In the last Plummer study, we reviewed and answered the question “What is the Bible?” In this section we will seek to answer the question “How is the Bible Organized?” This question, very much like the first in nature, helps us gain a better [astronaut’s] view of our Bible. We must first hold the Bible in order to read it.
Basic Division. The first part of the Bible is called the Old Testament. It includes thirty-nine books that were written between 1400 B.C. and 430 B.C. Most of these books were written in the Hebrew language. A few portions of Daniel and Ezra were written in a related Semitic language called Aramaic.
The first person to call the two major portions of Scripture “testaments” was the Christian apologist Tertullian (A.D. 160-225). The covenantal idea between God and man, however, was not new to the apologist, but is found in several Biblical texts.
My Note on Covenant Theology: It is important to know and understand the covenantal idea of Scripture. Identifying and understanding the covenants is essential for “wrapping one’s mind around” the Bible. They are a wonderful guide, leading us along the redemptive historical path between God and man. They are a great way to learn and memorize the basic time-line of Biblical history. Dr. Ligon Duncan states it this way, “It [covenant theology] is both systematic and biblical theology in that it recognizes that the Bible itself structures the progress of redemptive history through the succession of covenants.
Here is a diagram that may be useful in simplifying:
Covenant of Redemption The agreement between the Father, giving the Son as Head and redeemer of the elect, and the Son, voluntarily taking the place of those whom the Father had given Him. – Berkhof (Eph. 1:4ff.; 3:11; II Thess. 2:13; II Tim. 1:9; Jas. 2:5; I Pet. 1:2, etc.) | ||||||
Covenant of Works (Gen 2:15-17) | Covenant of Grace After the Fall of Man (Gen 3:14…Rev 22:21 – See Below) | |||||
Adamic | Noahic | Abrahamic | Mosaic | Davidic | New | |
Covenant of Commencement (Gen 6-9) | Covenant of Preservation (Gen 6-9; esp. 9:9) | Covenant of Promise (Gen 12-17) | Covenant of Law (Exodus 19-24) | Covenant of Kingship (Psalm 89) | Covenant of Consummation/Fulfillment (Jer 31; Ezek 37; Heb 9) | |
If you would like to know more about covenant theology, I recommend Robertson’s book Christ of the Covenants or Louis Berkhof’s Systematic Theology.
Number and Order of the Old Testament Books. The thirty-nine books of the Old Testament vary in literary genre from historical narrative to romantic poetry. As they are arranged in our English Bible, they are organized somewhat topically.
Law (Genesis – Deuteronomy): These are called the Books of Moses or the Pentateuch. Plummer continues, “These books describe the origin of the world, the beginnings of the nation of Israel, God’s choosing of Israel, the giving of his laws to them, and his bringing them to the border of the Promised Land.” One should also understand that these books were written to the “second generation Israelites on the plains of Moab who were about to enter the Promised Land” (memorize this). Imagine watching the generation that lived before you die off before they saw God’s promise fulfilled. This second generation was a bit timid and needed a boost of faith. That’s why Moses wrote these amazing books!
The Historical Books (Joshua – Esther): Plummer writes, “These twelve books recount God’s dealings with Israel, primarily through historical narrative.” A major thread that flows through these pages is the triumphs of Israel as they follow godly leadership (Joshua, Gideon, David, etc.) and the tragedies they experience as they follow ungodly leadership (Manasseh, Saul, and others) . These books leave one aching for a godly leader who will lead the people of Israel. Hence the significance of David and the Davidic Covenant.
Wisdom and Songs (Job – Song of Solomon): Plummer, “These five books include proverbs, other ancient wisdom literature, and songs.” I like to think of these books as the poetical, experiential expressions of the people of Israel as they go through the ups and downs of Redemptive History.
The Major Prophets (Isaiah – Daniel): Plummer, “These five books are called the major prophets b/c they are longer, not because they are more important. These books witness to God’s many warnings, instructions, and promises that He sent to Israel through His divine spokesmen, the prophets.”
The Minor Prophets (Hosea – Malachi): Plummer, “These prophetic books are shorter and are thus called the minor ones. In the ancient Jewish collection of Scriptures, they were counted as one book, called the Book of the Twelve…”
Plummer then goes to comment on the order of the Jewish Scriptures, which have the same content as the Christian Old Testament, only they are arranged differently. The Jews have always organized their holy writings in three main divisions – Law (Torah), Prophets, and Writings. The first five books are the same as the Christian OT. But after that the order changes – some books are grouped together, and the last book is 2 Chronicles. He notes that as Hebrew Bible was translated into Greek and Latin, the books began to appear in a more topical arrangement, from which we ultimately derive our English Bible.
Number and Order of the New Testament Books. After Jesus’ resurrection and ascension, the Holy Spirit empowered His disciples and other eye-witnesses, to record His teachings, stories and His life. Plummer writes, “Over time, authoritative collections of these stories were written and recognized by the church as having apostolic sanction – the four Gospels: Matthew, Mark, Luke and John. Luke also wrote a second volume, Acts, explaining how the Holy Spirit came as predicted and propelled the early church outwards to testify about Jesus the Messiah.”
As the apostles started churches throughout the Roman empire, they wrote letters to give instruction to those communities in their absence. Plummer comments, “From the earliest time, these apostolic letters were copied, circulated, and recognized as timelessly authoritative for the life of the church (Col. 4:16; 2 Peter 3:15-16). Thirteen of the letters in the NT were written by the apostle Paul (Romans-Philemon). The anonymous letter “to the Hebrews” (i.e., to Jewish Christians) was apparently included after Paul’s letters because some people in the early church believed Paul or a Pauline companion wrote the letter. Other NT letters were written by James, Peter, John, and Jude…The final book of the NT, the Revelation or Apocalypse of John, is a mixed genre, including letters, prophecy, and apocalypse.
Plummer ends this chapter with a brief history on chapter and verse divisions in the Bible. Chapter divisions were added to the Old and New Testaments by Stephen Langton (1150-1228), while verse divisions in the Old Testament are based on the versification of the Ben Asher family (Jewish Scribes) around A.D. 900, and Robert Estienne’s versification of the New Testament in 1551. The chapter and verse divisions are not divinely inspired, but were given (sometimes seemingly arbitrarily) to allow for greater accuracy when referencing particular passages of Scripture.
Question for Reflection. When you have spoken of the Old and New Testament, have you thought of the term testament as meaning “covenant”? How does viewing the Bible as based on covenants between God and humanity affect your reading?
Purpose Statement and Important Facts for Exodus.
Author: Moses
Purpose Statement/Theme: The people of Israel are “Saved to Worship.” That is the phrase that I have written in my Bible.
Brief Outline:
1-18 The God who Delivers
19-24 The God who Demands
25-40 The God who Dwells
Key Truths:
· The people of Israel, now only 70 persons (Exodus 1:4) go to Egypt in order to survive the famine in the land, under the provision of Joseph.
· The new king over Egypt feels threatened by the growing number of Israelites and begins persecution.
· God delivers the people from Egypt (Exodus 14), gives them the Law and the book of the Covenant (chs.20-24), the blueprint for the tabernacle (ch.25-31).
· The people rebel against God by worshipping a golden calf (ch.32).
· God renews covenant and allows building of tabernacle (chs.35-40).
For Further Study. Read Genesis 15:5-6. What is significant about this passage? Then compare these verses with Exodus 1:4, Num 1, and Deut 1:10. What do these verses tell us about God?
No comments:
Post a Comment