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THE BIBLE: A BOOK OF DESTINY
PAIGE PATTERSON
THE ORIGIN OF THE BIBLE
THE BIBLE IS NOT ACTUALLY ONE BOOK, BUT A WHOLE LIBRARY OF BOOKS DESIGNED BY ITS
DIVINE AUTHOR TO PROVIDE FOR MAN EVERY ESSENTIAL PARTICLE OF INFORMATION FOR
SUCCESSFUL, HAPPY LIVING. THE SIXTY-SIX BOOKS WHICH COMPRISE THE BIBLICAL REVELATION
WERE WRITTEN OVER A PERIOD OF APPROXIMATELY TWO THOUSAND YEARS BY AT LEAST FIFTY
DIFFERENT HUMAN AUTHORS. THE PROFUNDITIES OF ITS TEXTS WERE INSCRIBED IN TIMES OF
STRESS AND IN DAYS OF PEACE, IN THE WISDOM OF ADVANCED AGE AND IN THE VIGOR OF
YOUTH. SCRIPTURAL INSIGHTS WERE RECORDED BY KINGS, FISHERMEN, PHYSICIANS, MILITARY
LEADERS, STATESMEN, TAX COLLECTORS, FARMERS, AND A HOST OF OTHERS. THE MARVEL IS
THAT A LIBRARY SO PERFECTLY COHESIVE COULD HAVE BEEN PRODUCED BY A CROWD SO
DIVERSE OVER A PERIOD OF TIME WHICH STAGGERS THE IMAGINATION.
The Old Testament (or Old Covenant) contains thirty-nine books and was written in the
Hebrew language, with small portions inscribed in Aramaic. The earliest book, probably Job,
dates from the patriarchal era and conceivably can be dated c. 2000 B.C. The final book of the
Old Testament is Malachi, written in the fifth century before Christ.
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The New Testament (or New Covenant) is comprised of twenty-seven books and letters, the
earliest of which is probably the Epistle of James, with the final contribution being the
Apocalypse or Revelation. The former was written by the Lord’s half brother, perhaps as early as
A.D. 45; whereas the latter was the product of a marvelous heavenly vision of the beloved
disciple John while he was in exile on the rock quarry island of Patmos in A.D. 96. The language of
the New Testament is Greek (common Greek). A book written in the language of the
marketplace was obviously meant to be read.
The inspiration of the Bible is only one of the miracles performed by the Holy Spirit. Another
is the astonishing preservation of the sacred texts. Writings of the ancients, such as Plato,
Thucydides, Democritus, and other secular writers, have perished completely, or else so few
reliable manuscripts have survived as to be unworthy of comparison with the Bible. While the
autographs of Scripture are not available, hundreds of early copies were preserved in the
original languages of the Testaments. Ancient versions, such as the Syriac, the Coptic, the Latin
Vulgate, and the Ethiopic, survive and may be compared with those in the original tongues.
CANON
THE WORD “CANON” COMES FROM A GREEK WORD () MEANING LITERALLY
“REED,” AND THUS “STRAIGHTEDGE” OR “RULER” OR “ROD.” OUT OF THIS ASSOCIATION WITH
MEASUREMENT, THE TERM METAPHORICALLY BECAME A REFERENCE TO A “STANDARD.”
CONSERVATIVE SCHOLARS MAINTAIN THAT EVERY BOOK OF THE BIBLE HAS GOD AS ITS AUTHOR
AND HIS AUTHORITY INHERENT THEREBY. THE THIRTY-NINE BOOKS OF THE OLD TESTAMENT
ARE CONSIDERED CANONICAL BY THE JEWS, THE APOSTOLIC CHURCH, AND THE CHRISTIAN
CHURCHES THROUGH THE CENTURIES. AS APPLIED TO SCRIPTURE, THEN, THE CANON IS THE
LIST OF BOOKS WHICH ARE ACCEPTED BY THE CHURCH AS CONFORMING TO THE STANDARD OF
DIVINE INSPIRATION AND AUTHORITY AND, THEREFORE, AS FORMING A “RULE” OF FAITH AND
PRACTICE FOR EVERY BELIEVER.
