While Hamilton’s book reads as a commentary throughout the canon, he effectively brings to mind his overall point. The center of biblical theology as God’s glory in salvation through judgment is the standing assertion of his book and it is an effective representation of his worldview about the reading of God’s holy words. Salvation as the soteriological purpose of the text concerns humanity’s interest toward the purpose of what God communicates through His appointed writers. However, while Hamilton touches on the meta-narratives adjacent to the plain meaning of Scripture, he does so from both horizontal and vertical perspectives. However, the important and pervasive subtext of scripture is that Christ was out to reclaim humanity and return it to the Creator by what He accomplished. The accession and triumph of Christ Jesus through His life, death, resurrection, ascension, and coronation, redeemed to God human creation that which is rightfully His. In the fulness of time, until all His enemies are made a footstool, the Kingdom was set to stand where the gates of hell shall not withstand it.
Through the timeless covenant of triadic love and unity, bearers of the Imago Dei would return to YHWH through means He appointed. From covenant to covenant, we see that unfold throughout the pages of scripture.
Hamilton’s conclusions in the last chapter of the book call readers to biblically centered ministry that involves intensive attention toward evangelism, discipleship, corrective church discipline, personal spiritual disciplines, bible reading, and prayer. This entire chapter is a refreshing perspective about what to do about biblical theology as it is developed within the hearts and minds of believers.
There were various places where I think he could have further developed some of his perspectives, but here are a few I noted.
Hamilton could have elaborated more about the difference between a circumcised heart of the OT and the indwelling of the Spirit in the NT.
Jesus’ gratitude for concealing revelation in some passages (Lk 10:21-22).
N.T. Wright is cited (pg. 404), but he is a social gospel advocate. Meaning, Wright is on record where he wrote that salvation is attained through ecclesiological efforts. Hamilton’s work here is dated back to 2010, so I suppose it’s limited in terms of growing NPP advocacy.
Low View of Scripture within the Church
Hamilton’s book led me to buy another text written by Kevin Vanhoozer (details here) entitled, Hearers and Doers: A Pastor’s Guide to Making Disciples Through Scripture and Doctrine. I’m going to read that book because its sections are just so relevant today in a world of social chaos. It’s my limited view that, in general, the evangelical church in the West is an epic disaster. It is a ghetto of theological thought as its faith and practice are too often vacant of scriptural principles and imperatives. Have a close look at this year’s SBC convention (2022), for example. And the breakup of various denominations in recent years.
Churches are largely social centers of well-being that are good for the local community and missions abroad for the gospel. Churches are a source of free volunteer labor for cities.
Over the course of the last year, I’ve firsthand observed that in nearly every church I visited, attendees don’t bring a bible. The same is true by monitoring live-streamed services among very many congregations online. Podium Tedtalks wouldn’t have as much use of Scripture.
You may have already seen this. It’s a research project involving about 400,000 participants. The research yielded the following conclusions:
Bible reading 1 day a week: No effect on participant Bible reading 2 days a week: No effect on participant Bible reading 3 days a week: Negligible effect on participant Bible reading 4+ days a week: Pronounced effect that differentiated people of belief
Predominately, new and seasoned believers among all denominations don’t read their bibles. No exceptions. Therefore, they do not know God as well as they should (if at all).
It’s my view that the canon itself is inspired. In addition to the root text of Scripture. However, we let the words of our bible guide our convictions about spiritual development. Biblical theology deepens our understanding of what God meant by the Word written on the heart — to know the Lord personally and in a saving way distinct from cultural conditions historically among synagogues or churches. I’m aware of the LXX use among the apostles as their “bible”, the first century Hebrew Scripture, as well as the development of scrolls and codices to pixels.
God’s Word written on the hearts of His people is a fruit of the new covenant (Jer 31:33, Heb 10:16). It’s also my view that the condition of the modern evangelical church is pretty bleak. Largely because very many don’t recognize or accept the authority of Scripture; never mind simple inattention to what it says.
As we all know, our Lord Jesus says that His disciples continue in His Word (John 8:31-32). So, while we have a lot of undiscipled converts in the church, there are quite a large number of people hungry for the Word, truth, and meaning. There are also very many goats in the church, too. And where shallow theology exists, there you’ll find shallow preaching and shallow worship. The deeper one goes into the doctrine of Scripture, the deeper our faith becomes. The deeper our worship and reverence as well. See Parsons on this.
Also consider James 1:21, “Therefore put away all filthiness and rampant wickedness and receive with meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your souls.” In addition to what we learn about the inspiration of Scripture, Dustin Benge reminds us that the Spirit speaks through Scripture and I believe him as well. Here are a few additional points of interest that are top of mind from the Navigators merely as I write these comments.
Hear God’s Word (Rom 10:17) – Weakest form of scripture intake. Since we retain roughly 5% of what we hear.
Read God’s Word (Rev 1:3) – Daily devotion is a separate dedicated time with the Lord in His word without intermingled distractions (like a phone). We retain roughly 15% of what we read which is why we need to keep at it.
Study God’s Word (Acts 17:11) – Active in-depth analysis to search the Scriptures builds biblical fluency (Deut 6:5, Matt 22:37:40, Mark 12:30). The more we study, the more we retain.
Memorize God’s Word (Ps 119:9-11, Matt 4:4) – Jesus modeled for us the necessity of the Word to overcome temptation. So that we do not offend the God we love or harm others. He recited Scripture from memory and it was a powerful means of preventing devastating consequences. God’s Word is our sustenance. For the believer with the indwelling Spirit, the Word is our nourishment.
Meditate on God’s Word (Ps 1:2,3) – This is transformative as we allow all methods of intake to reach us deeper within. We yield to the Holy Spirit as God’s Word takes root, shapes our hearts, and forms within us an inexpressible love of God.
Scripture Is a Crucial Instructional Guide
Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.” – Matthew 28:19–20 (ESV)
The word “observe” here is translated in a passive sense, but when we check BDAG, here’s a clearer definition:
③ to persist in obedience, keep, observe, fulfill, pay attention to, esp. of law and teaching (LXX) τὶ someth. (Polyb. 1, 83, 5 legal customs; Herodian 6, 6, 1; Just., A I, 49, 3 τὰ παλαιὰ ἔθη) Mt 23:3; Ac 21:25 v.l.; Hs 5, 3, 9. • τὸν νόμον (Achilles Tat. 8, 13, 4; Tob 14:9; TestDan 5:1. • τὰ νόμιμα τοῦ θεοῦ Hv 1, 3, 4 (τηρ. τὰ νόμιμα as Jos., Ant. 8, 395; 9, 222). • δικαιώματα κυρίου B 10:11. • τὰ πρὸς τὸν κύριον AcPl Ha 8, 11; 13. • πάντα ὅσα ἐνετειλάμην ὑμῖν Mt 28:20.
William Arndt et al., A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament and Other Early Christian Literature (Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 2000), 1002.
So, what is it to obey, specifically? A few years ago I thoroughly read and studied John Piper’s Book What Jesus Demands from the World. You can get a free PDF of it here: Book Copy. The desiringGod folks made it free for everyone. I chose a printed book version, plus the digital copy to listen to while at times reading at the same time.
The book extracts each and every specific instruction/command Jesus gave to His followers (as He spoke about in Matt 28:20 above). That discipleship is to train people to specifically do what He said. There are 50 commands, instructions, or imperatives within the gospels that Jesus spoke. This book is a walk-through of each. It is a blessing to see where exactly we can obey, but also see where the gaps are among churches that don’t. This is where pastors and church leaders are not fully obeying, or fulfilling their obligation (among various other areas).
“If you love me, you will keep my commandments.” – John 14:15 (ESV)
To see what these imperatives are, I put together verse memory cards to review and check myself to stimulate interest, dwell upon, and act toward. I cut them to size and glued them to card stock. What Jesus Demands from the World Cards:
In addition to the disciplines of prayer, worship, fellowship, scripture, and sharing of our faith, we need to be primarily attentive to what our King wants.
So I would also like to offer an opportunity for you to consider:
Just as a matter of clarity, the practice of Biblical Theology is to understand the “theology” of biblical books or their authors in original grammatical, cultural, and historical contexts. Without imposing any modern categories of thought on the text. There is an internal unity of the text interspersed throughout diverse scriptural genres (narratives, poetry, letters, wisdom literature, etc.). The biblical narratives are self-referentially coherent. The narratives between the Old and New Testaments correspond with various modes of authoritative meaning to derive principles, imperatives, and specific instructions concerning faith and practice.
Narrative stories approached theologically inform readers for pastoral utility or academic use to support doctrine and sound beliefs to satisfy covenant obligations of the church and individuals. Biblical theology helps us understand the narratives to yield the fruit of truth as God’s revelation to humanity. Where it becomes clear who abides by objective truth according to valid hermeneutical methods and who doesn’t (i.e., intertextuality, intended interpretation, etc.). Moreover, chronologically sequenced narratives establish presuppositions of biblical authors. Presuppositions in which readers rest upon God’s word as truth according to what authors actually meant without inferior social, religious, or academic interest.
Someone who might think Scripture, or the gospels are merely moral stories misses the larger scope and depth of God’s Word, the Bible.
The gospels are a story about a new exodus. Deliverance from one type of slavery in the OT that later became deliverance and freedom from another in the NT
Christ Jesus fulfilled expectations to satisfy God’s judgment over sin
Christ Jesus came to fulfill the law as articulated in the gospel narratives
Jesus performed many miracles
Jesus saved many people from temporal and eternal judgment and condemnation
Jesus gathered sinners to Him and gave them hope
Jesus set the conditions for acceptance or rejection
Jesus fulfilled prophecy in numerous recorded events in the gospels
Jesus formed and incubated a Kingdom on Earth in the form of His Church
Jesus called many to repentance
Jesus demonstrated compassion to his followers and enemies
Jesus was a model of Godly living
Jesus warned of judgment and eternal permanent conscious misery to unbelievers
Jesus introduced sacraments, instructions on prayer, and how to worship
Jesus offered eternal life to those who would repent, trust, and follow Him.
Questions to highlight the interconnected nature of Scripture largely converge toward the gospels in the life and identity of Christ.
While reading through The Hermeneutics of the Biblical Writers again,I noted various points of interest that I found helpful. There were many excellent points I wrote out separately while reading the book’s chapters. This outline is of some perspectives that stood out and serve as valuable examples.
Jesus drew upon the logic of the OT writers
Jesus adhered to principles from the old covenant that extended to the new covenant
Jesus recognized the biblical writer’s claims and roles in redemptive history
The gospel writers were in thought continuity about OT subject matter
Christ’s claims instantiated the grounds that the gospel writers interpreted and applied OT Scripture (i.e., recognition of new and progressive revelation) to derive imperatives and illocutionary force
The biblical writers attached new and consistent meaning to earlier authors’ authority
The presuppositions of biblical authors were informed by the continuity of OT covenants, humanity’s redemptive history, and YHWH’s soteriological purpose
“Look among the nations, and see; wonder and be astounded. For I am doing a work in your days that you would not believe if told.” – Hab 1:5
Look, see, wonder, and be astounded at what God has done during redemptive history during OT and NT revelation
Making Coherent Scripture Connections
Let Scripture illuminate Scripture. There are numerous allusions, echoes, citations, and quotes between the biblical writers. Let’s recognize them to interpret and understand what they meant. The continuity of the prophetic and apostolic hermeneutic rests upon the logical biblical writer’s expression of Scriptural intertextuality. They were models for believers today who seek to interpret and understand revelation according to proper methods of interpretation. The development of biblical theologies is guided by what God wrote through a corpus of texts by authors He appointed. Let’s abide by what He brought together through them for generations who seek Him by His Word.
