Topic 2 of 33 - Your Place in the Learning Journey
What Is the Bible?
The Bible is the sacred book of the Christian faith. Its contents were written over a period of 1,500 years by 40 or more authors. The Old Testament, known as the Hebrew Bible, was written over a period of 1,000 years before the birth of Christ. This period was followed by a period of 400 years during whice time none of the Old Testament or New Testament books were written. There were materials written. But none of them are included in the Protestant Bibles. Following the 400 year period, there was a one-hundred year period following the birth of Christ during which the books of the New Testament were written. Most of the authors did not know each. Although some New Testament authors knew 1 or more of the other New Testament authors. It is doubtful that any of the New Testament authors knew all of the other New Testament authors. However, none of the Old or New Testament authors knew their writings would become part of our "Holy Bible".
All Christian traditions including Roman Catholicism, Orthodoxy (and its various forms), Anglicanism, and Protestantism (and its many denominations) divide the Bible into two major parts: the Old Testament and the New Testament. The 27 books of the New Testament are accepted by virtually all Christian communities. The Old Testament is where traditions diverge: Protestant Bibles include 39 books, while Catholic Bibles include 46 and Eastern Orthodox Bibles include additional texts. These differences trace back to decisions made in the early church about which texts to include.
So, the books and, therefore, the content of the "Bible" varies according to the Christian tradition. Something similar is true of our Jewish brothers' Bibles. Although modern Jewish communities share the same 24‑book Hebrew Bible (the Tanakh), there is some variation among translation, format, and interpretation. So, although we who are Protestants commonly think of ours as "The Bible", there really isn't any one tradition that can solely claim the term "The Bible". Nevertheless, I believe it is fair to say that Jews and Christians of all traditions treat their Scriptures (i.e. their Bibles) as sacred, authoritative, and revelatory and as being the central document sourced from antiquity that reveals God to its readers.
At a Glance
| Fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Number of Books | 66 (39 Old Testament + 27 New Testament) |
| Written Over | ~1,500 years (approx. 1400 BC – AD 95) |
| Number of Authors | More than 40 |
| Original Languages | Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek |
| Written On | Three continents: Asia, Africa, and Europe |
| Literary Styles | History, poetry, law, prophecy, letters, apocalyptic |
| Central Theme | God's redemption of humanity through Jesus Christ |
| Copies in Existence | More than 5 billion (most widely distributed book in history) |
Explore Further
Is there One Unified Story?
With 40+ authors across 15 centuries, is there a single coherent narrative?
Read more →What Does "Inspired" Mean?
But what does "inspired" or "God breathed" mean? What does it not mean?
Read more →The Three Languages
Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek. Why three languages, and what difference does it make for reading the Bible today?
Read more →Old vs. New Testament
What is a "testament"? How are the two halves of the Bible different, and what holds them together?
Read more →Who Wrote the Bible?
Kings, shepherds, fishermen, and prophets. Meet the human authors God chose to write His Word.
Read more →Why Should I Trust It?
Archaeological discoveries, manuscript evidence, and "fulfilled prophecy" supply good reasons for many to have confidence in the Bible's reliability.
Read more →The Different Christian Bibles
Roman Catholic, Protestant, Eastern Orthodox, Ethiopian Orthodox, Anglican. Why do different Christian traditions have slightly different Bibles?
Read more →