How the bible is structured

Faith First

Faith First

Over the years, I have noticed that the structure of the bible is different from a standard textbook. I wonder if others in the forum have noticed this as well?

For example, in a math textbook, you will have a chapter about fractions, and the entire chapter will be based on that topic, and another chapter will be about calculus. And that particular chapter only addresses calculus, and it will never address it ever again when you read past that chapter.

However, the bible is not like an ordinary textbook. A subject is discussed all over the bible and not just one book. God could have told one person the entire truth about one topic, but instead provides a little bit of information about a topic to every author, but not its entirety.

For example, the subject of faith will be found in various bible verses throughout the bible, unlike an ordinary textbook, where it would maybe only be included in one book.

Therefore you need to read all the bible verses throughout the bible to have a complete understanding. To look at one or two bible verses will result in a partial understanding.

Example 1

I asked a few of my Christian colleagues about what they knew about the devil. I asked who he was, how he looked like, what his character was like, where he came from, what his purpose was, how to defeat him, etc.

Some of the answers were partially correct, and some were completely inaccurate. To get an accurate understanding of the devil, all the verses need to be put together. The partial understanding was caused by looking at one or two bible verse.

I have looked up some of the different parts of the bible that talk about the devil. They include, but not limited to Isaiah 14:12-15, Ezekiel 28:14 -17, Luke 10:18, John 8:44, Revelation 12:9, Revelation 12:12, 1 John 3:8, 2 Corinthians 2:11, 2 Corinthians 11:14, Luke 8:12, 1 Thessalonians 2:18, 1 Peter 5:8, Revelation 12:13, Luke 4:2, Ephesians 6:1-18.

The bible verses talk about his origin, his character, how he attacks Christians, and how to defeat him.

Notice that these bible verses about the devil are all over the bible in the Old and New Testaments.

Therefore this means that the entire bible needs to be read to understand one subject.

A pattern that I have observed

In general, I have noticed that some Christians tend to focus on one or two bible verses about a specific topic. And all other bible verses are ignored.

Example 1

When Christians talk about grace, the main bible verse that gets mentioned is Ephesians 2:8-9. However, these verses only speak about salvation.

What about other verses about grace?
  • Grace not only relates to salvation, but we can obtain grace when we need help against sin (Hebrews 4:15-16), and grace strengthens us (2 Corinthians 12:9).
  • We are also justified by grace (Titus 3:7).
  • Most importantly, we cannot obtain grace unless we are humble (1 Peter 5:5, James 4:6).

Example 2

I have noticed the same issue with other various topics in the bible. For example, I have noticed that most of the time, the only gift from the Holy Spirit that is emphasized and preached about is the gift of tongues. The Pentecostal churches are the most guilty of this. I do not recall hearing a sermon about the other gifts of the Holy Spirit, which are also very important such as the gift of wisdom, knowledge, healing, miracles, prophecy, etc. (1 Corinthians 12:8-10).

Example 3

Another example is that there is an emphasis that the sin of Sodom was homosexuality. However, Ezekiel 16:49-50 also talks about other sins committed such as neglecting the poor, haughtiness and pride, etc. Reading both Genesis and Ezekiel provides a full picture of their sins that led to their destruction and indicates that it was not only the one sin mentioned in Genesis that caused them to be destroyed.

Example 4

Another example is that Revelation 12:9, which explains that the serpent in Genesis was the devil. These two books are far from each other, but in each, we get an insight into what happened at the beginning from both of them. (However, Isaiah 14:12-15 (KJV) also needs to be read that explains that the devil or Lucifer is an angel. Therefore since the devil is an angel then it means that he either transformed himself into a serpent or spoke through the serpent in Genesis).

I have noticed that topics in the bible are like puzzle pieces scattered all over the bible, and to understand a subject or an event, you need to find them all over the bible and put them together.

May God please help us to understand every subject in the bible in its entirety.
 
Hello Faith First;

I enjoyed reading your thread, How the Bible is structured

How long have you been reading the Bible? Do you teach Bible studies? I ask because you pointed your good thoughts mixed with Scripture in 4 good examples.