The Master’s Seminary posted a video series (31-lectures) of Dr. Thomas Schreiner’s course of Biblical Theology. In the first lecture, he briefly points to James Hamilton’s work (very end of the video). Notably, concerning the trace work of passages that concern biblical concepts that extend to further passages through historical and theological development. While Schreiner spoke of the Biblical Theology of God’s Glory in Salvation through Judgmenttext, he also made a vague reference to Hamilton’s paper The Skull Crushing Seed of the Woman: Inner-Biblical Interpretation of Genesis 3:15. Anyone can download the paper (PDF copy) from the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary.
I highly suspect that Hamilton’s paper about Genesis 3:15 from 2006 had a bearing on his biblical theology text as it was published in 2010. In the Genesis 3:15 paper (The Skull Crushing Seed of the Woman: Inner-Biblical Interpretation of Genesis 3:15), Hamilton wrote about biblical connections; not explicitly as an example of a method, but of substance.
Dr. Abner Chou’s hermeneutics text is an excellent complementary view about the how with Hamilton’s textbook example concerning the what and why. To unearth the treasures of biblical theologies from God’s appointed writers. — So, in this case, and in many places, the crushing, smashing, and puncturing of the head of the enemy, beginning from Genesis 3:15, shows up in various canonical texts to definitively record what would happen again and again both literally and figuratively. By this connect the dots approach, Hamilton demonstrates that the OT canon as a whole is a messianic document with soteriological continuity straight from the garden. Which is utterly amazing.
In addition to the Hamilton paper I read this afternoon, I also highly recommend Schreiner’s Biblical Theology 31-lecture series he gave to TMS some while back.
I also gathered quite a bit from Dr. Chou’s book concerning the prophetic and apostolic hermeneutic. To where their hermeneutic becomes the Christian hermeneutic. Having read Dr. Chou’s book twice, the intertextual relationships between the biblical materials are important to grasp.
There really is quite a bit there when running a topical course as a biblical theology of interest. For example, here are a few screen captures below from the Logos application I use to visually see what relationships exist. Many theologians, exegetes, pastors, and students use this tool. A lot of bible students use this application and I highly recommend it.
Conducting intertextual analysis is much more efficient this way and all the links of NT to OT and OT to NT are visually mapped with active multi-dimensional links between all passages in the canon. This example below, among very many, is about Jesus from both testaments intertextually linked bringing to the surface contours of meaning. As patterns of continuity among the biblical authors (such as comparing what Isaiah said about Messiah as compared to Ezekiel). From the New Testament’s use of the Old alone, there are 2,574 total allusions, citations, echoes, and quotations definitively mapped. However, there’s quite a bit more from a lateral perspective.
Example – The Intertextuality of Biblical Christology
Example – The Christological Intertextuality of Isaiah to the NT
Example – The Christological Intertextuality of Hebrews to the OT
Of course, any book combination between the OT and NT can be selected. And once a link (or strand) is clicked, a grid of reference listing is rendered for the patterns, contours, citations, quotations, allusions, and echoes. As we traverse specific topics to recognize and understand biblical theology, it is with limited results since the text is translated to English. But the breadth and depth are more comprehensive this way to get a rich and full meaning. In my view, full immersion within these tools is time well spent.
It is a healthy thought exercise to reflect on how the biblical writers change our perspective on Scripture. The hermeneutic of the prophets and apostles is a hermeneutic of surrender. A surrender to the authority and intentional meaning of Scripture from its authors. A reader response hermeneutic is, by comparison, a subjective way of reading the text of Scripture to suit preferences and to shape messages or meaning toward inner personal thoughts, desires, or objectives. Efforts to conform the meaning of Scripture incidental or contrary to the biblical writers’ intended messaging toward instruction, counsel, or pastoral agendas is a defective and unacceptable approach to “interpretation.” The biblical writers extensively sought the intended meaning of what the patriarchs, prophets, and poets wrote and did. Rules of proper hermeneutical interpretation were applied for obedience, faith, and practice to include the development of further narratives and genres to form Spirit-inspired Scripture.
The extent to which the biblical writers were expositors of Scriptural truth cannot be overstated. Their contribution to Scripture’s theological and exegetical groundwork is thoroughly abundant and significant, as made evident by the depth and range of intertextual synthesis. From the Old Testament and the New, biblical writers were thoroughly immersed in Scripture present in their time, and they were exceptional exegetes. Each was able to assemble meaningful theological thoughts from the guidance of the Holy Spirit and by conscious interpretive efforts to produce theologies that would extend to millions across generations. The prophets and apostles developed theologies that provide a framework for continuing biblical interpretation of immeasurable value. Not only of enormous historical significance but of covenantal weight that assures God’s glory and redeemed humanity’s salvation.
There is a continuity of basic, deep, and intricate Scriptural meaning interwoven throughout the Bible. The patterns by which biblical writers wrote, inferred, referenced, overlapped, reinforced, and synchronized theological messaging are interrelated across time, languages, and translations. Scriptural intertextuality is the relationship between texts in a coherent sense of the reading. Still, there is more to its structural value because God’s Word, the Bible, is a supernatural book. As it is written, the implanted word received has the power to save souls (Jas 1:21). It is also a record of Jesus’ life and His work, miracles, teachings, and transformative power. The Word is a source of spiritual nourishment (Deut. 8:3, Matt 4:4). It reports on the fulfillment of ancient prophecies and foretells apocalyptic warnings and promises. It is a self-witness testimony to the wisdom of God, and it shall never pass away.
From the pactum salutis to the ordo salutis, the biblical writers wrote expressions of God’s mercy, grace, and wisdom for people who hunger for Him and objective truth. It’s not an academic book. Or merely a guidebook on godly living. God’s Word is a treasure. It is a storehouse of promises. It is a well of living water. It is a conduit to peace. It bears the fruit of praise for worshipers who love the living and triune God.
Today, 09/04/2021, I completed another read-through of the Bible. This time the English Standard Version (ESV).
The effort began in September 2017 and I sought to read it through with meticulous attention to word-by-word detail. The whole duration was day-by-day with missing maybe 10% or so of the days between. That is, about 90% of the time, I read each day straight through from NT to OT in chronological sequence. It took 4-years of consistent study.
By necessity, some areas were read more than once and enormous lasting life changes happened along the way. Since I began, my father passed away, I joined and left a company, joined another company, completed two years of Bible college, with one more year to go, sold two houses in California, built one house in Arizona. This period was also through a global pandemic where people I know have passed away from COVID-19. Various other changes have transpired, but overall I am thoroughly grateful for having been able to read through God’s word to completion. That is, at least of the English text.
While making my way through the Bible, I rarely used audio to accompany the reading. Probably less than 20-chapters overall scattered throughout various books. I used a marking system that is color-coordinated and I will continue to use the same system for additional reading as well. Readings usually occurred in the mornings, but there were stretches in the evenings too. Usually never in the afternoon. Daily reading sessions ranged from a few hours to 20 or 30-minutes.
If a word appeared that I didn’t recognize, I looked up the Hebrew, Greek, or Aramaic translation. I often compared various additional side-by-side translations of words and sentences to validate a reading. The notes I made were largely interpretive from personal observations, or hermeneutics coursework I’ve completed. Many cross-references were made along with written out historical facts, or meta-details applied to the text as well. People, places, and things that carried some weight would be drawn out in the notes too.
The scripture text itself is the ESV Bible, Heirloom Wide Margin Reference Edition. I chose this version because of the even margins on both the left and right of each page. The top and bottom margins are not as even, but still wide enough for notes and markings. The pens I used were Sakura Pigma Micron 005 fine tips that come in red, blue, black, brown, green, orange, purple, and pink. Along the way, I consumed 4-packs of these pens. They don’t bleed through the thin pages of this Bible. The yellow highlighter is a Gel marker by Thornton’s Office Supplies. It isn’t ink-based, so it doesn’t bleed through either. The gel wrinkles the pages as it dries on each sheet, but it has lasted for years so far. Its marking retention is acceptable and expected to remain for many years to follow.
Below is a video that gives a sense of what the work looked like. It was time well spent as it is and was a source of nourishment that cannot be found anywhere else.
Both the Old and New Testaments were compiled over a period of about 1,500 years. From about 1400 B.C. to 90 A.D., God used over forty different writers to author the Scriptures under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit. The compilation of these writings spans numerous genres or types of written text to communicate meaning about who God is, what He has done, what He is doing, and what He is going to do. The words of Scripture are meant to be understood and lived out in conformity to the will and interests of YHWH.
The recognized protestant canon of Scripture within both the Old and New Testaments are outlined in the tables below. Among both Roman Catholics and Eastern Orthodox believers, their canon of Scripture is different than what is outlined below. Here is a useful site to clearly understand the distinctions between them. In any regard, these listed below are of the common Protestant canon.
When one refers to the “biblical canon,” the term simply means that Scripture is a closed corpus of authoritative texts. For a more comprehensive paper I wrote concerning the canon, please check out this link: The Canonicity of Scripture.
Old Testament
The central figure of all the Bible is Jesus Christ. The entire Bible’s theme before and after His birth points to Him. By His direct involvement in creation, through His historical presence among the patriarchs, from the foreshadowing of the priests, and kings, to the predictive utterances of the prophets, we see Christ Jesus the Messiah as the central theme throughout Scripture.
HISTORY (17 Books)
POETRY (5 Books)
PROPHECY (17 Books)
Law Genesis Exodus Leviticus Numbers Deuteronomy
History and Government Joshua Judges Ruth 1 Samuel 2 Samuel 1 Kings 2 Kings 1 Chronicles 2 Chronicles Ezra Nehemiah Esther
Job Psalms Proverbs Ecclesiastes Song of Solomon
Major Prophets Isaiah Jeremiah Lamentation Ezekiel Daniel
Minor Prophets Hosea Joel Amos Obadiah Jonah Micah Nahum Habakkuk Zephaniah Haggai Zechariah Malachi
As it is commonly read, “the New Testament is in the Old Testament concealed and the Old Testament is in the New Testament revealed,” we see the distinction between both the Old and New covenants to communicate meaning from YHWH to humanity, both Jew and Gentile.
New Testament
The Holy Bible consists of 66-books and each one has its specific place and purpose by sovereign intent. Namely to communicate both old and new covenants across dispensations that provide the means by which YHWH communicates with humanity, and each person individually.
General Letters Hebrews James 1 Peter 2 Peter 1, 2, 3 John Jude
Major Prophets Isaiah Jeremiah Lamentation Ezekiel Daniel
Minor Prophets Hosea Joel Amos Obadiah Jonah Micah Nahum Habakkuk Zephaniah Haggai Zechariah Malachi
See and hear the words of Christ (Jn. 17:17):
“Sanctify them in the truth; Your word is truth.”
Understand what Jesus meant in His prayer to the Father. His followers were to be set apart (ἁγίασον), made Holy before YHWH and others to glorify the Father just as Christ glorified Him through the work YHWH gave Him to do. In His life, His forthcoming death, and His resurrection as prophesied (Isaiah 60:1-2, Psalm 16:10). This idea of sanctification is important to get clear about. The New Testament term in Greek (ἁγιάζω, hagiazō) it to make one dedicated to God; either in becoming more distinct, devoted, or morally pure. It is to sanctify or make holy (Matt 23:17, 19, Jn 10:36, 17:17, 19, Eph 5:26, 1 Thess 5:23, Heb 2:11, Heb 9:13, Heb 13:12, 1 Pet 3:15).
Sanctified by His Word
It is critical to not miss this. How are we sanctified? Through the inner workings of the Holy Spirit by the Word of God, the Bible (Eph 2:10). It is by Scripture, His inspired Word, that the Holy Spirit transforms our thoughts, desires, and actions. As Christ’s prayer before the Father is answered for His glory and good pleasure, we are made holy (qdš); through His Word by the Holy Spirit. Holy Spirit who began thousands of years ago caused His people to write His words that we would hear them and come to know and love God.
