The Bible

“The transmission of the Bible”

Questions:

1. What is the Bible?

2. What is the purpose of the Bible?
3. What is the canon?
The canon
The canon or election of authoritative writings took place over a long
period of time and is based on certain agreed criterion (age of the book,
authenticity and author) which explains to us how the books of the Bible
were selected to form the canon. Canon means measuring rod.
Transmission of the Bible and preservation of the Bible is evident with the
discovery of the Dead of the Dead Sea scroll.
How the Biblical Canon was formed
 Focus Questions:
1.When was the Dead Sea Scroll discovered?

2. Identify the location where the Dead Sea Scroll was discovered.

3. How many documents are in Dead Sea Scroll?

4. What were used to write on the scrolls?

5. Identify the scroll that was discovered in 1947?

6. List the languages that the Dead Sea Scroll was written in?

7. Identify the books that were found without fragments?

8. Give the name of the religion that still uses the Dead Sea Scroll as part of their literature?
The truth about the discovery of the Dead Sea Scrolls
Different types of Writing in the Bible
There are many different literary styles that God used in bringing His word to us. He has
done this, in part, because some styles are better at conveying a certain message than
others.
It is important to interpret Scripture according to its literary styles so we might better
grasp what is being said. For example, when the Bible says that God “shall cover you with
His feathers, and under His wings you shall take refuge...” (Psalm 91:4), it’s imperative to
understand that poetic language is being used, and not historical narrative.
It’s also important to know that some books of the Bible even contain different literary
styles within the very same book.
Narrative
Historical narratives are factual accounts, written in prose, of what happened at a certain
time and place, and involve people, nations, and events. The writers of these historical
records often did not make judgments on what was happening. They only reported what
actually occurred, both good (healings, miracles, etc.) and bad (murder, theft, etc). With
that being the case, when making judgments, historical narratives must be viewed and
interpreted in the full light of Scripture. Historical books are Joshua, Ruth, Esther,
Matthew, Mark, Luke, John, Acts, etc.
Laws and instructions
Much of the first five books of the Bible is statutory in nature. Old Testament laws are worth
understanding, as they show us what God required of His people. Although many of the laws are no
longer applicable (such as priestly laws), they still teach us what God is like and help us understand
what He desires of us. This understanding is called “The Threefold Purpose of the Law". The first
purpose of the Law is to be a mirror, reflecting both the perfect righteousness of God and the
sinfulness of humans. The second purpose of the Law is for the restraint of evil. The third purpose of
the Law is to show us what is pleasing to God. If we view the Law in this manner, we then have a
better understanding of ourselves and are able to follow God more faithfully. Examples of the books
of the Law would be Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy.
Prophecy
A prophetic utterance in the Bible means “to foretell or proclaim.” The prophets acted as God’s
spokesmen, prophesying His message (which was usually a warning and a call to righteousness).

Almost every book of the Bible contains some kind of prophecy. Often times, a prophecy had
immediate relevance to the people to whom it was given. But many prophecies have two fulfillments,
the initial fulfillment shortly after they were given and a longer term fulfillment. Because of that,
when we read prophecy it is important to consider how the original readers would have understood it.
By placing prophecies in this context it prevents the mistake of looking for modern “fulfillments”
which were never intended. Some prophetic books would be Daniel, Ezekiel, Revelation.
Apocalyptic Writing
The word “apocalyptic” comes from a Greek word, “apokalypsis,” meaning revealing or unveiling. In the Bible,
Daniel in the Old Testament and Revelation in the New Testament are the most clear examples of apocalypses. But
there are many other books from the Jewish and Christian world that can be classified as apocalypses. In addition,
other books of the Bible contain apocalyptic passages.

What makes a particular writing an apocalypse? Apocalypses are stories that use symbols and visions to describe
how people received understanding of spiritual realities from heavenly beings. Human beings are given this
knowledge by a vision that reveals the truth God wants them to know. Often, the meanings of these visions are
difficult to grasp and are explained by an angel.

Apocalyptic Writing gives detail about the future and what might happen at the end of the world (Matthew 24, Mark
13, Luke 21). The last book of the Bible, Revelation, outlines a vision of the future when Christians believe Jesus
will return to earth again.
Parables
The parables of Jesus make up a crucial part of the Bible. Jesus had the wisdom to simplify the
profound spiritual truths he needed to share with humanity in the form of relatable stories that are easy
to understand. A parable is a tale about a simple, common subject to illustrate a deeper, valuable moral
lesson.

The first four books of the New Testament - Matthew, Mark, luke and John- tell the life story of Jesus.
When Jesus was talking to people, he liked to illustrate what he was saying by telling parables.
Wisdom Sayings/ Proverbial
Proverbs and wisdom literature are short statements of truth for common and
general rules of life (which have exceptions). The books of Proverbs and
Ecclesiastes contain many such sayings that deal with a variety of aspects of
daily living that can be used as a general guide.
Miracle Stories

Throughout the Bible there are stories of miracles that have taken place. These include
accounts of miracles that Jesus performed, such as driving out evil spirits, Jesus calling the
first disciples, Jesus healing people and even bringing people back to life (John 11:1-44).