# What the Bible is [Nature](reality.md) and [science](science.md) provides *some* insight about God: - Nature shows God's presence: - [Psalm 8:3-4](https://biblehub.com/bsb/psalms/8.htm) - [Romans 1:19-20](https://biblehub.com/bsb/romans/1.htm) - We can see God's design and creative capacity in nature. - Most nature is irreducibly complex, meaning organisms didn't appear by random permutation. God made the universe but isn't a part of it: - [1 Kings 19:11-12](https://biblehub.com/bsb/1_kings/19.htm) We have enough evidence of *something* that made nature, so we have no reason to reject this Creator as existing. However, we need Scripture or divine inspiration to understand God at all. - Nature allows us to see His creation and power, but not His attributes or personality. - To even *start* observing God, we must observe the [philosophical realities](philosophy.md) behind those creations. - We're easily [deceived](people-lying.md) and distracted, so we require a guide for context, especially since [God isn't the only force at work](spiritual-warfare-tricks.md). ## The Bible is a compilation The Bible is 66 books written across 2,000 years by 27 authors, with the Catholics having 7 more than the Protestants (see below). The Bible is inspired by God through people, without personal or [political](politics-conservativeliberal.md) bias - [2 Peter 1:20-21](https://biblehub.com/bsb/2_peter/1.htm) - Most of the biblical inconsistencies are either false extrapolations or [false attribution](conflicts-christian-1_why.md). - Remarkably, even when the precise words differ between translations, it maintains the same core ideas and spirit. The Bible has two major parts: the Hebrew Tanakh (the "Old Testament") and the Apostles' letters (the "New Testament"). There is also paratext with chapters and verses to make the Bible easier to navigate: - In 1382, Stephen Langton added chaptering to the Wycliffe English Bible. - In 1448, a Jewish rabbi named Nathan added verses to the Old Testament. - In 1555, Robert Estienne, also known as Stephanus, used Nathan's numbering and added the New Testament numbering. ## Tanakh / Old Testament The Torah, Nevi'im, and Ketuvim are combined to make TNK, or Tanakh. - The Tanakh is 39 (or 46) books written in Hebrew by Jews (and later Christians) who reproduced it immaculately across thousands of years. - The Hebrew Bible was translated into Greek (the Septuagint) sometime between 250 and 100 BC. - Christians often simply call it the "Old Testament", but it's the exact same books as the Jews' Bible. Torah: - Canonized around 500 BC. - Gives an introduction to the Israelite people, gives the Jewish Law, and sets a covenant with them as God's chosen people. - The first 5 books: - [Genesis](https://biblehub.com/bsb/genesis/1.htm) - [Exodus](https://biblehub.com/bsb/exodus/1.htm) - [Leviticus](https://biblehub.com/bsb/leviticus/1.htm) - [Numbers](https://biblehub.com/bsb/numbers/1.htm) - [Deuteronomy](https://biblehub.com/bsb/deuteronomy/1.htm) Nevi'im: - Canonized somewhere between 400 and 350 BC. - Continues to admonish the Israelite people as they consistently break the Law and suffer its consequences. 1. The Former Prophets - [Joshua](https://biblehub.com/bsb/joshua/1.htm)/[Judges](https://biblehub.com/bsb/judges/1.htm) - [Samuel](https://biblehub.com/bsb/1_samuel/1.htm) ([split in half](https://biblehub.com/bsb/2_samuel/1.htm) for convenience) - [Kings](https://biblehub.com/bsb/1_kings/1.htm) ([split in half](https://biblehub.com/bsb/2_kings/1.htm) for convenience) - [Isaiah](https://biblehub.com/bsb/isaiah/1.htm) - [Jeremiah](https://biblehub.com/bsb/jeremiah/1.htm) - [Ezekiel](https://biblehub.com/bsb/ezekiel/1.htm) 2. The Latter 12 Minor Prophets - [Hosea](https://biblehub.com/bsb/hosea/1.htm) - [Joel](https://biblehub.com/bsb/joel/1.htm) - [Amos](https://biblehub.com/bsb/amos/1.htm) - [Obadiah](https://biblehub.com/bsb/obadiah/1.htm) - [Jonah](https://biblehub.com/bsb/jonah/1.htm) - [Micah](https://biblehub.com/bsb/micah/1.htm) - [Nahum](https://biblehub.com/bsb/nahum/1.htm) - [Habakkuk](https://biblehub.com/bsb/habakkuk/1.htm) - [Zephaniah](https://biblehub.com/bsb/zephaniah/1.htm) - [Haggai](https://biblehub.com/bsb/haggai/1.htm) - [Zechariah](https://biblehub.com/bsb/zechariah/1.htm) - [Malachi](https://biblehub.com/bsb/malachi/1.htm)). Ketuvim: - Canonized somewhere between 350 and 250 BC. - Continues the theme of a Messiah coming to redeem the Israelites from bondage, which persists through their exile to Babylon. 