The Bible
Write out this week's memory verse in your favorite translation.
"All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do what is right. God uses it to prepare and equip his people to do every good work." 2 Timothy 3:16-17 (NLT)
This week, we will discuss the following:
How did the Bible come to be canonized, and what does that mean?
Why the Bible isn't written in chronological order.
Why is there an Old Testament and a New Testament?
Who wrote the Bible?
Were the chapters and verses originally in the Bible?
How to study the Bible.
What tools can be used to study the Bible?
Which translation is best for you?
"The key to good exegesis is the ability to ask the right questions of the text to get at the author's intended meaning." – Gordon Fee (Exegesis)
WHAT DOES CANONIZED MEAN?
The Bible consists of 66 books that collectively tell one story. There are various genres, such as Historical Narrative, Prophecy, Law, Letters, and more. The Old Testament includes thirty-nine books covering an extensive period of 4,000 years. The New Testament consists of twenty-seven books covering a period of under 100 years. Each of these books was authored by different men at different times. When these distinct books were acknowledged as one cohesive work, the process was referred to as canonization.
The New Bible Dictionary[1] says:
'Canon' is borrowed from Gk., in which kanōn means a rule. Since the 4th century kanōn has been used by Christians to denote an authoritative list of the books belonging to the OT or NT. What qualifies a book for a place in the Canon of the OT or NT is not just that it is ancient, informative and helpful, and has long been read and valued by God's people, but that it has God's authority. God spoke through its human author to teach his people what to believe and how to behave. It is not just a record of revelation, but the permanent written form of revelation. The Bible is 'inspired' (*Inspiration), and it makes the books of the Bible in this respect different from all other books.
HOW DID THE BIBLE BECOME CANONIZED?
Although the New Testament was not formally canonized until the late 300s AD, the Jewish Bible (or the Old Testament) was canonized prior to the birth of Christ (6-4 B.C.).
Old Testament Canon
The greatest way to confirm the canonization of the Old Testament is by observing that the New Testament authors frequently reference it as Scripture.
"And while Jesus himself had many disagreements with the Jewish leadership of his day, there appears to be no indication that there was any disagreement over which books were Scripture—a reality that is hard to explain if the OT canon was still in flux."[2]
The famous historian from the first century, Josephus, gives a list of 22 Old Testament books that were accepted by the Jews, which matches our current list of 39 books. (Against Apion, 1.38–42). "For Josephus, at least, the OT canon seems quite settled: "For although such long ages have now passed, no one has ventured neither to add, or to remove, or to alter a syllable" (Against Apion, 1.42)."[3] In addition to Josephus, Philo of Alexandria also "hints at a three-fold division to the OT canon: "the laws and the sacred oracles of God enunciated by the holy prophets … and psalms" (On the Contemplative Life, 25). This three-fold structure seems to match Jesus's own words about the OT being composed of "the Law of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms" (Luke 24:44). Other echoes of a three-fold division to the OT can be found in the Jewish work Ben Sira (Ecclesiasticus) and a fragmentary text from Qumran known as 4QMMT."[4]
New Testament Canon
Paul recognized Luke’s writings as authoritative as the Old Testament scriptures.
1 Timothy 5:18, “For the Scripture says, ‘You shall not muzzle an ox when it treads out the grain,’ and, ‘The laborer deserves his wages (ESV).’”
Compare with Luke 10:7.
Peter also viewed Paul’s letters as Scripture.
2 Peter 3:15-16 “and regard the patience of our Lord as salvation; just as also our beloved brother Paul, according to the wisdom given him, wrote to you, as also in all his letters, speaking in them of these things, in which there are some things that are hard to understand, which the untaught and unstable distort, as they do also the rest of the Scriptures, to their own destruction (NASB).”
The Early Church Fathers mentioned or acknowledged the New Testament books.[5]
Clement of Rome mentioned at least eight New Testament books (95 A.D.).
Ignatius of Antioch acknowledged about seven books (115 A.D.).
Polycarp, a disciple of John the Apostle, acknowledged 15 books (108 A.D.).
Irenaeus mentioned 21 books (185 A.D.).
Hippolytus recognized 22 books (170-235 A.D.).
Fun Fact: The New Testament books receiving the most controversy were Hebrews, James, 2 Peter, 2 John, and 3 John.
The initial canon was the Muratorian Canon, assembled around 170 A.D.
This contained all New Testament books except for Hebrews, James, 1 and 2 Peter, and 3 John.
The Council of Laodicea in 363 A.D. declared that only the Old Testament (including one book from the Apocrypha) and 26 books of the New Testament (excluding Revelation) were considered canonical and suitable for reading in churches.
