What’s the deal with all those

books in the Bible anyways?

Where did the Bible come from?

The Holy Spirit inspired the people who wrote the Bible and helped them to reveal God’s words.

Parts of the Bible“The New Testament lies hidden in the Old and the Old Testament is unveiled in the New” ~ St. Augustine

Old Testament

Written before Jesus’ life

46 Books

Prophets of the Old Testaments foretold Jesus’ birth, life and death

Contains the Pentateuch (what Jewish people call the Torah), the story of Israel’s religious history, poetry, instruction about daily life and the record of God’s Word through the Prophets

New Testament

Written after Jesus’ death and resurrection

27 books

Tells the story of Jesus’ life and ministry as well as explains the early Church

4 Main parts of the New Testament

Gospels: tell the story of the life and teachings of Jesus

Acts of the Apostles: Tells the story of the establishment of the Church by the Apostles

Epistles (Letters): Apostles address the concerns and questions asked by members of the early Church

Book of Revelation: written to bring hope to Christians facing persecution

Types of Writing in the New Testament

Gospel- means “Good News” and tells about the life of Jesus, his Death and Resurrection

Parable- a tale that teachers a moral lesson

Epistle- a letter

Genealogy- a listing of ancestors or a family history

More about the Gospels

Not necessarily meant to be biographies of Jesus’ whole life- the authors chose what they felt to be the most important parts of His life.

Bible authors also wrote for their audiences.

Written after Jesus’ death and resurrection and after He sent the Holy Spirit to the apostles.

Three of the Gospels- Matthew, Mark and Luke- are synoptic, meaning they are very similar to each other.

All Gospels have the same basic message: Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God who revealed the Father’s love for us and saved us.

Mark

Mark was the son of Mary of Jerusalem and traditionally accompanied Peter

1st Gospel written in about 63-70 A.D.

Audience: Romans and Gentile Christians who were being persecuted

Shortest Gospel

Important Theme: Jesus suffered and so will his followers

Matthew

Written by Matthew- a Jewish tax collector who left his profession to follow Jesus

2nd Gospel Written in about 80 -100 A.D.

Audience: Jewish converts- many references to the Old Testament

Longest Gospel

Important Theme: Jesus has the power to conquer death, sickness and evil.

Fun Fact- Only Gospel to mention the Magi

Luke

Written by Luke, a physician who had not known Jesus personally. He converted to Christianity and gathered eyewitness accounts of people who knew Jesus.

Written third in about 80-90 A.D.

Audience: non-Jewish Christians and Greeks

Important Theme: Jesus came to save everyone and the Holy Spirit is present in our lives.

Fun Facts: only Gospel to give a childhood account of Jesus’ life, Luke also wrote the Acts of the Apostles

John

Written by John the Evangelist- one of the original apostles and the only one to life to old age.

Last Gospel written around 90-100 A.D.

Audience: All Christians, especially those defending their faith

Important Themes: Jesus is the divine Son of God

Fun Facts: Jesus uses metaphors that begin with “I am” 45 times in this Gospel

Only Gospel that is not synoptic