1. Poetic Books: - [Psalms](https://biblehub.com/bsb/psalms/1.htm) - [Proverbs](https://biblehub.com/bsb/proverbs/1.htm) - [Job](https://biblehub.com/bsb/job/1.htm) 2. Five Scrolls: - [Song of Songs](https://biblehub.com/bsb/songs/1.htm) - [Ruth](https://biblehub.com/bsb/ruth/1.htm) - [Lamentations](https://biblehub.com/bsb/lamentations/1.htm) - [Ecclesiastes](https://biblehub.com/bsb/ecclesiastes/1.htm) - [Esther](https://biblehub.com/bsb/esther/1.htm) 3. Others: - [Daniel](https://biblehub.com/bsb/daniel/1.htm) - [Ezra](https://biblehub.com/bsb/ezra/1.htm)/[Nehemiah](https://biblehub.com/bsb/nehemiah/1.htm) - [Chronicles](https://biblehub.com/bsb/1_chronicles/1.htm) ([split in half](https://biblehub.com/bsb/2_chronicles/1.htm) for convenience) ## New Testament The New Testament is made of 27 letters written in Greek (except for the book of Acts, written in Aramaic) by the early Church within the first century AD. - The same 27 books were constantly reproduced and shared across the Roman Empire. The Four Gospels - four accounts of Jesus' life: - Three "synoptic" Gospels (i.e., sharing the same point of view): - [Matthew's](https://biblehub.com/bsb/matthew/1.htm) - [Mark's](https://biblehub.com/bsb/mark/1.htm) - [Luke's](https://biblehub.com/bsb/luke/1.htm) - [John's](https://biblehub.com/bsb/john/1.htm), which was written later Luke's account of the events immediately following Jesus' resurrection: - [Acts of the Apostles](https://biblehub.com/bsb/acts/1.htm): Epistles: - General Epistles written for a broad audience: - 1 from [James](https://biblehub.com/bsb/james/1.htm) - 2 from [Peter](https://biblehub.com/bsb/1_peter/1.htm) - 3 from [John](https://biblehub.com/bsb/1_john/1.htm) - 1 from [Jude](https://biblehub.com/bsb/jude/1.htm) - Paul's Epistles written to various churches: - [Rome](https://biblehub.com/bsb/romans/1.htm) - [Corinth](https://biblehub.com/bsb/1_corinthians/1.htm) ([twice](https://biblehub.com/bsb/2_corinthians/1.htm)) - [Galatia](https://biblehub.com/bsb/galatians/1.htm) - [Ephesus](https://biblehub.com/bsb/ephesians/1.htm) - [Philippi](https://biblehub.com/bsb/philippians/1.htm) - [Colossae](https://biblehub.com/bsb/colossians/1.htm) - [Thessaloniki](https://biblehub.com/bsb/1_thessalonians/1.htm) ([twice](https://biblehub.com/bsb/2_thessalonians/1.htm)) - A letter written to Jews by an unknown author: - [Hebrews](https://biblehub.com/bsb/hebrews/1.htm) - Pastor's training epistles by Paul to specific people: - [Timothy](https://biblehub.com/bsb/1_timothy/1.htm) ([twice](https://biblehub.com/bsb/2_timothy/1.htm)) - [Titus](https://biblehub.com/bsb/titus/1.htm) - [Philemon](https://biblehub.com/bsb/philemon/1.htm) A letter to seven churches, followed by prophecies of [how this age will end](jesus-returns.md): - [The Apocalypse of John, or the Book of Revelation](https://biblehub.com/bsb/revelation/1.htm) ## Apocrypha/Deuterocanon The Apocrypha/Deuterocanon (literally, "second rule") were mostly made between 200 B.C. and 100 A.D., declared Scripture around the 9th and 10th centuries, and included as a separate section in 1534. - They were added to the Old Testament, but they weren't part of the original Hebrew Bible. - They're worth academic study, but Christians debate endlessly about how much God directly inspired them. - Protestants often condemn the books outright as blasphemy. Only