The Bible: An Explanation and Exploration
The Bible is a collection of books compiled over a period of centuries containing the story of God’s relationship with humanity from creation to the present day. It is not just one book but an entire library of books that include many different genres, such as history, poetry, prophecy, law, and wisdom literature. These books were written by more than 40 different authors, on three continents, over a period of 1600 years.
The Bible tells us how God created the world and all that is in it, how human beings turned away from God, and how God has been seeking to restore our relationship with him ever since. It is not just a history book, but it is also a book that can teach us how to live our lives today. It contains wisdom for living, showing us the way to eternal life.
Catholic vs Protestant
The Bible is split into two main sections: the Old Testament and the New Testament. The Catholic Bible consists of 73 books: 46 Old Testament books and 27 New Testament books. While the Protestant Bible consists of 66 books (39 Old Testament and 27 New Testament), which do not include the seven deuterocanonical books (which are also known as the Old Testament apocryphal).
The Catholic Church recognizes the deuterocanonical books as sacred Scripture, while most Protestants do not. The Catholic Church also recognizes these books because they were included in the Greek Septuagint, which was the Bible used by Jesus and the Apostles. The reason most Protestants do not include these books is that the Hebrew Bible was the only Bible they had access to at the time of the Reformation.
The Septuagint is a Greek translation of the Hebrew Bible that was made in the 3rd century BC. It included the seven deuterocanonical books, which were later confirmed as sacred Scripture by the Council of Trent in 1546. The deuterocanonical books are Tobit, Judith, 1 Maccabees, 2 Maccabees, Wisdom of Solomon, Sirach (Ecclesiasticus), and Baruch.
As mentioned above, The Bible is divided into two major sections: The Old Testament, which looks at the relationship between God and Israel, and the New Testament, which looks at what Jesus and his followers taught.
The Old Testament: 46 Books
The Pentateuch or Books of the Law include the five books of Moses: Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy. These books tell the story of God’s covenant with Israel from the creation of the world until shortly after the Israelites entered the Promised Land.
1) Genesis is the first book of the Bible and tells the story of creation, the fall of man, and God’s covenant with Abraham. Genesis comes from Greek, “the book of generation (genesis) of the heavens and earth.” Or Bereshit (in the beginning), in Jewish Scriptures.
2) Exodus is the second book of the Bible and tells the story of the Israelites’ enslavement in Egypt and their Exodus from slavery under the leadership of Moses. Exodus means departure.
3) Leviticus is the third book of the Bible and includes laws that were given to Moses by God for the Israelites to follow. The name “Leviticus” was provided since a good portion of the book deals with the concerns of priests from the tribe of Levi.
4) Numbers is the fourth book of the Bible and tells the story of the Israelites’ wanderings in the desert for 40 years. The name “Numbers” derives from two censuses taken of the Hebrew people.
5) Deuteronomy is the fifth book of the Bible and includes Moses’ final instructions to the Israelites before they enter the Promised Land.
The Books of History include Joshua, Judges, Ruth, 1 and 2 Samuel, 1 and 2 Kings, 1 and 2 Chronicles, Ezra, and Nehemiah. These books tell the story of Israel from its entry into the Promised Land under Joshua to its return from exile in Babylon under Ezra.
6) Joshua tells the story of Israel’s entry into the Promised Land under the leadership of Joshua (who carries on the work of Moses).
7) Judges tells the story of Israel from the time of the Judges until the rise of the monarchy. The book consists of stories of thirteen leaders consisting of major judges (Othniel, Ehud, Deborah, Gideon, Jephthah, and Samson), minor judges (Shamgar, Tola, Jair, Ibzan, Elon, and Abdon), and Abimelech (a cautionary tale of royal ambition).
8) Ruth tells the story of a Moabite woman who married an Israelite man and became part of the community of Israel. The book shares a story of responsible and loving decision-making.
9–10) 1 and 2 Samuel tell the story of the rise of the monarchy in Israel, from Saul to David.
11–12) 1 and 2 Kings tell the story of the monarchy in Israel from the time of Solomon to the exile. These two books are regarded as the last part of the Deuteronomistic History.
13–14) 1 and 2 Chronicles tell the story of Israel from the time of David to the Babylonian exile. The Books of Chronicles record the approximately 500 years from the death of King Saul to the return from exile.
15) Ezra tells the story of the return of the exiles to Jerusalem under Ezra. Ezra set the tone of the postexilic community, and it was characterized by fidelity to the Torah, Judaism’s authentic way of life.
