The Bible (Greek ta biblia, the books) is a collection of sacred texts or scriptures that Jews and Christians consider to be a product of divine inspiration and a record of the relationship between God and humans. It is a collection of 66 books, written by some 40 authors, over 1,400 years (c 1200 BCE – c 100 CE). It has been translated into more languages than any other text in history. The Bible has influenced the literature, art and the music of the Western cultures for more than 2000 years.
The 66 books of the Bible are divided into two major sections. The first part in the Christian Bible is the Old Testament and the second part is known as the New Testament. The Old Testament consists of 39 books and is the scriptures of Judaism. The New Testament comprises 27 books. Most of the 27 books of the New Testament were written in the first century CE by followers of Jesus.
The most famous English translation is the Authorized Version, also called the King James Version, published in 1611. The New International Version, an English translation from 1978 that aims to makes the text understandable to the modern readers.
There are many different types of literature in the 66 books of the Bible. Historical accounts, genealogies, and legal texts comprise most of the Law and Historical books of The Old Testament. The poetical books contain proverbs, laments, praises and prayers. The Gospels in the New Testament are a unique literary genre, containing speeches, sermons, arguments, visions and miracles. The letters of the New Testament contain teaching, encouragement, and even rebuke.
The New Revised Standard Version has about 1010 pages. You do not have to read all of them but you should read at least 76 pages of the followings books:
From the Old Testament
1 – Genesis- first 11 chapters-10 pages.
2 – Job-32 pages.
3 – Proverbs -27 pages.
3 – Ecclesiastes-7 pages.
4 – Song of Solomon (Songs of Songs)-5 pages.
From the New Testament-
1- Gospel according to Mathew – 29 pages- a total of 110pages.
How to understand the Bible References?
When someone refers to a passage in the Bible, for example, Genesis 1:3 or Mathew 3:1-8 it means, The Book of Genesis, chapter 1 and line 3, or the Book of Mathew chapter 3 from line 1 to 8.
The Book of Genesis
Genesis in Hebrew means the origin of everything. For the Jews, the Genesis is the first of the five books of the Torah (the Pentateuch in Greek). The other four books are – Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers and Deuteronomy.
Six Days of Creation and the Sabbath
According to the book of Genesis, God created the world in six days and rested on the seventh (the Sabbath). The first eleven chapters of Genesis provide account of the creation of the world and the history of God’s early relationship with humanity.
‘In the beginning when God created the heavens and the earth, the earth was a formless void…
And God said, ‘Let there be light”; and there was light. ..God called the light Day, and the darkness he called Night. And there was evening and there was morning, the first day.
And God said, “Let there be a dome in the midst of the water… God called the dome Sky, the second day.
And the God said, “Let the water under the sky be gathered together into one place and let the dry land appear”. And it was so. God called the dry land Earth, and the waters that were gathered together he called sea. Then God said, “Let the earth put forth vegetation; plants yielding seed, and fruit trees of every kind… It was so. … The Third day.
And God said, ‘Let there be lights in the dome of the sky to separate the day from the night… God made the two great lights- the greater light to rule the day-and the lesser light to rule the night-and the stars… the fourth day.
And God said, “Let waters bring forth swarms of living creatures, and let birds fly above the earth across the dome of the earth… the fifth day.
And God said, “Let the earth bring forth living creatures of every kind; cattle and creeping things and wild animals of the earth of every kind”…
Then God said, “Let us make human kind in our image, according to our likeness; and let then have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the birds of the air, and over the cattle and over all the wild animals of the earth. … The Sixth day.
And on the seventh day God finished the work he had done, and he rested on the seventh day from all the works he has done.
Genesis1:26, 2:2
“So God created humankind in his image,
In the image of God he created them;
Male and female he created them.
God blessed them, and God said to them, ‘Be fruitful and multiply”
Genesis1:27-28
Adam and Eve
The first human couple, Adam and Eve was created- as adults- in the image of God. Genesis2:7 say that Adam was created out of dust. Eve was created from Adam’s rib. Humankind’s remarkable journey begins with Adam and Eve.
God informs Adam, “you are dust and to the dust you shall return.” Genesis3:19
Abrahamic Faiths
Abraham is a descendant of Adam and Eve and one of the most important figures in the religions of the Middle East. He is recognized as the father of the three monotheistic faiths: Judaism, Christianity and Islam.
To the Jewish people, Abraham was the founder of Israel and their first patriarch. Christians view Abraham as possibly the greatest exponent of a human relationship with God. In Islam, where he is known as “Ibrahim”, is regarded as a great prophet whose son Ishmael, by Hagar, became the father of the Arab people and the ancestor of Prophet Muhammad.
Code of Hammurabi and the Ten Commandments
King Hammurabi, ruler of Babylon from 1792to 1750 BCE, produced one of the earliest known codes of law, known as the Code of Hammurabi.
