What is the Bible
The Bible is not merely a single book, but a whole library of books containing many different kinds of writings: poetry, prayers, hymns, historical narratives, biographies, prophecies, letters, proverbs, love songs and much, much more. So the Bible contains a rich variety of books, authors and contents.
The Bible – literally, the Book - is first and foremost the story of God’s love for His creation, His love for the human race, His love for you and me, beginning with the creation of the universe in Genesis, continuing through the formation of the people of Israel and the sending of His prophets in the Old Testament; and, “in these last days” (Hebrews 1:1), the sending of His Son, “the Word made flesh” (John 1:14) in Jesus Christ, to redeem us; and ultimately, on the Day of Judgment, the re-creation of the universe as described in the Book of Revelation.
The Bible tells us:
1.) who God is and what He has done for us;
2.) what it means to truly be a human being and what the purpose of our life is; and
3.) how each of us should respond – with our whole life – to what God has done for us in His love.
"Everything written in the Scriptures was written to teach us in order that we might have hope through the patience and encouragement that the Scriptures give us." - Romans 15:4
"The Holy Scriptures are able to give you the wisdom that leads to salvation. All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful for teaching the truth, rebuking error, correcting faults and giving instruction for living rightly." - 2 Timothy 3:15-16
The Canon
A biblical canon or canon of scripture is a list of texts (or "books") which a particular religious community regards as authoritative scripture. The word "canon" comes from the Greek «κανών», meaning "rule" or "measuring stick".
OLD TESTAMENT
49 BOOKS
SEPTUAGINT - TRANSLATION OF THE SEVENTY
The Septuagint (from the Latin septuaginta, "seventy" - Greek: Ἡ μετάφρασις τῶν Ἑβδομήκοντα, lit. "The Translation of the Seventy") is a translation of the Hebrew Bible and some related texts into Koine Greek (3rd century BC). As the primary Greek translation of the Old Testament, it is also called the Greek Old Testament.
1. Genesis, 2. Exodus, 3. Leviticus, 4. Numbers, 5. Deuteronomy, 6. Joshua of Navi, 7. Judges, 8. Ruth, 9. Kings I, 10. Kings II, 11. Kings III, 12. Kings IV, 13. Chronicles I, 14. Chronicles II, 15. Esdras I, 16. Esdras II, 17. Nehemiah, 18. Tobit, 19. Judith, 20. Esther, 21. Maccabees I, 22. Maccabees II, 23. Maccabees III, 24. Job, 25. Proverbs of Solomon, 26. Ecclesiastes, 27. Song of Songs, 28. Wisdom of Solomon, 29. Wisdom of Sirach, 30. Psalms, 31. Osee, 32. Amos, 33. Mhchaeas, 34, Joel, 35.Obdias, 36. Jonas, 37. Naum, 38, Ambacum, 39. Sophonias, 40. Aggaeus, 41. Zacharias, 42. Malachias, 43. Esaias, 44. Jeremias, 45. Baruch, 46. Jezekiel, 47. Lamentations of Jeremias, 48. Epistle of Jeremias, 49. Daniel.
NEW TESTAMENT
27 BOOKS
KOINE ( KOINH)- Greek language
The Byzantine text-type (also called Majority Text, Traditional Text, Ecclesiastical Text, Constantinopolitan Text, Antiocheian Text, or Syrian Text) is one of several text-types used in textual criticism to describe the textual character of Greek New Testament manuscripts. It is the form found in the largest number of surviving manuscripts. The New Testament text of the Greek Orthodox Church, the Patriarchal Text, is based on this text-type. The Byzantine text is also found in a few modern Greek Orthodox editions, as the Byzantine textual tradition has continued in the Eastern Orthodox Church into the present time. It is commonly accepted as standard Byzantine text.
1. Matthew, 2. Mark, 3. Luke, 4. John, 5. Acts of the Apostles, 6. To the Romans, 7. 1st to the Corinthians, 8. 2nd to the Corinthians, 9. To the Galatians, 10. To the Ephesians, 11. To the Philippians, 12. To the Colossians, 13. 1st to the Thessalonians, 14. 2nd to the Thessalonians, 15. 1st to Timothy, 16. 2nd to Timothy, 17. To Titus, 18. To Philemon, 19. To Hebrews, 20 James, 21. Peter 1, 22. Peter 2, 23. John 1, 24 John 2, 25. John 3, 26. Jude, 27. Revelation.
