About the Bible

[elijah23]

Is it good enough to know the Bible, or do we also need to know how each book of the Bible came into existence?

 

[Vic C.]

One can help bring another soul to the Lord simply by teaching them passages out of John or Romans. :yes

... do we also need to know how each book of the Bible came into existence

Also, knowing "how" isn't as important as knowing "why", IMO. For instance, I don't really care how Daniel's 'book' came to be as much as I care why.

Hope that makes sense.

 

[Pard]

There are places in this world where the Bible is illegal and owning one can get you killed. There are places where being a Christian can get you killed. There are places where uttering the word Jesus can get you killed.

In some places they memorize books from the Bible, because possessing a physical Bible is illegal.

The way I see it, if I do not regularly read one of my many Bibles I am being selfish to my fellow brothers who are persecuted for even utter the Lord's name. I try to study and get as much out of each as I can.

But is it enough to just know the Bible? Yes, that is enough. Think, in Kings 2 we learn that they literally lost the Word for two generations! Knowledge is lost in that time. Plus, today we have means of knowing more history, usually secular history, on the Bible than they did any time before, so no, it is not required to know who wrote each Book (except NT) and the history behind each Book.

 

[Pard]

The problem with your attempt is this:

We do know the history behind every book. This and the Bible addresses it. If the Bible had a false Book in it, the Lord would have told us about ti and it would have been removed, but since there is no false book...

I simply stated that is hardly a requirement or even a necessity to most. If you are having a problem keeping faith, than by all means go look up the history of the books, it's there (heck one of my Bibles has two or three pages on each book)

 

[Mike]

Is it good enough to know the Bible, or do we also need to know how each book of the Bible came into existence?

You pose this question, and had honest people give honest answers, IMO.

Is it enough to know the Bible and trust in it...for what? Salvation? Yes, it is!
To give perspective and insight into the motives, culture of the time, events that led to the writer writing the books... can lead to a deeper understanding and actually solidify one's faith. But this isn't going to impact one's salvation. If it is the Truth, and we know it is, knowing these other aspects isn't going to change the fact that it is the Truth. So, knowing these things can be helpful and meaningful, but they aren't necessary.

We are saved by faith in Christ. How do we come to faith?

Romans 10:17 says, "Consequently, faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word of Christ."

There isn't anything necessary about knowing the who's and why's, just the "what".

 

[jasoncran]

its more important to know the writer of the bible then every little nook and cranny of the bible.

 

[Mike]

its more important to know the writer of the bible then every little nook and cranny of the bible.

Not sure what you mean here, Jason,

For books where the author is not known with 100% certainty, isn't it enough to take the Inspired Word and place it on our hearts? There are disputes regarding the writers of OT and NT books, but the power of the Word isn't diminished by this uncertainty.

 

[Caroline H]

its more important to know the writer of the bible then every little nook and cranny of the bible.

Not sure what you mean here, Jason,

For books where the author is not known with 100% certainty, isn't it enough to take the Inspired Word and place it on our hearts? There are disputes regarding the writers of OT and NT books, but the power of the Word isn't diminished by this uncertainty.

If by writer he means God, then I agree... but since it is God's word to us, it is how we can come to know Him and His character, and build a relationship with Him.

 

[Mike]

its more important to know the writer of the bible then every little nook and cranny of the bible.

Not sure what you mean here, Jason,

For books where the author is not known with 100% certainty, isn't it enough to take the Inspired Word and place it on our hearts? There are disputes regarding the writers of OT and NT books, but the power of the Word isn't diminished by this uncertainty.

If by writer he means God, then I agree... but since it is God's word to us, it is how we can come to know Him and His character, and build a relationship with Him.

Agreed. I made a mistake in thinking Mujahid was the OP when I posted my first comment. I'm not sure, but I took the original intent to be the people who penned the books. Mujahid certainly goes there. So, I thought Jason was speaking to the people who penned them, but he could have meant the True Author.

In this case, knowing the Author is of utmost importance.

 

[elijah23]

There are books that have been written about the Bible that teach the history of the time when the Bible was written.

There are people who think it’s important to read some of these books so you can understand the context in which the Bible was written.

I disagree with these people. These books are interesting, but I think what is important is what is in the Bible.

 

[Pard]

There are books that have been written about the Bible that teach the history of the time when the Bible was written.

There are people who think it’s important to read some of these books so you can understand the context in which the Bible was written.

I disagree with these people. These books are interesting, but I think what is important is what is in the Bible.

I'd tend to agree with you on this.

It is trivial information that can help us if we have no where else to go and we are just that perplexed about the scripture, and it is a good way to just learn, but it is not needed.

