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WHAT IS THE BIBLE?
The Bible is the story of the human relationship with God, from the creation to the end of the world. The Bible tells of God’s plan for our salvation, a plan which began with the choosing of one people, the Jewish people, from among many nations, and which reached out to all people through Jesus Christ, who died on the cross not for a few, but for all. The Bible is not one book, but a library of books, including history, prophetic writings, poetry, songs, and letters. The Bible is the work of many authors, some known, some unknown, but believers recognize in them a common inspiration: the Holy Spirit. In that sense, the author of the entire Bible is God. Most believers recognize that it is dangerous to take every part of the Bible literally. But the Bible must be taken seriously. Even when it is not historically precise, it is true in the deepest sense of the word.
The New Testament is the name given to a collection of writings about Jesus Christ--including the four Gospels, twenty-one letters, and two additional works, the Acts of the Apostles and the Book of Revelation. These works describe the coming of Jesus, his teaching and ministry, and his passion, death, and resurrection. The word “Gospel” means “good news”. The purpose of these writings is to invite the reader to share in the good news, the promise of eternal life made possible by the saving resurrection of Christ.
It is possible to read the Bible as if it were merely an ancient piece of literature, like the writings of Homer or Plato or Virgil or Aristotle. But the Bible is not like other works of literature. It demands a response from us: “This is the evidence of one who saw it—true evidence, and he knows that what he says is true—and he gives it so that you may believe as well” (John 20:35). The Letter to the Hebrews says it another way: “The word of God is something alive and active” (Hebrews 4:12). These words invite us not only to read and learn about Jesus, but also to enter into relationship with him.