The examples are good examples of a person who strives to learn the Bible daily with the spiritual mindset - there is so much to attain, there will be misunderstandings and misinterpretations of the Passages, the discipline of focusing on the whole passage instead of just one verse. There will be grasping of the Old and New Testaments, applying application in day to day living, and gain knowledge and wisdom of the greater context.

Bottom line, we're students of the Bible.

I'm a Bible student for many years and still make mistakes of the hermeneutics. I will always be a student in this lifetime and give God all the glory for what I have learned.

Its humbling to know that the seasoned Bible teachers and preachers admit that after 30, 40 and 50 years they are still learning students of God's Word.

Again, I enjoyed reading How the Bible is structured. It gave me much to think about.

Thank you, Faith First.

God bless you, your entire family, and Merry Christmas!
 
bobinfaith said:
Hello Faith First;

I enjoyed reading your thread, How the Bible is structured

How long have you been reading the Bible? Do you teach Bible studies? I ask because you pointed your good thoughts mixed with Scripture in 4 good examples.

The examples are good examples of a person who strives to learn the Bible daily with the spiritual mindset - there is so much to attain, there will be misunderstandings and misinterpretations of the Passages, the discipline of focusing on just one Scripture instead of the whole passage. There will be grasping of the Old and New Testaments, applying application in day to day living, and gain knowledge and wisdom of the greater context.

Bottom line, we're students of the Bible.

I'm a Bible student for many years and still make mistakes of the hermeneutics. I will always be a student in this lifetime and give God all the glory for what I have learned.

Its humbling to know that the seasoned Bible teachers and preachers admit that after 30, 40 and 50 years they are still learning students of God's Word.

Again, I enjoyed reading How the Bible is structured. It gave me much to think about.

Thank you, Faith First.

God bless you, your entire family, and Merry Christmas!
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I totally agree. I am the new guy on the block and have only been reading the Bible for a little over three years. We have to study the Word, as it is addressed in various books and chapters. This is what I find most fascinating about the Bible. I remember the first time I read Ruth and realized that without Ruth, there would be no David, and without David, there would be no Joseph, and without Joseph (Jesus' grandfather), there would be no Mary.

Rtm
 
I've been reading the Bible for about 10 years now. There is always something new.
I think you need to read the whole Bible first before you start pulling it apart!

I'm reading the Bible again straight through but this time its the ICB version (International Children's Bible). Am up to Exodus.

The first couple of times I read the Bible only partially. And they were different versions - Good News, NKJV and NIV. The NIV I was given was a study Bible, but reading it only partially (there was a checklist of verses/chapters you could read) of course you will miss out on stuff! I didn't really understand it and it frustrated me.

I then read the KJV - ALL of it. Straight through and it took me about 6 months. I prayed and God helped me find this version to read. He also made it easy for me to understand.

So I stuck with this one all the time, until now when I found this Children's Bible version. But I'm noticing the translation is a bit odd in places because I am used to the KJV. One church was always reading from CEV but I found that would miss out parts too. So I never really read the CEV all the way through.

The Bible is mostly stories, it's not really a text book. I sometimes get annoyed when some preachers treat it as such, and they make it seem like a chore to read. It's not..it's a great joy and pleasure to read the Bible.
 
In case anyone is wondering I'm not reading the International children's Bible because I don't understand the KJV. It's because it's the version I've got in my school library and I want to check that it's fine for children to read.

I noticed that instead of 'Adam knowing Eve' instead it says 'Adam had sexual relations with Eve' and it's like that for the rest of the Bible lol.
 
bobinfaith said:
Hello Faith First;

I enjoyed reading your thread, How the Bible is structured

How long have you been reading the Bible? Do you teach Bible studies? I ask because you pointed your good thoughts mixed with Scripture in 4 good examples.

The examples are good examples of a person who strives to learn the Bible daily with the spiritual mindset - there is so much to attain, there will be misunderstandings and misinterpretations of the Passages, the discipline of focusing on just one Scripture instead of the whole passage. There will be grasping of the Old and New Testaments, applying application in day to day living, and gain knowledge and wisdom of the greater context.