The sole criterion of the canon of Scripture is inspiration (cf. 2 Tim. 3:16, 17), i.e., God’s
testimony through the Holy Spirit to the authority of His Word. In the Old Testament, inspiration
is determined by the internal unity and consistent witness of the prophetic preparation for the
Messiah, God’s anointed Deliverer, and in the New
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Testament by the fulfillment of that prophecy in the Person and work of Christ; it is
confirmed by external testimony as God’s people through the ages, in God’s providence, have
recognized and acknowledged His Word; it is ultimately assured by the imprimatur of God
Himself upon these holy books.
Some scholars appeal to ecclesiastical or conciliar decisions as the basis for the selection of
the sixty-six books of the Bible. A rabbinical gathering at Jamniac. A.D. 90 debated the canonicity
of some Old Testament books, but every indication points to the acceptance of the thirty-nine
books of the present Old Testament at a much earlier time. In A.D. 397, the Synod of Carthage
affirmed the twenty-seven books of the New Testament. Though the designation “canon” has
been associated with the decisions of church councils, one must remember that the canon of
Scripture is not an ecclesiastical creation: rather the idea of canon predated the usage of that
very term to describe it. Conciliar decisions only affirmed what was clearly already the
consensus of the churches, which had fixed the canon with three centuries of usage throughout
the Roman Empire.
TRANSLATION
THE TRANSLATION OF THE SCRIPTURES INTO THE LANGUAGES OF THE NATIONS HAS
BECOME A CONTINUING MIRACLE OF PENTECOST, MAKING IT POSSIBLE FOR MEN OF ALL
TONGUES TO HEAR THE WONDERFUL WORKS OF GOD IN THEIR OWN LANGUAGES. THIS
PROCESS, OF COURSE, INCLUDES THE FASCINATING STORY OF THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE
ENGLISH BIBLE. ABOUT 1380, JOHN WYCLIFFE TRANSLATED THE NEW TESTAMENT INTO
ENGLISH. IN 1525, WILLIAM TYNDALE ADDED A SIGNIFICANT ENGLISH TRANSLATION OF THE
NEW TESTAMENT. AFTER NUMEROUS OTHER EDITIONS HAD BEEN OFFERED, THE NOWFAMOUS KING JAMES VERSION OF 1611 WAS MADE BY FORTY-SEVEN SCHOLARS UNDER THE
AUTHORIZATION OF KING JAMES I OF ENGLAND. A MULTIPLICITY OF TRANSLATIONS INTO
MODERN ENGLISH HAS BEEN A CONTINUING MANIFESTATION OF THE ENDURING INTEREST OF
THE CHRISTIAN COMMUNITY IN ASCERTAINING EXACTLY WHAT GOD HAS SPOKEN. THE NEW
KING JAMES VERSION IS UNIQUE IN THAT IT SEEKS TO PRESERVE THE THEOLOGICAL INTEGRITY,
ACCURACY, AND LYRICAL CADENCE OF THE KING JAMES VERSION, WHILE UPDATING THE
LANGUAGE TO MAKE IT READABLE AND EASY FOR TWENTIETH-CENTURY READERS TO
UNDERSTAND.
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INSPIRATION AND AUTHORITY
UNDOUBTEDLY ONE OF THE MOST UNIQUE ASPECTS OF THE BIBLE IS ITS CLAIM TO
AUTHORITY AND INSPIRATION. MAN’S ACCURATE KNOWLEDGE OF GOD IS SOLELY THE
PRODUCT OF GOD’S CHOOSING TO REVEAL HIMSELF AND TO ENDOW MAN WITH THE CAPACITY
TO COMPREHEND THAT REVELATION, WITH THE HELP OF THE HOLY SPIRIT. MEN CANNOT
KNOW THE FATHER WITHOUT KNOWING THE SON, AND THEY CANNOT KNOW THE SON
WITHOUT THE KNOWLEDGE OF HIM IMPARTED BY THE BIBLE.