The Mosaic Law (Ten Commandments and others) resonates with these codes, even though Jews and Christians believe that it came from God.
The Ten Commandments
1- You shall have no other gods before me.
2-You shall not make for yourself an idol and worship it.
3-You shall not misuse the name of the Lord your God.
4-Remember the Sabbath day and keep it holy.
5-Honor your father and your mother.
6-You shall not murder.
7-You shall not commit adultery.
8-You shall not steal.
9-You shall not give false testimony against your neighbor.
10-You shall not covet anything that belongs to your neighbor.
Exodus 20
Wisdom Literature
Proverbs, along with the Books of Job and Ecclesiastes, belong to the well-established genre of the ancient Near East: wisdom writings, consisting of maxims and tales that reflect upon life wisely lived. This body of literature has deep roots – going back to 3000BCE in Egypt (Maxim Ptahhotep).
The Book of Job
The mystery of why bad things happen to good people is set out in the Book of Job. Job is wealthy man, “blameless “and “upright”, always careful to avoid doing evil. One day, Satan (the Adversary) appears before God in heaven. God boasts to Satan about Job’s goodness, but Satan argues that Job is only good because God has blessed him abundantly. Satan challenges God that, if given permission to punish the man, Job will turn and curse God. God allows Satan to torment Job, but he forbids Satan to take his life.
In the course of one day, Job loses his livestock, his servants, and his ten children, and is afflicted with horrible skin sores. His wife encourages him to curse God and to give up and die. Job refuses, struggling to accept his circumstances.
Job said,
“Naked I came from my mother’s womb,
And naked shall I return there;
The Lord gave and the Lord has taken away;
Blessed be the name of the Lord.”
Job1; 21
“My spirit is broken, my days are extinct,
The grave is ready for me”.
Job; 17:1
The Book of Proverbs
The Book of Proverbs provides commonsensical advice on how to behave, learn and prosper with wisdom. Wisdom is exalted as a treasure to be sought above all else.
“Go to the ants, you lazybones;
Consider its ways, and be wise.”
Proverbs 6:6
‘There are six things that the LORD hates,
seven that are abomination to him:
haughty eyes, a lying tongue,
and hands that shed innocent blood,
a heart that devises wicked plans,
feet that hurry to run to evil,
a lying witness who testifies falsely,
and one who sows discord in a family.”
Proverbs 6; 16:19
“In all toll there is profit,
But mere talk leads only to poverty.”
Proverbs 14:23
Ecclesiastes
The book of Ecclesiastes asks philosophical questions about meaning of life. The author wonders at the purpose of labor and education when, ultimately, everyone dies.
“Vanity of vanities, says the teacher,
Vanity of vanities! All is vanity.
What do peoplegain from all the toil
At which they toil under the sun?
A generation goes, and a generation comes,
But the earth remains forever.”
Ecclesiastes 1:4
“For everything there is a season and time for every matter under heaven:
A time to be born and a time to die;
A time to plant and a time to pluck up what is planted;
A time to kill and a time to heal …”
Ecclesiastes 3; 1-3
‘All go to one place; all are from the dust and all turn to dust again.”
Ecclesiastes 3:20
‘The race is not to the swift.
Nor the battle to the strong.
Nor bread to the wise.
Nor riches to the intelligent,
Nor favor to the skillful;
But time and chances happen to them all.”
Ecclesiastes 9:11
Song of Songs (Song of Solomon)
Song of Songs, also known as “Song of Solomon” is unique within the Hebrew Bible: it shows no interest in Law or Covenant or the God of Israel. Instead it celebrates sexual love, giving “the voices of two lovers, praising each other, yearning for each other and invitation to enjoy each other. It is joyful love poetry, replete with erotic imagery and descriptions of physical intimacy. It has parallels with Mesopotamian and Egyptian love poetry of the 1st millennium BCE.
‘How beautiful you are, my love,
How very beautiful!
Your eyes are doves behind your veil,
Your hair is like a flock of goats,
Moving down the slopes of Gilead.”
Song 4:1
‘I am my beloved’s and my beloved is mine;
He pastures his flock among the lilies.”
Song 6:3
‘Who is this that looks forth like the dawn,
Fair as the moon, bright as the sun,
terrible as an army with the banners?”
Song 6:10
‘Make haste, my beloved,
And be like a gazelle or a young stag
Upon the mountain of spices!
Song 8:14
The New Testament
The New Testament is the name given to the second portion of the Christian Bible; Jesus is its central figure. The term ‘New Testament” came into use in the second century CE. The New Testament presupposes the inspiration of the Old Testament. It is a collection of 27 books.
Gospel
Christians first used the word “gospel “or “good news” to refer to the message of salvation from sin and judgment through faith in Jesus Christ. There are four Gospels: Matthew, Mark, Luke and John.