There are 39 books in the Protestant Old Testament; 46 books in the Roman Catholic Old Testament; and 49 books in the Orthodox Old Testament.
The books missing from Protestant Bibles are: 1st Esdras, Tobit, the Wisdom of Solomon, Judith, Baruch, the Wisdom of Sirach, the Letter of Jeremiah, and 1st, 2nd and 3rd Maccabees.
Other books of the Bible that the Orthodox Church uses are also longer. For example, Orthodox Old Testament Book of Daniel includes the Song of the Three Young Men in the Furnace, a beautiful hymn sung by Orthodox Christians at the Liturgy on Holy Saturday morning, but not found in Protestant versions of the Book of Daniel.
Who made the Canon?
Quinisext Ecumenical Synod (692 AD) validated six of the numerous Canons (regulations) that had been formulated at the time. These Canons are as follows: of Laodicea, of Carthage, the 85th Apostolic canon, of Saint Athanasius the Great, of Gregory the Theologian and Amphilochius of Ikonion. Thus, although no canon has been given directly by an Ecumenical Council concerning the Books of the Holy Bible, we do have 6 validated canons based on conciliar decisions that are guidelines for the acceptance of the Books of the Holy Bible.
1. the Synod of Laodicea issued a broad canon regarding the Regulation and Proposed Reading books.
2. The Synod of Carthage issued a fixed canon regarding the Regulation, Divine and Proposed Reading books.
3. The 85th Apostolic Canon issued a canon regarding Venerable and Holy books.
4. Saint Athanasius issued a canon regarding Divine Books for Canonization and another canon for Proposed Reading Books for the newly catechized.
5. Saint Gregory the Theologian issued a canon for the Genuine Books,
6. and Saint Amphilochius of Ikonion issued a canon of the Divinely Inspired Books.
The Holy Bible contains books ( such as the three Books of the Maccabees ) which are only Venerable, but not Divinely Inspired or Divine or Canonical. The Bible contains books ( such as Judith and Tobit ) which are Canonical, but not Divinely Inspired or Divine. And the Bible also contains Divine books ( such as Solomon’s Wisdom ) which are not however Divinely Inspired.
Venerable is a book that Christians have a duty to respect.
Proposed Reading is a book that can be read by all.
Church Text is that which can be read in Churches.
Newcomer Reading is that which is useful for the newly catechized.
Canonical is that which belongs to a Canon (regulation).
Canonized refers to those texts that may belong to a canon, but for which the final decision on their selection has not yet been reached, in order to validate the canon.
Reputable canon is a canon worthy of acceptance.
Holy is a book that is merely beneficial and not necessarily infallible or Divine or Divinely Inspired. In other words, it can be used as an aid, but it cannot be used to support dogmatic or canonical truths.
Divine is the book that has been written under the supervision of the Holy Spirit, and possibly even by human wisdom. Divine books are infallible in matters pertaining to salvation, but are not necessarily Divinely Inspired.
Divinely Inspired is the book that contains a REVELATION of the Holy Spirit. It is also considered Divine and infallible in matters of salvation, as presented by that revelation of course.
The Ignorance of the Bible
Writing more than 1600 years ago, a great saint like John Chrysostom (354-407AD) could say: “Ignorance of theScriptures is a great cliff and a deep abyss. Not knowing the Scriptures is the cause of all evils. Reading the Scriptures is like possessing a great treasure. A Christian cannot help but read the Scriptures. To be a Christian is to rejoice in the power of the Holy Spirit and the Spirit speaks to us through the Scriptures.” Or, as St. Jerome (347-420AD) said even more bluntly: “Ignorance of the Scriptures is ignorance of Christ.”
How to read the Bible
Five useful tips
1.) We must read the Bible prayerfully. Always pray before you read the Bible that God will help you understand what you are reading in order to put His Word into practice in your daily life. One possible prayer to use is from the Liturgy of St. John Chrysostom:
The Prayer before the Reading of the Gospel
Loving Master, shine the pure light of Your divine knowledge in our hearts. Open the eyes of our minds that we may understand the message of Your Gospel. Instill in us reverence for Your blessed commandments, that having conquered our sinful desires, we may pursue a spiritual life, thinking and doing all those things that are pleasing to You. For You, O Christ our God, are the light of our souls and bodies and to You do we offer glory, together with Your Father who is without beginning and Your all-holy, good and life-giving Spirit now and forever and to the ages of ages. Amen.
