HOW TO

READ
THE BIBLE
PART 1

Karville I 8-28-22
 The Gutenberg Bible
- also known as the 42-line
Bible, the Mazarin Bible or
the B42
- was among the earliest
major books printed using
mass-produced movable
metal type in Europe.

Congress building, DC
The Giant Bible of Mainz is a
very large manuscript Bible
produced in 1452–53,
probably in Mainz or nearby.
It is notable for its beauty, for
being one of the last
manuscript Bibles written
before the invention of printing
in the West, and for its
possible connections with
the Gutenberg Bible.

Congress building, DC
BIBLE

– a collection of books
– In acient times, books were scrolls
– St. Jerome refers to the Bible as “Divine
Library”
The Bible is not intended to be
read as history text, a science
book, or a political manifesto.
The Bible is the story of God's
relationship with the people He
has called to Himself.
 Salvation Story

Love & Forgiveness

TESTAMENT

– Meaning covenant
– Denotes the agreement or pact between God and man
OLD TESTAMENT

– God’s covenant with His chosen people (Exodus 24:1-ff

v. 6 - 8 “Moses took half of the blood and put it in large bowls; the
other half he splashed on the altar. Taking the book of the covenant,
he read it aloud to the people, who answered, “All that the LORD has
said, we will hear and do.” Then he took the blood and splashed it on
the people, saying, “This is the blood of the covenant which the
LORD has made with you according to all these words.”
NEW TESTAMENT

– God’s covenant with the entire Human Race

– the pact between God and men, by Christ's own blood
Matthew 26:28 “He (Jesus) took a cup, gave thanks, and
gave it to them, saying, “Drink from it, all of you, for this is
my blood of the covenant, which will be shed on behalf of
many for the forgiveness of sins.”
God’s covenant is SOLELY
INITIATED BY HIM as a guide
in order for humankind to
remain as His people.
OLD TESTAMENT

▪ mostly written in final form in 2000 - 400 BC

▪ 46 Books: Laws, Prophets and Writings
▪ Written mainly in Hebrew
(Note: From the time of Creation, stories of events are transmitted from generations
to generations verbally.)
The books of the
OLD TESTAMENT
A. Pentateuch / Torah (5)
- First 5 books
- It is also known in the Jewish
tradition as the Written Torah ( ‫תורה‬
,‫שבכתב‬Torah She’bichtav). If meant
for liturgic purposes

Gen Exo Lev Num Deu

The books of the
OLD TESTAMENT
B. Historical books (16)
- arranged not in the order in which they were written but
according to the order of events in time which they
narrate
Jos Jdg Ruth 1 Sa 2 Sa 1 Kg 2 Kg 1 Ch
2 Chr Ezr Neh Tob Jdt Es 1 Mac 2 Mac
The books of the
OLD TESTAMENT
C. Wisdom books (7)
- instruct us especially about heavenly wisdom and
principles of morality

Job Ps Pr Ecc Songs Wis Sir

The books of the
OLD TESTAMENT
D. The prophetical books (18)
- contain God's message to men, and predictions
concerning the future
Isa Jer Lam Bar Eze Dan
Hos Joe Amo Oba Jon Micah
Nah Hab Zep Hag Zec Mal
The books of the
OLD TESTAMENT
- Total 46 books
- Translated into Greek 300-200 BC
- “Septuagint” derives from the Latin
word septuaginta, which means 70. The Greek translation
of the Hebrew Bible is called Septuagint because 70 or 72
Jewish scholars reportedly took part in the translation
process, six elders for each of the 12 tribes of Israel.
Septuagint
the earliest extant Greek
translation of the Old
Testament from the original
Hebrew. The Septuagint was
presumably made for the Jewish
community in Egypt when Greek
was the common language
throughout the region.
NEW TESTAMENT

– written down in 50-90 AD in Greek

– 27 books
The books of the
NEW TESTAMENT
A. The Gospels (4)
Mt Mk Lk Jn
The books of the
NEW TESTAMENT
B. Historical book (1) – Acts of the Apostles
The books of the
NEW TESTAMENT
C. Epistles/Letters (21)
Rm 1 Cor 2 Cor Gal Eph Phil Col
1 Thes 2 Thes 1 Tim 2 Tim Titus Philemon Heb
Jm 1 Pet 2 Pet 1 Jn 2 Jn 3 Jn Jude
The books of the
NEW TESTAMENT
D. Prophetic book (1) – Book of Revelation
The Deuterocanonical
The “second canon”
– In order to combat the growing number of early Christians, the
Jewish rabbis met in Jamnia or Javneh in 90 AD and rejected 7
books in the OT (Baruch, Sirach, 1 & 2 Maccabees, Tobit, Judith,
Wisdom of Solomon, plus portions of Esther and Daniel).

Bar Sir 1&2 Mac Tobit Judith Wisdom Esther Daniel

The Deuterocanonical
The Catholic Church disregarded the results of the Javneh
Council.
1. The Jewish council after the time of Christ is not binding on
the followers of Christ,
2. Javneh rejected precisely those documents which are the
foundation of the Christian Church – the Gospels and the
other books in the NT.
3. By rejecting the deuterocanonicals, the Javneh council
rejected the books which have been used by Jesus and His
disciples.
 OLD TESTAMENT NEW TESTAMENT

Jewish leaders/Rabbis met

2000 400 300 50 90 in Javneh in 90 AD and
Written mainly in Translated Written in Greek rejected many books
Hebrew to Greek (Deuterocanonicals)
(Septuagint)

*16th Century = Protestants rejected the 7 Deuterocanonical books of the OT,

but retained the Deuterocanonical books of the NT.
 Scripture &
Tradition

Evangelical and Fundamentalist Protestants’ Argument

Sacred or apostolic tradition consists of the
teachings that the apostles passed on orally
through their preaching. These teachings
largely (perhaps entirely) overlap with those
contained in Scripture, but the mode of their
transmission is different.
The Holy Spirit is
continuously working in
the Church Magisterium
through the correct
interpretation of the
Scriptures and traditions
set by the Apostles
Magisterium refers to the teaching
authority of the Church, formed of
the Bishops
Sacred Tradition and
Sacred Scripture
Both of them, flowing from the same divine wellspring, in a
certain way merge into a unity and tend toward the same end.
For sacred Scripture is the word of God inasmuch as it is
consigned to writing under the inspiration of the divine Spirit.
To the successors of the apostles, sacred Tradition hands on in
its full purity God’s word, which was entrusted to the apostles
by Christ the Lord and the Holy Spirit.
- Second Vatican Council’s document on divine revelation, Dei Verbum
Sacred Tradition and
Sacred Scripture
2 Timothy 2: 2 “What you heard from me through
many witnesses entrust to faithful people who will
have the ability to teach others as well.”

2 Thessalonians 2: 15 “Therefore, brothers, stand

firm and hold fast to the traditions that you were
taught, either by an oral statement or by a letter of
ours.”
All Scripture is God-
breathed and is useful
for teaching, rebuking,
correcting and training in
righteousness, so that the
servant of God may be
thoroughly equipped for
every good work.
2 Timothy 3:16-17