Prepared by: Jose Isagani Ledoma Flores, Ph.D.

December
“Bible” is an English word derived from
the Greek word biblia, which means
“books”. Sometimes it is referred to as
Scriptures, which is derived from the
Latin scriptura, meaning “writing”.

Many times, the Holy Bible is called in

Latin “sacra scriptura”, or in Spanish “La
Sagrada Escriptura” meaning the Sacred
Scripture.
Sacred Scripture or Holy Bible – Sacred
tradition and sacred Scripture form one sacred
deposit of the Word of God, committed to the
Church.

It is a library of books (New American Bible,

1995). Thus, the bible as we had it now, is a
collection of different books written by different
human authors under the inspiration or guidance
of the Holy Spirit, about God, his involvement in
human history (history of the people of Israel)
and man’s response to God’s love.
 INSPIRATION

Who is the author of the Bible? God is the author of

the Bible.

“For the Holy Mother Church, relying on the faith of

the apostolic age, accepts as sacred and canonical the
books of the Old and the New Testaments, whole
and entire, with all their parts, on the grounds that,
written under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, they
have God as their author, and have been handed on
as such to the Church herself ”. Dei Verbum 11; cf. Jn
20 Tim 3:16; 2 Pet 1:19-21; 3: 15-16; Cathechism of
the Catholic Church #105)
 WHAT IS INSPIRATION?

By ‘inspiration we meant that God, or the Spirit of God, was

at work in the community of Israel and in the early Christian
community to produce, through a number of human authors,
a series of books that witness to God’s revelation of himself
through history. That divine self-revelation reached its climax
in Jesus Christ”. ( Heb. 7.1-2)

“God inspired the human authors of the sacred books. To

compose the sacred books, God chose certain men who. All
the while he employed them in his task, made full use of their
own faculties and powers so that, though he acted in them
and by them, it was a true authors that they consigned to
writing whatever he wanted written, and no more” Catechism
of the Catholic Church #106)
 How did inspirations work?
“Since we are dealing with an action of God in the world of men and
women, we can never fully understand or explain what happened;
inspiration partakes of the mystery of God himself ”. (E.H. Maly)

The Church has not adopted any explanation as official her own.

“ We can, however, point to two elements that must be guarded in any

explanation that must be given. The first is that God is actively
present in a unique manner in the composition of the biblical books.
The gift presence to the communities of Israel and to the early
Church is demanded both by those persons which do speak of
inspiration in the Bible (e.g., 2 Tim 3, 15-17; 2Pt 1, 20-21) and by the
constant Tradition of the Church. The Bible is in a real sense, the
true word of God.
“The second element is the freedom of the human authors in making use
of their own talents and resources, in cooperation with the Spirit of God,
in composing the sacred books.

This is demanded both by the many references to the human efforts

expected in writing the books (e.g., Jer 36, 17-18; Lk 1, 1-4; Gal 6,11) and
by the statements of the Church. Thus, Pope Benedict XV, in the
encyclical Spiritus Paraclitus, wrote that “the individual authors of these
books worked in full freedom under the divine inspiration, each of them
in accordance with his individual nature and character ” (II, I).

This human element we can rightly say that we can appreciate the
fullness of the Biblical Word when we approach it in faith. It is of the
second element, the human contribution, that we must make use of all
possible sciences to understand the meaning intended by the authors”.
(E.H. Maly)
 Division of the Bible

Stephen Langton (died 1228), a professor in the

University in Paris, and later became Archbishop of
Canterbury, and finally a Cardinal, divided the
Bible into chapters. This division first appeared in
the Parisian Bible in 1206.

The division into verses was done by French printer

Robert Estienne in 1551. The division is used today
despite the obvious inconsistencies. (Discovering
Our Faith, p. 36)
 Distinct Characteristic of a Catholic Bible
1.A Catholic Bible includes in the Old Testament the seven
Deutero-canonical books which the protestants version omit
because their version followed the Palestinian-Jewish tradition or
canon. The Catholic version adopted the Alexandrian Jewish
tradition or canon.

