The PastoralPlanning.com Bible Study in Plain English By using this Bible Study in Plain English, you will become more knowledgeable about the whole Bible. will have a powerful spiritual journey through the text. will know how to approach the Bible in the future. will grow in faith! This Bible Study in Plain English is designed for personal or group use. designed for folks with not very much background in the Bible. leads you through the Bible from front to back. requires you to have a Bible of your own. includes within it a journal or writing space. is reproducible. touches on every major point in the entire Bible. is loaded with conversation-starters and vital information. is really enjoyable to use! What s in this Bible Study in Plain English? This Bible Study in Plain English is your introduction to the whole Bible. It s designed to be easy and enjoyable to use. The Bible Study in Plain English does not move through the Bible precisely in the order in which the various books appear there. Rather, it groups certain kinds of books together, and provides clues about how to understand them more easily. It would be a very good idea for you to own a map or a series of maps showing various historical periods of Bible history. There are probably good maps in the 1
back of your Bible. When reading and studying your Bible, it s perfectly OK to write in it. That does not show a lack of respect and it s great way to learn. Use a pencil or a Bibleready pen that works on the kind of paper many Bibles use. The notes you write will make the Bible more personal and important to you. The word bible The word bible derives from the Latin and Greek languages. In Latin, one might say biblia to refer to a book, or a collection of pages. In Greek, one might use the word (pronounced ta biblion), which means, literally, the book. And that s exactly what the Bible is, a collection of books that were written over a long period of time, beginning more than a thousand years before the common era and continuing up through about 130 in the common era. Throughout this Bible Study in Plain English, we ll refer to the period before Christ as BCE, before the common era, and the period since Christ as CE, during the common era. This is in accord with multi-faith practice. Likewise, in this Study we ll follow the custom of Jewish scholars who prefer to call the first 46 books of the Bible the Hebrew Scriptures rather than the Old Testament. The name old testament does not show respect for Jews and others for whom these texts are not old but still rather new. And we ll refer to the latter part of the Bible as the Christian Scriptures for the same reason. The Hebrew Scriptures. The books of the Hebrew Scriptures deal with the agreement, or covenant, between God and us human beings. They tell about the journey of God s Chosen People (the Hebrews) from the creation stories to approximately one hundred years before the birth of Christ. The Hebrew Scriptures are divided like this: Pentateuch (or Torah): The first five books tell the story of salvation: Creation to Noah Abraham & Sarah and their descendants Moses and the Exodus The Covenant at Mount Sinai The Law These books are Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy. Of all the forty-six books in the Hebrew Scriptures, these first five are the most important to the Jewish people. Historical Books: These books tell the military battles, heroic tales and important events in the history of the Hebrew people. They include the stories of Joshua, Samuel, Saul, David & Bathsheba, Solomon, and the division of the kingdom. The historical section includes books like Joshua, Judges, Ruth, 1 & 2 Samuel, 1 & 2 Kings, 1 & 2 Chronicles. 2
The Prophets: These books tell the message of spokespersons sent from God to the People. A prophet is precisely that: one who speaks for God. These books give the teachings and biographies of the Hebrew prophets. The prophetic section includes books like Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, Daniel, Amos, Hosea and others. The stories of Elijah and Elisha are found in the historical books. Wisdom Books: These books contain poetry, philosophy, prayers, proverbs, and songs. The wisdom section includes books like Psalms, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, and the Song of Solomon. The Christian Scriptures. The writings in the Christian Scriptures deal with the new covenant between God and the people. This covenant was revealed in the teachings of Jesus of Nazareth. The Christian Scriptures tell the story of the conception and birth of Christ, his life and mission, his death and resurrection, and the early years of the church. The Christian Scriptures include the following writings: The Four Gospels: These four books tell the story of Jesus birth, life, death, and resurrection. These include the Gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. Of all the books of the Bible, the Gospels are the most important to Christians. They are the heart and soul of the Christian