Bottom line, we're students of the Bible.

I'm a Bible student for many years and still make mistakes of the hermeneutics. I will always be a student in this lifetime and give God all the glory for what I have learned.

Its humbling to know that the seasoned Bible teachers and preachers admit that after 30, 40 and 50 years they are still learning students of God's Word.

Again, I enjoyed reading How the Bible is structured. It gave me much to think about.

Thank you, Faith First.

God bless you, your entire family, and Merry Christmas!
Click to expand...

ME Bob. I am still learning. I just learned last week that BASEBALL is in the Bible.

Genesis 1:1........."In the bigINNING God created the heavens and the earth"

Who knew????
 
Faith First said:
Over the years, I have noticed that the structure of the bible is different from a standard textbook. I wonder if others in the forum have noticed this as well?

For example, in a math textbook, you will have a chapter about fractions, and the entire chapter will be based on that topic, and another chapter will be about calculus. And that particular chapter only addresses calculus, and it will never address it ever again when you read past that chapter.

However, the bible is not like an ordinary textbook. A subject is discussed all over the bible and not just one book. God could have told one person the entire truth about one topic, but instead provides a little bit of information about a topic to every author, but not its entirety.

For example, the subject of faith will be found in various bible verses throughout the bible, unlike an ordinary textbook, where it would maybe only be included in one book.

Therefore you need to read all the bible verses throughout the bible to have a complete understanding. To look at one or two bible verses will result in a partial understanding.

Example 1

I asked a few of my Christian colleagues about what they knew about the devil. I asked who he was, how he looked like, what his character was like, where he came from, what his purpose was, how to defeat him, etc.

Some of the answers were partially correct, and some were completely inaccurate. To get an accurate understanding of the devil, all the verses need to be put together. The partial understanding was caused by looking at one or two bible verse.

I have looked up some of the different parts of the bible that talk about the devil. They include, but not limited to Isaiah 14:12-15, Ezekiel 28:14 -17, Luke 10:18, John 8:44, Revelation 12:9, Revelation 12:12, 1 John 3:8, 2 Corinthians 2:11, 2 Corinthians 11:14, Luke 8:12, 1 Thessalonians 2:18, 1 Peter 5:8, Revelation 12:13, Luke 4:2, Ephesians 6:1-18.

The bible verses talk about his origin, his character, how he attacks Christians, and how to defeat him.

Notice that these bible verses about the devil are all over the bible in the Old and New Testaments.

Therefore this means that the entire bible needs to be read to understand one subject.

A pattern that I have observed

In general, I have noticed that some Christians tend to focus on one or two bible verses about a specific topic. And all other bible verses are ignored.

Example 1

When Christians talk about grace, the main bible verse that gets mentioned is Ephesians 2:8-9. However, these verses only speak about salvation.

What about other verses about grace?
  • Grace not only relates to salvation, but we can obtain grace when we need help against sin (Hebrews 4:15-16), and grace strengthens us (2 Corinthians 12:9).
  • We are also justified by grace (Titus 3:7).
  • Most importantly, we cannot obtain grace unless we are humble (1 Peter 5:5, James 4:6).

Example 2

I have noticed the same issue with other various topics in the bible. For example, I have noticed that most of the time, the only gift from the Holy Spirit that is emphasized and preached about is the gift of tongues. The Pentecostal churches are the most guilty of this. I do not recall hearing a sermon about the other gifts of the Holy Spirit, which are also very important such as the gift of wisdom, knowledge, healing, miracles, prophecy, etc. (1 Corinthians 12:8-10).

Example 3

Another example is that there is an emphasis that the sin of Sodom was homosexuality. However, Ezekiel 16:49-50 also talks about other sins committed such as neglecting the poor, haughtiness and pride, etc. Reading both Genesis and Ezekiel provides a full picture of their sins that led to their destruction and indicates that it was not only the one sin mentioned in Genesis that caused them to be destroyed.

