The Bible

God’s Grand Story: Act 2Week 3

What is the Bible?

The Bible is not a book for the faint of heart - it is a book full of all the greed and glory and violence and tenderness and sex and betrayal that benefits mankind. It is not the collection of pretty little anecdotes mouthed by pious little church mice - it does not so much nibble at our shoe leather as it cuts to the heart and splits the marrow from the bone. It does not give us answers fitted to our small-minded questions, but truth that goes beyond what we can even know to ask.

from Thoughts and Reflections by Rich Mullins

What is the Bible?

• A working definition:

A collection of writings containing the record and revelation of God’s interaction with man.

… of God’s interaction with man.

• Actual people• Actual places• Actual problems• Actual encounters• Actually God

Old Testament

Genesis - Deuteronomy – The Law

Creation

Joshua – Chronicles – The Land

Ezra – Ester – The People

Job – Song of Solomon – The Heart

Isaiah – Malachi – The Preparation

New Testament

• Gospels – Good News– Matthew– Mark– Luke– John

New Testament

• Gospels – Good News• History

– Acts

New Testament

• Gospels – Good News• History• Paul’s Letters

– Romans - Philemon

New Testament

• Gospels – Good News• History• Paul’s Letters• Other Letters

– Hebrews-Jude

New Testament

• Gospels – Good News• History• Paul’s Letters• Other Letters• Prophecy

– Revelation

New Testament

• Gospels – Good News– Matthew - King– Mark – Action– Luke - Account– John - Confidence

New Testament

• Gospels – Good News• History

– Acts - Church

New Testament• Paul’s Letters

– Romans – Anatomy – 1, 2 Corinthians - Body– Galatians - Freedom– Ephesians - Integration– Philippians - Joy– Colossians - Heresy– 1, 2 Thessalonians - Reply– Timothy - Bold– Titus - Lead– Philemon - Personal

New Testament

• Other Letters– Hebrews - Better– James - Practice– 1, 2 Peter - Persecution– 1-3 John - Doctrine– Jude - Contend

New Testament

• Prophecy– Revelation - Return

New TestamentBook Date Book Date

JamesGalatiansThessaloniansMarkMatthewCorinthiansRomansLuke ActsColossiansEphesians

45-49495150-6050-6055-586061616161

PhilippiansPhilemon1 Peter1 TimothyTitusHebrews2 Peter2 TimothyJudeJohn1,2,3 JohnRevelation

6363-6463-6663-6664-68666768-8085-9085-9090-95

Summary

• The New Testament focus is on Christ as God’s supreme revelation.

• We are part of a never ending story.