Scriptures. The Acts of the Apostles: The book called the Acts of the Apostles tells how the early Christians carried Jesus message from Jerusalem to the world. It describes the early church community, details how the faith was spread, and tells about Paul s several missionary journeys around the northeast end of the Mediterranean Sea. The Letters: There are twenty-one letters (or epistles) that bear the names of Paul or of the apostles Peter, James, and John. These letters were written by church leaders to other Christians in places like Rome, Colossae, Thessalonica, Ephesus, and Galatia to encourage and correct them in their faith. Revelation: The last book in the Bible, the Revelation of John, is perhaps the most difficult to understand. It uses apocryphal language to describe the critical events surrounding the Christians of that period. By putting the people, events, and institutions of the day into coded language, the author safeguarded him or herself as well as the readers, while offering them great hope amid apparent turmoil. Various kinds of writing. The Bible contains as many different styles of writing as there are authors. Here are some examples of some of the writing styles you will find: 3
Epic Stories: These are larger-than-life accounts of the growth and history of God s People. They were written down by unknown compilers based on tribal stories told over many generations. Read the story of Abraham or Moses, for example. They re part of an epic tale describing God s love for us and God s desire that we live faithfully. Parables and Allegories: These are teaching stories, told to make certain points. Parables were famously used in the Christian Scriptures, but they also appear in the Hebrew Scriptures. When you read of Nathan confronting David, for example, or of Jesus teaching about forgiveness, chances are you ll be reading a parable. Poetry: These are some of the oldest and most beautiful poems in human history. Read Psalm 16, for example, and you will understand the power of poetry to touch the human heart. Songs: Psalms and canticles in the Bible were set to music and sung by the people. And in the Christian Scriptures, the letter writers sometimes appear to be quoting hymns from the early church or from the Hebrew Scriptures. Read Mary s hymn in Luke and you ll hear an echo of Hannah s hymn from 1 Samuel. Laws: The Bible contains the many laws, rules, procedures, and traditions of the faith community. Almost the entire book of Leviticus, for example, tells about the laws observed by the Hebrew people. Read chapter 19 for a great example of this. Letters: Some of the most powerful literature in the Christian Scriptures are the letters from church leaders to individuals or communities in the early church. Other Literary Forms: The Bible also contains short stories, religious history, biographies, and many other forms of writing. All in all, the Bible is a fabulous book, full of mystery, and brimming over with the exciting word of God. This Bible Study in Plain English includes the following elements: A general description of the Hebrew and Christian Scriptures, which you ve just read. Two free, downloadable charts, showing the history, documents, and probable authors, one describing the Hebrew Scriptures and one describing the Christian Scriptures. Keep these charts handy as you encounter the texts of the Scriptures to help you understand the context of each book of the Bible. There are a total of sixteen studies, each containing the following elements: Read it and see! which leads you directly into the text itself. Again, feel 4
5 free to read much more than the Study suggests. This Study is only meant to lead you into the text. The rest is up to you. Sacred pause! which is a suggestion for private thought and prayer or discussion. Often during the sacred pause, the Study suggests that you read the text aloud, or that you retell the stories aloud in your own words. Don t fail to take advantage of these suggestions. You will come away from reading the Bible much more in tune with its spirit by doing this. Chat room! which suggests points for discussion to help make using the Study with a group of friends very easy. It s one of the best ways to read the Bible. If you re working as a group, you can also use the Sacred Pauses suggested in the Guide to extend your conversation. Note this! which are special notes here and there meant to help you remember certain key notions that will improve your understanding of the text. Dateline! which give notes about the dating of certain elements of the Bible For some readers, knowing where they are in history is very important. Note pad which is a built-in journal or writing space for your use during this Study. This will allow you to make your reading of the Bible personal and permanent. Use this space as much as you can. Follow the suggestions in the Study, but also write whatever you notice about the text, about how it fits into your life, and about questions you may have as you proceed.
