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What about the Bible?

 

The Bible is our foundational document as Christians — actually, it is our foundational library of documents.  I’d like to spend the next few weeks talking about the Bible.

First, I’ll talk about some contrasts.  The Bible, though today it is bound as one book, is not one book – it is rather a library of books.  It was created over many years (estimates range from ~1500 BC to ~95 AD) in many different contexts and to address many different concerns.  The book of Ecclesiastes describes the hopelessness of life (and exhibits a view very similar to natural atheism).  The book of Job describes the injustice of life.  The books of Numbers and Chronicles are histories of the nations of Judah and Israel.  The book of Genesis explains the beginnings of humanity, how we are all selfish in different ways, and God’s initial attempts to walk with us.   Exodus describes how the Israelites truly became God’s people as He led them out of slavery through a harsh desert and into a land where they could define their own destiny.  The Gospels (there are four of them) are biographies of part of Jesus’ life on earth.  The epistles (or “letters”) are written by early followers of Jesus to their communities, to address concerns and encourage each other.  Consider the stark contrast between these two passages:

-       Ecclesiastes (which starts with “Futile! Futile!” laments the Teacher.  “Absolutely futile! Everything is futile!”) and 

-       Paul’s first letter to the Corinthians (which has in its beginning, ‘I always thank my God for you because of the grace of God that was given to you in Christ Jesus.  For you were made rich in every way in him, in all your speech and in every kind of knowledge— just as the testimony about Christ has been confirmed among you— so that you do not lack any spiritual gift as you wait for the revelation of our Lord Jesus Christ.  He will also strengthen you to the end, so that you will be blameless on the day of our Lord Jesus Christ.  God is faithful, by whom you were called into fellowship with his son, Jesus Christ our Lord.’).

The contrast is stark – they were written at different times and for different purposes.  The bible was never intended to be a monolithic piece of work.  It is instructive, but not an instruction manual like that of repairing a lawn mower for example.

Let’s explore a bit of how it was made over the next few weeks.

+David