All men have an ultimate source of authority, whether consciously or unconsciously, and the
authority of the Christian Church is the Bible. The Bible’s internal witness to its authority and
divine authorship is unmistakable. The Bible claims in many places to be inerrant, i.e., without
error, and it is conservatively estimated that there are 2,500 claims of divine inspiration in the
Old Testament alone.
Though human authors were employed by God in the transmission of salvific information,
the actual Author is God, who, through the agency of the Holy Spirit, inspired men to write the
books of the Bible. Second Peter 1:21 alerts us to the divine origin of the Scriptures: “For
prophecy never came by the will of man, but holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the
Holy Spirit.” The word translated “moved” is a term which may be rendered “borne along.” The
will of man did not, indeed could not, produce such a book. The Holy Spirit spoke through men
who were literally “borne along” by the divine Messenger. Peter further affirms in the same
chapter that this word of prophecy is more certain than what he experienced on the mountain
when Jesus was transfigured before his eyes. The fisherman-apostle could never doubt what he
had seen, nor could he question what his ears heard when the voice from heaven demanded of
them that they hear Jesus. But more certain than what he saw and heard was the revelation of
God provided in the Scriptures.
For the born-again believer, the testimony of Jesus Christ provides unquestionable support
concerning the nature and authority of the Bible. Jesus has complete confidence in the
Scriptures. He responds to the overtures of the tempter by quoting relatively obscure passages
from the Old Testament, and reveals that He regards them not as the existential or experiential
utterances of men testifying about their own faith encounters, but as the faultless words of God,
His Father. Furthermore, Jesus spoke of Himself as the fulfillment of the Old Testament
prophecies (Luke 24:25–27, 44). He refers to minute particulars of the Old Testament texts
(Matt. 12:42; 22:32; Luke 17:27) in refuting His critics states that even the smallest letter in the
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Hebrew alphabet is important (Matt. 5:18). The Lord’s ministry both stresses and exemplifies
conformity to the Scriptures, and He affirms that “the Scripture cannot be broken” (John 10:35).
Jesus cited as authoritative some of the Old Testament passages most often doubted by
modern critics, e.g., Genesis 1:27 and 2:24 (Matt. 19:4, 5). The Lord regarded Noah and the
Flood (Matt. 24:37–39; Luke 17:26, 27) and Jonah’s experience with the great fish (Matt. 12:40)
as historical. He accepted the Pentateuch both as the work of Moses and as authoritative and
also acknowledged Isaiah as the author of the entirety of the book bearing that prophet’s name
(Matt. 4:14–16; 12:17; John 5:46, 47). Those seeking to refute the Lord’s attitude toward
Scripture are forced either to claim that He was ignorant as a result of the incarnation to the
extent that He accepted the misconceptions of His own culture, or to postulate that He
knowingly accommodated Himself to the prejudices of His contemporaries in order not to upset
them unduly. Of course, both views are totally unacceptable. The former involves heretical
Christology, and the latter contradicts Christ’s actions in dispelling erroneous ideas on other
occasions. In addition, both views are antithetical to all that is revealed of Christ’s personality
elsewhere in Scripture.
Reference has been made to the inerrant, authoritative nature of the Old Testament
writings, but what of the New Testament? What attestation is there for its inspiration and
authority? The Lard Jesus Himself pre-authenticated the New Testament revelation when He
promised that the Holy Spirit would guide the apostles “into all truth” (John 16:13) and would
supernaturally assist their memories concerning the events and teachings He had ordained for
them to record (Matt. 24:35; John 14:26). The apostle Paul consciously claimed divine
authentication of his writings (1 Cor. 2:10, 11, 13; Gal. 1:11, 12). Paul also cited Deuteronomy
25:4 and Luke 10:7 as being equally inspired (1 Tim. 5:18), and he may, in fact, be quoting the
recently completed Gospel of Luke. Peter not only classified Paul’s epistles as the equal of Old
Testament writings in terms of inspiration (2 Pet. 3:15, 16), but also he was conscious of the
Spirit’s work in his own writings (1 Pet. 1:10–12).
What then does the term “inspiration” mean? Historically the Church has given unmistakable
testimony to the plenary verbal inspiration of the Bible. “Plenary [i.e., full, complete] verbal [i.e.,
word-by-word] inspiration” means that God so superintended and worked that the original
manuscripts of the Bible were exactly what He wanted written. This does not mean that the
entire Bible was dictated word by word.