Have a look at this analysis of Psalm 19:7-11 (NASB):
7 – The law of the LORD is perfect, restoring the soul; The testimony of the LORD is sure, making wise the simple. 8 – The precepts of the LORD are right, rejoicing the heart; The commandment of the LORD is pure, enlightening the eyes. 9 – The fear of the LORD is clean, enduring forever; The judgments of the LORD are true; they are righteous altogether. 10 – They are more desirable than gold, yes, than much fine gold; Sweeter also than honey and the drippings of the honeycomb. 11 – Moreover, by them Your servant is warned; In keeping them there is great reward.
When parsing the words across all verses to absorb and meditate on their meaning, we begin to see how the Word of YHWH is figuratively correlated to how it is recognized, by what it is, and by what it does. Searching the Scriptures, and drinking of all their life-giving words brings into you renewal and holiness that pleases God. You are made alive to love God by them.
Verse
What the Bible is Called
Its Characteristics
What It Will Do For You
7
law
perfect
refreshed spiritually
testimony
reliable
gives wisdom
8
precepts
righteous
brings joy
commandment
pure
enlightening
9
fear of YHWH
clean
endures forever
judgments of YHWH
true
provide justice
10
gold
desirable
spiritual wealth
honey
sweet
brings pleasure
11
warning
kept
great reward
The Way of Escape
Consider the following verses concerning how the Bible helps us specifically. To recognize that it is by Christ we have eternal life, we are given promises, and we have His word to keep from sinning against God.
John 5:39 1 “You search the Scriptures because you think that in them you have eternal life; it is these that testify about Me;”
Christ speaking with Pharisees about the testimony of Scripture about the Messiah. That it is in Him that we have eternal life. The Scriptures concerning Him, through the Holy Spirit, sanctifies us in the truth as He is the Truth (Jn 14:6).
2 Peter 1:4 2 “For by these He has granted to us His precious and magnificent apromises, so that by them you may become bpartakers of the divine nature, having cescaped the dcorruption that is in the world by lust.”
a – 2 Pet 3:9, 13, b – Eph 4:13, 24; Heb 12:10, 1 John 3:2, c – 2 Pet 2:18, 20, d – 2 Pet 2:19
For those having escaped the corruption of the world that comes by lust, we were granted promises whereby in them we escape from the corruption and enslavement of lusts and participate in the divine nature of YHWH.
“By means of these He has bestowed on us His precious and exceedingly great promises, so that through them you may escape [by flight] from the moral decay (rottenness and corruption) that is in the world because of covetousness (lust and greed), and become sharers (partakers) of the divine nature.” – 2 Pet 1:4 Amplified
1 John 2:1 3 “My little children, I am writing these things to you so that you may not sin. And if anyone sins, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous;”
The endearing words of John the Apostle, full of grace, speak to the reader of Scripture to give us confidence in Jesus our Messiah, our High Priest, to intercede before Father YHWH on our behalf.
1 – Jn 7:52, Rom 2:17, Mt 19:16-25, Jn 14:6, 2 Tim 3:15 2 – Jn 3:3, Jas 1:18, 1 Pet 1:23, Rom 8:1, Jn 14:17-23, Jn 1:12, Rom 8:9, Gal 2:20, Col 1:27 3 – 1 Jn 1:9, Rom 6:12-14, Rom 8:12-13, 1 Cor 15:34, Tit 2:11-12, 1 Pet 1:13-16, Jn 16:7, Rev 12:10, Heb 4:14-16
It is Written…
There are metaphors throughout Scripture that brings out meaning to regenerate people who are drawn to Christ, and to give sustenance to those who are in Christ. To approach Him, inquire, obey, and seek Him in all our efforts as He is of the utmost desire because of who He is, we have His Spirit and the Word by which we abide.
Verse
Object
Function
Jeremiah 23:29 “Is not My word like fire?” declares the LORD, “and like a hammer which shatters a rock?
Fire Hammer
Shatters Rock
Matthew 4:4 But He answered and said, “It is written, ‘MAN SHALL NOT LIVE ON BREAD ALONE, BUT ON EVERY WORD THAT PROCEEDS OUT OF THE MOUTH OF GOD.’ ”
Bread
Sustenance
James 1:23-25 “For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks at his natural face in a mirror; for once he has looked at himself and gone away, he has immediately forgotten what kind of person he was. But one who looks intently at the perfect law, the law of liberty, and abides by it, not having become a forgetful hearer but an effectual doer, this man will be blessed in what he does.”
Mirror
Reveal’s True Self
Hebrews 4:12 “For the word of God is living and active and sharper than any two-edged sword, and piercing as far as the division of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart.”
Sword
Judges Thoughts and Intentions
We have in Matthew 4:4, Jesus Himself countering Satan that man shall not live only by basic sustenance, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God. So during the encounter between Jesus and the devil, Jesus quoted Scripture there (Deut 8:3), and there it was that He was tempted by Satan and prevailed in obedience to the Word of God.
“It is written, ‘MAN SHALL NOT LIVE ON BREAD ALONE, BUT ON EVERY WORD THAT PROCEEDS OUT OF THE MOUTH OF GOD.’ ”
Then by His example, how could we do any less? Even before trying times of temptation, our sanctification is grounded and has its growth in Scripture. We are to live in obedience to God just as Jesus, whom we love, has done so before us.
Assembled here is a survey of each chapter in Leviticus. A few sentences for each chapter to summarize the core content and meaning of the third book of the Mosaic law. All twenty-seven chapters are put together here to assemble a coherent view of the Book of Leviticus as a whole. These summaries were not written from a historical, poetic, literal, or figurative interpretative view. These summaries are merely of content produced within the valid, authoritative, sufficient, infallible, and inerrant strength of God’s word.
Theme of Leviticus: The Lord has set apart His people to be a holy nation. Yahweh provides a way to Him through sacrifice and a method by which His people walk with Him through their separation or sanctification.
Leviticus 1: Burnt Offering – Instructions to Moses at the tent of meeting about how to conduct animal sacrifices. Specifically, burnt unblemished animal sacrifices at the altar. Bulls, sheep, goats, and birds. Symbolic of Romans 12:1. Shadow of Christ in offering (Eph 5:2, Heb 9:14).
Leviticus 2: Grain or Meal Offering – Burnt offerings of flour, oil, and frankincense. Baked bread unleavened with oil permitted. No honey permitted. Food offerings to the Lord and portion to Aaron and priests. Shadow of Christ in offering (John 12:24). Christ was the Corn or grain of wheat.
Leviticus 3: Peace Offering – Laying of hands onto the head of the goat to transfer sins of the people while the animal is sacrificed. Eating fat or blood is forbidden. Christ is our peace offering (Rom 5:1, Col 1:20).
Leviticus 4: Sin Offering – Laying of hands onto the head of a bull. Unintentional sin of the people of Israel. Shadow of Christ in offering. Christ is our sin offering (2 Cor 5:21, 1 Pet 2:24).
Leviticus 5: Guilt or Trespass Offering – Unintentional sins and sins of omission, careless words spoken, withholding evidence, or depraved indifference, there is an atonement through the sacrifice of a lamb, doves, or pigeons. If by poverty, flour is offered. Sin is forgiven. Shadow of Christ in the offering. Christ is our trespass offering (Col 2:13-14, 2 Cor 5:19).
Leviticus 6: More specifics about the sins addressed by burnt offerings, grain offerings, and sin offerings. The priest’s activity and responsibility in their care and handling of the offerings.
Leviticus 7: More specifics about trespass and peace offerings. Added priestly responsibilities. Forbidden consumption of fat and blood. Portions of sacrificial offerings designated to Aaron and his sons.
Leviticus 8: As per the Lord’s instructions to Moses, he consecrates Aaron and His Sons.
Leviticus 9: The Lord accepts Aaron’s offerings for himself and the people and his priestly ministry begins. The glory of the Lord appeared to the people and fire came from Him to consume the burnt offering.
Leviticus 10: Aaron’s sons, Nadab and Abihu, bring profane fire before the Lord and He consumes them in fire. The Lord makes additional details clear about the conduct of His priests.
Leviticus 11: Foods permitted to eat and distinctions between clean and unclean animals. Transferability of unclean (unholy) status from one being to another (animal to human).
Leviticus 12: The purification after childbirth and differences between an unclean period between males and females. The process of sin offering to make atonement is presented after childbirth.
Leviticus 13: Laws concerning leprosy. Method of identification and isolation of individual who exhibit disease or skin conditions. Laws about how to recover from ailment and cleansing. How to handle garments exposed to leprosy.
Leviticus 14: Laws for cleansing lepers who were healed. Method of identification concerning clean and unclean households.
Leviticus 15: Laws about bodily discharges and how to cleanse from various types among males and females to prevent contamination.
Leviticus 16: The day of atonement involving sin offerings concerning Israel and Aaron. Tabernacle sanctification, the use of the scapegoat (Azazel), and the continued observance of the day of atonement.
Leviticus 17: The placement of sacrificial offerings and their approach within the tabernacle. Further laws against the consumption of blood.
Leviticus 18: Unlawful sexual relations including incest, homosexuality, adultery, and bestiality. Child sacrifice, or harm, to false gods forbidden.
Leviticus 19: Laws concerning personal and social conduct. Do not bear grudges, or hatred for others. Do not fraud or cheat others. Judge righteously and do not curse or deal harshly with the deaf, poor, or disadvantaged. Sexual relations with slave women forbidden. Various additional laws concerning food, personal grooming, tattooing, prostitution of daughters, divination, strangers, and trade with merchants.
Leviticus 20: Punishment for child sacrifice. Punishment for sexual immorality. More penalties concerning forbidden practices, or traditions of another nation. Sanctify yourselves and be holy.
Leviticus 21: Various laws and holiness requirements concerning priests.
Leviticus 22: Purity requirement of priests. Laws concerning the consumption of holy foods dedicated to priests. Food consumption of freewill offerings associated with gratitude.
Leviticus 23: The sabbath requirement reiterated. Persistent ceremonies involving feasts to represent a holy separate to walk with God. Specific about the Passover ceremony, feast of first fruits, feast of weeks, and feast of Trumpets. Holy convocation involving blowing of trumpets. Feast during the day of atonement, and the feast of booths (tabernacles / tents).
Leviticus 24: Role of children to gather or produce oil for the lamps. Preparation of show bread for the tabernacle. Death penalty for blasphemy. An eye for an eye (equal administration of law).
Leviticus 25: The seventh year of sabbath rest for the land. The fiftieth year of jubilee prescribed. Requirements concerning the redemption of property and the poor. Further instruction concerning trade among merchants and sojourners. Demonstrated kindness for poor brothers.
Leviticus 26: Blessings and rewards for obedience. Severe punishments for disobedience. The Lord will remain faithful, He will remember His people and will not completely abandon them.
Leviticus 27: Laws about vows, things devoted to the Lord, and tithes.
Assembled here is a survey of each chapter in Exodus. A few sentences for each chapter to summarize the core content and meaning of the second book of the Mosaic law. All forty chapters are put together here to assemble a coherent view of the Book of Exodus as a whole. These summaries were not written from a historical, poetic, literal, or figurative interpretative view. These summaries are merely of content produced within the valid, authoritative, sufficient, infallible, and inerrant strength of God’s word.
Theme of Exodus: The deliverance of the LORD’s people from their captivity, slavery, and misery. Introduction of the Mosaic covenant and law with fellowship and relationship with the LORD restored.
Exodus 1: The population growth of Israel increases within Egypt. Israel becomes enslaved with an evil king or Pharaoh in control. Pharaoh is a murderous ruler who has no fear of God.
Exodus 2: Moses is born to an Israelite woman and becomes adopted into Pharaoh’s household. After Moses grows into adulthood, he kills a man abusing a Hebrew slave and flees into Midian. Pharaoh died and Israel groaned in misery to get the LORD’s attention.