16) Nehemiah tells the story of the rebuilding of the city of Jerusalem under Nehemiah, who was a man of action who rebuilt the walls of Jerusalem and introduced administrative reforms.
The Books of Poetry include the books of Tobit, Judith, Esther, and 1 and 2 Maccabees.
17) Tobit tells the story of a devout man named Tobit who was blinded and then healed by the Archangel Raphael. The book promotes almsgiving and fasting as a means to purify one’s body and soul.
18) Judith tells the story of a heroine named Judith who saved her people by slaying Holofernes, an invading enemy general. The book promotes fidelity to God and one’s people.
19) Esther tells the story of a Jewish woman who became queen of Persia and saved her people from extermination.
20–21) 1 and 2 Maccabees tell the story of the revolt of the Maccabees against the Seleucid king Antiochus IV Epiphanes and the rededication of the Temple in Jerusalem.
The Books of Wisdom include the books of Job, Psalms, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, Song of Songs, Wisdom, and Sirach. These books contain wisdom literature, which is a genre of writing that instructs people on how to live their lives.
22) Job is a book that deals with the question of why good people suffer. It is also the book that hints at dinosaurs as Job describes a creature called Behemoth.
23) Psalms is a book of 150 songs, mostly written by David, that are used in Jewish and Christian worship.
24) Proverbs is a book of wisdom literature that deals with such topics as how to live a good life, how to treat other people, and how to make good decisions
25) Ecclesiastes is a book that deals with the question of whether life has meaning or not.
26) Song of Songs is a book of love poetry that is often interpreted as an allegory for the love between God and Israel or Christ and the Church.
27) Wisdom is a book of wisdom literature that deals with such topics as how to live a good life, how to treat other people, and how to make good decisions.
28) Sirach is a book of wisdom literature that was written by a man named Jesus ben Sira. It deals with such topics as how to live a good life, how to treat other people, and how to make good decisions.
The Books of Prophecy include Isaiah, Jeremiah, Lamentations, Ezekiel, Daniel, Hosea, Joel, Amos, Obadiah, Jonah, Micah, Nahum, Habakkuk, Zephaniah, Haggai, Zechariah, and Malachi. These books tell the story of God’s covenant with Israel from the time of the Babylonian exile up until the coming of the Messiah.
29) Isaiah is the first book of prophecy and deals with the themes of judgment and redemption. This book contains the famous prophecy of the Messiah and that the Messiah would rule on the throne of David and over his kingdom.
30) Jeremiah is the second book of prophecy and deals with the theme of God’s covenant with Israel. The prophet Jeremiah was forced into exile and Jerusalem was destroyed by Nebuchadnezzar.
31) Lamentations is a book that consists of five poems that lament the destruction of Jerusalem.
32) Baruch is a book that was written by the prophet Jeremiah’s scribe, Baruch. It consists of a series of prophecies about the destruction of Jerusalem and the Babylonian exile.
33) Ezekiel has parallels to the visions in the Book of Revelation in the New Testament. The prophet Ezekiel was exiled to Babylon and had visions about the destruction of Jerusalem and the redemption of Israel.
34) Daniel is a book that deals with the theme of God’s sovereignty over the nations. The book also contains stories about Daniel and visions promising deliverance and glory to the Jewish people in the days to come.
35) Hosea is a book that deals with the theme of God’s covenant with Israel. Hosea began the Old Testament tradition of describing the relation between the Lord and Israel in terms of marriage.
36) Joel is the sixth book of prophecy and deals with the theme of God’s judgment. It is a book of judgment and discusses the Day of the Lord, when God will judge the nations.
37) Amos is a book that deals with the theme of God’s judgment. The book is significant because it is one of the first books of prophecy to be written outside of Israel.
38) Obadiah is a book of prophecy and deals with the destruction of Edom. It is the shortest book in the Old Testament.
39) Jonah is a book that tells the story of a prophet who is sent to Nineveh to preach against it. Most will recall the story of Jonah and the whale.
40) Micah is a book that deals with the theme of God’s judgment. It consists of a collection of speeches and proclamations of punishment and salvation.
41) Nahum is a book of prophecy and deals with the destruction of Nineveh. He asserts God’s moral government of the world.
42) Habakkuk is a book of prophecy dealing with the question of why God allows evil to prosper.
43) Zephaniah is a book of prophecy and deals with the theme of judgment. More than any other prophecy, the book discusses the devastation and death that divine judgement will bring.
44) Haggai is a book of prophecy and deals with the rebuilding of the Temple in Jerusalem.
