Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy --Moses (scholarly opinions differ here, but so far no thoroughly convincing arguments have been advanced to disprove the Mosaic authorship of large portions of these books); Joshua--Joshua (also ascribed to Phineas, Eleazar, Samuel and Jeremiah); Judges-- ascribed by Jewish tradition to Samuel; Ruth--unknown; I and II Samuel--unknown (probably the work of Samuel, Nathan and others); I and II Kings --unknown; I and II Chronicles--probably Ezra; Ezra--probably Ezra; Nehemiah--Nehemiah; Esther --probably Mordecai, or Ezra; Job--uncertain (has been attributed to Moses, or Job); the Psalms--David, Moses, and others; Proverbs--Solomon and others; Ecclesiastes--formerly ascribed to Solomon, now thought by many to belong to a later period; Song of Solomon--Solomon; Isaiah--Isaiah; Jeremiah--Jeremiah; Lamentations--Jeremiah; the remaining books of the Old Testament were written by the prophets whose names they bear, with the probable exception of Jonah; Matthew--Matthew; Mark--Mark; Luke-- Luke; John--John; Acts--Luke; Romans to Philemon--Paul; Hebrews--unknown (has been ascribed to Paul, Luke, Apollos, Barnabas); James--James; I and II Peter--Peter; I, II and III John--John; Revelation--John.
The question is asked, "How can I know that the Bible is inspired?"Even in this late day, when the number of Christians has multiplied from a mere handful to four hundred and seventy millions, or fully one-fourth of the entire population of the globe, there are people who doubt the inspiration of the Bible. At different times during the last twenty centuries assaults have been made against the Sacred Book, which Gladstone termed the "Impregnable Rock of Holy Scripture," but without avail. It has a firmer hold on the hearts of men than in any previous age. Mr. Moody, the greatest of American evangelists, was once asked whether he regarded the Bible as inspired, and his answer was brief and to the point: "I know the Bible is inspired," he said, "because it inspires me!" There are countless thousands who will echo this answer and whose lives have been transformed by the same inspiration. Not only the great religious scholars, but the masters of secular literature regard the Bible as unapproachable in its high standard of expression, its magnificent imagery, the transcendent nobility of its rhetoric, the authority with which it appeals to the hearts of men, the universality of its application and the power it exercises over the souls of men. It bears within itself the evidence of inspiration, and wherever it is known and read and its precepts followed, its influence is uplifting and inspiring. The theory of inspiration does not exclude, but rather implies, human agency, however. "Holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Spirit." (II Peter 1:21).
The ordinary study or criticism is directed to finding out the meaning of the passages, their correct translation and their significance and bearing on doctrines. The higher critics go above and back of all that, applying to the books of the Bible the same tests and methods of examination as are applied to other ancient books. They try to find out who were really the authors of the books and when they were written and whether any changes have been made in them since they were written. This latter question they try to solve by a close examination of the text. When they find, for example, such an expression as "There was no king in Israel in those days" (Judges 17:6), they conclude that that sentence was inserted as explanatory, by some one who edited the book after the contemporaneous historian had finished it Or to take an example of a different kind: There is a statement in Psalm 51:16 that God desires not sacrifice, while in the nineteenth verse it is said that he will be pleased with sacrifice. The explanation the higher critics give is that probably the latter verse was added later, by some priest who did not wish the people to cease bringing sacrifices. The best scholars of the present day believe that many of the conclusions reached by the higher critics are erroneous, and that others are mere guesses for which there is not sufficient evidence.
"Can we prove the authenticity of the Bible by outside evidence?" is a frequent question. The authenticity of the Bible is being proved by the old records on monuments, by tablets recently deciphered, and by discoveries in Bible lands. That is if by authenticity you mean its historical truth. As to inspiration, the best evidence is its effects. The man who loves the Bible and tries to conduct his life according to its precepts is a better man for the effort The Bible-reading nation advances in the best line of civilization, caring for its poor and afflicted, and becoming in all ways better. Another evidence of its being inspired is the revelation it gives a man of himself, holding a mirror to his gaze by which he recognizes himself. Another evidence is its survival. No book was ever more violently attacked, no book was ever more misused, yet it has outlived the attacks of foes and the faults of friends and is read today more widely than ever. These are a few of the reasons for believing it came from God.
Yes. There are references to Christ in connection with Christians, by several historians. Tacitus, who was praetor under Domitian in A.D. 88, only fifty-eight years after the Crucifixion, refers to Christ (Annal XV:44). Pliny the younger, who was tribune in Syria about the same time, also refers to him (Epistle X:97). There are also references in Lucian, who lived about the middle of the second century. He states explicitly the fact of Christ having been crucified. Suetonius and Eusebius also refer to Christ Besides these evidences, there was the persecution of the Christians under Nero, which is recorded by all historians. Nero died A.D. 68, only thirty-eight years after the Crucifixion. It is therefore clear that there were many Christians before that time. How could the sect have come into existence without a founder? If you saw an oak growing in a place where there was no tree fifty years before, you would suspect that some one had planted an acorn there, and if four men told you how, when and by whom it was planted, you would be prepared to believe them. So there is good reason for believing the Gospel narratives, when you read in secular history of the existence of the Christian Church fifty years after the Crucifixion. Their stories are a credible explanation of a well-established fact.
