I drink it new with you in My Father s kingdom. 1 Corinthians 11:23 25 (NASB95) 23 For I received from the Lord that which I also delivered to you, that the Lord Jesus in the night in which He was betrayed took bread; 24 and when He had given thanks, He broke it and said, This is My body, which is for you; do this in remembrance of Me. 25 In the same way He took the cup also after supper, saying, This cup is the new covenant in My blood; do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of Me. Hebrews 8:6 13 (NASB95) 6 But now He has obtained a more excellent ministry, by as much as He is also the mediator of a better covenant, which has been enacted on better promises. 7 For if that first covenant had been faultless, there would have been no occasion sought for a second. 8 For finding fault with them, He says, Behold, days are coming, says the Lord, When I will effect a new covenant With the house of Israel and with the house of Judah; 9 Not like the covenant which I made with their fathers On the day when I took them by the hand To lead them out of the land of Egypt; For they did not continue in My covenant, And I did not care for them, says the Lord. 10 For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel After those days, says the Lord: I will put My laws into their minds, And I will write them on their hearts. And I will be their God, And they shall be My people. 11 And they shall not teach everyone his fellow citizen, And everyone his brother, saying, Know the Lord, For all will know Me, From the least to the greatest of them. 12 For I will be merciful to their iniquities, And I will remember their sins no more. 13 When He said, A new covenant, He has made the first obsolete. But whatever is becoming obsolete and growing old is ready to disappear. The Greek word διαθήκη [diathēkē], derived from diatithēmi [dispose of by a will], refers to a testament, will, covenant [Thomas 1242]. BDAG say it refers to last will and testament The relationship between the two covenants is well summarized by the famous statement of St. Augustine:... the Old Testament revealed in the New, the New veiled in the Old.... Or, as another has put it, The New is in the Old contained, and the Old is in the New explained. For the Christian, Christ is the theme of both covenants (cf. Heb. 10:7; Luke 24:27,

7 44; John 5:39), as may be seen from the accompanying chart. In The Old Testament Christ Is: In Shadow In Pictures In Type In Ritual Prophesied Implicitly Revealed In The New Testament Christ Is: In Substance In Person In Truth In Reality Present Explicitly Revealed THE BIBLE AND ITS ANCIENT FORMS Hebrew Form of the Old Testament Probably the earliest division of the Hebrew Bible was twofold: the Law and the Prophets. That is the most common distinction in the New Testament and is confirmed as well by Jewish usage and the Dead Sea Scrolls. However, from less ancient times the Jewish Bible was arranged in three sections totaling twenty four books (twenty two books if Ruth is attached to Judges and Lamentations is attached to Jeremiah). This Old Testament contains all thirty nine of the books of the Protestant Old Testament in English. The basic difference is that the books are grouped differently (see discussion in chap. 15). The Hebrew Old Testament Arrangement* The Law (Torah) The Prophets (Nebhiim) The Writings (Kethubhim) Genesis Exodus Leviticus Numbers Deuteronomy The Former Prophets Joshua Judges Samuel Kings The Latter Prophets Isaiah Jeremiah A. Poetical Books 1. Psalms 2. Job 3. Proverbs B. Five Rolls (Megilloth) 1. Ruth

8 Ezekiel The Twelve 2. Song of Songs 3. Ecclesiastes 4. Lamentations 5. Esther C. Historical Books 1. Daniel 2. Ezra Nehemiah 3. Chronicles *This is the arrangement in the New Jewish Version of the Old Testament based on the Masoretic Text (MT). See TANAKH: A New Translation of THE HOLY SCRIPTURES According to the Traditional Hebrew Text; Rudolf Kittel and Paul E. Kahle, eds., Biblia Hebraica and K. Elliger and W. Rudolph, eds., Biblia Hebraica Stuttgartensia. This is not the arrangement as it appears in Alfred Rahlfs, ed., Septuaginta: Id est Vetus Testamentum graece iuxta LXX interpretes. Some believe a threefold division may be implied in the words of Jesus in Luke 24:44: All the things which are written about Me in the law of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms must be fulfilled. Philo, the Jewish philosopher at Alexandria, alluded to a threefold division of the Old Testament, and Flavius Josephus divided the twenty two books of the Hebrew Scriptures into three sections, saying that the twenty two books contain the records of all the past;... five belong to Moses,... the prophets, who were after Moses, wrote down what was done in their times in thirteen books. The remaining four books contain hymns to God, and precepts for the conduct of human life. Luke 24: Now He said to them, These are My words which I spoke to you while I was still with you, that all things which are written about Me in the Law of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms must be fulfilled. (NASB95) Perhaps the earliest testimony to a threefold division, however, comes from the prologue to Ecclesiasticus, which reads,... my grandfather Jesus, after devoting himself especially to the reading of the law and the prophets and the other books of our fathers.... The modern threefold classification, with eleven books in the Writings, stems from the Mishnah (Baba Bathra tractate), which in its present form dates from the fifth century A.D. It is possible that this threefold division is based on the official status of the writers in a descending order: Moses the lawgiver appeared first, with his five books; next came the prophets, with their eight books; finally, the nonprophets, or wise men, kings, and princes, appear with their books. In light of that it would seem that the older breakdown of books was twenty two rather than twenty four. The books of Ruth and Lamentations were probably