The Council of Hippo in 393 A.D. and the Council of Carthage in 397 A.D. both confirmed the authority of the same 27 texts.
For more reading on the Canonization of Scripture:
How and When Was the Canon of the Bible Put Together? – Got Questions
The Biblical Canon – Michael Kruger (At the end of this essay, there are substantially more "further reading" links.
Canonization of the Bible: Its Definition and Process – Orpheus Heyward
How and When Was the Canon of Scripture Established, and by Whom? – Stephen Nichols and Steven Lawson
VIDEO: How the Biblical Canon Was Formed – The Museum of the Bible
WHY ARE THEY NOT ARRANGED IN CHRONOLOGICAL ORDER
The Bible is organized according to the genre of each individual book.
WHY IS THERE AN OLD TESTAMENT AND A NEW TESTAMENT?
“The English word testament derives from a Greek term meaning ‘covenant.’ In Hebrew, it means ‘agreement,’ ‘covenant,’ or ‘contract.’”[4]
The Bible is divided into two sections: the Old Testament and the New Testament. Based on the definition above, this could also be stated as the Old Covenant/Agreement and the New Covenant/Agreement.
So then, what is the old and new agreement?
The Old Testament (Covenant/Agreement) was the promise of the coming Messiah. The entire Old Testament points to the One who will fulfill all prophecies and give us access to God again.
The New Testament (Covenant/Agreement) is the promise that one day this Messiah (Jesus) will return. The whole New Testament tells us what to do while we wait.
WERE THE CHAPTERS AND VERSES ORIGINALLY IN THE BIBLE?
No. In 1227 A.D., Stephen Langton, an Archbishop of Canterbury, established the modern chapter division. It was the Wycliffe English Bible; the first used it in 1382. Since then, most Bibles have used Langton’s chapter divisions.
“The Hebrew Old Testament was divided into verses by a Jewish rabbi by the name of Nathan in AD 1448. Robert Estienne, who was also known as Stephanus, was the first to divide the New Testament into standard numbered verses in 1555. Stephanus essentially used Nathan’s verse divisions for the Old Testament. Since that time, beginning with the Geneva Bible, the chapter and verse divisions employed by Stephanus have been accepted into nearly all the Bible versions.” [5]
WHAT TOOLS CAN I USE TO STUDY THE BIBLE?
In these videos, we demonstrate the proper use of different extrabiblical resources, including physical copies, online versions, and apps. We have included links in the videos to assist you in locating each type. This list is not exhaustive, but it’s an excellent starting point to build upon!
1. Dictionary of Biblical Imagery - https://youtu.be/HJxT2uBGu9M
2. Biblical Maps and Atlases - https://youtu.be/QOsilIjjoSE
3. Bible Background Commentary - https://youtu.be/iMDJtcApdMA
4. Interlinear - https://youtu.be/VU_HbUOsspc
5. Lexicon - https://youtu.be/iAn2aGLUdDA
6. Study Bible - https://youtu.be/rHL6S319ILk
7. Commentary - https://youtu.be/-57zHGIj0Cc
8. Concordance - https://youtu.be/n_agIizHTJQ
9. Bible Dictionary - https://youtu.be/iuIOSaJ190g
HOW DO I STUDY THE BIBLE?
B – Begin with prayer and the Bible.
Pray
Before beginning, read the book you are about to study in its entirety.
Read the passage:
Out loud
In multiple translations (at least 2-3)
Annotate
O – On your own, wrestle with the text.
Summarize the passage in one sentence.
What is the connection between this passage and the overarching theme of Scripture?
Now that we know what this is saying, what is it NOT saying?
L – Lean More. Look for information on extrabiblical resources and tools.
Login to the Academy platform to access a list of resources
D – Do something with what you’ve learned.
Is this passage informing you of something or calling you to do something?
If the passage is calling you to do something, is it a “faith” action or a “physical” action?
What now?
WHICH TRANSLATION IS BEST FOR YOU?
The short answer is the one you will actually read.
Picking a translation of the Bible to read can be overwhelming and challenging because there are so many options. Scholars have translated Scripture in three popular ways: word-for-word, thought-for-thought, and paraphrased.
Word-for-Word—It is necessary to provide a disclaimer for my fellow enthusiasts. Unless you are reading from an interlinear, you are technically not reading a word-for-word translation. The term "word-for-word" describes how closely the English translation mirrors the original language as each word matches. However, it's important to note that this style of translation does not necessarily mean it is more accurate.
