Notes About the Bible
The Bible is:
-
The basis for our world and life view.
-
An explanation of who we are, what we are doing in this world, what our
purpose is, and where we are going.
What are the alternatives in front of us?
-
Should I consider what the Bible has to say? If not the Bible, then
what?
-
Our relationship with God is based on our understanding of the Bible.
The Bible was written by different people in different cultures.
This helps different people relate to what it says without distorting any
of the basic concepts.
Different approaches produce different outcomes:
-
Start reading Genesis, get bogged down in Leviticus, then give up because
it's too hard to continue.
-
Look up single verses and then paste them all together. Arrange them
one way to become a Baptist, another way to become a Methodist, a Presbyterian,
etc.
-
Read one book at a time, starting with the New Testament. Understand
the concepts one section at a time in their original context.
What is the smallest unit of the Bible? A chapter? A verse?
-
The New Testament was written in the first century.
-
It was divided into chapters by Steven Langdon, the bishop of Canterbury,
in the 13th century.
-
The verse numbers were assigned in the 16th century by Robert Etin, a printer.
-
It's just a convenient reference system. Only the text is inspired.
-
By cutting and pasting the verses together, people try to make the Bible
say what they want it to say.
It's important to maintain a wide view that looks for confirmation of ideas
in multiple sections and books.