The top 10 reasons why people don t sit down and read the Bible (according to the people themselves). Reading the Bible is hard work, but very rewarding! Many people want to read the Bible but haven t. As you think about doing this yourself, be aware that it s easier to start this than to stay with it. Here are the top ten reasons why people report they have never read the full Bible. 1. It s too long 2. Too many of the names and places are unfamiliar 3. A lot of it is history or laws that no longer seem relevant 4. I ve tried but I get bored 5. I want to know what s in it but I don t want to read it 6. I get lost in some of the more complex parts 7. It seems so violent in the Hebrew Scriptures - all those wars and military activities 8. I just don t have a very good understanding of it and that makes reading it very difficult 9. I get enough of the Bible at church 10. I just don t make the time for it This Guide is designed to help you over all of these hurdles. It s designed to make the Bible part and parcel of your life. 6
Who wrote the Bible? The Bible was written by many different authors over a period of more than a thousand years. In each case, the Holy Spirit inspired and guided the authors. The authors wrote in their own words and in their own styles, using their own skills and their own language. Most of the Hebrew Scriptures were written in Hebrew while the Christian Scriptures were all written in Greek. Over the years, there have been many translations of these original texts. Not all the translations are identical. The order of the books. Most people who read the Scriptures assume that the books of the Bible were written in the order in which they are presented there. In the Hebrew Scriptures, the order would be: first the Torah followed by the historical books next the wisdom and poetry books and finally the prophets And in the Christian Scriptures, the order would be: first the four Gospels then Acts of the Apostles followed by the letters of Paul and others and finally the Revelation of John That is not the order in which these books were written, however. It s an arbitrary order established when the Bible was formed. The free, downloadable charts show the probable order and authors of the various books in the Scriptures. In speaking about the dating and authorship of the various books in the Hebrew and Christian Scriptures, one must understand that biblical scholarship (shared among Catholic, Jewish, Anglican, and Protestant scholars) is constantly unfolding a more and more accurate picture of these writings. Our understanding of when and by whom some of the documents in the Scriptures were written is growing. And here s one more thing. No one of these writers on this list sat down at his or her desk one day and said to him or herself, Gee, I think I ll write a book of the Bible today. Each of the documents in the Scriptures began as something else. In the Hebrew Scriptures, the purpose and audience for many of the books varies. In many cases, there is no doubt that the writer wanted to set down a permanent historical record of the people and events that formed the Hebrew people. Other texts were liturgical in nature. Some were poetry. And some may have been written originally as stories to encourage and celebrate their lives and victories. In the Christian Scriptures, Mark s Gospel, for example, may have been an early catechism book. Luke and Acts seem to be something of a travelogue of 7
the faith. The various letters were written to encourage, correct, or celebrate the faith in the early communities of Christians. None of the books found in the Bible was intentionally written as part of the Bible. Later, after generations had revered them, a collection of books and letters was finally drawn together as a Scripture. Even after a list of books to include in the Bible was agreed upon, disagreement about what should and should not be included in the Scriptures continued down through the centuries. Even today, not everyone agrees on what books should be included in the Scriptures. The method of study We recommend that you simply follow the notes and move through each of the study guides provided in this series. Have Bibles open and handy. All notes and other jottings can be made right on these reproducible pages. Space is always provided, or use the back of the sheets for more elaborate notes. We suggest you begin each study period by Breaking Open the Word from last Sunday s Liturgy of the Word. Notes on how to do that, along with Questions of the Week, are provided on pastoralplanning.com. Bibles often have excellent short commentaries built right into them. We suggest you read those commentaries, marking them with your notes and questions, before meeting to study as a group. Make full use of the front matter and back matter in your Bible as well. Most groups have better outcomes when a facilitator is named. It might be possible to pass the duties of facilitator around from person to person, or one member of your group may emerge as your leader. In either case, you ll find the notes in this Bible Study in Plain English to be complete and user-friendly. Bill Huebsch, 2007 This resource may be reproduced for your own use, or for use with a small group within your parish. The permission to reproduce is on the honor system. If you are using this resource beyond a reasonable number, please re-buy it at pastoralplanning.com. Thank you. 8