The central figure in the Gospels is Jesus, an itinerant preacher born in Bethlehem (present day Palestine) between 1-4BCE. His life and ministry are set against the background of the Roman occupation of Israel. All four Gospels relate the miracles that Jesus performed-feeding the hungry, healing the sick, casting out demons, and even raising the dead. They also report His teaching, public preaching, his crucifixion and resurrection.
Teachings of Jesus
Seeing an opportunity to address the crowds one day Jesus climbs up a mountainside and sits down like an authoritative teacher and begins to teach. Hence the teaching is called the “Sermon on the Mount”. From the earliest days of Christianity, Jesus’s Sermon on the Mount has been considered central to His teachings, giving his followers a clear pattern to their lives.
In the beginning of the Sermon of the Mount, Jesus delivers His ideas of “blessing” through eight statements. They are collectively called as the “beatitudes”, a word derived from the Latin for “blessed.”
‘Blessed are the poor in spirit, for there is the kingdom of heaven.
Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.
Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth.
Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.
Blessed are the merciful, for they will receive mercy.
Blessed are the poor in heart, for they will see God.
Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God.
Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for there is the kingdom of heaven”.
Mathew 5; 3 – 10
The Golden Rule
The saying, “Do to others what you would have them do to you”, has become known as the Golden Rule. The Golden Rule emphasizes the necessity of positive ethical behavior. In the Bible, it is taught by Jesus as a part of the Sermon of the Plain in Luke 6; 31 and the Sermon on the Mount in Mathew 7; 12. It is also a teaching of Judaism.
The fundamental ethical idea, the Golden Rule is found in many of the world’s religions and moral codes.
‘Love your neighbor as yourself”
Leviticus; 19:18(Judaism)
‘In everything do to others as you would have them do to you; for this is the law andf the prophets.”
Mathew 7; 12(Christianity)
‘Do not do to others what would cause pain if done to you.”
Mahabharata 5; 1517(Hinduism)
‘Do not impose on others what you yourself do not desire.”
Confucius 13:2
“Hurt not others in ways that you yourself would find hurtful”
Udana- Varga 5:18(Buddhism)
‘None of you believes until he wishes for his brother what he wishes for himself.’
Hadith-Nawawi 13(Islam)
The Bible as Literature
Of course the Bible is a religious text- but is also a work of literature. The influence of the Bible on the development of Western literature is impossible to ignore. There are more than a thousand biblical references in the work of Shakespeare alone. Authors and poet such as John Milton, Charles Dickens, Mathew Arnold, William Wordsworth, Mark Twain, Robert Frost and Emily Dickinson shaped their literature with illusions and metaphors taken from the pages of Bible. Bible influenced the languages, the law, the art and the culture of the Western Civilization. To this day, we continue to hear biblical phrases like:
‘Am I my brother’s keeper?’(Genesis 4:9)
“The salt of the earth.” (Mathew 5:13)
‘A law unto themselves.”(Romans 2; 14)
“Fight the good fight’. (1 Timothy 6; 12),
The Bible also contains no less than five specifically poetic books: Job, Psalms, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes and Song of Solomon.
Western Art and the Bible
Throughout the history of the Western art, many great artists have been inspired by the stories in the Bible- Michelangelo, Van Gogh, Rembrandt, Caravaggio and William Blake.
- Michelangelo’s “ The creation of Adam” (on the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel), Da Vinci’s “ The Last Supper”, Velazquez’s “ Christ Crucified”, ‘Tears of Saint Peter” by ElGreco… and the list goes on. Many artists, such as Raphael, spent most of their artistic energy on subject matter found in the Bible. The legacy of communicating Biblical stories and ideas through art continues today.
Western Music and the Bible
Western music is the music produced in Europe as well as that music derived from the European traditions. The musical culture of the Hebrew people (Jews)), recorded from 2000 BCE has influenced the Western music. It was also adopted into Christian worship. The Bible has influenced scores of famous musicians including the work of Haydn, Mozart and Beethoven.
Conclusions
The Bible is the religious scripture for the Jews and the Christians. It is composed of 66 books written by more than 40 known and unknown authors. You do not have to read it as a religious text but to understand Western civilization you should be familiar with it. Out of about 1000 pages of a New Revised Standard Version of The Bible, you should read at least 110 pages- the Book of Genesis, the Book of Job, The Book of Proverbs, Song of Solomon, Ecclesiastesand the Book of Mathew. I promise you will not regret it. Your cultural life will be enriched.
Sources
- The Holy Bible-New Revised Standard Version. Holman Bible Publishers, Nashville, Tennessee, 1989.
- The Bible Book.DK/Penguin Random House, London, 2018.
- Wikipedia, Wikipedia.Org. June 10-18.