a few of them have survived: - [Tobit](https://apocrypha.org/web/tobit/1.htm) - [Judith](https://apocrypha.org/web/judith/1.htm) - [Maccabees](https://apocrypha.org/brenton/1_maccabees/1.htm) ([twice](https://apocrypha.org/brenton/2_maccabees/1.htm)) - additions to other books: - [Esther](https://apocrypha.org/web/esther_greek/1.htm) - Daniel, including [Prayer of Azariah](https://apocrypha.org/web/prayer_of_azariah/1.htm) - [Wisdom of Solomon](https://apocrypha.org/brenton/wisdom_of_solomon/1.htm) - [Ecclesiasticus (Sirach)](https://apocrypha.org/brenton/ecclesiasticus/1.htm) - [Baruch](https://apocrypha.org/web/baruch/1.htm) (with the [Letter/Epistle of Jeremiah](https://apocrypha.org/web/epistle_of_jeremiah/6.htm) at the end) - [Susanna](https://apocrypha.org/web/susanna/1.htm) - [Bel and the Dragon](https://apocrypha.org/web/bel_and_the_dragon/1.htm) Further, the Orthodox church has a few other additional canon: - 3rd and 4th Maccabees - [Esdras](https://apocrypha.org/brenton/1_esdras/1.htm) ([twice](https://apocrypha.org/brenton/2_esdras/1.htm)) - [Prayer of Manasseh](https://apocrypha.org/brenton/prayer_of_manasseh/1.htm) - [Psalm 151](https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Psalm%20151+1&version=RSV) - [The Book of Odes](https://rejectedscriptures.weebly.com/book-of-odes.html) ## Other biblical candidates The Orthodox Tewahedo (a subgroup of the Oriental Orthodox) also have a few *more* books: - Enoch - Jubilees - Meqabyan (thrice) - Paralipomena of Baruch - A broader New Testament canon: - 4 Sinodos - 2 Books of Covenant - 4 Epistles of Clement - Didaskalia ## The New Testament canonization The New Testament was unofficially canonized within *many* first-century believers' collections. - The official canonization somewhat emerged among many Christians, who ended up having the same 27 books even while not consulting with each other. In 325 AD at the Council of Nicaea, the people who compiled the books presumed the Old Testament canon as the same as the Jewish leadership (the same way Jesus did) and placed 3 requirements to canonize the New Testament books: 1. The book had to have been written by an apostle, or at least someone closely associated with an apostle. 2. The book taught the established faith of the apostles. 3. The book had been widely accepted in the earliest churches from the beginning. For a host of reasons at the time, the Christian leaders of the time didn't admit other possible candidates into the Bible's canonization: - The canonized books have consistent central ideas across each other, but Christians [debate endlessly](conflicts-christian-1_why.md) about possible contradictions in other works' core ideas. - Some ancient Jewish texts like Enoch and Jubilees have historical and theological significance, but have analytical and consistency issues. - Many Gnostic books (e.g., Gospel of Peter, Gospel of Judas) were written *long* after the apostles died. ## The Bible couldn't have been man-made The Jews, as God's chosen people ([Deuteronomy 7:6-8](https://biblehub.com/bsb/deuteronomy/7.htm), have been extremely meticulous transcribing the Old Testament, even across multiple genocides and invasions. - One recent evidence for the Jews' accuracy is the discovery of the Dead Sea Scrolls in the 1940s and 1950s. Though the Bible's books were written in multiple ancient empires, their ideas are consistent with one another. *All* the canonized books had hundreds of identical copies. - The copies were spread across the known world and stayed consistent across language barriers. - The other works that weren't admitted to canon, on the other hand, weren't *nearly* as widespread or prevalent, and archaeologists *still* sporadically find them as one-off rare discoveries. - In particular, the New Testament had *many* copies distributed while it was *very* illegal 3/4 of the time under the Roman Empire. The authoritative Bibles of each language have