Exodus 3: Moses encounters God from the burning bush on Mount Horeb. The LORD calls Moses to deliver His people from Egypt. God decrees that He will severely afflict Egypt with many calamities.
Exodus 4: God empowers Moses with miraculous abilities to confront and persuade Egyptian authority to free the Hebrew slaves. Moses acquires the authority of the LORD and the help of Aaron.
Exodus 5: Moses and Aaron confront Pharaoh and on behalf of the LORD demand the release of the Hebrew slaves. Pharaoh refuses and he imposes added hardship on the slaves.
Exodus 6: God encourages Moses and reiterates that He will bring His people out of slavery. Moses relays the message to the Israelite people, and they are not receptive. The genealogy of Moses and Aaron is presented in detail.
Exodus 7: Moses and Aaron again appear before Pharaoh. God hardens Pharaoh’s heart where he again rejects a demand to free the slaves. The first plague is applied to the people of Egypt. Moses strikes the water of the Nile river and it turns to blood.
Exodus 8: Moses and Aaron again appear before Pharaoh. Pharaoh again rejects a demand to free the slaves. The second, third, and fourth plagues strike the people of Egypt. Frogs, gnats, and flies invade the land upon command of Moses through the power bestowed upon him by the LORD.
Exodus 9: Moses and Aaron again appear before Pharaoh. Pharaoh again rejects a demand to free the slaves. The fifth, sixth and seventh plagues strike the people of Egypt. Killed livestock, boils, and sores breakout upon the people, and hail with fire falls down upon the land of Egypt upon command of Moses through the power bestowed to him by the LORD.
Exodus 10: Moses and Aaron again appear before Pharaoh. God hardens Pharaoh’s heart where he again rejects a demand to free the slaves. The eighth and ninth plagues are applied to the people of Egypt. The locusts eat all vegetation and cover the entire territory. Darkness covers the area for 3-days.
Exodus 11: Moses prophesies the tenth plague that the firstborn of humanity and cattle shall die. The LORD makes a distinction between Israelites and Egyptians. The LORD hardened Pharaoh’s heart where he would not let the Hebrew slaves go.
Exodus 12: The angel of death passes over the people of Israel in the land of Egypt as it kills all first-born as prophesied. The plague of death strikes and the Exodus of Israel from Egypt commences. The Passover ceremony tradition begins.
Exodus 13: The firstborn of Israel are consecrated to the LORD. The ceremony and tradition of the Feast of Unleavened bread commence as the Hebrews are led out of Egypt. Guided by a pillar of cloud by day and pillar of fire by night to set their route.
Exodus 14: The Egyptians pursue the Hebrews while on their exodus. The Hebrews become obstructed by the Red Sea. The pillars of fire and cloud separate the Egyptian army from the Hebrews as the LORD divides the Red Sea. As Israelites pass through the parted Red Sea, the waters close on the Egyptians to kill them.
Exodus 15: Moses and the people sang a song to the LORD upon their rescue and deliverance. The LORD purifies drinking water through a log Moses cast into a bitter water source. The LORD promises to care for His people, protect them and heal them if they listen to Him and obey.
Exodus 16: The people of Israel encounter new hardships. They do not have food to eat and the LORD provides manna bread from the sky to nourish and fuel their bodies for 40-years.
Exodus 17: By striking a rock, Moses provides water to the people through the power of the LORD. Joshua and his men defeat the aggressors of Amalek.
Exodus 18: Jethro, a priest of Midian, and Moses’ father-in-law advise Moses to set up delegated authority among the people of Israel.
Exodus 19: The people of Israel arrive at Mount Sinai. God makes a covenant with Moses and warns him about people’s exposure to the LORD. Priests and leadership have access to the LORD only through consecration.
Exodus 20: The LORD delivers the Ten Commandments to His people. The formation of the Mosaic law begins. Laws concerning the construction of altars.
Exodus 21: Through Moses, the LORD delivers laws concerning slaves and property restitution.
Exodus 22: Through Moses, the LORD delivers laws concerning justice.
Exodus 23: Through Moses, the LORD delivers additional laws concerning justice. Additional laws concerning working on the Sabbath and Festivals. The LORD confirms the conquest of Canaan.
Exodus 24: The Mosaic covenant is confirmed to the people of Israel. The LORD appears before 74-elders of Israel.
Exodus 25: Preparations and contributions are made for the forthcoming tabernacle. The Ark of the Covenant is designed and made for the tabernacle sanctuary.
Exodus 26: Instructions are delivered about the preparation and construction of the tabernacle.
Exodus 27: Further details concerning the tabernacle include oil substances, a bronze altar, and its courtyard.
Exodus 28: Instructions are given about the Priests’ garments. Priest appointments were named and associated with assigned attire.
Exodus 29: Priests are consecrated and prepared with instructions about operating the tabernacle of the LORD in support of sacrifices and worship.
Exodus 30: Further instructions are given concerning the tabernacle altar, incense, oil, and compulsory taxation upon the people.
Exodus 31: Craftsmen are appointed to make the materials and implements of the tabernacle. Instructions are given about keeping the sabbath day of rest.
Exodus 32: The people of Israel construct a calf made of gold to worship it. The LORD nearly destroys His people until Moses interjects. Moses returns to the camp, where the gods that inhabit the golden calf are worshiped. Moses destroys the tablets of the Ten Commandments and eventually kills 3000 men due to their idolatry and sin. Moses again pleads atonement and forgiveness, but God decrees that He will blot out those who sin against him from His book.
Exodus 33: The LORD commands Moses and Israel to leave Mount Sinai. The LORD extends His mercy to the stubborn Hebrew people. Moses intercedes on behalf of the LORD’s people and the presence of the LORD rests with His people.
Exodus 34: The tablets of the Ten Commandments are remade by Moses. God writes His law on those tablets. Moses delivers the law to the Israelites and the glory of the LORD physically affects Moses.
Exodus 35: Additional instructions concerning the sabbath, contributions for the tabernacle, and its construction.
Exodus 36: The craftsmen and workmen build the tabernacle.
Exodus 37: The chosen craftsman, Bezalel, made the Ark of the covenant, the table, lampstand, and altar of incense according to the intricate details given by the LORD.
Exodus 38: Bezalel continues making elements of the tabernacle to include the altar of burnt offering, a bronze basin, and added materials such as hooks, pillars, capitals, etc.
Exodus 39: Involving precious stones and fine fabrics and priestly garments as the LORD commanded Moses.
Exodus 40: The tabernacle is erected and populated with its consecrated furniture, holy implements, Ark of the covenant, and additional elements as defined by the LORD. The work of the tabernacle is completed. The glory of the LORD filled the tabernacle.
Assembled here is a survey of each chapter in Genesis. A few sentences for each chapter to summarize the core content and meaning of the first book of the Mosaic law. All fifty chapters are put together here to assemble a coherent view of the Book of Genesis as a whole. These summaries were not written from a historical, poetic, literal, or figurative interpretative view. These summaries are merely of content produced within the valid, authoritative, sufficient, infallible, and inerrant strength of God’s word.
The Theme of Genesis: The beginning of all things, God originates creation, humanity and the nations.
Genesis 1: God creates the Universe, the solar system, the Earth, humanity, and all living things.
Genesis 2: God blesses the seventh day, sanctifies it and rests from working. He plants a garden and creates male and female of humanity. God places male and female into the garden to work.
Genesis 3: God warns about the forbidden tree. Adam (male) and Eve (female) tempted by the deceptive creature. Both succumb to temptation and sinned to thereafter receive God’s curse.
Genesis 4: Adam and Eve produce offspring Abel and Cain. Cain killed Abel and becomes cursed by God. Cain relocates and bears children with wife. Seth is born of Adam and Eve.
Genesis 5: Genealogy
of Adam to Noah including his offspring, Shem, Ham, and Japheth.
Genesis 6: Humanity becomes corrupted and God instructs Noah to build an ark. God intends to destroy all flesh.
Genesis 7: Noah gathers male and female animals to the ark he built. The Earth is flooded, and all flesh perishes.
Genesis 8: Floodwaters subside then upon the Lord’s instructions; Noah leaves the ark with his family. All the creatures of the Ark also leave. Noah built an altar pleasing to the Lord.
Genesis 9: The Lord blesses Noah and forms a covenant with him as indicated by the rainbow that forms in the sky.
Genesis 10: Genealogy from Noah and his sons with their families. Settled is the table of nations.
Genesis 11: The people of the Earth were united in language and purpose. The Lord confuses their language and disperses them to further regions separate from each other. Descendants of Shem outlined all the way to Abram.
Genesis 12: Abram sojourns to Egypt. Abram tells his wife to lie on his behalf before Pharaoh in order that he would live. Pharaoh was cursed by God and Sarai was returned to Abram.
Genesis 13: Abram and Lot separated with distributed land and livestock among them. The Lord promises Abram the blessings of descendants and territory.
Genesis 14: The kings of the regions were at war. Lot captured and rescued by Abram and his forces. King Melchizedek blesses Abram and the Lord. King of Sodom offers provisions to Abram.
Genesis 15: Abram promised a son. The Lord makes a covenant promise to Abram about the extending territory for his descendants.
Genesis 16: Sarai has the Egyptian maid Hagar marry Abram and bear children with him. Hagar despised Sarai and a rivalry developed with Hagar’s removal from the people. The Angel of the Lord promises descendants to Hagar. Ishmael is born to Hagar and Abram.
Genesis 17: Abram renamed to Abraham and the Lord’s covenant with him is reinforced. A sign of the covenant through circumcision is established with the newborn of the people.
Genesis 18: The Lord promises to Abraham a son and reveals to him the forthcoming destruction of cities Sodom and Gomorrah. Abraham appeals to the Lord about the righteous people among the wicked in both cities.
Genesis 19: The Lord rescues Lot and thereafter destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah. Lot was violated by his daughters. They gave birth to the predecessors of the Moabite and Ammonite people.
Genesis 20: Abraham again used Sarah’s status as his sister to protect himself from harm. King Abimelech warned by God to return Sarah to Abraham or he will be killed. Sarah was returned to Abraham.
Genesis 21: Abraham’s son Isaac was born to Sarah as the Lord promised. Sarah’s displeasure with Hagar from Egypt caused Abraham to send her away. The Lord promised a great nation of Ishmael, Hagar’s son.
Genesis 22: The Lord tested Abraham with His command to offer a sacrifice of his son Isaac. Abraham’s love and obedience for the Lord demonstrated the willing sacrifice of his son. The Angel of the Lord stops Abraham from slaying his son and He blesses him.
Genesis 23: Sarah died and was buried in a cave at Machpelah.
Genesis 24: A bride for Isaac was identified and chosen at a spring and well near Nahor in Mesopotamia. Isaac marries Rebekah.
Genesis 25: Abraham died as he was buried in a cave at Machpelah. The rivalry between Jacob and Esau emerges, and Esau sells his birthright to Jacob for a meal.
Genesis 26: Isaac takes up residence in Gerar where he has a quarrel with herdsmen over water wells. Abimelech from chapter 20 makes a covenant of peace with Isaac.
Genesis 27: Isaac and his mother Rebekah deceived Jacob to steal his blessing from first-born Esau.
Genesis 28: Jacob sent away to Paddan-aram to seek a wife. Jacob has a dream about a ladder reaching into heaven with angels ascending and descending upon it. God appears before Jacob with a promise of territory for his descendants.
Genesis 29: Jacob meets Rachel and works for Laban to earn her hand in marriage. Laban tricks Jacob to cause him to marry Leah. Jacob works extra duration to finally marry Rachel.
Genesis 30: Jacob bears children with Leah. God opens the womb of Rachel in that she is able to bear Joseph. Jacob prospers through his earnings and status with Laban.
