HOW TO READ THE BIBLE An Introduction
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS Is the Bible historically true? Are all the books of the Bible equally valuable? When was the Bible written?
THE BIBLE IS A LIBRARY when someone asks you a question about the Bible as a whole
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS Is the Bible historically true? It s a library. Not everything in a library is trying to be historical. Some more than others especially Matthew, Mark, Luke, 1st & 2nd Kings, Acts, letters of Paul Are all the books of the Bible equally valuable? It s a library. Not all books in the library speak to you. When was the Bible written? It s a library a library isn t written; it is assembled. The Bible was canonized (or assembled) at the Council of Nicaea around 333 C.E. The oldest parts of scripture are fragments within the Pentateuch, which can date back as far as 800 B.C.E.
THE BIBLE A HISTORY
When was the Old Testament written???????? A short answer does not equal a good answer!
When was the Old Testament written? You are here
Escape Egypt??? Israel Splits Two kingdoms 930 BCE First Hebrew King 980 BCE (Saul) Northern Kingdom Destroyed 722 BCE Captivity in Babylon 587-515 BCE History of the Old Testament, Israelite Nation, and Judaism
History of the Old Testament, Israelite Nation, and Judaism Moses escape from Egypt is THE story of the Old Testament King David favorite King. David s son Solomon built the 1st Temple to honor his father. Solomon s son isn t liked; kingdom splits in two. The Hebrew religion fractures between Israel and Judah In 722, the Northern capitol of Samaria is sacked by brutal Assyrians, but their stories/scrolls escape to Southern capitol of Jerusalem Northern stories include Abraham, Issac, Jacob, Joseph (later added to Genesis)
History of the Old Testament, Israelite Nation, and Judaism Prophets arise to advise the kings to prepare for war- Isaiah, Jeremiah Babylonians sack Jerusalem in 587, burn the city and the Temple Babylonians take the wealthy as POWs and take them back to Babylon. Hebrew captives in Babylon compile/write/edit much of the Old Testament including Pentateuch, Joshua, Judges, Kings and Chronicles, 1 &2 Isaiah, Jeremiah, Psalms The Persians defeat the Babylonians and send Hebrews home in 515. Persians introduce Aramaic to the Hebrews.
History of the Old Testament, Israelite Nation, and Judaism A new kind of prophet arises in the new Jerusalem like Ezra, Nehemiah, Amos, and a new temple is built but peace is short-lived. When the Greeks defeat the Persians in 486 BCE, they make an example out of Jerusalem and make it city-state called a Polis. Greek overlords outlaw Hebrew religion and language, including circumcision. This leads to superhero stories like Daniel, Jonah, and Esther and the word Jewish starts to surface. In 167, Jewish people called Maccabees revolt against a disorganized Greek empire and WIN. Judaism becomes a organized religion. Prophecies arise preparing for a Messiah to take the throne like King David.
History of the Old Testament, Israelite Nation, and Judaism In 146 BCE Romans defeat Greeks, and control the world. Roman culture, however, flops and the world still mainly speaks greek and worships Greek gods, not Roman knock-offs. There is talk that the Romans will destroy Jerusalem, because the people there still claim independence and rebel frequently. The Romans install Herod who is technically Jewish but a puppet of the Empire. This is why Jesus is a Jew, living in Roman occupation, who speaks Aramaic, in a world that is culturally Greek, who prepares for the end times.
History of the Old Testament, Israelite Nation, and Judaism When Jesus is crucified, several of his followers claim to have seen him resurrected. Their mourning turns to joy (this is unusual!) 20 years later around 50 CE Saul/Paul has a vision of Jesus and converts from persecution of christians to one of them. Paul starts churches in Thessolonika, Corinth, and Ephesus and writes letters to them.