 

[jasoncran]

its more important to know the writer of the bible then every little nook and cranny of the bible.

Not sure what you mean here, Jason,

For books where the author is not known with 100% certainty, isn't it enough to take the Inspired Word and place it on our hearts? There are disputes regarding the writers of OT and NT books, but the power of the Word isn't diminished by this uncertainty.

there are athiest who know the bible and quote it here, yet if they done repent they will see hell. :verysad

i know the bible and quote most of it by memory or near what i can recall, but i need the relationship with christ to be able to see and understand what the word says. and be found doing it.

 

[logical bob]

I would say that if you want to understand any book you should learn as much as you can about who wrote it, where and when. You should try to find out about their culture, their values and the way they thought about the world. What were the controversial issues of the day that people felt strongly about? What experiences motivated the writer to pick up their pen? Who were they writing for? What books did they read themselves? Was there actually a single author or where there many? What difference would that make?

Here's one trivial example.

Above him were seraphs, each with six wings: With two wings they covered their faces, with two they covered their feet, and with two they were flying. Isaiah 6:2

But Zipporah took a flint knife, cut off her son's foreskin and touched Moses' feet with it. Exodus 4:25

If you don't know that in biblical Hebrew "feet" is a euphemism for the genitals then you can't really understand these verses, especially the symbolism of Exodus 4.

If you want to understand a book, why would you make a virtue out of not knowing about it?

 

[jasoncran]

I understand that,but that 'knowledge" alone doesnt get you to hevean.

one can know the bible by memory and not live it or know the creator, and die and see hellfires, sadly.

 

[Pard]

I would say that if you want to understand any book you should learn as much as you can about who wrote it, where and when. You should try to find out about their culture, their values and the way they thought about the world. What were the controversial issues of the day that people felt strongly about? What experiences motivated the writer to pick up their pen? Who were they writing for? What books did they read themselves? Was there actually a single author or where there many? What difference would that make?

Here's one trivial example.

Above him were seraphs, each with six wings: With two wings they covered their faces, with two they covered their feet, and with two they were flying. Isaiah 6:2

But Zipporah took a flint knife, cut off her son's foreskin and touched Moses' feet with it. Exodus 4:25

If you don't know that in biblical Hebrew "feet" is a euphemism for the genitals then you can't really understand these verses, especially the symbolism of Exodus 4.

If you want to understand a book, why would you make a virtue out of not knowing about it?

I think you just proved my point, Bob...

Knowing the Bible and all its history isn't gonna do you any good before God, there is a much more important component to this whole thing!

You being an atheist are proof that knowing the Bible doesn't mean knowing the Lord.

 

[Mike]

It seems to me like all the people who contribute to this thread are of two types

1)those who question the validity of christianity
2)those who do not question the validity of christianity

Those who question it say "Learn all you can, in order to make sure its all sound"

Those who do not question it say "dont bother learning, it will do you no good, just follow it and believe"

Or,

3) We study the Word, pray for discernment, listen to Him in silence and allow the Holy Spirit to speak to us.

You must have forgotten to include that option. Deeply reading scripture and praying to the Lord for wisdom is enough to come to true faith. We don't just read it like a magazine and say "It's there. I see it. I guess I have to believe it." Salvation and true faith do not depend on knowing who or why. Nice to know, but now a need to know.

 

[logical bob]

You being an atheist are proof that knowing the Bible doesn't mean knowing the Lord.

Thanks (I think...) Conversely, many Christians prove that knowing the Lord doesn't necessarily mean knowing the Bible.

As MA implied, perhaps some people are against studying the Bible because they don't like where that leads. For instance, most biblical scholars are confident the book of Daniel was written in about 165 BC and can't be by Daniel. I can see why that's a can of worms Christians wouldn't want to open.

 

[jasoncran]

You being an atheist are proof that knowing the Bible doesn't mean knowing the Lord.

Thanks (I think...) Conversely, many Christians prove that knowing the Lord doesn't necessarily mean knowing the Bible.

As MA implied, perhaps some people are against studying the Bible because they don't like where that leads. For instance, most biblical scholars are confident the book of Daniel was written in about 165 BC and can't be by Daniel. I can see why that's a can of worms Christians wouldn't want to open.

you mean liberal scholars, go back to the early catholic church and the man st.jerome argues against that.

 

[logical bob]

What makes a scholar liberal?

 

[jasoncran]

What makes a scholar liberal?

they deny the power of the lord to see and tell men of future events.
for starters. while prophecy is vague at times today we can see what daniel was talking about in some parts of that book.

antichious ephinese theos IV
alexander the great and the parttition of the kingdom into four smaller ones.