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God in His providence chose to utilize various methods of imparting His Word to men. Parts
of the Bible are indeed the dictated words of God (cf. Ex. 20:1, 2; Is. 1:10; 3:16; Jer. 1:6 9; 2:1, 2).
At other times, God expressed Himself to man through prophecy and prophetic visions. The vast
majority of Scripture, however, is God’s Word in the sense that God employed the personalities
of human agents to write, without error, precisely that which He wished to have recorded and
revealed.
The primary emphasis of the Christian doctrine of inspiration has to do with the results,
rather than the method, of inspiration. The Bible is a unique, supernatural book in its
preservation as well as in its origin (God-breathed). God not only supervised the revelatory
process so that the original autographs of the Scripture were infallible, but He also protected
them from error concerning truth and doctrine during the transmission of the texts to
succeeding generations. The evidence for the textual integrity of the biblical manuscripts is
unequalled in the history of humanity.
The Bible is also unique in that divine assistance is promised to men in the comprehension
and retention of its contents. The Bible plainly states that without the assistance of the Holy
Spirit, men cannot comprehend God’s inerrant revelation of Himself (1 Cor. 2:14; 3:1, 2).
However, the believer who surrenders himself to the Holy
Spirit’s ministry will receive divine assistance in the comprehension of the Word of Life (John
16:13; 1 Cor. 2:12, 13, 15,16).
There is, then, every reason to recognize the Bible as uniquely the work of God even though
it was transmitted through human authors. Nor can men afford to deny its authority in their
own lives. We must affirm that the Bible is precisely what God intended us to have. Since we
dare not charge God with error or untruth, both the inerrancy and veracity of the biblical text
must be maintained. Furthermore, the Bible is normative for the Christian life. In all matters of
faith and practice, both in our personal lives and in the life of the church, the Bible must be
searched, comprehended, and applied as the only rule for faith and practice.
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CONTENT
CONTRARY TO MUCH POPULAR SPECULATION, THE BIBLE IS NOT A SERIES OF LEGAL
DEMANDS. ACTUALLY GOD’S BOOK IS THE FASCINATING STORY OF THE CONTINUAL
INTERVENTION OF GOD IN THE AFFAIRS OF THE COSMOS ON BEHALF OF MEN, WHO ARE MADE
IN THE IMAGE OF GOD. BECAUSE GOD HAS LEFT NO SEGMENT OF LIFE VOID OF HIS PRESENCE
AND WITNESS, ONE SHOULD NOT BE SURPRISED TO DISCOVER IN THE BIBLE THAT GOD’S STORY
IS TOLD WITH INFINITE VARIETY AND REMARKABLE COGENCY. LENGTHY POETIC NARRATIVE IN
JOB IS COMBINED WITH THE UNIVERSAL LANGUAGE OF MUSIC (PSALMS) AND THE PITHY, CRISP
ANALYSIS OF LIFE IN A MULTITUDE OF PERSPICACIOUS UTTERANCES CALLED PROVERBS TO
MAKE UP THE POETIC BOOKS OF THE OLD TESTAMENT. HISTORICAL BOOKS, SUCH AS 1 AND 2
KINGS AND 1 AND 2 SAMUEL, PAINT A VIVID PICTURE OF THE MOVEMENT OF GOD IN THE
HISTORY OF ISRAEL. PROPHETS THUNDER ABOUT NATIONAL REBELLION AGAINST GOD AND ITS
AWESOME CONSEQUENCE, AND THE LAW OF GOD IS MADE CLEAR IN EXODUS AND
DEUTERONOMY.
