B I B S T U D Lesson 03 What Is The Bible ( Updated)

What is the Bible?Dennis Raymond P. MaturanDe La Salle – College of Saint

Benilde

Encountering God Through the Scriptures

Objectives:1. To have a general backgrounder on the

Bible2. To have a working and practical

knowledge of what it is all about3. To have a deeper appreciation of the

Bible itself

What is the Etymology of the Word Bible?

The word Bible literally means “little books”.

Derived from Greek biblion, diminutive of byblos meaning…

What is the Etymology of the Word Bible?

…“book” or “papyrus” from the Phoenician town of Gubla, renamed Byblos by the Greeks.

Also from Greek biblia/ ta biblia…

What is the Etymology of the Word Bible?…meaning a

collection of books.Also from Latin biblia, meaning

book.The English word

Bible is based from the Latin term above.

What Generally is the Bible ?

It is the world’s most famous and influential book though not the oldest.

It is the world’s most thoroughly studied book.

What Generally is the Bible ?

The book that inspired three great world religions namely:

1. Judaism2. Christianity3. Islam

What Generally is the Bible ?

It is known as the Good Book as if it were a single book.

It is a collection or library of many small books written over a period of more than 1,000 years.

What Generally is the Bible ?

The Hebrew Bible (TaNaK) or Old Testament deals with the chosen people, Israel.

It contains narrative and legal books, poetry and prophecy.

What Generally is the Bible ?

The Christian Bible which includes both the Old and New Testaments, consists of narratives of Jesus’ life, theological account or the early Church, letters and apocalypse.

How Many Books Does the Bible Contain?

Most Protestant Books contain sixty-six books (66).

Roman Catholics, most Orthodox and some Protestants accept seventy-three books (73).

The Jewish Versions of the OT1) Masoretic

(Palestinian Canon) – accepted by Hebrew speaking Jews.

- written in Hebrew-adapted by

Protestants (39 books)

39 OT + 27 NT = 66 total Protestant Biblical books

2) Septuagint (Alexandrian Canon) – used by early Christians and Jesus Himself.

- translated into Greek- accepted by the

Catholic and Orthodox Church (46 books)

46 OT + 27 NT = 73 total Catholic Biblical books

Biblical English VersionsA. Catholic Douay-Rheims Knox New American Jerusalem Revised Standard

Version - Catholic Edition

B. ProtestantKing James VersionRevised Standard

VersionNew International

Version

Who Are the Authors and Writers of the Bible?

God – the main Author of the Bible as He inspired people of different times, culture and background.

Man – both co-author and writer of the Bible as inspired by the Holy Spirit.

What Is therefore the Bible?1. It is a collection of

writings about God.

2. It is about man’s relationship with God and other people

3. It is about how God would want man to relate to one another

The Bible Is Therefore…4. It is the written

source of Divine revelation

5. It is the history of God’s love for man

6. It is a guide about what man should do.

Other Biblical FactsArchbishop Stephen

Langton of Canterbury (1150-1228) – the person who created divisions and chapters of the Bible as used today.

Cardinal Hugo de Sancto Caro is also known to come up with a systematic division of the Bible (between 1244 and 1248), but it is Langton's arrangement of books and chapters that remains in use today.[

Other Biblical FactsSantes Pagnini, O.P.

(1470-1541) –the person responsible for numbering the verses of the Old Testament books of the Bible in 1528

Robert Etienne (Stephanus- 1503-1559) – a Paris printer numbered the New Testament book verses in 1555.

Other Biblical FactsCouncil of Laodicea

(363 A.D.) – declared the Canon of the NT

Council of Hippo (393 A.D.) – The Church Council which started the Canon of the Bible.

Council of Trent (1546) – The Church Council which officially declared the final Canon of the Bible.

Other Biblical FactsLatin Vulgate

(Latina Vulgata) – the official Latin Version of the Bible used by the Catholic Church as translated by St. Jerome from the original languages in the 4th century A.D.

Biblical AuthorityBible as a source of

authority for thousands of Christian sects

Source of different teachings and doctrines

Source various doctrines and interpretations

Source of both Christian unity and disunity

Why Read the Bible?1. To know God.2. To know God’s

relationship with mankind.

3. To know God’s will for man’s life.

4. To foster and develop our faith-experience with God.

How do we read and use the Bible?Pray to the Holy

Spirit before and after reading the Bible.

Remember that the Holy Bible is the Word of God so ask for inspiration.

How do we read and use the Bible?Use a Catholic

version of the Bible that you feel comfortable with.

You may choose any Biblical book at random unless you are looking for something specific.

Realizations1. What is the Bible, its origin and its

etymology?2. Why is the Bible Inspired?3. Why is the Bible both erroneous and

without error?4. Quiz.