by Tad Lindley
The Bible is a collection of writings that spanned 3,200 years. It claims to be the words of God given to a series of at least 36 men (including the heathen king, Nebuchadnezzar!) who recorded it for all to read. It was written in three original languages: Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek. And has since been translated into about 700 modern languages.
Difference Between the Old and New Testaments
The Old Testament, or Tanakh, was given first to Moses from the Lord, and then successively through various other men. These men were all descendants of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob with the exception of King Nebuchadnezzar to whom the Lord gave the pen for a section of the Book of Daniel. The New Testament was written after the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus. It contains several major parts. Let me break it down for you now.
The Gospels
The New Testament begins with the four gospel accounts. These cover the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Matthew, Mark, and John were Jews. Matthew and John were among the 12 disciples.
• Matthew was written by Matthew, one of the 12 disciples of Jesus. Matthew was formerly a tax collector who became a Christian.
• Mark was a follower of Jesus. This is the shortest of the four gospel accounts.
• Luke was written by a Greek named Luke. He converted after the cross. He also wrote the book of Acts. More on all of this later.
• John refers to himself in this book as the “disciple whom Jesus loved.” (see John 13:23, 19:26, 20:2, 21:7, 21:20)
The Book of Acts!
If you have ever wondered what church life was like in the beginning, then you need to read the Book of Acts. This book was penned by Luke, the writer of the gospel. It picks up where he left off. When reading the book of Luke, you will notice in the beginning chapters he writes in the third person, telling what “they” were doing. But in chapter 16, the book intersects with Luke’s salvation and he writes about what “we” were doing.
The Pauline Epistles
After the Book of Acts, the New Testament contains a series of letters that were written to churches that existed at that time. These books were written to the converts who had repented, been baptized in Jesus’ name, and received the gift of the Holy Ghost as the church began to spread around the world in Acts. Romans, I and II Corinthians, Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians, and Colossians were written to the born again believers in those cities. Then there are some letters that Paul wrote to three men: Timothy, Titus, and Philemon. All of these are written to people who have converted to Christianity to teach, to rebuke, and to encourage.
The Mystery of Hebrews
The previous books identify the author within the book. Hebrews does not. It is a rich connection between the Old Testament and Christianity. Many people argue that Paul is the writer, and others contend for Barnabas or some other from that time period. Regardless of who the writer was, it clearly amplifies our understanding of the entire Bible.
James, Peter, and Jude
The Book of James was written by Iakavos (his Greek name), in English, Jacob, one of Jesus’ half brothers (the natural child of Joseph and Mary, Matthew 13:55-56). I and II Peter were written by Peter, and Jude by Iakovos brother, and Jesus’ half-brother, Jude.
The Books of John are a bit confusing to find
John wrote five of the books in the New Testament: John (the gospel mentioned above) and then letters to Christians called I, II, and III John. If you are unfamiliar with the Bible and trying to find III John it can get tricky, especially since I, II, and III John are tucked away right near the end.
The Revelation
John, the writer of the four books that bear his name, also wrote the Revelation. This is a collection of visions that were shown to him by the Lord. It is a book of prophecy; he wrote it about future events. For us, the Revelation is probably more about our current time as we approach the end of time as we know it. This is where much of the prophetic information in Daniel is seen through a different lens. It is here that we find out more about antichrist and the false prophet and the mark of the beast. We find out about the Millennium, a time of worldwide peace, and the great white throne judgment that follows and finally the coming of the new heaven and the new earth!
If you have never read your Bible…
Most people have never read the Bible from Genesis through Revelation. It seems like an impossible task, and yet I know that you can do it. If you would only read (or listen on audio if you are a non-reader) to three chapters a day, and five on Sunday, then you will make it through the entire Bible in almost exactly a year.
Reverend Tad Lindley is a minister at the United Pentecostal Church in Bethel, Alaska.
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