How does that work? There are some idioms used that are lost in translation. For example, 1 Samuel 25:22 says, “So, and more also, do God unto the enemies of David if I leave of all that pertain to him by the morning light any that urinates against the wall.” (KJV) Here, instead of saying man, the author uses the idiom “urinates against the wall.”
Thought-for-Thought—The intention of translating in this manner is to ensure that readers can easily understand the main idea. This translation uses English phrases and sentence structure to make it easier for the English audience to understand.
Paraphrased—This translation style is precisely as it appears: a paraphrasing of Scripture. While it may not be the most suitable choice for studying the Bible, this translation is excellent for reading or engaging in devotionals.
We have produced a list of popular translations. For each translation, we provide the recommended reading level for that version. We will then inform you as to whether these translations are word-for-word, thought-for-thought, or paraphrased versions of the original text. Finally, in order to better comprehend how each translation reads, we will present you the same verse (Philippians 2:3) in each of the translations.
Amplified (AMP)
Reading Level: 11th grade (16 years old+)
Translation: Word-For-Word
Verse Example: “Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit [through factional motives, or strife], but with [an attitude of] humility [being neither arrogant nor self-righteous], regard others as more important than yourselves.”
Christian Standard Bible (CSB)
Reading Level: 7th grade (12 years old+)
Translation: Thought-For-Thought
Verse Example: “Do nothing out of selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility consider others as more important than yourselves.”
English Standard Version (ESV)
Reading Level: 10th grade (15 years old+)
Translation: Word-For-Word
Verse Example: “Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves.”
Good News Translation (GNT)
Reading Level: 7th grade (12 years old+)
Translation: Paraphrased
Verse Example: “Don’t do anything from selfish ambition or from a cheap desire to boast, but be humble toward one another, always considering others better than yourselves.”
King James Version (KJV)
Reading Level: 12th grade (17 years old+)
Translation: Word-For-Word
Verse Example: “Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves.”
New American Standard Bible (NASB)
Reading Level: 11th grade (16 years old+)
Translation: Word-For-Word
Verse Example: “Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit, but with humility of mind regard one another as more important than yourselves”
New Century Version (NCV)
Reading Level: 3rd grade (7 years old+)
Translation: Thought-For-Thought
Verse Example: “When you do things, do not let selfishness or pride be your guide. Instead, be humble and give more honor to others than to yourselves.”
New International Version (NIV)
Reading Level: 7th grade (12 years old+)
Translation: Thought-For-Thought
Verse Example: “Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves.”
New King James Version (NKJV)
Reading Level: 7th grade (12 years old+)
Translation: Word-For-Word
Verse Example: “Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself.”
New Living Translation (NIV)
Reading Level: 6th grade (11 years old+)
Translation: Thought-For-Thought
Verse Example: “Don’t be selfish; don’t try to impress others. Be humble, thinking of others as better than yourselves.”
New Revised Standard Version (NRSV)
Reading Level: 11th grade (16 years old+)
Translation: Thought-For-Thought
Verse Example: “Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility regard others as better than yourselves.”
Message (MSG)
Reading Level: 4th grade (9 years old+)
Translation: Paraphrased
Verse Example: “If you’ve gotten anything at all out of following Christ, if his love has made any difference in your life, if being in a community of the Spirit means anything to you, if you have a heart, if you care— then do me a favor: Agree with each other, love each other, be deep-spirited friends.”
Revised Standard Version (RSV)
Reading Level: 12th grade (17 years old+)
Translation: Word-For-Word
Verse Example: “Do nothing from selfishness or conceit, but in humility count others better than yourselves.”
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DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:
1. What is something that you learned/or stood out to you regarding the Bible?
2. What translation do you read most of the time and why?
3. Ask your group members how you can pray for one another.
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[1] R. T. Beckwith, “Canon of the Old Testament,” New Bible Dictionary (Leicester, England; Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 1996), 165.
[2] Kruger, Michael J. “The Biblical Canon.” The Gospel Coalition, 10 February 2021. https://www.thegospelcoalition.org/essay/the-biblical-canon/.
[4] John Piper, “Who Wrote the Bible?,” Desiring God, August 17, 2024, n.p. Online: https://www.desiringgod.org/interviews/who-wrote-the-bible.
[5] “GotQuestions.Org.” GotQuestions.Org, January 4, 2022. No pages. Online: https://www.gotquestions.org/divided-Bible-chapters-verses.html.
[6] “GotQuestions.Org.” GotQuestions.Org, 10 July 2023. https://www.gotquestions.org/canon-Bible.html.
