Bible Study
Introduction to the Bible
The bible has two major divisions: the Old Testament (Hebrew Bible) and the New Testament (Christian Scriptures). The Old Testament begins with creation and tells the story of God and the Hebrew people, their poets and prophets, up to the time of Jesus. It is made up of thirty-nine individual books written by at least 28 different authors and spans a period of over two thousand years.
The New Testament is the story of Jesus of Nazareth, the church He founded, and its growth under the leadership of his apostles after His death. The New Testament is made up of twenty-seven individual books written by at least nine different authors and spans a period of less than one hundred years. The bible therefore contains sixty six books written by more than thirty-seven authors (all of whom were inspired by God) and spans a period of over twenty –one hundred years.
The Old Testament (Hebrew Bible)
- The first seventeen (17) books are historical books (Genesis-Esther).
- The next five books are poetical books (Job-Song of Solomon.
- The poetical books contain various types of Hebrew poetry used by the authors to impart divine wisdom to the Hebrew people.
- The last seventeen books of the Old Testament are prophetical (Isaiah-Malachi)
- The prophetical books proclaimed God’s Word to God’s people by the Hebrew prophets for the future and their present.
- Prophetical books contain foretelling predictions about the Hebrew people’s future.
- Prophetical books contain forth telling – God’s teaching for God’s people: exposing sin, warning of consequences of sin and the coming of the Messiah.
- Of the thirty-nine (39) books in the Old Testament, there are different kinds of books: Historical, Poetical and Prophetical
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The New Testament (Christian Scriptures)
- Of the twenty- seven (27) books in the New Testament, there are different kinds of books: Historical, Pauline Epistle (letters) and General Epistles (letters).
- The first books (5) of the New Testament are historical books (Matthew-Acts of the Apostles)
- The first four (4) books are called “Gospels” and they tell the story of birth life, death and resurrection of Jesus of Nazareth.
- The fifth book, the book of Acts, tells the story of the founding and growth of the church under the leadership (or Acts) of Jesus disciples or apostles.
- The next thirteen (13) books are called Pauline Epistles (Romas-2 Thessalonians).
- The Pauline Epistles are believed to have been written by the Apostle Paul or one of his scribes.
- The Pauline Epistles were written to particular first- century congregations and individuals to provide instructions in faith.
- The last nine (9) books of the New Testament are called General Epistles.
- The General Epistles provide instructions in the faith to first-century Christians in general and are not addressed to any particular congregation or individual.
Food For Thought
1). How many books of history are there in the Old Testament?
a). 12
b). 5
c). 17
d). 21
2). What kinds of books are the last 17 books of the Old Testament?
a). History
b). Prophecy
c). Poetry
d). Epistles
3). How many General Epistles are there in the New Testament?
a). 4
b). 21
c). 13
d). 9
4).The books that tell the story of the birth, life, death, and resurrection of Jesus?
a). History
b). Gospels
c). Prophecy
d). Epistles
1). How many books of history are there in the Old Testament?
a). 12
b). 5
c). 17
d). 21
2). What kinds of books are the last 17 books of the Old Testament?
a). History
b). Prophecy
c). Poetry
d). Epistles
3). How many General Epistles are there in the New Testament?
a). 4
b). 21
c). 13
d). 9
4).The books that tell the story of the birth, life, death, and resurrection of Jesus?
a). History
b). Gospels
c). Prophecy
d). Epistles
5). The book that tells the founding and growth of the church?
a). Matthew
b). Acts
c). Genesis
d). John