A little bit of literal and a little bit of metaphor
This is my understanding of the Bible:
MILLIONS of people accept the Bible as the basis of their faith. For thousands of years, it touched the lives of many. No other religious books can equal the influence of the Bible regarding religion, literature, and civilization.
Let us first have an introduction to this book called the Bible.
What is this Book called the Bible?
The following describe what the Bible is:
- The Bible is a collection of sixty-six (66) books.
- Generally, the Bible is divided into two: the Old Testament and the New Testament.
- Others simply define the Old Testament as the collection of the biblical books written before the time of Christ or before the Christian era, and the New Testament as the collection of the biblical books written after the ascension of Christ or during the first century of the Christian era.
- The Old Testament is composed of 39 books.
- The Old Testament was originally written in Hebrew, and a few parts were written in Aramaic.
- The New Testament is composed of 27 books.
- The New Testament was originally written in Greek (Koine Greek or “Common Greek”).
- These biblical books were written in different places and in different times by about forty men.
- The biblical books were written for a period of 1,500 years. The first five books (Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers and Deuteronomy) were written about 1447-1407 BC. While the last book of the Bible (the book of Revelation) was written about 90-100 AD.
- The biblical books are divided into chapters and verses.
- In addition, the biblical books were written in different literary form (e.g. historical narrative, biography, poetry, etc).
- The Bible was also translated into different languages and dialects (translated into about 2,200 languages and dialects). This is the reason why we have the English Bible and the Pilipino Bible.
- The Bible is also a book of:
- History
- Religion
- Prophecy
- However, the Bible is also not an open book, but a mystery hidden in ages.
The modern biblical criticisms regard the Bible as an ancient literature that can be understood through the studies of the oral tradition behind the document (Form Criticism); the studies of the document itself, its method, style, and purpose of the author, the written and oral sources he used (Literary Criticism); the study of the editing of Biblical books (Redaction criticism); and the comparison of manuscripts of the Bible in the original languages and versions, including quotations by ancient authors, to determine as nearly as possible the original wording (Textual Criticism).
These scholars believe that they can understand the Bible through the method they used to understand other ancient literary documents. However, unlike other books, the Holy Scriptures or the Bible is inspired by God (II Tim. 3:15-17). It contains not only moral principles but also the right doctrines that will guide one toward becoming a complete man of God. It is the only book that will lead man back to his Creator and to salvation.
But there is one thing about the Bible, which everyone must understand – that it is not an open book, as many believe it to be. This is attested by one of God’s inspired writers:
“Now to Him who is able to establish you according to my gospel and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery kept secret since the world began.” (Romans 16:25 NKJV)
The Bible or the word of God is a “mystery kept secret since the world began.” Thus, it is no ordinary book that could be understands or interpreted but just anybody who can read, nor even through methods of modern criticisms. This is why the apostle Paul quipped:
“Always learning and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth.” (II Tim. 3:7 NKJV)
So, it wrong to regard the Bible as an ancient document that can be understood through the methods use to understand other ancient literature. It is also wrong to think that the Bible can be understood by themselves. Even though a person knew the ancient Biblical languages, but let us always be reminded that according to the Bible, “Always learning and never able to come to the knowledge of truth.” How true indeed! There is only one Bible yet there are so many different and contradictory beliefs. Interpretations, and teachings spawned by these preachers and scholars.
Who then can understand the Bible? Our Lord Jesus Christ declared this to His disciples:
“And He said to them, "To you it has been given to know the mystery of the kingdom of God; but to those who are outside, all things come in parables,” (Mark 4:11 NKJV)
Without being given understanding or revelation, one can never know the truth. This compels us to ask further, “Who, then, is given understanding of God’s words and, therefore, can preach them?” The Lord Himself further clarified:
“For He whom God has sent speaks the words of God, for God does not give the Spirit by measure.” (John 3:34, NKJV)
Those sent by God – His inspired messengers – are the ones exclusively given the understanding of His words: they speak God’s words. On the contrary, those who are not sent cannot preach the true gospel. They cannot lead man to the true understanding of God’s words and, eventually, to salvation. Apostle Paul wrote:
“And how shall they preach unless they are sent?…” (Romans 10:15, NKJV)
Only those sent by God can preach His words for to them have been revealed His mystery. Those who are not sent will only lead man to his own destruction (II Peter 3:16).