9 written by the authors of Judges and Jeremiah respectively and only later removed from their original position to form, with Ecclesiastes, Esther, and Song of Songs, the five books to be read during the festial year. That feature would also leave a more symmetrical arrangement of books in the canon, with three books in each of the three subsections of the Kethuvim, namely, the poetical books, the five rolls, and the historical books.the overall number (twenty two) would thus correspond with Josephus s count, as well as the number of letters in the Hebrew alphabet, indicating that the leaders of Israel considered twenty two books to be a complete collection, as twenty two letters formed the complete Hebrew alphabet. Greek Form of the Old Testament The Hebrew Scriptures were translated into Greek at Alexandria, Egypt (c B.C.). This translation, known as the Septuagint (LXX), introduced some basic changes in the format of the books: some of the books were reclassified, others regrouped, and some were renamed (see the chart at the end of this chapter). The Alexandrian tradition divided the Old Testament according to subject matter, which is the basis of the modern classification of five books of Law, twelve books of History, five books of Poetry, and seventeen books of Prophecy. The order of the books varies in the early canonical lists, but the grouping of the books remains the same throughout. The accompanying chart illustrates this arrangement, which contains the same content but a different total than its Hebrew counterpart. The Law (Pentateuch) 5 books 1. Genesis 2. Exodus 3. Leviticus 4. Numbers 5. Deuteronomy Poetry 5 books 1. Job 2. Psalms 3. Proverbs 4. Ecclesiastes 5. Song of Solomon History 12 books 1. Joshua 2. Judges 3. Ruth 4. 1 Samuel

10 5. 2 Samuel 6. 1 Kings 7. 2 Kings 8. 1 Chronicles 9. 2 Chronicles 10. Ezra 11. Nehemiah 12. Esther Prophets 17 Books A. Major 1. Isaiah 2. Jeremiah 3. Lamentations 4. Ezekiel 5. Daniel B. Minor 1. Hosea 2. Joel 3. Amos 4. Obadiah 5. Jonah 6. Micah 7. Nahum 8. Habakkuk 9. Zephaniah 10. Haggai 11. Zechariah 12. Malachi The Arrangement of the New Testament To that arrangement the early Christian Fathers added the books of the New Testament, which were classified in four groups: Gospels (four books), History (one book), Epistles (twentyone books), and Prophecy (one book). Further, the twenty one Epistles were subdivided into the Pauline (thirteen) and the General (eight). GOSPELS 4 books 1. Matthew

11 2. Mark 3. Luke 4. John HISTORY 1 book Acts EPISTLES 21 books A. Pauline 13 books 1. Romans 2. 1 Corinthians 3. 2 Corinthians 4. Galatians 5. Ephesians 6. Philippians 7. Colossians 8. 1 Thessalonians 9. 2 Thessalonians Timothy Timothy 12. Titus 13. Philemon B. General 8 books 1. Hebrews 2. James 3. 1 Peter 4. 2 Peter 5. 1 John 6. 2 John 7. 3 John 8. Jude PROPHECY 1 book Revelation Latin Form The grouping of books in the Latin Bible (the Vulgate) follows that of the Septuagint (LXX), or Greek version. Jerome, who translated the Latin Vulgate (c ), was familiar with the Hebrew division, but Christendom had come to favor (or be associated with) the Greek version;