Example 4

Another example is that Revelation 12:9, which explains that the serpent in Genesis was the devil. These two books are far from each other, but in each, we get an insight into what happened at the beginning from both of them. (However, Isaiah 14:12-15 (KJV) also needs to be read that explains that the devil or Lucifer is an angel. Therefore since the devil is an angel then it means that he either transformed himself into a serpent or spoke through the serpent in Genesis).

I have noticed that topics in the bible are like puzzle pieces scattered all over the bible, and to understand a subject or an event, you need to find them all over the bible and put them together.

May God please help us to understand every subject in the bible in its entirety.
Click to expand...

Excellent post!

IMHO I think that it is wise to understand that the Bible was written over a period of 1,500 years by 44 men. It contains over 3,000 promises and over 2,000 prophecies, of which 1,817 have been fulfilled with 100% accuracy. It also references over 2,900 people.

It is the word of God but God used the minds and hearts and personalities of those men to get what He wanted us to know.

While the Old Testament led to conviction of sin, the New Testament is of grace leading to forgiveness of sin through Jesus Christ and how God has interacted with humanity.

When we read and study the WHOLE Bible then the pieces do fit together like a puzzel!
 
Major said:
ME Bob. I am still learning. I just learned last week that BASEBALL is in the Bible.

Genesis 1:1........."In the bigINNING God created the heavens and the earth"

Who knew????
Click to expand...
umm no, but Honda is mentioned more often than any other car in Scripture (14X)...

Joshua 9:2 (KJV) That they gathered themselves together, to fight with Joshua and with Israel, with one accord.

Acts 1:14 (KJV) These all continued with one accord in prayer and supplication, with the women, and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with his brethren.

Acts 2:1 (KJV) And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place.

Acts 2:46 (KJV) And they, continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, did eat their meat with gladness and singleness of heart,

Acts 4:24 (KJV) And when they heard that, they lifted up their voice to God with one accord, and said, Lord, thou art God, which hast made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and all that in them is:

Acts 5:12 (KJV) And by the hands of the apostles were many signs and wonders wrought among the people; (and they were all with one accord in Solomon's porch.

Acts 7:57 (KJV) Then they cried out with a loud voice, and stopped their ears, and ran upon him with one accord,

Acts 8:6 (KJV) And the people with one accord gave heed unto those things which Philip spake, hearing and seeing the miracles which he did.

Acts 12:10 (KJV) When they were past the first and the second ward, they came unto the iron gate that leadeth unto the city; which opened to them of his own accord: and they went out, and passed on through one street; and forthwith the angel departed from him.

Acts 12:20 (KJV) And Herod was highly displeased with them of Tyre and Sidon: but they came with one accord to him, and, having made Blastus the king's chamberlain their friend, desired peace; because their country was nourished by the king's country.

Acts 15:25 (KJV) It seemed good unto us, being assembled with one accord, to send chosen men unto you with our beloved Barnabas and Paul,

Acts 18:12 (KJV) And when Gallio was the deputy of Achaia, the Jews made insurrection with one accord against Paul, and brought him to the judgment seat,

Acts 19:29 (KJV) And the whole city was filled with confusion: and having caught Gaius and Aristarchus, men of Macedonia, Paul's companions in travel, they rushed with one accord into the theatre.

Philippians 2:2 (KJV) Fulfil ye my joy, that ye be likeminded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind.

Seriously, Scripture has One Author (Holy Spirit) who points us to the Son (Jesus Christ) that the Father may be glorified.
 
The original scripture was written (or enscribed) on scrolls. It wasn't mass printed in book format (or digitised) like it is today.

The first five books (called the Pentateuch) were attributed to Moses.
Then every other book in the Old Testament was authored by a different prophet, or about a different prophet. Scholars call them 'major' or 'minor' not because they were a big or little deal but according to how long their scrolls were. If it was a lengthy scroll, they were 'major'.

Solomon was the co-author of several books including the book of Proverbs, and David penned a lot of the psalms. The Old Testament was originally written in Hebrew. It got translated into Greek later when the Hellenists or Romans I think took over or governed Israel.