History of the Old Testament, Israelite Nation, and Judaism In 72 CE, The 2nd Jewish Temple is destroyed by the Romans, as Jesus prophesied. A group of religious fanatics known as Essenes hid scrolls in a cave by the Dead Sea, just before the Romans wiped them out. The Romans killed all the priests (Sadducees), and started using christians in their arenas. Mark, then later Matthew and Luke are written shortly after the Temple is destroyed. John writes about 20 years later (90 CE). After Paul dies, other christians write letters in his style. These are called The Pastorals and include 1st and 2nd Timothy, Titus. Scholars debate whether Paul wrote Ephesians, Colossians, Philemon. Followers of the Gospel of John continue to write about the lamb of God and sacrificial love in the letters of 1, 2, 3 John, as well as writing the apocalyptic dream known as Revelation. Other books and letters are written in the next 200 years. Some of those books were canonized around 333, 300 years after Jesus. Some books didn t make it in because they were too fanciful like Daniel and Bel the Dragon. Others did not survive in complete form such as Gospel of Thomas
THE BIBLE A NARRATIVE
STEP ONE: GENRE The best way to understand a library is to determine which genre you are reading Satire Drama Romance Mystery Horror Self-help Health Guide Science History Poetry Encyclopedias Letters Epistles Diaries Journals Prayer books Biographies Autobiographies Fantasy
GENRES IN THE BIBLE Satire Drama Romance Mystery Horror Self-help Health Guide Science History Poetry Encyclopedias Letters Epistles Diaries Journals Prayer books Biographies Autobiographies Fantasy Daniel Luke Song of Solomon Joshua Judges 19 Deuteronomy 5 Numbers Ezra Leviticus 1 and 2 Kings Psalms Genesis Corinthians Romans Revelation Acts Jonah John Thessalonians Esther
STEP 2: TRANSLATION There are many translations of the Bible into English While each have their merit, all translation comes with pitfalls Here is a non-biblical translation: ça coûte les yeux de ta tête which is french for It costs the eyes out of your head Similar to the English idiom, It costs an arm and a leg So you have to chose: do I translate for verbatim or for meaning?
STEP 2: TRANSLATION Bibles Translated for meaning NIV The Message King James (What we use Wednesdays) Bibles Translated for verbatim New English NRSV (what Lutherans use Sunday Mornings) New Living
TRANSLATIONS START AS MANY PROBLEMS AS THEY SOLVE Translations give huge amount of meaning for us John 14, In my father s house there are many mansions The word is meno, which means to dwell
TRANSLATION PROBLEMS H adam means the earthling or of the earth H satan means the accuser But we have turned these words into proper nouns Adam vs Satan
AND THE WORST TRANSLATION Hell is not a word in the Bible
AND THE WORST TRANSLATION Hell is not a word in the Bible
STEP 3: STYLE The four gospels each have a different style for a specific audience Mark, who writes first, is trying to fit the whole story of Jesus on a single scroll. So the story begins with Baptism and moves quickly from there Matthew writes for a Jewish audience and suggests that not everyone will get into God s favor eg. Mt 25. Gospel starts with Jewish lineage. Luke writes for a Gentile audience and goes out of his way to invite everyone, even soldiers, women, children. Gospel includes lineage back to Adam. John is not writing a synopsis! He s writing poetry, and imagines Jesus as being around in the beginning
STEP 3: STYLE Reading for style minimizes mistakes in translation! Mark: Realist Matthew: Pessimist Luke: Optimist John: Dreamer
STEP 4: BEGIN WITH THE END IN MIND Revelation is NOT ABOUT THE END OF THE WORLD. Just read it! At the end of the book, the Holy One creates a new heaven and a new earth. Revelation 21 New Revised Standard Version (NRSV) The New Heaven and the New Earth 21 Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth; for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. 2 And I saw the holy city, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. 3 And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, See, the home[a] of God is among mortals. He will dwell[b] with them; they will be his peoples,[c] and God himself will be with them;[d] 4 he will wipe every tear from their eyes. Death will be no more; mourning and crying and pain will be no more, for the first things have passed away. 5 And the one who was seated on the throne said, See, I am making all things new. Also he said, Write this, for these words are trustworthy and true. 6 Then he said to me, It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end.
THAT S IT! Read the Bible for yourself by discovering the Genre, Translation, Style and Ending.