always had few to no translation errors. - Every marked discrepancy between translations maintains the main idea or central concept of the original, even while they range from literal word-for-word to generalized "spirit" of the text. - Very few Bibles have changed their general ideas, and every time they do the Christian community at large will outright reject it (e.g., New World Translation). The Bible has been more attacked throughout history than any other book, but continues propagating openly and unchanged. - The Bible has thrived in publication before *and* after publication with numerous copies, despite its persecution, banning, burning, and political suppression. - While the *order* of the books has sometimes changed and there have been very minor modifications, it hasn't affected *any* of its narrative continuity, even across multiple languages. ## Claimed contradictions usually overlook a few things Many supposed contradictions of chronology or event order are two different events (e.g., Jesus didn't give every speech only once). Different accounts of the same experience (i.e., the Gospels) come from different eyewitness perspectives. - Since colluded lies provide the same details, they *can't* have been conspiring. Archaeological evidence consistently and frequently proves the Bible's authenticity. - The Bible expresses cultural traditions and practices, even obscure or forgotten ones, that archaeology is still proving as we uncover them now. - The Bible captured some elements that the rest of the world forgot as early as 50 years later. ## History has already proven many Bible prophecies [Hundreds of prophecies](jesus-prophecies.md) were directly fulfilled by Jesus alone. Many passages predicted Israel's status: - [Israel](history-israel.md) would lose its land by being conquered twice, have no official government, then return later in one day: - [Deuteronomy 29](https://biblehub.com/bsb/deuteronomy/29.htm) - [Hosea 3:4-5](https://biblehub.com/bsb/hosea/3.htm) - [Hosea 6:1](https://biblehub.com/hosea/6-1.htm) - [Ezekiel 20:34](https://biblehub.com/ezekiel/20-34.htm) - [Isaiah 11:11-13](https://biblehub.com/bsb/isaiah/11.htm) - [Isaiah 43:5-21](https://biblehub.com/bsb/isaiah/43.htm) - [Isaiah 66:8](https://biblehub.com/isaiah/66-8.htm) - [Jeremiah 25:11](https://biblehub.com/jeremiah/25-11.htm) - [Jeremiah 32:44](https://biblehub.com/jeremiah/32-44.htm) - [Luke 21:23-24](https://biblehub.com/bsb/luke/21.htm) - One man would rebuild Jericho and lose his oldest son when starting construction and his youngest son when completing it - [Joshua 6:26](https://biblehub.com/joshua/6-26.htm) - [1 Kings 16:33-34](https://biblehub.com/bsb/1_kings/16.htm) - Israel would regain its agriculture and ecosystem - [Isaiah 26:6](https://biblehub.com/isaiah/26-6.htm) - [Isaiah 35:1-2](https://biblehub.com/bsb/isaiah/35.htm) - Israel would form again with a pure language - [Zephaniah 3:8-10](https://biblehub.com/bsb/zephaniah/3.htm) - Israel would adopt the shekel as currency again - [Ezekiel 45:12-16](https://biblehub.com/bsb/ezekiel/45.htm) - All ancient names and settlements would return - [Ezekiel 36:11](https://biblehub.com/ezekiel/36-11.htm) - [Ezekiel 36:24](https://biblehub.com/ezekiel/36-24.htm) - Israel's nine suburbs would rebuild in specific locations and specific chronological order - [Jeremiah 31:38-40](https://biblehub.com/bsb/jeremiah/9.htm) - Three cities would remain in ruins - [Matthew 11:21-23](https://biblehub.com/bsb/matthew/11.htm) - Though Edom (now a part of Jordan) was once a fertile area, it would become a barren wasteland - [Jeremiah 49:15-20](https://biblehub.com/bsb/jeremiah/49.htm) - [Ezekiel 25:12-14](https://biblehub.com/bsb/ezekiel/25.htm) Babylon was considered impenetrable at the time, but the Bible predicted its fall: - [Isaiah 13:17-22](https://biblehub.com/bsb/isaiah/13.htm) - [Jeremiah 51:26,43](https://biblehub.com/bsb/jeremiah/51.htm) Isaiah