Genesis 31: Jacob leaves Laban and head to Canaan under the instruction of the Lord. Laban pursues but is met with a warning from God not to speak against Jacob. Laban and Jacob make a covenant of peace.
Genesis 32: Jacob encounters news from his messengers about Esau’s forthcoming meeting with him. Jacob becomes fearful and prays to the Lord for protection. Jacob wrestled with God for a blessing.
Genesis 33: Esau reaches Jacob and he is delighted to see his brother and family. Jacob declines to travel further with Esau. Jacob settled in Shechem.
Genesis 34: Shechem, the son of Hamor, raped Jacob’s daughter Dinah. As a result, Jacob’s sons, Simeon and Levi, killed the males of the city. Along with Hamor and his sons, including Shechem.
Genesis 35: Jacob relocates to Bethel upon the Lord’s instructions. Jacob is renamed Israel and the 12-tribes of Israel are identified.
Genesis 36: The genealogy and descendants of Esau are listed by name and location.
Genesis 37: Jacob’s son Joseph dreams of his reign over his brothers. His brothers plot against him where he is sold into slavery.
Genesis 38: Judah neglects Tamar and doesn’t present Shelah his son to her as a mate. Judah unknowingly mates with Tamar thinking she was a prostitute. Tamar bears Judah’s twin sons, Perez and Zerah.
Genesis 39: Joseph escapes Potiphar’s seductive wife and gains success at the Pharaoh’s household in Egypt. Joseph is imprisoned after falsely accused by Potiphar’s wife.
Genesis 40: Joseph interprets Pharaoh’s dream to the chief cupbearer about the demise of the chief baker.
Genesis 41: Joseph interprets Pharaoh’s dream and he is made a ruler of Egypt. Joseph bears two sons, Manasseh and Ephraim.
Genesis 42: Joseph’s brothers go to Egypt to buy grain and eventually appear before him. Simeon is held bound in Egypt while Joseph’s brothers were to return to him with Benjamin the youngest.
Genesis 43: Joseph’s brothers return to Egypt with Benjamin. Joseph is delighted by seeing them, seeing Benjamin, and hearing about Jacob’s well-being.
Genesis 44: Joseph’s brothers are brought back to Egypt after it was previously discovered that Benjamin had falsely stolen silver/goods in his sack.
Genesis 45: Joseph is reconciled to his brothers. He has his entire family, including Jacob, given a place to stay in Egypt due to the forthcoming famine.
Genesis 46: The Lord appears to Jacob in a dream to give him confidence about going to Egypt. The families of Jacob who relocate to Egypt are listed by name.
Genesis 47: Jacob and his family settle in Goshen with pledges of support from Pharaoh. Jacob gets Joseph to promise his forthcoming burial with their forefathers.
Genesis 48: Just prior to Jacob’s death, he blesses Ephraim and Manasseh. Jacob tells Joseph that God is with him and will return him to the land of his fathers.
Genesis 49: Jacob gathers his sons and prophesies about their forthcoming days ahead. All the heads of the tribes of Israel are separately blessed. Jacob dies.
Genesis 50: Jacob is mourned, and Joseph buries him at Machpelah as promised. Joseph dies at 110 years old with his remains interred in Egypt.
This work seeks to cover a range of topics concerning the canon of Scripture. From historical to contemporary perspectives to get an in-depth look at both the Old and New Testament formation, which together as a whole constitute the whole canon of God’s eternal word. During the research for this project, a significant number of factors were examined at length to grasp the weight and concentration of activity and inspiration that went into the assembly of the Bible down through the centuries. The origination, delivery, and assembly of the Bible are placed into our hands today by providence from our all-merciful Lord and King. We have a debt of eternal gratitude for its place in our lives.
Introduction
Today, the Holy Bible is reportedly the best-selling book in the world.1 With its deep and lasting influence upon individuals, society, governments, and institutions; it reaches deep into our common realm of existence to have an everlasting impact upon conduct, policy, culture, law, lifestyles, art, sciences, and everyday living. The word of God is venerable and represents a class of literary work of its own. Extending back for thousands of years, with the events of mankind upon the Earth, it has recorded the activity of creation and humanity to such an extent that it shapes the thinking and worldview of billions among both the living and the dead.
The weight and substance of Scripture’s authority are somewhat supported by its canonization. Through sovereign orchestration and ordained use of God’s word read publicly and privately, the selection of communicated texts was produced and distributed for the development and well-being of the Church throughout Christendom. As written, collected, and meticulously reproduced over thousands of years, a formative process to codify recognition, understanding, and acceptance of divinely inspired writings came about to shape what is today defined as the canon of Scripture. More specifically, the canon is the “list of all the books that belong in the Bible.”2 Etymologically speaking, the term canon originates from the Greek word “kanōn” (κανών), which is translated as “rule” or “measuring stick” among other common terms as a way to size, quantify, or gauge dimensions of truth. This word is likely a derivative of the Hebrew term “kaneh” which means “reed’. To also mean from the Latin, the canon is the source of absolute divine authority in the lives of both Jew and Gentiles or peoples of the Earth for all time.
When God breathed out His word over a period of time, they were recorded through a series of events concerning His plan to restore creation throughout redemptive history. Both literally and theologically, the canon of Scripture gains acceptance in meaning through the recognition of root-word definitions over time and canonical discovery among Church fathers. Ultimately, God determines canonicity.3 Whereas canonization refers to the method by which sacred texts are brought together by their usage and authority.
The process of canonization involves recognizing what was always canonical. Where there is a canonical consciousness in Scripture, ecumenical fathers and councils come to recognize its authority and divine inspiration while in use among church gatherings. Scripture itself correlates to what is true from among its various separate authors. At a macro level, the entire body of Scripture is systematic and fixed as a single entity. It is not to be tampered with, appended, or redacted. From Deuteronomy to Malachi in the Old Testament, there is an expectation about a forthcoming prophet woven together in the text across various genres.
For example, the Pentateuch of Scripture is together sealed as a cohesive unit prior to covenants becoming the redemptive backstory of history. Long before the new covenant was developed and communicated in the New Testament, the formation of the Old Testament canon was recognized by the prophets and people throughout the centuries as having authority. It was self-declarative then as God’s word with support extending throughout the remaining Old Testament over time and all the way through the New Testament to communicate the new covenant and the work of Jesus, His apostles, and the early church. From beginning to end, the revelation of God was recorded throughout the New Testament, just as it was in the Old Testament.
God spoke through Scripture from Revelation all the way back to Genesis. As the prophetic activity began in Deuteronomy and extended throughout the Old Testament among major and minor prophets, the fulfillment of those prophesies come about with new prophetic meaning is formed through revelation as articulated in the book of the Apocalypse, or the book of Revelation. This range of revelation communicates God’s intent through His prophets and apostles to demonstrate the interwoven nature of Scriptural messaging. Where together they are spiritually and canonically synchronous and guided by providence to reach us today.
The interconnected nature of the Old and New Testaments are an eternal witness to the canonicity of Scripture. As God spoke through the apostles and prophets, they wrote and spoke what was revealed to them, the early church, and to us today. The cascading effect of reference among both Old and New Testament writers gives extraordinary weight to the authenticity of God’s word. There is the credibility of appointed and ordained people sequentially building upon one another to thread together coherent spiritual and supernatural meaning for generations. Without uncertainty, Scripture consists of these canonical writings to further reinforce its total authority as intended.4
The canon of Scripture is not a passive expression of interconnected texts. It is a binding testimony recognized by Church history concerning the revelation of God through the prophets and writings of the apostles. While the canonization process throughout history was messy, it has a formative background across large geographical distances, large spans of time, and human languages. As supported by its canonical status, the authority of Scripture transcends scrutiny to withstand social and cultural pressures across the same stretches of time, geography, and language. The Bible itself declares its canonicity, and as a living entity, without being sentient, it is self-aware.
Old Testament Canon
Three Old Testament categories are contained in the Bible that has a bearing on their formation and recognition within the Church. Within the Bible, the first books of the law include Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy. Known as the Torah or Pentateuch, these are the beginning books of the Bible. Following the books of the law, there are thirteen total historical books of the Bible, including Joshua, Judges, Ruth, 1 Samuel, 2 Samuel, 1 Kings, 2 Kings, 1 Chronicles, 2 Chronicles, Ezra Nehemiah, and Esther. There are additional apocryphal non-canonical books of history, including 1 and 2 Esdras, Tobit, and Judith. Continuing through the Bible, after the books of the law and historical writings, there are five books of wisdom and poetry. Namely, Job, Psalms, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, and Song of Solomon. Finally, the books of the Bible are separated in notoriety and substantive impact as Major and Minor prophets are a total of seven and twelve, respectively. The seven books of the Minor Prophets are Hosea, Amos, Micah, Joel, Obadiah, Jonah, Nahum, Habakkuk, Zephaniah, Haggai, Zechariah, and Malachi. The five books of the Major Prophets are Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, Lamentations, and Daniel. All of these books of the Bible listed here are their English language renderings by name or title.
The historical development of the Old Testament canon involved three operative principles as a matter of process. They are an inspiration, recognition, and preservation. Together these principles concern the three steps of placement and delivery of the total canon of Scripture. Among all 39 books of the Old Testament, they were first introduced by God so as to exclude other writings that were not inspired. These are the closed canon of the Old Testament as progressively revealed and inspired truth originating from God. The recognition of revealed and inspired truth that became transmitted and circulated were thereafter preserved as a collection of interconnected writings on ancient media originating from the oral tradition and copied from texts produced by Old Testament authors.
Historical Developments
There is separate historicity to each area of Scripture. Specifically, concerning the books of the law, the prophets, and other writings. While it is recognized that the Antilegomena5 pertains to disputed New Testament books, there were contested books of the Old Testament also. Historical attestation of the Hebrew canon extends back to numerous influential people involved in church leadership, translation, textual analysis, and ecumenical policy. Also known as the Masoretic canon, the Hebrew bible was largely compartmentalized as separate books that were recognized as having informational validity, but it was necessary to recognize those which were divinely inspired. Through a lineage of lists, authors, and historians, Jewish people of long ago held a tripartite view of canonical Scripture as a total homogenous effort.
There is separate historicity to each area of Scripture. Specifically concerning the books of the law, the prophets, and other writings. While it is recognized that the Antilegomena5 pertains to disputed New Testament books, there were contested books of the Old Testament also. Historical attestation of the Hebrew canon extends back to numerous influential people involved in church leadership, translation, textual analysis, and ecumenical policy. Also known as the Masoretic canon, the Hebrew bible was largely compartmentalized as separate books that were recognized as having informational validity, but it was necessary to recognize those which were divinely inspired. Through a lineage of lists, authors, and historians, Jewish people of long ago held a tripartite view of canonical Scripture as a total homogenous effort.
It was Josephus, the first-century Jewish historian, who concluded that after the closure of Malachi, the last book of the Old Testament, there were no other prophetic books from about 424 B.C. that communicated revelation from God to the Jewish people. Therefore, while there was yet chronological prophetic activity, there was no other way to substantiate or safely conclude other writings outside the Masoretic canon to confirm they were authentic or even divinely inspired. The books listed by Bishop Melito of Sardis in A.D. 170 account for the earliest listing of all Old Testament books except for a few that were later recognized, among others. Nearly one hundred years later, Origen recognized the same 22 canonical books as Josephus. Even Hilary of Poitiers and Jerome recognized the 22 canonical books.
In contrast, for hundreds of years after about 425 B.C., the Old Testament remained understood as divinely inspired and the revealed word of Truth. Aside from the remaining books to follow within the tripartite of the modern Old Testament, it was Athanasius who confirmed that the Old Testament count was 22. These were the same as those in the Masoretic Text and were in roughly the same order of the Protestant Bible at the time. Athanasius died in A.D. 365.