The New Testament is slightly different. It's not scrolls as such most of it is epistles, or letters, authored by Paul and circulated among the churches around the Mediteranean to be read out loud. They were hand copied and 'posted' out. The language used was Greek.

The four gospels are like four different newspapers reports, regarding the events surrounding Jesus.

John's gospel and the book of Revelation is one of the most newsworthy of the Bible, and it also references back to the Old Testament, so unless you've already read the Old Testament you may not get all the quotes and references in that 'book'.
 
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The other thing, the Bible was not originally written with numbered verses like it is in almost every translation today.
The chapter divisions also came later.

It's a big help to have every verse or sentence numbered but its not like a maths book where you have 1) a problem and 2) go to page 234 to find the answer. Also, no offence to mathematicians, but maths books are really boring. And they are sad because they have sooo many problems!

Because it's all indexed already for you but you still need to read it all in it's entirety rather than go to chapter and verse to look up the answer, and sometimes, the 'answers' may be a lot longer than one verse or sentence!

They also don't print things upside down like maths books sometimes do at the bottom of the page.
However, I find one really annoying thing about Bibles is the ones with footnotes. Sometimes there are so many they just crowd out the page.

It's like reading several books at once.

Although some Bibles have highlighted Christs words in red, though I suppose if they weren't highlighted you'd have to go through your Bible and do it yourself. But that means having to read the whole New testament of course. That some people are just a bit lazy to set aside time to do. And if you want to highlight everything the Lord said in the Old Testament, it would take you even longer, but I haven't seen any editions that have done that.

If you are going to read a book, you better read the whole thing IMHO.
 
Lanolin said:
The original scripture was written (or enscribed) on scrolls. It wasn't mass printed in book format (or digitised) like it is today.
The New Testament is slightly different. It's not scrolls as such most of it is epistles, or letters, authored by Paul and circulated among the churches around the Mediteranean to be read out loud. They were hand copied and 'posted' out. The language used was Greek.
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Lanolin said:
However, I find one really annoying thing about Bibles is the ones with footnotes. Sometimes there are so many they just crowd out the page.
If you are going to read a book, you better read the whole thing IMHO.
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Hello Lanolin;

Thank you for sharing How the Bible is Structured.

On a side note, when you mentioned how the original Scripture was inscribed on scrolls, and in the New Testament how the missionaries read them aloud amongst the people, the Catholic church adopted this form from the early saints and that's one of the reasons the Priest will be the one who reads the Scripture to the whole congregation.

The footnotes in some Bible translations serve as an application study note, and I used to think that we automatically agreed with every note aside from the Scripture. But I learned these notes come from the contributor and not everyone is going to agree with every side note.

If one is going to read a book, it's better to read the whole thing. Good advice.
 
bobinfaith said:
Hello Faith First;

I enjoyed reading your thread, How the Bible is structured

How long have you been reading the Bible? Do you teach Bible studies? I ask because you pointed your good thoughts mixed with Scripture in 4 good examples.

The examples are good examples of a person who strives to learn the Bible daily with the spiritual mindset - there is so much to attain, there will be misunderstandings and misinterpretations of the Passages, the discipline of focusing on the whole passage instead of just one verse. There will be grasping of the Old and New Testaments, applying application in day to day living, and gain knowledge and wisdom of the greater context.

Bottom line, we're students of the Bible.

I'm a Bible student for many years and still make mistakes of the hermeneutics. I will always be a student in this lifetime and give God all the glory for what I have learned.

Its humbling to know that the seasoned Bible teachers and preachers admit that after 30, 40 and 50 years they are still learning students of God's Word.

Again, I enjoyed reading How the Bible is structured. It gave me much to think about.

Thank you, Faith First.

God bless you, your entire family, and Merry Christmas!
Click to expand...
Hello Bobinfaith

Thank you for your response.

I have been studying the bible for close to 15 years.

I do not teach bible studies, but maybe I will one day.
 
The only thing was when the catholic priests read it in latin and nobody understood a single word of it as the congregation didn't speak latin.
 
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