In the New Testament, the Gospels introduce the life of Jesus and interpret His ministry. Acts
charts the history of the early postresurrection ministry of the church. Romans is a theology,
while other epistles evaluate the teachings of Christ and apply them to contemporary
ecclesiastical life. All reach a crescendo of harmonious praise in the culminating Book of
Revelation, the unveiling of the glorified, living Lord. The Bible may be divided in the following
manner:
The Pentateuch or Law
Genesis—Creation and the call of the Jewish nation
Exodus—The release from slavery in Egypt
Leviticus—The ceremonial law, i.e., the revelation of Christ in the law
Numbers—The wanderings in the wilderness
Deuteronomy—The second rehearsal of the law before occupancy of the Promised Land
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The History of Israel
Joshua—The possessing of the Promised Land
Judges—The theocracy in Israel
Ruth—A story of God’s providence
1 and 2 Samuel—The story of Samuel and the beginning of the Hebrew monarchy
1 and 2 Kings—The developing history of Israel, including the divided kingdom
1 and 2 Chronicles—The records of the kings up to the time of captivity
Ezra—The return of the Jews from Babylon
Nehemiah—The rebuilding of the walls of Jerusalem
Esther—The providence of God for His people under Gentile rule
Israel’s Poetry
Job—A unique examination of the problem of the righteous and suffering
Psalms—The song book of Israel
Proverbs—A series of maxims designed to develop proper attitudes and behavior
Ecclesiastes—A clear assessment of the emptiness of life apart from God
Song of Solomon—A love song expressing the beauty of human love as a picture of divine
love
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The Major Prophetic Writings
Isaiah—The greatest of the messianic prophets
Jeremiah—The weeping prophet
Lamentations—A book of human sorrow over Israel’s plight
Ezekiel—The most colorful and dramatic of Old Testament prophets
Daniel—The apocalyptic prophet of the Old Testament
The Minor Prophetic Writings
Hosea—The prophet of God’s forgiveness
Joel—A prophet of Judah who sees the approach of the day of the Lord
Amos—A herdsman who prophesies in Israel
Obadiah—A prophet who announces the doom of Edom
Jonah—A missionary prophet to Nineveh
Micah—A prophet who proclaims the darkness of both northern and southern kingdoms
Nahum—The prophet who announces God’s judgment on Nineveh
Habakkuk—The prophet who declares God’s providence in the oppression of Israel
Zephaniah—A prophet who announces the destitution of Israel followed by an age of glory
Haggai—The prophet who delivers an exhortation for the rebuilding of the temple
Zechariah—An apocalyptic minor prophet
Malachi—The last of the prophets viewing the coming of the Messiah
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The Gospels
Matthew—Christ presented as Israel’s promised Messiah
Mark—The miraculous Christ
Luke—A carefully reasoned, well-researched biography of Jesus
John—A presentation of Christ as God
The History of the Early Church
Acts—An account of the spread of Christianity
The Pauline Church and Pastoral Epistles
Romans—A systematic theology of the Christian faith
1 Corinthians—A letter of instruction for a troubled and divided church
2 Corinthians—A vindication of Paul’s apostleship
Galatians—A defense of the doctrine of divine grace
Ephesians—An account of God’s provision for man’s redemption
Philippians—A joyful letter of conquering faith
Colossians—A letter emphasizing the glory and primacy of Christ
1 and 2 Thessalonians—Letters of instruction, particularly concerning the events of the last
days
1 and 2 Timothy—Instructions to a young pastor
Titus—A succinct statement of the great doctrines as applied in a difficult field
Philemon—A plea to a brother in Christ concerning a runaway slave
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The General Epistles
Hebrews—The New Testament book of the atonement, corresponding to Leviticus in the Old
Testament
James—An exposition of practical results generated by living faith
1 Peter—A letter of encouragement in the midst of trials
2 Peter—A warning against false teachers
1 John—A letter concerning the full humanity of Christ
2 John—A letter of personal encouragement
3 John—A letter of commendation
Jude—Warnings against apostasy in any form
The Apocalypse
Revelation—A book explaining God’s program for the future
Certain portions of the Bible have become more popular than others. In part this is
understandable. The words of Psalm 23 will inevitably strike a more comforting chord than the
genealogies of the kings of Israel. Nevertheless, every word of the Bible is crucial, pointing the
way toward edification. The believer is responsible to God for reading, studying, and meditating
upon every part of this wonderful book. All of the Scriptures are applicable to lives today.