From among the remaining books of today’s Old Testament, there were historical books named and collated differently. For example, 1 Samuel and 2 Samuel were 3, and 4 Kings or Jeremiah is thought to have included Lamentation. Of the total 39 books currently in the Old Testament, they are found among the 22 recognized by how they were kept in ancient times.7 With other writings and texts combined and later separated, few other books were recognizing other books of Wisdom and the writings aside from the minor prophets. The sequence of historical recognition included the law, the major and minor prophets, and finally, the Writings (Hagiographa). Not in chronological order within the Masoretic Text, or Hebrew Bible, then and from what we have today, but by a sequence of assembly and later recognition. By the time the first century Christians arrived, Hebrew canon was set as canonical and authoritative, and no one dared, or have been so bold to take, add, or change anything to them.8
Genre & Formation
As elaborated earlier, each of the three areas of the Old Testament has its own formative background. The law, the prophets, and the writings have their origins from divine inspiration and share commonality among the Protestant, Roman Catholic, Eastern Orthodox, Ethiopian, and Syriac traditions. All categorical types of faith use the same Protestant Old Testament, but their order is somewhat different from the Hebrew Bible. The story about their collection and formation originates from the idea that the listed books of the Old Testament are a catalog of sacred texts. Such that the modes of communication were of a large literary range. From a study of hermeneutics, a student of Scripture immediately sees this wide range to express meaning in a way that goes beyond type designations as “the law,” the prophets,” and “the writings.” Genre pertains to a style of communication presented within Scripture to include explicit instruction, poetry, apocalyptical, wisdom, narration, and revelatory, among others.
These types within the Old Testament are partitioned by book but can also be found at a passage level as well. Interwoven among stories, proverbs, prophecies, hymns, songs, poems, genealogies, and historical references, are separate types that interface with one another as spoken or written by the patriarchal fathers and prophets from within the Biblical text. As one Biblical author writes within an area of Scripture and refers to these explicit types of genre. Even further, the substance of meaning of specific stories involving people, places, and events is often brought into view by the reader or listener of Scripture. From one passage, and one book to another, a continuous interface is progressively formed at an increasingly granular level. The propagation of historical and spiritual meaning as guided by God gives Old Testament writers a foundation and certainty by which truth unfolds for delivery to people of the relevant time period and even people today.
With continued conviction among historical figures in the Bible, readers of Scripture observe the divinely authoritative status of the written word as the Old Testament. From Josiah in 2 Kings 22 to the readings of Nehemiah, we see the preeminent attention placed upon God’s word as it was in use for the safety and well-being of the Lord’s people. In fact, during the time when early Old Testament texts were collected, the Jews recognized the importance of Scriptural adherence. As written in 2 Kings 17:13, the Lord warned His people through every prophet and every seer “Turn from your evil ways and keep My commandments and My statutes, in accordance with all the Law that I commanded your fathers, and that I sent to you by my servants the prophets.” Their acknowledgment, comprehension, and compliance were necessary and made certain through oral tradition and what was read and circulated from the prophets. To illustrate and reinforce the authoritative nature of what was communicated to hold an enormous weight of meaning.
Along with the inspired canon of Scripture, there were various extra-biblical, or non-canonical writings read alongside the full canon. They were among peoples who inhabited Israel, Greece, Italy, the Middle East, and Ancient Mesopotamia. In addition to the authors of Scripture, there were numerous historical, philosophical, and deuterocanonical authors of similar genre that gained the attention of many among the Jewish people and Gentile nations beyond. Ingrained into religious and pagan cultures from about 400 B.C. to the second and third centuries A.D., the pseudepigrapha writings occupied the thoughts and activity of those who were also subject to the full counsel of God’s word. The works of the Apocrypha,9 were also well-known and popular then as they are today. Recognized and accepted as ancient books of cultural and religious value, they were a substantial source of historical reference to deeper understand Biblical backgrounds.
While some within the Roman Catholic and Ethiopic Church systems accept the noncanonical apocryphal books alongside the canon, Protestant Christendom does not view them as carrying nearly the same weight. At least in terms of authority or inspiration as given to us by the Lord Most High in His revealed words through Scripture. To further elaborate on what the books of the Apocrypha were and where they were included, there is a virtual matrix to understand their noncanonical and widespread use. Codices Vaticanus, Sinaiticus, and Alexandrinus, to include the Peshitta, Vulgate, Roman Catholic Canon, Greek Orthodox Canon, and the Authorized King James Version (1611) all have a mix of different apocryphal books. However, generally, the inclusion of Apocryphal books is numerous across all texts.10 There are approximately 20 books of the Apocrypha including Tobit, Judith, additions to Esther, Wisdom of Solomon, Sirach, Baruch, Letter to Jeremiah, additions to Daniel, 1 Maccabees, 2 Maccabees, 3 Maccabees, 4 Maccabees, 1 Esdras, 2 Esdras, Prayer of Manasseh, Psalm 151, and Odes.
Criticisms, Responses, & Implications
Liberal scholars of theology and the doctrine of Scripture advocate positions of authorial dating, origination, and content contrary to Scripture itself. In an effort to deconstruct the Biblical accounts of direct and indirect communication from Yahweh to His chosen people, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Moses, Joshua, David, and others, new dates of authorship are set, with authors other than what was written about in Scripture. For example, it is recorded in Joshua 1:8 that “this book of the law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it in order to do all that is written in it.” If in context Joshua really could not have instructed the people of Israel to understand and know the Torah, or the first 5-books of the Bible, the books of the law because the text did not exist at the time, then deconstructionists are propagating error at best or a harmful lie. The contentious perspectives from those working against God’s word span across all three major divisions of the Old Testament.11 It appears in every area of Scripture, it is dissected and with attempts to thereafter “prove” forgery, or unsubstantiated social contributions to the origination, recognition, and assembly of Scripture. Where the attack is not on the message of Scripture itself per se, but its inspiration and ultimate source.
The specific criticisms of the books of the Law of Moses, the books of the Prophets, and the Kethûbîm (Writings), concern anti-supernatural presuppositions that attempt to cast doubt on the authority and inspiration of Scripture to affect its validity among adherents negatively. Especially as an effort to damage its power to reveal the truth of God’s redemptive history and plan. By divine authority, the canon of Scripture is self-attested to demonstrate the valid substance of the Biblical authors at the time they wrote. The recognition and acceptance of intended readers were immediate down through the centuries, and contradictions otherwise are deceptive and likely nefarious to some extent. Speculative theories founded upon critical thought reveal a disconnect between dated times of authorship as compared to when actual events occurred or when the activity took place to give Scripture its content and meaning.
Canonical criticism concerning Old Testament canonicity was pioneered by Brevard S. Childs and James A. Sanders.12 The term canonical criticism was coined by Sanders as it introduced challenges to traditional studies in Biblical Theology and as new perspectives on interpretive developments were occurring in the 1970s. There was disagreement between Childs and Sanders concerning critical methods of Biblical analysis because Sanders held the view that biblical authority is outside the province of historical study. Furthermore, canonical criticism, from Childs’ view, is that the community and final form of the Bible largely shape the canon and the authority of Scripture. A corresponding response from Sanders articulated a dispute to detail a valid method of interpretation itself from a historical and theological framework. A framework involving a process of prophetic hermeneutic of the writers of Scripture.13
Objections to Childs’ view of the community shaped canon began to form in defense of proper recognition of Biblical authority and historical accuracy. Christopher R. Seitz, in his work, “The Character of Christian Scripture: The Significance of a Two-Testament Bible, argues for an approach to canonical interpretation that takes into serious account the facts of history and its stages of development. In the context of original inspiration, an unbalanced and low view of Scripture must not rest too much on one testament at the expense of another.14 Others have argued for a canonical approach to interpretation where theological tension is somewhat relieved in favor of clarity and application through hermeneutics. For example, any perceived tension between Paul and James in the biblical record is eased as suggested. Such that the epistle of James is written in support of the canonical timeline of the gospels to balance what some may view as opposition to later Pauline epistles (see Robert W. Wall on James 4:13-5:6).
The debate between Protestants and Roman Catholics about the canon appears around the doctrine of Christ’s Incarnation. Where during the Reformation, the doctrine of “Solus Christus,” which means “in Jesus Christ and in Him alone the Divine has become man, in him alone the revelation of God appears to us, in him alone God speaks to us,” 15 we see a position of unmediated interpretation through the fallibility of people who were involved in the gathering and recognition of the canon. As everyone stands in a direct personal relationship with Christ, the doctrine of sola Scriptura then comes into view with its expression, “for through the word of Scripture alone can man meet Jesus Christ directly.” From the Roman Catholic perspective articulated by Nicolas Appel, the intermingling of the human condition bears a problem and somewhat accounts for the struggle in canonical acceptance and recognition. This somewhat explains why some books of the Apocrypha appear within the Catholic Bible. Specifically about how the interjection of the human condition affects the testimony of the Holy Spirit about the Word of God. Some would argue that this position remains unresolved.
Differences between a theological and historical process in canonical recognition stem from the doctrine of incarnation specifically through Christ (Solus Christus; Protestant) as compared to Christ and the Church (Christus Totus; Catholic) as Christ inhabits His body by the Holy Spirit within the Church. Christus Totus in Latin means “The Whole of Christ.” The incarnation of Christ in bodily form through Himself as Jesus the Messiah and the incarnation of the Holy Spirit through His body, the Church. It is concluded that since the Holy Spirit bears witness to the truth concerning canonical Scripture, its pertinent recognition and acceptance come from the Catholic Church. Not exclusively through canonical consciousness by the Holy Spirit’s work in Scripture alone (sola Scriptura). This view about the incarnation of Christ throughout Protestant and Catholic Christendom, therefore, has significant implications for the recognition, acceptance, and authority of Scripture which would affect worship and practice.
New Testament Canon
The canon of the New Testament parallels that of the Old Testament. In the fourth and fifth centuries A.D., the New Testament was closed, and the consciousness of the canon was made clear through exegetical interpretation and sound hermeneutical practices. The work of the Holy Spirit began in the Scriptures to communicate the inspired word of the Lord. As the Old Testament was already canonized and in use among first-century Jewish peoples, it continued to gain acceptance and wider use among the Gentiles throughout the Greco-Roman world. As the writings, teachings, and oral traditions of the Apostles were making their way through the early church; there is little doubt that fledgling believers and followers of Christ were presented with the Old Testament subject matter as well. Details about the old and new covenants that concern the revelation and witness of the Gospel completed the full counsel of God’s word.
Historical Developments
The underlying strength and authority of Scripture are supported by its canonicity. From the interconnected relationships within itself and throughout the Old and New Testaments, Scripture affirms its meaning across books or writings by genre. Historically, the Lord chose to use numerous authors over time to communicate revealed meaning about Himself, His plan, and what He has done through Creation. His activity to originate, configure, and maintain Creation in perfect order is accomplished through His word. Just as His word brings together all of Creation to accomplish His purposes, by God’s sovereign and perfect will, He is able to originate and inspire His written word where it is brought into existence and formed to accomplish His objectives. To demonstrate how our Lord accomplishes this, He uses means among fallible and sinful yet redeemed people through the work of the Holy Spirit (Luke 12:12, Luke 24:49).
Notice in Paul’s letter to Timothy that he refers to the Gospel of Luke as Scripture (1 Timothy 5:18). Incredibly, the work of Luke that records the words of Jesus, “The laborer deserves his wages,” is referred to by Paul as Scripture. Outside the Old Testament, the biblical text itself within the New Testament begins to form a historical perspective. Modeled for immediate church fathers to follow with the help of the Spirit of grace, no doubt (Zechariah 12:10). So down through time, over the course of history, we see the beginning of Scriptural meaning communicated in an interconnected way to stitch together both ancient codices and modern texts that serve as Holy documents that bring hope, wisdom, virtue, but most of all the revelatory intent of Yahweh.
