How To Use the Bible (Part I)

Structure and Styles

by Brandon Jubar

"All scripture is inspired by God and is useful for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, so that everyone who belongs to God may be proficient, equipped for every good work." (2 Timothy 3:16-17)

Having been raised a Catholic, I am very familiar with the seven major Sacraments of the Church. I am also fairly knowledgeable when it comes to the mass, which I attend every week. I even know a great deal about the Catechism and various teachings of the Church. But one area where I have been unfortunately weak is in my understanding (or lack thereof) of the Bible itself.

If you share my discomfort, then this article is definitely for you.

How Is the Bible Organized?

The Christian Bible is the inspired Word of God. That doesn't mean that God picked up a quill pen and wrote it. It doesn't mean that God whispered in the ear of the people who wrote it, telling them what to say. What it means is that all of the various authors and editors who documented and refined the stories of our ancestors where inspired by God, which ensured that his messages would come through.

The Christian Bible is actually made up of two groupings of writings: the Old Testament and the New Testament. Out of respect for our Jewish friends, many people today refer to the Old Testament as the Hebrew Scriptures or Jewish Scriptures. The New Testament is called the Christian Testament, and the two together are called the Christian Scriptures.

What's In the Bible?

Regardless of what we call it, the Bible is actually a compilation of many different stories. The Catholic Church recognizes 46 books in the Jewish Scriptures, because that is what Jesus and the Greek-speaking Jews used. The Protestant Bibles recognize 39 books in the Jewish Scriptures, which is what the Hebrew-speaking Jews used.

All Christians agree on the 27 books that make up the Christian Testament. When we do the math, we see that the Protestant Bible has 66 books and the Catholic Bible has 73.

Here are a few important things to keep in mind as you explore the Bible:

A single author did not write it.
It was developed over many centuries.
It uses many different styles of writing including poetry, songs, parables and proverbs.
Most of it was tailored to meet the needs of the people who first received the message.

What the Bible Is NOT

One other thing we must keep in mind is that the Bible is not a history book. The various authors never intended to merely relay factual accounts of the Israelites and then the Christians. They were sharing God's Word and Truth.

It is, however, important to understand the history in order to better understand the scriptures from a given time. When we learn who was meant to receive a particular message and why they need to hear it, we can truly begin to see God's message.

Life Applications:

What is your favorite Bible story? Why?
How many books of the Bible can you name?
What do you think it was like to write one of the books of the Bible?

Copyright 2003 by Brandon Jubar
All rights reserved.