Your expectations

Expectations of you◦ Attendance◦ Preparation / Homework◦ Tests / Essays◦ Exams

Course Books and recommended reading

Unit 1 The Books of the Bible Unit 2 Interpreting the Bible Unit 3 From creation to new creation Unit 4 Israel and God’s purposes Unit 5 The promised land and God’s good

purposes Unit 6 The kingdom of David and God’s purpose Unit 7 God’s purpose renewed Unit 8 Jesus the fulfiller of God’s purpose Unit 9 The Gospel for the nations Unit 10 Awaiting the fulfillment-the Apostles’

writings EXAM

The Bible is God’s Word

2 Timothy 3:16-17

• All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, 17 so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.

The Bible is God’s Word

The Bible was written by people

Exodus 24:4

• Moses then wrote down everything the LORD had said.

John 21:24

• This is the disciple who testifies to these things and who wrote them down. We know that his testimony is true.

Luke 1:2-4

• Many have undertaken to draw up an account of the things that have been fulfilled among us, 2 just as they were handed down to us by those who from the first were eyewitnesses and servants of the word. 3 Therefore, since I myself have carefully investigated everything from the beginning, it seemed good also to me to write an orderly account for you, most excellent Theophilus, 4 so that you may know the certainty of the things you have been taught.

The Bible is God’s Word

The Bible was written by people

Authority

Infallibility & Inerrancy

Sufficiency

Clarity

Unity and diversity in the Bible

Literature of the Bible

• A librarylibrary of books.

• Contains a wide variety of literary material (different genres);

e.g. narratives prophecieslaws wisdom sayingsritual instructions parablespoetry letterssongs genealogies.sermons

• Contains material published over at least 1,600 years, by over 40 different people.

Despite all this diversitydiversity, there is a special unityunity:

it is all about the gradual unfolding of the purpose of God.it is all about the gradual unfolding of the purpose of God.

“The Bible is all about God’s gracious actions to reverse the effects of human sin and establish a new creation. This plan of salvation comes to its climax and fulfilment with the ministry of Jesus Christ.”

The book The book of booksof books

Obviously, first and foremost is the

OLD Testament and the NEW Testament…

But each of these can be broken down further in our English Bibles:

Old Testament New Testament

historical books

mixed poetry

prophetic books

Genesis to Esther

Job to Song of Solomon

Isaiah to Malachi

the Gospels …

other Apostolic writings

Matthew to John

Acts of the Apostles to Revelation

NB: This arrangement follows the order of the Greek translation of the Old

Testament known as the Septuagint.Septuagint.

The book The book of booksof books

The Hebrew Bible has the books in a different order:

the Law the writingsthe prophets

former latter

GenesisExodus

LeviticusNumbers

Deuteronomy

Psalms JobProverbs Ruth

Song of SolomonEcclesiastesLamentations

Esther DanielEzra Nehemiah

1 & 2 Chronicles

JoshuaJudges

1 & 2 Samuel1 & 2 Kings

Isaiah JeremiahEzekiel HoseaJoel AmosObadiah JonahMicah Nahum

HabakkukZephaniah

Haggai MalachiZechariah

the Law

The first 5 books were called ‘the Law’ by the Jews and ‘the Pentateuch’ by others (from two Greek words literally meaning “the five scrolls”).

‘The Law’ was understood as the part of scripture that gave God’s basic teaching by which the rest of the Bible was to be understood. A brief summary of this basic teaching is:

God created all things, and humanity rebelled against God, which brought sin into the world.

In order to undo the effects of sin and bring blessing to the world, God called Abraham and his descendents to “live in a special relationship “live in a special relationship with himself”.with himself”.

Later, because of that special relationship, God savedsaved his people (the exodus under Moses) and taughttaught them (by the commandments) and led them towards Canaan which he had promised would be their land.

The book The book of booksof books

The book The book of booksof booksthe former

prophets

These books are called “former prophets” because they present the history of the period from God’s point from God’s point of viewof view, and illustrate the importance of prophets in the outworking of God’s plan for Israel.

Joshua and Judges describe the conquest of the land of Canaanland of Canaan, in fulfilment of God’s promise.

1 & 2 Samuel show how God’s rule over his people is to be forever linked to kings descended from Davidkings descended from David.

1 & 2 Kings show the rebellion of ten of the tribes against the house of David and a schism occurs.

The book The book of booksof books

the latter prophets

These books are called “latter prophets” because they are the teaching of the prophets who were around just before, during, and after the captivity and exile of the northern and southern kingdoms.

Their first task is to make clear the reasons for God’s judgement and then reveal God’s plan for their future; showing that God’s gracious purposes have not been abandoned despite appearances!

The re-establishment of the people is associated with God sending a king from David’s line (known as “Messiah”) who will bring peace and salvation – the establishment of the kingdom of Godthe kingdom of God.

The book The book of booksof books

the writings

This material falls basically into three categories:

The so-called “Wisdom Literature” (Job, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, some of the Psalms and Song of Solomon) which focuses on a wide variety of issues. It deals with problems of universal significance – for both men and women in every age and situation.

The Psalms contain a range of responses to God in prayer, praise, poetry and song from different times in Israel’s history.

The rest of the writings deal basically with the period of Babylonian exile and beyond.

The book The book of booksof books

The Gospel writers are particularly concerned to show that Jesus’ life at every point fulfils the Old Testament scripturesfulfils the Old Testament scriptures.

The Acts of the Apostles is like ‘Luke part 2’, showing how the message of Christ and his work was taken by the apostles from Jerusalem to “the ends the ends of the earthof the earth” (both in terms of geography and people group).

The writers of the New Testament claim that the purposes of God revealed in the Old Testament came to completion in the person and work of the Lord Jesus Christ.

The Letters (of Paul and others) deal with practical and doctrinal problems facing the early churches.

The Revelation (to John) focuses on the victorious and glorified Jesus, revealing the implications of his death, resurrection and exaltation for the future. It encourages Christians to keep living for Jesus as they await the great day of his return.

GospelsGospels

LettersLetters

GospelsGospels

LettersLetters

Jesus believed that the Old Testament was inspired by God (Matthew 22:31-32,43-44; John 10:35 etc) as did the apostles (2 Timothy 3:16, 2 Peter 1:21, Hebrews 3:7,4:7, Acts 4:25 etc).

Christians soon recognized the same authority in the writings of the New Testament (2 Peter 3:15-16, 1 Timothy 5:18 etc).

This make sense because Jesus promised that the Holy Spirit would lead the apostles into all truth (John 14:25-26, 16:12-15)

The whole Bible points to Jesus (Luke 24:44-48, John 5:39,46, 1 Peter 1:10-11).