We further see Paul’s letters referenced as “Scripture” by the apostle Peter (2 Peter 3:16). Paul was endowed “according to the wisdom given him” to demonstrate that just as our God spoke through the prophets, He did so through Paul, and here we have the apostle Peter in acknowledgment of that in truth and love. So first, we have Paul to Jesus, the second person of the Lord God incarnate referenced in Scripture as recorded in the book of Luke. Now we have Peter referring to Paul. As the communicative changes continue, we have Polycarp (125 A.D.), a disciple of John,16 as corroborated by Irenaeus and Tertullian, quoting Ephesians, 2 Timothy, and 1 John as Scriptures destined to the New Testament canon.17 Further along in time, Justin Martyr (150 A.D.) refers to the gospels as “Memoirs of the Apostles” in his First Apology discourse.18 Irenaeus (180 A.D.) refers to the fourfold form of the written gospels to indicate that there was a quantity of four written accounts of Jesus’ ancient biography and record as Scripture.19
Given there was a cascading sequence of Scriptural use occurrences in public life, and in personal study among the early church fathers, there were lists that began to form in forthcoming centuries that gave birth to the canon that the Church has today. From papyri to manuscripts, scrolls, and codices, the inspired content of the canon selected itself by various intertestamental references, and what belongs in the New Testament books were not originated from a human source. As various Gnostic and Montanist writings were rejected as formative lists were assembled, a clearer view of what the full counsel of God should look like in the form of the Holy Bible in the world today. To further elaborate on the genres and formation of the canon, various additional historical perspectives appear in antiquity. This was to demonstrate that there was a selection process concerning books of the whole Bible involving recognition, council review, affirmation, and acceptance. Not selection per se according to some vetting criteria, but by simple recognition of how Scripture held inherent value due to its subject matter as written by the inspiration of God and the Holy Spirit at work in the church at the time.
Genre & Formation
Alexandrian Fathers, Clement and Origen, were largely responsible for establishing a canonical view of Scripture within the early church. As recounted by Eusebius of Caesarea (260 – 340 A.D.), there was again a tripartite grouping of Scripture as outlined and written about. All three categories constituted a body of writings that were produced after the revelation of Christ through His apostles by their witness, testimonies, oral traditions, and written work. Within these categories were the two separate second and third-hand series of recorded events within the first and second centuries. Standing among them in the first category were the homologoumena, later recognized as the four Gospels, Acts, the Pauline letters, Hebrews, 1 Peter, 1 John, and the Apocalypse (Revelation) of John. The second category was that of the Antilegomena, recognized as the questionable books of James, Jude, 2 Peter, 2 and 3 John. Finally, the books that were not authentic, or accepted were The Acts of Paul, The Shepherd of Hermas, The Apocalypse of Peter, The Epistle of Barnabas, The Teachings of the Apostles, and the Apocalypse (Revelation) of John. One would notice that the book of Revelation was both in the homologoumena camp and the Antilegomena camp at the same time. Eusebius was, at times, uncertain about the canonical status of the book of Revelation, but he eventually recognized its acceptance and valid use within the Church as inspired Scripture.
The genres of the New Testament are varied as they are for the Old Testament. While there are no books of the law, wisdom, or poetry, produced within the New Testament, it consists of the Gospels of Christ, historical narratives, letters from apostolic fathers, and prophetic writings. As the term gospel translates from the Greek term euangelion,20its definition corresponds to “good news.” Prior to the use of the term in the New Testament, it was a word applied in another era concerning a victory of military conquest or political achievement. The gospels in the New Testament, Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John, are narrative stories loaded with deep theological meaning and significance. They are ancient biographical stories of good news for people during the time of apostolic ministry. “To the ends of the Earth,” they are good news to everyone today.
The book of Acts is a narrative story, like the gospels. It is a story of theological history with deep and meaningful significance. It traces the events and activities of the apostles throughout geographical regions in the Middle East and Asia Minor. Canonically, the book of Luke interfaces with the book of Acts as described within their content between Luke 24:49 and Acts 1 – 2. Specifically, instructions to remain in the city for power to follow from the Lord as written in Luke and then the follow-up fulfillment of the promise. To include Christ’s ascension and the arrival of the Holy Spirit at the occurrence of Pentecost. The church’s growth, its persecution, Paul’s missionary journeys, and his encounters with culture, including political and legal systems, provide a clear and natural transition from the gospels. Peter shared the gospel and built the church within Jerusalem, while Paul also obeyed Christ’s commission to bring the same good news to Gentiles outside of Israel.
The New Testament canon includes the apostle’s letters produced from the early church. These were all of a correspondence genre that was read and circulated throughout the church at the time. Even today, this subject matter’s spiritual and theological development was regarded as Scripture as it is today (2 Pet 3:16, 2 Tim 3:16). Between Acts and the apostolic letters written to the churches in Asia Minor and to the Hebrews and Romans, there were disputes about their validity through the centuries and still remain today with objections surrounding authenticity, dating, and historical validity.
As its own New Testament genre, the book of Revelation consists of three different literary types combined into one. It is a letter from John to seven churches in Asia Minor concerning prophecy and apocalyptic events to come. The three literary types of correspondence, prophecy, and apocalypse concern the revelation of Jesus involving judgment and events to come during the last days prior to His return.
Recognition of what books belonged in the New Testament canon was not obvious to the early church. There were numerous early lists that cataloged the written work of the apostles and authors to gather a full view of the inspired word of God as authoritative Scripture. Traditional dating from about 160 – 200 A.D., the earliest list was the Muratorian Fragment or the Muratorian Canon.21 While written in Latin, it was probably translated from an original Greek copy, and it still resides today in Milan, Italy. It consists of all the books of our New Testament today except Hebrews, James, 1 Peter, 2 Peter, and 3 John. This canon identified forgeries excluded from Scripture, and it accepted the Apocalypse of Peter for private reading.22
All the way from the first and second centuries, there were additional listings that formed up to the fourth and fifth centuries. Namely, formations from Origen of Alexandria (215 – 250 A.D.), Eusebius of Caesarea (311 A.D.), Cyril of Jerusalem (350 A.D.), Cheltenham canon (359 A.D.), Athanasius of Alexandria (367 A.D.), Amphilochius of Iconium (375 – 394 A.D.), and the Third Synod of Carthage (393 A.D.). The pattern of recognition among all of these formative canons was by iteration and successive approximation among different individuals to get to a final and closed New Testament canon. With all of these lists, the final recognized canon at the Third Synod of Carthage was that of Athanasius. The twenty-seven books of the New Testament were then formed, recognized, and accepted. From the Synod of Carthage, the canon of Athanasius was locked in place.
As these lists were produced separately and independently, a number of observations and suggestions are offered about what revealed the canon’s selected books of Scripture.23 Specifically, among the canonical lists and later all books in the New Testament, a pattern or criteria emerges to discount any idea that selection was arbitrary, incoherent, or without a sensible human rationale. Together the criteria or selectivity pattern included apostolicity, orthodoxy, relevance, widespread, and longstanding use.
Criticisms, Responses, & Implications
Defending the canon from critics entailed quite a bit of effort against liberal scholars’ objections to the process of recognition and affirmation from councils long ago on ideological grounds. Namely, Dan Brown’s Da Vinci Code is founded upon philosophies originating back to the emerging Gnostic era during the time of early church fathers. Bart D. Ehrman’s written work of “Jesus Interrupted” claims that the canon was the arbitrary selection of people among councils that did not put written works of the apostolic era up to vote.24 Where others were left out of the selection or recognition process of the canon. Others who produced lists of writings from among early Christians and church leaders were left out as they objected to the transpired formation of the canon to recognize and affirm God’s revealed word. Additional modern critics that object to the formation of the canon, inerrancy, authority, or tradition of Scripture include John Dominic Crossan, Marcus Borg, and John Shelby Spong.
Each critic that presents objections to the validity of Scripture or the value and necessity of redemption, worship, service, and a life of faith generally comes from a storied period of time in academic work who have had life experiences or hardships in their faith that caused a departure of orthodox critical thought. Their work in finding other books outside the canon, or to champion socially liberal worldviews more palatable to the culture of scholars inevitably makes detailed, thorough, and self-justifiable efforts to work against Scripture and not with it to validate its meaning and truth. To apply a standard of humanistic rationale from presuppositions somewhat rooted in naturalism or unreconciled contradictions without explanation, assertions are concluded about errors in Scripture that remain unaccounted for to their satisfaction. Whether or not there are satisfactory explanations, or that there are no explanations whatsoever, in the view of the critical liberal scholar, there must be valid explanations answerable to human thought and reason as necessary to justify confidence or belief in Christ with or without the help of the Holy Spirit through the inspired Word of God as provided within the canon. There can be no justifiable or viable rationale about variances or errors among manuscripts found within the formation of the canon. Aside from the self-affirming nature of the canonical books of the Bible, there is an inferred insistence that all facts and details about revelatory writings line up according to the standards of scholars or liberal academic leaders that must abide by the requirements and social, behavioral, philosophical, and economical preferences of social pressures and personal inclinations even if they run contrary to the truth of Scripture.
Naturally, as false teachers, liberal academics, secular scholars, or apostates who learn about Scripture have an influence among the formative minds of people who seek the truth of God’s revealed word, critical observations, hasty conclusions, and obfuscation can have a deep and lasting negative effect on morality and the salvific status of individuals. Reminiscent of Bildad, Eliphaz, Zophar, and Elihu in the book of Job, even objective efforts among critics to understand and recognize the truth of Scripture can surface erroneous or deceptive conclusions. Propagated by lectures, written work, and social interaction that have implications of serious personal and social consequences. Unfavorable outcomes that break down social, government, family, and spiritual order inevitably bring about the demise of people at an unimaginable scale. Not due to an inability to recognize and understand Truth, but to accept and abide by it without causing harm to others. The absence of a commitment to Truth according to Scripture as revealed through the Holy Spirit by the work of the apostles and prophets lead to enslavement and misery in one form or another.
Conclusion
Throughout this project, a substantial effort was made to research and communicate background, formation, development, and criticism details concerning the canon of God’s Word as revealed to the world throughout Scripture. Involving a wide-spread set of resources to get a topical yet comprehensive view of what occurred over the centuries to bring us the teachings and theological principles of the prophets, apostles, and God Most-High through our Lord Jesus. The Old and New Testaments together represent the full counsel of God’s Word. Just as the words, sentences, paragraphs, chapters, and genres convey substantial and everlasting meaning, the stitching together of books by various authors adds a progressive and revelatory way of recognizing what is necessary for the explicit will of God in Creation to include His redemptive work for humanity.
The fundamentals of the canon are necessary to understand across all eras throughout the Middle East, from the far reaches of Mesopotamia through Asia Minor and into modern Europe. With the earliest writings conveyed through the Pentateuch or the Mosaic Law, we see the beginning of what it is to recognize God’s written word from His hand (Exodus 31:18). His message beginning with the people of Israel initiated a process of revelatory instruction that extends through a series of covenants across a timeline that reaches us today. From promises made to promises kept, we see the writings of numerous people of the Lord bring to humanity the stories, psalms, and songs of meaning from the mind of God. Book by book, authenticated by the inspiration of the Spirit of God, we have confidence that people can find Him by their time and effort spent engaged in His word.
The composite nature of Scripture is developed such that its modularity is coherent with overlapping, interlinking, and interwoven messages by narration and various types of suitable expression. It is a self-authenticating work of the Spirit of God, through His people to originate its substance as a recording of texts and their assembly. Beneath what was written about in historical activity and events of the Bible that testify to what occurred as prophesied and fulfilled. All the way from the garden to the ascension, we have an end-to-end view of what Truth is providentially given to us through the canon of God’s Word.