45) Zechariah is a book of prophecy and deals with the coming of the Messiah.
46) Malachi is the last book of prophecy and deals with the theme of God’s love for Israel.
The New Testament: 27 Books
The Gospels are the first four books of the New Testament: Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. These books tell the story of Jesus Christ, from his birth up until his Ascension into heaven.
1) Matthew is the first Gospel and deals with the themes of the fulfillment of prophecy and Jesus as the Messiah. This book also contains the Sermon on the Mount, which is a collection of sayings of Jesus.
2) Mark is the second Gospel and deals with the themes of suffering and servanthood. This book is significant because it was the first Gospel to be written.
3) Luke is the third Gospel and deals with the themes of salvation and prayer. This book contains the stories of Jesus healing the sick and raising the dead.
4) John is the fourth Gospel and deals with the themes of love and faith. This book also contains the story of Jesus washing the feet of his disciples.
The next fifteen books are New Testament Letters: Acts, Romans, 1 and 2 Corinthians, Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, 1 and 2 Thessalonians, 1 and 2 Timothy, Titus, Philemon, and Hebrews. These books tell the story of the early church and the spread of Christianity. They were also a series of letters written by the Apostle Paul to various churches in order to teach them about the Christian faith.
5) Acts is the first of the Historical Books and tells the story of the early church. This book contains the accounts of Pentecost and the conversion of Saul (later Paul).
6) Romans is a letter written by Paul to the church in Rome. In this letter, Paul discusses the topics of sin and salvation.
7) 1 Corinthians is a letter written by Paul to the church in Corinth. In this letter, Paul discusses the topics of division and love.
8) 2 Corinthians is a letter written by Paul to the church in Corinth. In this letter, Paul discusses the topic of forgiveness.
9) Galatians is a letter written by Paul to the churches in Galatia. In this letter, Paul discusses the topics of justification by faith and the law.
10) Ephesians is a letter written by Paul to the church in Ephesus. In this letter, Paul discusses the topics of unity and love.
11) Philippians is a letter written by Paul to the church in Philippi. In this letter, Paul discusses the topics of joy and humility.
12) Colossians is a letter written by Paul to the church in Colossae. In this letter, Paul discusses the topic of Christ’s supremacy.
13) 1 Thessalonians is a letter written by Paul to the church in Thessalonica. In this letter, Paul discusses the topics of the second coming of Christ and the Day of Judgment.
14) 2 Thessalonians is a letter written by Paul to the church in Thessalonica. In this letter, Paul discusses the topic of the Day of the Lord.
15) 1 Timothy is a letter written by Paul to Timothy, who was a pastor in Ephesus. In this letter, Paul discusses the topics of prayer and false teaching.
16) 2 Timothy is a letter written by Paul to Timothy, who was a pastor in Ephesus. In this letter, Paul discusses the topics of suffering and perseverance.
17) Titus is a letter written by Paul to Titus, who was a pastor in Crete. In this letter, Paul discusses the topic of sound doctrine.
18) Philemon is a letter written by Paul to Philemon, who was a slave owner. In this letter, Paul pleads for the freedom of a slave named Onesimus.
19) Hebrews is a letter written to Jewish Christians who were thinking of returning to Judaism. In this letter, the author discusses the topics of faith and perseverance.
The final eight books are New Testament Letters and Prophecy: James, 1 and 2 Peter, 1–3 John, Jude, and Revelation.
20) James is a letter written by James, who was a leader in the early church. In this letter, James discusses the topics of faith and works.
21) 1 Peter is a letter written by Peter, who was an Apostle. In this letter, Peter discusses the topics of suffering and hope.
22) 2 Peter is a letter written by Peter, who was an Apostle. In this letter, Peter discusses the topics of false teachers and the Day of the Lord.
23) 1 John is a letter written by John, who was an Apostle. In this letter, John discusses the topics of love and obedience.
24) 2 John is a letter written by John, who was an Apostle. In this letter, John discusses the topic of false teaching.
25) 3 John is a letter written by John, who was an Apostle. In this letter, John encourages a man named Gaius to continue doing good deeds.
26) Jude is a letter written by Jude, who was a leader in the early church. In this letter, Jude urges Christians to contend for the faith.
27) Revelation is a book of prophecy written by John, who was an Apostle. In this book, John describes visions of the future, including the second coming of Christ and the Day of Judgment.
Reference:
The Bible. (n.d.). Books of the Bible. Retrieved from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/books-of-the-bible/.
