Page 8 - Old Testament Survey Student Textbook

Study Section 2: Understanding the Bible and the Old Testament

2.1 Connect.
Maybe you are in place I once was, where you are asking, what is the Bible all about? How do
I understand its meaning? How do I trust that each of the books of the Bible (New and Old
Testament) are from God? More importantly, who is Christ? What is his connection to the
Old Testament? In this study section will try answer the above question in a more system
way focusing on the pre-eminence of Christ. We will also look at the how the Old Testament
came together. We will learn that the both the Old and New Testament can fully be trusted
as God’s inspired (verbal plenary) word of God.

2.2 Objectives:
1. The student should be able to discuss the overall scope of the Bible.

2. The student should be able to explain how the Bible can be trusted despite some opposing
viewpoints.

3. The student should be able to discuss the pre-eminence of Christ in the Bible and the Old Testament.

4. The student should be able discuss how the Old and New Testaments connect.

2.3 What is the Bible all about or what is the Bible?

(All notes in this section unless otherwise enhanced have been taken and developed from
the book, The journey from text to translation)

The Bible is a collection of books that have been considered authoritative by the Christian
church and have been used to determine its beliefs and customs. In its entirety, the Bible
consists of sixty-six books, which were written by more than forty different authors. Jerome,
the Latin vulgate translator called the Bible, “bibliotheca divina”, which means divine library. All the
Bible authors had a unique background. For example, some were farmers like the minor prophet, Amos.
Others included but not limited to priests (Jeremiah and Ezekiel), a States man (Daniel), Fishermen
(Peter and John), prophets (Isaiah and Micah), a former Tax collector (Matthew) etc. Note also that
books of the Bible were written in many different countries (e.g., Israel, Babylon, Greece, Italy,) and they
a variety of literary styles and genres (e.g., narrative, law codes, poetry, parables, Gospels, letters). The
Bible, however, is not merely an anthology (i.e., a collection of diverse writings from various places); it
has unique unity and purpose. In Addition, its authors claim to have been directed by God in their
writing (e.g., 2 Peter 1:20-21). The Westminster Confession of faith, produced in England in 1643-1646
by the Westminster Assembly composed of English divines and Scottish representatives, is a classic
statement of reformed theology. In regards to the Scriptures it says,

“Although the light of nature, and works of creation and providence, do so far manifest the goodness,
wisdom, power of God, as to leave men inexcusable [Rom. 1:17-20, 2:14]; yet they are not sufficient to
give that knowledge of God, and his will, which is necessary unto salvation [John 17:3; 1 Cor. 1:21;
2:13-14]: therefore it pleased the Lord, at sundry times, and in diverse manners, to reveal Himself, and
to declare that his will unto the church [Heb. 1:1-2] and afterwards, for the better preserving and

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