12 thus it was only natural for him to adopt its fourfold classification. In fact, any other classification would no doubt have been unacceptable to Latin Christians. THE BIBLE IN ITS MODERN FORM The Historical Reason for the Structure of the English Bible After the Vulgate had reigned for a thousand years as the standard Bible of Christendom, it is to be expected that Wycliffe s first English Bible would follow the timeworn divisions of its Latin precursor. As a matter of fact, the fourfold division of the Old Testament and the similar division of the New Testament have been the standard ever since. As a result, the divisions of the modern English Bible follow a topical rather than an official order (i.e., by rank or office of the writer), in contrast to the Hebrew Bible. Yet, within that overall topical structure, there is a semichronological listing of the books from Genesis through Revelation. The Topical Reason for the Structure of the English Bible Because the present structure of the English Bible has been subject to several historical variations, it would be too much to assume that it is God given. The order as we have it is not, however, purely arbitrary. In fact, the order shows evidence of being purposefully directed, at least insofar as it falls into meaningful categories, because it presents the historical unfolding of the drama of redemptive revelation. Because redemption and revelation center about the Person of Jesus Christ, it may be observed that the several sections of Scriptures form a Christocentric structure (Luke 24:27, 44; John 5:39; Heb. 10:7). That is, Christ is not only the theme of both Testaments of the Bible, as mentioned above, but He may also be seen as the subject in the sequence of each of the eight sections of the Scriptures. Structure and Divisions of the Bible In the Old Testament, the books of the law lay the foundation for Christ in that they reveal how God chose (Genesis), redeemed (Exodus), sanctified (Leviticus), guided (Numbers), and instructed (Deuteronomy) the Hebrew nation, through whom He was to bless all nations (Genesis. 2:1 3). The historical books illustrate how the nation was being prepared to carry out its redemptive mission. In order for the chosen nation to be fully prepared for the task, it had to conquer its land (Joshua Ruth), to be established under its first king, Saul (1 Samuel), and later to expand its empire under David and Solomon (2 Samuel 1 Kings 10). After Solomon s reign, the kingdom was divided (1 Kings 11ff.) and later deported to Assyria (721 B.C.) and Babylonia (586 B.C., 2 Kings). However, redemptive hopes were not lost, for God protected and preserved

13 His people (Esther) so He could cause them to return (Ezra) and their holy city to be rebuilt (Nehemiah). In the law the foundation is laid for Christ; in the historical books the nation takes root in preparation for Christ; in the poetical books the people look up in aspiration for Christ; in the prophetical books they look forward in expectation of Christ. The law views the moral life of Israel, history records their national life, poetry reveals their spiritual life, and prophecy depicts their prophetical or Messianic life and expectations. The gospels of the New Testament bring that prophetic expectation to a historical manifestation in Christ. There the promised Savior becomes present; the concealed becomes revealed; the Logos enters the cosmos (John 1:1,14) as Christ is made manifest in the flesh. The gospels give a fourfold manifestation of Christ: He is seen in His sovereignty (Matthew), ministry (Mark), humanity (Luke), and deity (John). The manifestation was limited in Jesus day for the most part, to the lost sheep of the house of Israel (Matt. 10:6). After Christ died and rose again, the disciples were commissioned to carry the account of His manifestation to the end of the earth (NKJV) as told in the book of Acts. There is recorded propagation of faith in Christ as He had commanded: And you shall be My witnesses both in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and even to the remotest part of the earth (Acts 1:8). The gospels give the manifestation of Christ, Acts the propagation of faith in Him, and the epistles the interpretation of His person and work. The gospels and Acts record the deeds of Christ and His disciples, but the epistles reveal His doctrine as it was taught by the apostles. The former give the historic foundation for New Testament Christianity; the latter give the didactic interpretation and application of it. The climactic chapter of Christocentric revelation comes in the final book of the New Testament, Revelation, where all things are brought to a consummation in Christ. The Paradise Lost of Genesis becomes the Paradise Regained of Revelation. Whereas the gate to the tree of life is closed in Genesis, it is opened forevermore in Revelation. All things are to be summed up in Him (Col. 2:9), for all things were made by Him, redemption was accomplished through Him, and it is only fitting that all things should be consummated in Him (Ephesians.1:10). SUMMARY AND CONCLUSION The Bible is a biblos, a single book. It has two Testaments, better called covenants or agreements between God and His people. Those two parts of the Bible are inseparably related: the New Testament is in the Old concealed, and the Old is in the New revealed. Down through the centuries the Bible has been subdivided into sections and has had several different arrangements of its books. The Hebrew Bible came to have a threefold division (Law, Prophets, and Writings), so categorized according to the official position of the writer.

14 However, beginning with the Septuagint and continuing in the Latin and modern English translations, the Old Testament has been given a fourfold topical structure. The New Testament was also given a fourfold topical arrangement of Gospels, Acts, Epistles, and Revelation. When viewed carefully, those sections of the Bible are obviously not arbitrarily put together. Instead, they form a meaningful and purposeful whole, as they convey the progressive unfolding of the theme of the Bible in the person of Christ. The law gives the foundation for Christ, history shows the preparation for Him. In poetry there is an aspiration for Christ and in prophecy an expectation of Him. The Gospels of the New Testament record the historical manifestation of Christ, the Acts relate the propagation of Christ, the Epistles give the interpretation of Him, and in Revelation is found the consummation of all things in Christ. Source: Geisler, Normal L., and Nix, William E., A General Introduction to the Bible, Revised and Expanded, (Chicago, IL: Moody Press, 1986), s.v. Chapter 1: The Structure and Divisions of the Bible. i The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, Third Edition, (Houghton Mifflin Company, 1992), s.v. Bible.