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September
2007
A word
on the Word
A monthly
series on the Bible by Carrie Boren,
Missioner for Evangelism
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Intro to the
Bible — book by book
 ven
though I have been out of school for some time, when each new academic
year begins, I feel within me the stirring of a renewed desire to
learn. I yearn to join all those eager students and return to the
classroom after a summer of sun.
One way or another, all learning, at any age, points to our profound
human need to grasp truth. History, science, mathematics, literature,
philosophy, art, sociology, psychology — all quests for knowledge
beg for answers to life's questions: Who am I? Who are we? How does
the universe hold together? Who, what, how did it all begin? What
do I do with all of this information, and does it matter? Is there
a higher standard by which we should live, and, if so, how shall
I live? What will bring purpose in my life? Why must humans suffer?
What happens after this life on earth? What does it mean to be human?
How do we know God exists?
As Christians, we believe that God has made known the answers to
these questions through nature and history — and, most of all,
through His Word revealed in the incarnate Word, Jesus Christ, the
Eucharist, the Church, and the Bible. Although we cannot perfectly
comprehend answers to these life questions because of our human
frailty, we can encounter Truth and begin the journey. Faith for
the Christian is never a leap in the darkness of wishful thinking.
Faith is a step into reality, which God has shown to us.
Come and join the journey
This past year through "A word on the Word" monthly articles,
we have looked at various topics regarding reality proclaimed in
the Holy Scriptures. In the months ahead as young people around
us return to the classroom, I invite you to join me as we enter
afresh into the story of God and humanity by going through the Bible
book by book. Holy Scriptures reveal God's truth. Under the Holy
Spirit's inspiration, people of the Old and New Covenant have proclaimed
God at work in human history. The Catechism in the Book of Common
Prayer reads, "We call them (Holy Scriptures) the Word
of God because God inspired their human authors and because God
still speaks to us through the Bible." As we explore and grasp
Truth in God's story, He will speak to us, and we will dive deeper
into reality and find answers to life's questions. We will form
a Christian
world-view that will enrich not only our lives but those of others.
Facts, figures, and an overview before
we begin:
= The Bible consists of 66 different books written by different
authors. The Apocrypha adds another seven books.
= The Bible has
two parts: The Old Testament and the New Testament.
= The Old Testament
consists of the Hebrew Scriptures, or Tanakh. "Testament"
in this sense means "an agreement." The Old Testament
begins with creation and chronicles God's dealings with His
people before Jesus. This includes His call of the Jewish
people beginning with Abraham in 1800 B.C., the giving of
the Law, writings of history, and God's prophetic promises
to one day send a Messiah, a Savior.
= The New Testament
starts with the birth of Jesus, the promised Messiah, and
the spread of the Good News about Him. It includes Jesus'
life and teaching, the Church's beginnings, letters to Jesus'
new followers, and a description of Christ's return.
= Old and New
Testament writers reflect a diversity of style and perspective.
= The Bible was
composed over a span of several centuries.
= Authors of
the Bible's books originally wrote in three languages. Thirty-six
books of the Old Testament and most of the Apocrypha were
in Hebrew; parts of Daniel, Ezra, and Jeremiah were in Aramaic
(a cognate language of Hebrew); and all 27 books of the New
Testament were in Greek.
= In the fourth
century AD, church fathers began the official formation of
the biblical canon (books they recognized as inspired by God
from their inception — see my column in the June edition
of Esprit) even though they had used an unofficial
canon of scripture in their daily liturgy for many years.
The Church completed the New Testament Canon at the Council
of Trent in 1546. The Jewish people had finalized the Hebrew
Canon in the first century AD. |
As we explore the Bible book by book, the most important point to
recognize is that Holy Scriptures depict one unified story of God's
powerful desire and plan to save humanity. He created us to be in
perfect communion with Himself and each other. From Genesis to Revelation,
many authors from different periods in history tell the same story
that from the beginning God had a plan to save us from our sin. This
is not a myth but THE story of God acting in and through human history.
The center point of the story is that God sent His son Jesus Christ
to provide a way for us to reunite with the Father. All history up
to the incarnation was in preparation for the coming of Jesus Christ
and all history afterward was and is the spreading and establishing
of His Kingdom.
There are many ways to analyze salvation history found in Holy
Scriptures. Biblical scholar Scott Hahn suggests a framework we
will use as we enter into the Story. He breaks the story found in
the Bible into seven covenants. In the Ancient Near East, a covenant
was more than a mere contract. It provided a framework of trust,
responsibilities, and benefits that connected two parties: from
individuals all the way to nations and kingdoms. It was a binding
agreement that defined the relationship between them - a bond of
sacred kinship. The entire Bible contains a series of God's eternal,
unbreakable covenants with His people throughout history. It illumines
our knowledge and understanding of God and ourselves.
First
covenant —
God with the universe and the human race; the covenant from
which all others spring.
Second covenant —
God with Noah and his household after the flood; God reaches
out to save His people after they had sinned.
Third covenant — God with Abraham and his whole tribe. God chooses
a people through which He longs to show the world Himself.
Fourth
covenant — God with the whole
nation of Israel through Moses; God gives the law as His
standard towards which humanity is to strive.
Fifth covenant — God with all nations
through Kings David and Solomon; it points to the King,
Jesus Christ, who will come from the line of David and rule
for eternity.
Sixth covenant — New Covenant with ALL Humanity through Jesus Christ;
the establishment of the Church as the people of God to
share the Good News of Christ with the world.
Seventh covenant— At the end of time God will establish a seventh covenant
with humanity for all eternity.
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