“LIFE 101”
Discipleship Training
INTRODUCTION TO THE BIBLE
(Lesson 2)
Memorize (2 Timothy 3:16)
“All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction,
and for training in righteousness,”
The Bible is the Word of God. It claims to be truth, the message from God to man. 2Peter 1:21 says that men “moved
by the Holy Spirit spoke from God.”
Some facts: <1> The Scriptures were written by approximately forty different men. <2> They lived in several different
countries. <3> They lived at different times (1400 B.C. to A.D. 90). <4> They wrote in three languages: Hebrew,
Aramaic, and Greek. Despite this vast variety, God moved the writers to focus on God’s glory in man’s redemption with
one central figure—Jesus Christ, the Son of God.
A. The Old Testament (39 books)
1.
The Law (5 books)
The first five books of the OT were written around 1400 B.C. by Moses. They are often referred to as the “Five
Books of Moses,” or the “Law,” or the “Pentateuch.”
(* On a separate sheet of paper) List them in the order that you find them in the Bible (from Genesis to
Deuteronomy):
2.
Historical (12 books)
The next 12 are historical books, written around 1400-450 B.C. and describe God’s dealings with His chosen
people, Israel, the Hebrew nation. List these 12 books in order (from Joshua to Esther):
3.
Poetic (5 books)
The following five books are poetic, describing in poetry and songs God’s greatness and His dealings with men.
List these 5 books in order (from Job to Song of Solomon, or Song of Songs)
(i)
4.
Major Prophets (5 books)
A prophet is one who is commissioned by God to deliver His message to men. The first 5 of these are called
“Major Prophets” because they are generally longer than the writings of the “Minor Prophets.” They were
written from approximately 750 to 550 B.C.. List these 5 books in order (from Isaiah to Daniel):
5.
Minor Prophets (12 books)
The last twelve books of the OT were written from approximately 840 B.C. to 400 B.C.. These are called “Minor
Prophets” due to their shorter length. List these 12 books in order (from Hosea to Malachi):
6.
As you can see above, the “genre division” of the OT books are 5-12-5-5-12. You will also see below that the
“genre divisions” in the NT books are 4-1-21-1. Commit these books in order to memory.
B. The New Testament (27 books)
The New Testament, or New Covenant, reveals Jesus Christ, the Redeemer of men. In it we find: The life of Christ; The
way of salvation; The beginning of Christianity; Instruction of Christian living; and God’s plan for the future.
1.
The Gospels (first 4 books) testify about the life and work of Jesus Christ. They together tell one truth!
a.
Matthew was written especially for the Jews, revealing Jesus Christ as their long-awaiting Messiah.
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“LIFE 101”
Discipleship Training
b.
Mark reveals Jesus as the obedient Servant of God. The book was written to the Roman world.
c.
Luke reveals Jesus as the perfect man, emphasizing his humanity. Luke, the author, was a Greek
physician, who wrote to the Greek-speaking world.
d.
John reveals Jesus as the Son of God, stressing His deity. This book was written to all men.
* What two reasons are given for the writing of John’s gospel (Jn.20:31)?
i.
ii.
2.
History of the Early Church (1 book): Acts
It tells of the beginning and spread of the Christian church. Often called the “Acts of the Apostles,” it could also
be called the “Acts of the Holy Spirit,” and was written as an evangelistic tool.
3.
Epistles, which means “letters” (21 books)
These books were written to individuals, to churches, or believers in general. The letters deal with every aspect
of Christian faith and responsibility.
List them in order:
a. Paul’s 13 letters/books (from Romans to Philemon)
b. 8 General letters (from Hebrews to Jude)
4.
Prophecy (1 book)
The NT has only one book of prophecy. It is the last book, Revelation, which tells of future events. In it, we
learn of the: Return of Jesus Christ; Reign of Jesus Christ; Glory of Jesus Christ; and Future state of believers
and unbelievers
C. Christ in the Bible
1.
2.
The Old and New Testaments are to be seen together and portray Jesus Christ as the central figure. Read the
following verses and complete the following phrases:
a.
Luke 24:27. Christ is seen in…
b.
John 5:39. Jesus said the Scriptures “bear witness of…
Who is the key figure? How are OT and NT different?
D. Why Is The Bible Important?
When tempted by Satan, Jesus alluded to Deuteronomy 8:3, “Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that
proceeds out of the mouth of God” (Matt.4:4).
1.
What does 2Tim.3:16 say about the Bible? Explain its significance.
2.
How do the following verses show the importance of God’s Word? 2Tim.3:15 & Heb.4:12
3.
According to Psalm 19:7-8, what four things does God’s Word do?
E. Application:
Based on what you have learned about the Bible, what should be your response?
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