2. A Catholic Bible bears the Imprimatur (“Let it be printed”)

and the Nihil obstat (“Nothing hinders”) which are the
assurance given by the Bishop that the book is without error in
faith and morals, and it is approved by the Catholic Church

3. A Catholic Bible has doctrinal notes.

 The Bible is the , “Greatest Love story” ever written. It
speaks
The Bibleofis the
the tremendous love story”
, “Greatest Love of Godever
for humankind,
written. It
i.e. God’s
speaks of theenduring,
tremendous unconditional
love of Godlove
forfor every
humankind, i.e.
human
God’s being. unconditional love for every human being.
enduring,
The Bible tells us of God who creates, calls and invites
The
man toBible
a life tells us of Godintimacy
of friendship, who creates, calls and
and union invites
with Him.
man
(The to a life p.2)
Promise, of friendship,
Augustineintimacy
says thatand
the union
purposewith
of the
Him.
Bible (The
is to Promise,
build up lovep.2)
(OnAugustine
Christian says that the
Doctrine, I, 36.40).
purpose of the Bible is to build up love (On Christian
Doctrine, I, 36.40).
1. Set aside time for Bible reading. Make Bible
reading a habit every day of the year.
2. Try to read one book at a time.
3. Try to understand the writer’s purpose. Who is he?
What was his world? Why did he write?
4. To whom was the message addressed? Who was
the audience? What did it mean to them? What
does it mean for us today?
5. Keep a Reflection Note Book to jot down what you
have learnt or need to look up.
6. For Reference: Use a Catholic Commentary. A
Bible dictionary, Bible Concordance
How To Read the Bible?
Parable of The Prodigal Son -- Luke 15: 11-32

Name of Book Verses

Lk 15: 11-32
Chapter
 TRADITIONS IN THE
TORAH
1. YAHWIST (J)
2. ELOHIST (E)
3. DEUTERONOMIC (D)
4. PRIESTLY (P)
 YAHWIST (J)
This tradition originated in the time of
David and Solomon; probably in Judah

Uses the name Yahweh all through out

when speaking of God

Presents God as if he were a living person,

e.g. Gen 3:21;Gen. 3:8; Gen 8:21
 ELOHIST (E)
Prefers the name ‘Elohim’ when speaking of
God
Has a literary style which very vivid and
attractive
Is rather moralistic
Gives emphasis to the covenant as the main relationship
between the Patriarchs and God
Reflects the struggle of Israel against idolatry of its powerful
neighbours
Insists on divine prohibition against making graven images
e.g.Ex. 20: 3-4
 DEUTERONOMIC
Was written around the 7th century B.C. in Jerusalem
also contains traditions from the Northern Kingdom
It is combined work of the Levitical priests and the
priests of Jerusalem
This style is found in the Book of Deuteronomy.
It is characterized on its centralization of worship in
the Temple of Jerusalem
The special place of Israel in God’s love e.g. Deut.
6:5; Deut. 7: 8-9
 PRIESTLY
• Originated around Jerusalem around 6 B.C. ( after the return from
exile )
• Has a dry style of writing – a very matter of fact style- e.g. Gen.1:2,
‘Let there be light…’
• Expands the theme of covenant into four important stages;
1st with Adam and Eve Gen. 1: 26-2:4a
2nd with Noah Gen. 9: 8-17
3rd with Abraham Gen 17
4th with Moses on Mount Sinai Ex. 19: 1-5
• Presents Moses as the great Law Giver
• Gives importance to the role of priests and rituals e.g. Lev. 18:5
A collection of religious books in
Hebrew written during a period of
over 900 Years, including…
1. HISTORIES of heroes and events
2. CODES OF LAWS
3. ORATIONS
4. REFLECTIVE LITERATURE
5. POETRY

looking forward to a Mission for Israel on earth.