INTERPRETING THE BIBLE
ALL MEN INTERPRET ANY PIECE OF LITERATURE THAT THEY READ. THE BIBLE IS NO
EXCEPTION. THERE ARE NUMEROUS PRINCIPLES OF INTERPRETATION (CF. “HERMENEUTICS” IN
THE GLOSSARY) WHICH ENABLE INTERPRETERS TO COMPREHEND THE SCRIPTURES MORE
LUCIDLY. SPACE PERMITS THE INCLUSION OF ONLY FOUR OF THESE. HOWEVER, THESE FOUR
HERMENEUTICAL PRINCIPLES ENABLE ANY BELIEVER TO GRASP THE MAJOR DOCTRINES OF THE
BIBLE.
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(1) THE PRINCIPLE OF DIVINE ILLUMINATION
The most important of all principles was given by the Lord when He promised the arrival of
the Comforter, the Holy Spirit: “But the Helper, the Holy Spirit . . . will teach you all things” (John
14:26). Any believer who will ask the Author of the Bible to be his personal teacher will
experience astonishing insights into God’s Word.
(2) THE PRINCIPLE OF CONTEXTUAL INTERPRETATION
No verse should be interpreted in isolation from its context. Both the immediate context and
the larger context may need to be carefully considered.
(3) THE PRINCIPLE OF CLARITY
Difficult and apparently ambiguous verses should always be understood in the light of the
many verses that are perfectly clear.
(4) THE PRINCIPLE OF THE GRAMMATICAL-HISTORICAL METHOD
Every effort should be made to understand precisely what the words mean as they are
employed by the authors. The historical situation which produced the writing must also be the
subject of careful investigation.
THE THEME OF THE BIBLE
THE THEME OF THE BIBLE IS THE SELF-REVELATION OF GOD TO MAN FOR THE PURPOSES OF
GLORIFYING GOD AND SAVING MAN. THIS THEME NATURALLY AND LOGICALLY REACHES ITS
APEX IN THE REVELATION OF GOD IN CHRIST. THEREFORE, CHRIST AND HIS ATONING SACRIFICE
MAY BE PROPERLY CONSTRUED AS THE CENTRAL DOCTRINE OF THE BIBLE. THE LAW
ESTABLISHES MAN’S NEED OF THE SAVIOR. THE SACRIFICIAL SYSTEM OF THE OLD TESTAMENT
FORESHADOWS GOD’S PROMISED REDEMPTION. PROPHETS THUNDERED IN ANTICIPATION OF
GOD’S MOVEMENT INTO HISTORY. THE GOSPELS CENTER UPON CHRISTY LIFE AND DEATH;
WHEREAS THE EPISTLES INTERPRET AND APPLY HIS ACTS AND TEACHINGS. THE REVELATION OF
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JOHN PROPHESIES THE CONSUMMATION OF THE WORK OF JESUS IN REDEMPTION BY
ILLUMINATING THE EVENTS OF THE LAST DAYS. IN SHORT, THE SCRIPTURES TESTIFY OF CHRIST.
THE VALUE OF THE BIBLE
EXHAUSTIVE ENUMERATION OF THE VALUES WHICH COME TO US FROM THE BIBLE WOULD
HE IMPOSSIBLE. A FEW BROAD AREAS, HOWEVER, OUGHT TO BE EMPHASIZED:
(1) The Bible makes one wise unto salvation. It does not save—only Jesus can save. But the
Bible does contain the information we need to know in order to act in faith to appropriate God’s
salvation in Christ.
(2) The Bible enlightens men concerning the principles of human conduct which are
acceptable to God. The Decalogue (Ten Commandments, the Sermon on the Mount (Matt. 5–7),
and the books of James and Proverbs are especially helpful in this task.
(3) The Bible demonstrates the importance of the home and explains how a happy, profitable
home may be established. Examples on the subject of the family abound concerning how not to
do and how to do.
(4) The Bible provides both wisdom and understanding for those who peruse its pages under
the teaching ministry of God’s Holy Spirit. In a day of chaos and bitterness, no other text
answers man’s queries and satisfies his longings as does God’s Perfect book—the Bible.
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