Citations
1. Guinness World Records. Guinness World Records. 2020. https://www.guinnessworldrecords.com/world-records/best-selling-book-of-non-fiction (accessed March 10, 2020). 2. Grudem, Wayne. Systematic Theology, Introduction to Biblical Doctrine (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1994), 54. 3. Norman Geisler, William E. Nix. A General Introduction to the Bible (Chicago Moody Press, 1986), 221. Van Pelt, Blomberg & Schreiner, Lecture 7: Seams in the Canonical and 4. Covenantal Structure, (2020) accessed March 11, 2020, https://www.biblicaltraining.org/library/seams-canonical-covenantal-structure/biblical-theology/van-pelt-blomberg-schreiner. 5. Dictionary.com, Antilegomena, 2020, accessed March 12th, 2020, www.dictionary.com/browse/antilegomena. 6. Archer, Gleason L. A Survey of Old Testament Introduction (Chicago: Moody, 2007), 64. 7. Sumner, Tracy Macron. How Did We Get the Bible (Uhrichsville: Barbour Publishing, 2009), 65. 8. Josephus, The Works of Josephus – Against Apion 1.8 (Whiston. Peabody: Hendrickson, 1988), 776. 9. Easton, M.G. Easton’s Bible Dictionary, 1893, (Logos Systems, Inc.). 10. Estes, The Lexham Bible Dictionary, Apocrypha (Logos Systems, Lexham Press, Bellingham, 2016). 11. Meeks, “Overview of the Canon,” Lexham Bible Dictionary / Encyclopedia, Canonical Criticism. 12. Ibid., Central Concepts and Practitioners. 13. Ibid., Critics and Criticisms. 14. Carson, Woodbridge, “Hermeneutics, Authority, and Canon,” Four Approaches to Canon History. 15. Ibid. Carson, Woodbridge. 16. Pierce, The Lexham Bible Dictionary, Polycarp, Life. (Logos Systems, Lexham Press, Bellingham), 2016. 17. Ibid. Pierce. Polycarp’s Letter to the Philippians. 18. Schaff, History of the Christian Church, (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans Publishing, 1996), Volume 2, 222-223. 19. Wood, Marshal, The New Bible Dictionary, 430. 20. Duvall, Hays, Grasping God’s Word, (Grand Rapids, Zondervan, 2012), 270. 21. Strong, Systematic Theology, (Philadelphia: American Baptist Publication Society, 1970), 146. 22. Powell, The HarperCollins Bible Dictionary, (New York: Harper, 2011). 23. Licona, How the Canon of the Bible Was Formed – (YouTube, March 31, 2016), accessed March 08, 2020, https://youtu.be/s0BCm2cRx9w?t=317. 24. Ehrman, Jesus Interrupted, (New York, HarperOne), 190.
Too often, while professors, scholars, and students claim inerrancy of Scripture, they will advocate that it says something else other than Biblical authors intended. Where there is a denial to recognize what Scripture says, they can claim or say anything they want and yet hold on to an inerrantist view or conviction. Scholars and others will deny the historicity of certain events, and the authorship of certain books with excuses always the same. The thought process runs like this: “Inerrancy deals with what the Bible claims” and “I” am saying it claims something else. So whatever you bring up, another person could reject your way of interpretation because they choose to believe the Bible says something else.
Consequently, through the denial of authorial intent, skeptics can assert that inerrancy becomes meaningless. People begin to claim that the Bible is in contradiction with itself and history while still insisting they are inerrantists. Scholars and skeptics proclaim that inerrancy is dead, and hermeneutics has killed it.
By comparison to this type of thought, the Bible itself informs us about how Scripture is used to communicate and reinforce meaning. Biblical authors used this intertextuality to apply a hermeneutic to faithful communicate the truth of God’s word. The way biblical writers read Scripture is how they wrote according to a high hermeneutical standard. This is to serve as an example for us today. How prophets and apostles read under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, shows us how we are to rightly divide the Word of Truth. The Bible comes with its hermeneutic included.
The biblical writers are the first inerrantists. To codify the fact that inerrancy is not a recently developed doctrine.
There are three main points about the New Testament’s use of the Old. They are literal, grammatical, and historical. These are points of observation traditionally associated with both inerrancy and hermeneutics. We received these points to identify and describe what is involved in both inerrancy and hermeneutics because that is what the apostles and prophets believed.
The Apostle’s Literal Hermeneutic
A literal hermeneutic is about the interpretation of meaning from an author’s original intent, context, and purpose. In this sense, there is a direct correlation to the issue of truth. Where we can conclude if there is error or mishandling among the apostle’s use of the Old Testament, what they had to say is less than truthful, consistent, or authoritative.
As an example of scholars that dispute the apostle’s literal hermeneutic, consider common assumptions made by Matthew among other New Testament authors. That there is the authoritative weight with Scripture to assure confidence and truth in what is written. With Jesus’s use of “have you not read” in Mt 12:5 and Mt 19:4, He appeals to the use of Scripture as authoritative. He believed Scripture settled issues relevant to readers.
In the New Testament, from Matthew’s (Mt 2:15) use of Hosea (Hos 11:1) in the Old Testament, we see from close examination “what was spoken by the Lord” (NASB). The first exodus referenced in Matthew from our deliverer Christ Jesus is a correlation to the second exodus of Israel written about in Hosea. Whereas we can understand and accept an introductory statement from Matthew that the reference concerns God’s word as authoritative. To support and build context among New Testament writers, biblical writers used the Old Testament to demonstrate meaning and authority and show their confidence in its inerrancy. This occurs numerous times throughout Scripture in various books, chapters, contexts, across genres and authors. Everything is connected.
How the New Testament uses the Old can be illustrated as a chain of reasoning where the prophetic hermeneutic is drawn out and applied by the apostolic hermeneutic. The literal hermeneutic Matthew chose from the book of Hosea factually illustrates a chain of extended authority. As Hosea references the book of Exodus and thereafter, Mathew references Hosea. Whereas, by comparison, Matthew could have appealed to Exodus directly. Scripture interprets Scripture, it is consistent with itself, and it is not contradictory over the centuries. This is a corollary to the doctrine of inerrancy.
The Apostle’s Grammatical Hermeneutic
The apostles knew that Scripture is truth word by word in structure and syntax. Disputes among Scholars attempt to show that this is not so as proof texted by Galatians 3:16. Where there is a seemingly errant contradiction between the plural and singular use of seed (NASB) or offspring (ESV). However, with further examination elsewhere in Genesis 22 and Psalm 72, both Abraham and David respectively recognize that there is one promised seed (singular) as again reference in the Galatians 3:16 verse.
Apostle Paul picks up what David references in Psalm 72 to concentrate on the word and grammar of “seed.” Whereas by comparison, modern scholars too often get it wrong. Making use of Galatians 3:16 in isolation without the application of a biblical hermeneutic to grasp a coherent and reliable meaning confirmed as truth.
What Paul refers to in Galatians 3:16 is exceptional evidence of the rule concerning effective sequential linkages in Scripture that correspond compellingly.
The Apostle’s Historical Hermeneutic
Scholars allege that in certain historical narratives, details might never have happened. That certain stories are entirely fictional. Objections to surface with reason about whether or not the apostles viewed historical events within Scripture as truthful and accurate. As evidence, Galatians chapter 4 is relied upon by scholars to make a case of allegory by Paul to show that not even the apostle accepted Scriptural truth within its historical detail.
Since it is demonstrated in Scripture elsewhere and overall that Paul is saturated in historical facts pertaining to numerous events, stories, and covenants across time, we are confident about his use and attention to detail as he writes his letter to the Galatians and even to us today. So Paul’s idea and purpose of allegory are not as we recognize and apply it today. We make sketchy allegorical use of spiritual symbology or principles drawn from Scripture while downplaying history. Paul uses history to make theological points. He argues theology from historical fact to demonstrate it is actualized by it. In 1 Corinthians 15, Paul does the same thing concerning the historical resurrection of Jesus. To say, if you don’t have a historical resurrection, you don’t have a gospel. History is the foundation of theology. In Romans 4:25, the resurrection is necessary for our justification to make again the point that history actualizes theology.
How Paul uses the principle of allegory is demonstrated by what is written in 1 Corinthians 10. Just as Israel was blessed and tempted, we are blessed and tempted. There are these two separate categories from a historical perspective, blessed and tempted. Israel blessed and tempted, the church blessed and tempted as they are categorically the same between both, but allegorical in contrast. Two items grouped and compared in contrast having different categories. So as other authors refer to events or circumstances in Scripture using different categories, by allegory, Paul does the same to connect corresponding theology to historical facts. Not to draw symbolic, vague, or spiritual inferences.
While there is an overall biblical hermeneutic standard, as demonstrated in Scripture, we do not always hit that standard. There is a difference in wrestling with the text as compared to wrestling against the text. We must apply the standard the apostles set for us as much as we can. The Prophetic hermeneutic is the Apostolic hermeneutic, and they, in turn, are the Christian hermeneutic. Inerrancy demands a hermeneutic of surrender as Scripture is the inspired, infallible, and all-sufficient word of God.
A method of ordered thought more suitable toward study, inquiry, and objections concerning Scriptural truth follows the four-tiered model of biblical studies introduced earlier. Whereas biblical languages, bible backgrounds, and hermeneutics together support competent exegesis. Initially, as two levels of effort to understand Scripture in its original, literary, and historical context. From our exegetical efforts, we bring together interconnected text as a biblical theology to further build reasoned conclusions and assertions about what God’s word reveals. Combined texts and concepts demonstrated within Scripture then become assembled to form a systematic theology concerning various doctrines that emerge with a foundational and ordered method of support.
Active use of this model involves matching the right discipline with the questions that arise from concerns in life, or from people that have an interest in a subject area. So questions that become posed often get applied to another area in an approach to respond in a coherent way that fully satisfies questions with answers directly applicable to the matter at hand. In so doing, we maximize the likelihood of interpersonal confidence in the reliability of truth derived from the biblical text, biblical theology, and historical theology as originated from God’s revealed and inspired truth (2 Timothy 3:16).
For people who seek answers or challenge us for specific and reliable reasons for truth, it is not enough to rest upon a platitude that says, “the bible says it, and that settles it.” To borrow on the authority of God’s word in an opaque way doesn’t address the specifics in a detailed and articulate manner. Normally, this effort places our attention upon the level one category of biblical, historical, cultural, and interpretive understanding. While the authority of God’s word is unquestionably true and final, that does not necessarily get to questions of interest and resolve them. It is even better to get a clear understanding of what is otherwise left to confusion, exploitation, or personal economic gain.
As questions, concerns, or objections arise and become addressed, the Biblical Studies model here provides a way to step through each suitable and relevant area that matches our interests. It just isn’t responsive to make an end-run toward conclusions in the realm of systematic theology, or elsewhere. If along the way matching what we understand among biblical languages, biblical backgrounds, hermeneutics, and proper exegetical interpretation, there is a misunderstanding, confusion, or disagreement, then the overall view of the whole Bible comes into view in terms of the doctrine of inerrancy. Until finally, there is acceptance of the truth or willful rejection of God’s word and what it proclaims in terms of authorial intent.
As we match the right subject matter with pertinent questions, we assertively balance advocacy with inquiry to walk through an issue. To build a case in such a way where there is no room for misunderstanding and continued skepticism or Biblical illiteracy. So fluency in Biblical disciplines provides the certainty and confidence necessary for us to articulate the correct responses in areas that come about. Not as through successive approximation across Scripture, but by process of elimination among adjacent disciplines or categories of thought and persuasion. Applying effective use of this model provides a way to quickly get to the root of questions and beneath them to disprove presuppositions and together arrive at correct reasoning and truth.
It is one thing to enlighten people and bring them to recognize the truth. It is quite another that it should be accepted. Either way, we look to a principle as written by the Apostle Paul, “We destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ” (2 Cor 10:5). Hopefully and prayerfully, people who are laden by the influence of culture and its darkness, become receptive, take courage, and set aside selfish interests contrary to their well-being.