39 BOOKS 46 BOOKS
in Catholic, Eastern
in Protestant Bibles
Orthodox and Anglican
Bibles
5 COVER 21 COVER 13 COVER 7 COVER
“ THE LAW” “THE PROPHETS” “THE WRITINGS” “THE SECOND
CANON”

GENESIS JOSHUA AMOS PSALMS II TOBIT

EXODUS JUDGES OBADIAH PROVERBS CHRONICL JUDITH
LEVITICUS I SAMUEL JONAH JOB DANIEL ES WISDOM of
NUMBERS II SAMUEL MICAH EZRA SONGS OF SOLOMON
DEUTERONOMY I KINGS NAHUM NEHEMIAH SONGS SIRACH
II KINGS HABAKKUK I RUTH BARUCH
ISAIAH ZEPHANIAH CHRONICLES LAMENTATI I MACCABEES
JEREMIAH HAGGAI ONS II MACCABEES
EZEKIEL ZECHARIAH ECCLESIAST Plus additions to
HOSEA MALACHI ES ESTHER
JOEL ESTHER DANIEL
…the first 5 cover
“THE LAW”
these are sometimes called the “PENTATEUCH” or “THE
5 BOOKS OF MOSES”
 How the world began
 Beliefs about origins of the human race
 Origins of Hebrews and their place as
the “Chosen People”
50 CHAPTERS
1ST II: Story of the origins of mankind
NEXT 39: Story of Patriarchs, the fathers of
Jewish race—Abraham,Isaac,Jacob,Joseph
 How Israelites fled from Egypt
 The laws they swore to observe when they made
their covenant with Yahweh at Mt. Sinai
40 CHAPTERS
1ST 18: Historical
Next 22: Laws, including the 10
COMMANDMENTS
 More laws
 Regulations for sacrifices
 How to observe Holy Days
27 Chapters
1st 7: Law of Sacrifice
Next 3: Consecration of the Priesthood
Next 6: Law of “Clean” and “Unclean”
Next 10: The Holiness Code
 Census of people
 Story of Israelites wandering in the
wilderness
Story of Moses’ last discourses
 repeats laws
1. JOSHUA 2. JUDGES 3. I SAMUEL
- story of Joshua, a successor - troubles in Promised Land - continues story to death of
- fortunes of Israel depended Saul, Israel’s first King
of Moses as leader of
on obedience to God’s law
Israelites
- rule of tribal chiefs
- conquest of Canaan

4. II SAMUEL 5. I KINGS 6. II KINGS

- continues story to last year - death of David - continued story
of King David - reign of his son Solomon
- division into two Kingdoms
- history up to Ahaziah, son
- events leading to captivity
of Ahab
of both
7. ISAIAH 8. JEREMIAH 9. EZEKIEL
Proto Isaiah (1-39) - Prophecies to a nation in - Reproaches to Israel’s sins
- speeches of the prophet
crisis during 40 turbulent years - promise of salvation in a
Isaiah on many subjects and
- oracle of the New Covenant new covenant
occasions
- conditions of new
covenant
Deutero Isaiah (40-66)
- Messianic oracles
10. HOSEA
- First of 12 minor prophets
-preached that Yahweh was a
God of love and would forgive
those who repented
13. OBADIAH
- sermons denouncing Edom
for joining Judah’s Enemies
11. JOEL
- call to repentance through
fasting and prayer
- promise of the outpouring of
the spirit
14. JONAH
- a parable of mercy
- showed God loves all, not
just Jews
12. AMOS
- earliest recorded sermons of
a prophet
- preached to northern
Kingdom that Yahweh would
destroy Israel for its sins
15. MICAH
- judgment of Judah for
infidelity
- predictions of the birth of
Christ in Bethlehem
16. NAHUM 17. HABAKKUK 18. ZEPHANIAH
-sermons against Nineveh - prophet in Judah shortly -sermons against idolatry
(Assyria) after Nahum and foreign ways. He
-soon after Nineveh had - God’s use of Babylon as a prophesied during reign of
terrorized Judah, late 7th rod of chastisement for Judah Josiah
century B.C.