predicted that Cyrus would overtake Babylon and liberate the Jews exiled at the time: - [Isaiah 44:28](https://biblehub.com/isaiah/44-28.htm) - [Isaiah 45:1,13](https://biblehub.com/bsb/isaiah/45.htm) Jesus' coming had [*hundreds* more prophecies fulfilled](jesus-prophecies.md). ## Scripture wasn't written in a dramatic setting The people who wrote the Bible were living people in ancient societies, with their own mundane [personalities](personality.md), [cultures](people-culture.md), and [political problems](politics-systems.md). - The writer always had a [purpose](purpose.md) beforehand for they were writing for, and God spoke in that purpose through those people at that moment, outward into the writing, across the lens of history to *everyone*. - The Bible was *not* an abstracted paranormal event, and instead came through the Holy Spirit delivering a divine spark of [creative](mind-creativity.md) wisdom, similar to other arts that capture beauty and truth. - We don't know precisely how much content those people wrote elsewhere, but whatever they wrote was likely still filled with plenty of the unique grammar and writing styles that made its way into the Bible's original text. The paper the Bible is written on doesn't have any inherent divinity, nor its ancient language. - The Word of God is the [ideas](values.md) themselves as they're interpreted in a person's [mind](understanding.md), delivered *through* the written or spoken text. ## Take the Bible for what it is To put it simply, the Bible is a long-standing collection of books written by God that preaches a [message of salvation](jesus-gospel.md) through faith in Jesus. There are several ways to take the Bible: 1. Literally: as stated, without justification. 2. Allegorically: as a set of [symbols](symbols.md) and [patterns](bible-patterns.md) for [how to live well](goodlife.md). 3. Spiritually: as the presence of things we can't physically see, and often where it can't be precisely interpreted. 4. Theologically: as a [doctrinal assertion](theology.md) on how to live. 5. Holistically: as a vague guidepost for how to [feel](mind-feelings.md) through various life experiences. - Technically, all the views are true, since [God is clever enough](god.md) to use the same statement to express multiple meanings. Adding or removing parts of the Bible is a significant transgression of God's word: - [Deuteronomy 12:32](https://biblehub.com/deuteronomy/12-32.htm) - [Revelation 22:18](https://biblehub.com/revelation/22-18.htm) Many people have made dramatic modifications to the Bible, but they *never* gain widespread acceptance enough to affect Christianity at large. The Bible is vague on *many* things, and that was God's intent. - By God intentionally omitting certain information, each [culture](people-culture.md) can fill in the gaps on how to implement many of His commands (even if they have [conflicts with each other](conflicts-christian-1_why.md) about *how* something implements). - God works through [the Church at large](church.md) just as much as through the messages contained in the Bible. - The Bible will answer every "what" question you could have about [ethical matters](morality.md), and answers *many* practical "how" questions, but rarely gives a direct "why" answer to an abstract concept. - We'll often discover the answers to our "why" questions if we're [open-minded](understanding.md) and meditate deeply on [how God framed the Bible](bible-study.md). God's primary [purpose](purpose.md) for the Bible is to reprogram our [personalities](identity-christian.md) to something better. - In a sense, the Bible is more a mold than a how-to guide, since it directs attention to the broader reasons *behind* our [problems](https://adequate.life/fix/). - Many new Christians tend to treat the Bible as having [inherent value](values-quality.md) on its own, but its value only comes from what it does to our [hearts](people-spiritual.md).