2.) Set aside a few minutes every day just for Bible reading – in the morning, afternoon, or before you go to bed—whenever is best for you. Don't say you don't have the time. You can make the time. No excuses! Everybody, no matter how busy, can set aside 5 or 10 minutes each day in order to read the Scriptures.
3.) Begin reading the Bible by reading those books that are easiest to understand. This means: in the New Testament, begin with the Gospel of Matthew and Luke, focusing on Christ, and then perhaps the First Letter of John. In the Old Testament, begin with the Book of Proverbs and then the Psalms. For first time readers it is generally not advisable to attempt to read the Bible straight through, starting at Genesis and ending with Revelation. Very few people who begin this way get much past the first half of Genesis.
4.) As you read the Bible, try to focus on what this passage means for us today and how we can actively apply the Bible’s teachings to our lives today. The Bible is not just a history book – it is the record of God’s Word addressed to each of us and our guide for Christian living! As St. Hesychios of Jerusalem wrote in the 4th century, “The words of the Scriptures are written for us not simply to understand them but also to do them.”
5.) The Bible is the Book of the Church. It is the Church, guided by the Holy Spirit that provides the proper context for interpreting the Scriptures, not any one individual (including ourselves). Therefore, in any question of Biblical interpretation, we must seek to learn what the Church teaches about it by consulting the lives and writings of the saints, the texts of our liturgical services, the icons, etc. You may also ask your priest for guidance. “First of all, you must understand this: no prophecy of Scripture is a matter of one’s own interpretation” (2 Peter 1:20)
Interpreting the Bible
“Coming upon the Ethiopian as he read the Book of Isaiah in the Old Testament in his chariot, Philip the Apostle asked him, "Do you understand what you are reading?" And the Ethiopian answered, "How can I, unless someone guides me?" (Acts 8:30-31). We are all in the position of the Ethiopian. The words of Scripture are not always selfexplanatory. God speaks directly to the heart of each one of us as we read our Bible. Scripture reading is a personal dialogue between each one of us and Christ - but we also need guidance. We read the Bible personally, but not as isolated individuals. We read as the members of a family, the family of the Orthodox Catholic Church. When reading Scripture, we say not "I" but "We." We read in communion with all the other members of the Body of Christ, in all parts of the world and in all generations of time. The decisive test and criterion for our understanding of what the Scripture means is the mind of the Church for the Bible is the book of the Church.”
Interpret the following passage
“I am the Bread of Life. Amen, Amen, I say to you: if you do not eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink His blood you have nolife in you. Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life and I will raise him up on the last day. For my flesh is truly food and my blood is truly drink. Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood lives in me and I live in him” (John 6:53- 56).
- In here, these passage is interpreted to mean that "we should read our Bibles more often" or it refers "to receiving communion (sacrament of Eucharist)?”
Bible and Tradition
The Holy Bible (or Scriptures, the Old and New Testaments) is the most authoritative part of the Sacred Tradition of the Church. As with today's laws that govern the life of our modern society, these laws are the product of the life of the community; however, once produced, they are placed above and regulate this life. So it is with the Holy Scripture: once established by the Christian community, led by the Holy Spirit of God, then Scripture is placed above and regulates the life of the Christian community. The Bible is the product and the epiphenomenon of the life of the Church, being also the work of men. But it is also the work of the Holy Spirit of God, working in this life of the Church. This is why the Church is subjected to the authority of the Bible.
“Stand firm and hold fast to the traditions which you were taught, whether by our preaching or by letter from us” (2 Thessalonians 2:15).
“Tradition is not only kept in the Church – it lives in the Church, it is the life of the Holy Spirit within the Church. The Orthodox conception of Tradition is not static but dynamic, not merely a dead acceptance of the past but a living experience of the Holy Spirit in the present. Loyalty to Tradition means not primarily the acceptance of formulae or customs from past generations but rather the ever- new, personal and direct experience of the Holy Spirit in the present, here and now!”
The Tradition of the Church is a living reality, which the Orthodox Christian must live daily in a mystical way. By adhering to the teaching of the Scriptures, the Ecumenical Councils, and the Patristic writings, by observing the canons of the Church, by frequently participating in the Eucharist, where Tradition becomes an empirical reality, we are members of the Body of Christ and are led to the "contemplation of God" to repeat a beautiful expression of St. Neilos (5th century AD).