19. HAGGAI 20. ZECHARIAH 21.MALACHI

-preached to Jews returning
to Jerusalem after exile in
Babylonia
-message was to rebuild
Temple of Yahweh in Jerusalem
-partner of Haggai in effort to -means “My Messenger”
rebuild the Temple -preaches against abuses and
-messianic vision of Prince of indifference
peace
 1. PSALMS 2. PROVERBS
-150 songs of prayer and praise -a collection of maxims and sayings
-many traditionally ascribed to King -religious and worldly
David, but authorship of most is -by Solomon and others
unknown

3. Job 4. DANIEL 5. EZRA

-narrative drama -story of a young Jew, taken
-story of troubles that afflict captive to Babylon, who rose to
a good man become governor
-why evil should happen to -gives an interpretation of
the righteous history and hope for a “new
order” on earth
-story of the return of exiles
from Babylon to Judea in 536
B.C.
-starts with proclamation of
Cyrus, King of Persia
6.NEHEMIAH 7. I CHRONICLES 8.II CHRONICLES 9. Songs of
-story of how a great -history from Adam to -history of Israelites Songs
leader left Persian Court Jacob from David through the
or song of Solomon
to help returned exiles Babylonian exile
-a love lyric w/c many
rebuild Jerusalem and
feel is an allegory of
their lives
God’s love for all Israel
and Christ’s love for the
Church

10. RUTH 11. LAMENTATIONS 12.ECCLESIASTES 13. ESTHER

-a pastoral story -a book of dirges on -an account of divine -a story of a Jewish
-how a Moabite the fall of Jerusalem wisdom reflected in girl who became Queen
became a daughter of with its consequent nature, sovereign and of Persia and saved her
Israel and the ancestress chaos and oppression. It independent of man people from destruction
of King David and of reflects the spirit and -no mention of God in
Jesus Christ style of Jeremiah the Hebrew text of the
entire work
Included in Catholic and Eastern
Orthodox Bibles and called the
“DEUTEROCANONICAL” BOOKS.
Anglican bibles include these plus a
few additional books, but they are
not considered to be part of either
canon. Protestants omit this section
and call it the “APOCRYPHA”.
1. TOBIT 2. JUDITH 3. WISDOM OF SOLOMON
-a religious story emphasizing -a story which teaches Israel’s -Praise of Divine Wisdom
the validity of faith in times -Personifies Wisdom as
role of salvation and destiny in
of apparent abandonment by defender of Righteous
human history
God. -condemnation of idolatry
-Israel’s role of salvation

4. SIRACH 5. BARUCH 6. I MACCABEES 7. II MACCABEES

-also called Wisdom of -a retelling of the -historical account of -account of same
Jesus Son of Sirach history of the exile to Jews struggle to defend revolt, through Jewish
-asserts principles of give the Jews of the worship of Israel and victory and subsequent
divine moral law, moral depression the reason fidelity to the law independence. Purpose
responsibility for sin, for their distress and the is instruction and
divine retribution assurance of restoration edification
 DANIEL
-song of Three Children (Shadrach,
Meshach and Abednego), their prayers
and blessings to God
-Susanna and the Elders; Bel and the
Dragon—both independent stories
loosely connected by a common hero,
Daniel
ESTHER
-Greek portion of Esther which
demonstrate her religiousness
-Spiritualizes the otherwise
nonreligious tone of the book in its
Hebrew form
FIRST 4 called THE ACTS of the 13 EPISTLES 8 OTHER a “vision”
“THE GOSPELS” APOSTLES (LETTERS) LETTERS
Peter From PAUL to
and churches and
Paul people

MATTHEW ACTS ROMANS HEBREWS REVELATION

MARK I CORINTHIANS JAMES
LUKE II CORINTHIANS I PETER
GALATIANS
JOHN EPHESIANS
II PETER
PHILIPPIANS I JOHN
COLOSSIANS II JOHN
I THESSALONIANS III JOHN
II THESSALONIANS JUDE
I TIMOTHY
II TIMOTHY
TITUS
PHILEMON
 Includes most of Mark (about ½)
 Written about 85 A.D. after the fall of Jerusalem in
70 A.D.
 Seems written for Jews to prove Jesus fulfilled
prophecies of coming of the Messiah
 Earliest and shortest story of Jesus’ life
 Written about 70 A.D. and published after the fall of
Jerusalem
 Seems written for Gentiles to present Jesus as Messiah
and Son of God
 Used by Matthew and Luke
 Written about 75 A.D.
 About 1/3 based on Mark
 Provides a chronological sequence
 Seems written for Greeks to show Jesus as a universal
savior
Note: these first 3 are called “SYNOPTICS” meaning
“seen with the same eye”. They cover the same events.
 Written between 90 and 100 A.D.
 Written for INSTRUCTION of early Christian
Church
 Presents Jesus as the eternal Word of God who
descended from heaven and became man.
 The only early account of the Christian community
 How it spread from Palestine to Rome, the capital
of the world
 A sequel to Luke, the 3rd Gospel and by the same
author
 Covers first 30 years after Jesus’ death
 Written about 75 A.D.
28 CHAPTERS
st
1 12
-Events in Palestine and Asia Minor
NEXT 16
-Paul’s missionary tours to Judea, and
throughout Roman world, up to his
imprisonment in Rome
TO CHURCHES AND TO
INDIVIDUALS…written before the Gospels…20 to 30
years after Jesus’ death—so they are the EARLIEST Christian
writings…some question on authorship of some letters.
1. The EPISTLE to the
ROMANS
-from Corinth to the
Roman Church
-To prepare Church for
this visit
-just before final visit to
Jerusalem
-principal theme:
relationship between
Judaism and
Christianity
about 57-58 A.D.
4. The Epistle to the
GALATIANS
-concerns Galatians
converts to
Christianity who were
backsliding to strict
Jewish laws.
-true nature of
Justification by faith.
about 54-55 A.D.
2. The first Epistle to 3. The second Epistle to
the CORINTHIANS the Corinthians
-advice to the -Paul’s suffering and
Corinthian Church on consolation
insubordination, chastity -warns He will get after
and marriage, etc.—the evil-doers on his next
Resurrection. visit.
-collection for poor in
about 57 A.D. Jerusalem
about 57 A.D.
5. The Epistle to 6. The Epistle to the
EPHESIANS PHILIPPIANS
-a letter to a city in -written when Paul
Asia Minor was a prisoner in
-discusses mystery Rome
of salvation and the -warns against false
mystery of the church. teachings
about 62 A.D. -a plea for unity.
about 62 A.D.
7. The Epistle to the 8. The first Epistle to 9. The Second Epistle to
COLOSSIANS the THESSALONIANS the THESSALONIANS
-written to the church -written from Corinth -a follow-up to his first
at Colossae in highly on Paul’s first visit -Paul is concerned
developed Christology. -praises the people about their attitude
about 62 A.D. -tells of Christ’s second expecting a second
coming coming of Christ too
about 51 A.D. soon.
about 52 A.D.

11.The second 12. The Epistle 13.The Epistle to

10. The first Epistle to to TITUS PHILEMON
Epistle to TIMOTHY -written before -to Christian
TIMOTHY -from Rome at Timothy letters whose slave
-after Paul’s time of Paul’s -advice to young Onesimus had run
release from his Second co-workers to away, been
imprisonment in imprisonment help them in converted and was
Rome -as a Timothy to Christianizing the ready to return
-advice to protect social world. -asks Philemon to
Timothy about community about 62 A.D. be merciful and
handling wrong against false express Christian
ideas of some teachings brotherhood.
Ephesians. -expresses great about 62 A.D.
about 63 A.D. love
about 63 A.D.
1. The Epistle to 2. The Epistle of 3. The first 4. The second
the HEBREWS JAMES Epistle of PETER Epistle of PETER
-author unknown -probably by a -from Rome to -exhorts readers
-treats the relative of Jesus Christian churches to be faithful and
dignity of the who became head in Asia Minor blameless
person of of the Church at -Christ’s death -helps build hope
Christ—God’s Jerusalem and resurrection. for a second
ultimate word -teaches about 64-67 coming
of salvation. necessity of good A.D. -warns against
about 66 A.D. works to false teachers
accompany faith. about 100 A.D.
before 62 A.D.

567 8. The Epistle of JUDE

the first Epistle of JOHN -possibly by brother of James
the second Epistle of JOHN -to Christians who had back
tracked to pagan immoralities.
the third Epistle of JOHN

-all concern various theological

about 90 A.D.
matters.

about 100 A.D.

 and finally…the
REVELATION of JOHN
-struggle of Christ and His followers against Satan and
his cohorts
-defeat of Satan and ultimate triumph of the kingdom of
God

about 96 A.D.