It is not a scientific textbook, nor was it written to teach science, but religion. The discrepancies between the story of creation as given in the Bible and that given by the scientists are very much such as we should find in two descriptions of a great battle, if one of them was written by a clergyman who knew nothing of military tactics, and the other by a military expert who knew nothing of religion. The important fact for us-- the fact that is of more momentous interest than all the discoveries of science--is that God made the universe. For this knowledge we are not indebted to science, which has not yet attained it, but we do get it from the Bible. A person who wants to know the latest discoveries of science as to geology and astronomy, should study the recent books of science; but if he wants to know the way to God and eternal happiness, he should go to the Bible. Each has its own sphere.
Some people answer this query by saying that the reason is found in the fact that the Bible is the only book handed down to us through the ages. That is not the best answer. Some ancient writings, like the Vedas, for instance, are almost as ancient as the Bible. And many tablets and monuments are in existence containing words written as long ago as the writings of the Scriptures. There are many powerful arguments for the Bible, but the greatest is that every person who will really study it finds that it does tell the truth about the human soul. When a man reads in an arithmetic that two and two make four, he does not stop to ask himself why he should believe the arithmetic. He knows instinctively and intuitively that the arithmetic is telling him the truth. So when an honest man studies the Bible he finds it full of truths about himself. The Bible tells him he is a sinner, and he knows that is true. The Bible tells him about God, and he finds in his heart a deep conviction that just such a God exists. The Bible offers forgiveness, and the man knows he needs it. Step by step, and point by point, the Bible shows the man what he is and what he needs and points the way to finding the fulfillment of his needs and desires. People find in the Bible help for bearing their trials, power to resist temptation, assurance of immortality and friendship with God. A man who never saw the Bible before, when he reads of God in it, realizes that he always needed and longed for God, but did not know how to find him till the Bible showed him the way. Particularly does it show him how to find God in Christ. That, after all, is the supreme mission of the Bible--to lead men to Christ. But, again, taking the Bible as literature, we find that it hangs together, that it bears within itself the evidence that it is true. Start with the writings of Paul. Here is a levelheaded, highly educated, practical man who has left to the world's literature certain letters to groups of friends. These letters tell about Paul's personal knowledge of Christ, his personal friendship for him, his personal endeavors to forward the work of Christ which he had formerly antagonized until Christ himself appeared to him and set him right Paul tells of becoming acquainted later with men who had known Christ in the flesh--Peter, James, John and others. We find that these men also wrote about Jesus, John writing three letters and a narrative of his life; Peter writing two letters, and apparently giving much of the information to his nephew Mark, who wrote another version of the life of Jesus. Luke, another friend of Paul, and probably also a personal friend of Jesus, wrote another version of his life and wrote the history of what his apostles did through his power after he had risen from the dead and gone back to the heavenly world. These were all good, honest, intelligent men. We may believe what they wrote about Christ and his salvation, just as we believe what Caesar wrote about the Gallic Wars. Further, we find that Christ came from a people whose history is recorded in the books of the Bible and whose prophets uttered messages from God. Peter connects the messages of the prophets with those of himself and the other apostles in II Peter 3:2 -- "That ye may be mindful of the words which were spoken before by the holy prophets, and of the commandment of us the apostles of our Lord and Saviour." The Bible holds together about the person of Christ as the great divine-human document which reveals him to the world.
Yes, to a very notable extent by investigations in Bible lands. Excavations of ancient Babylonian tablets have corroborated the Biblical story of the Flood. The discovery of Assyrian inscriptions has proved the identity of Sargon, one of the greatest of the kings of that nation (see Isa. 20:1-4); identification of the site of Nineveh and of the Tower of Babel or "Birs Nimrud." Many facts concerning kings, nations, cities and events have been brought to light in these ancient records of brick, stone or papyrus, confirming Scripture history.
Presumption based on internal evidence is in favor of that theory. There has been no serious question as to the authorship of Matthew. Mark is supposed to have derived his knowledge of the events he recorded from Peter. Our knowledge of Peter's character leads us to believe that if he undertook to write a Gospel it would be such an one as the Gospel according to Mark. Such an expression as that in Mark 14:72, "When he thought thereon he wept," implies an intimate knowledge of him such as would be writ ten by Peter himself, or by a close associate. The introduction to Luke's Gospel shows that many Gospels were in existence when Luke wrote, and as he knew of them, he may have availed himself of the material they contained. His remark about writing "in order" suggests compilation. The authorship of the fourth Gospel has been hotly disputed, chiefly because some critics held that the writer of Revelation could not have written the elegant and cultured Greek of the Gospel, The majority of the commentators now, however, are in favor of the belief that John wrote it.
The genuineness of the four Gospels rests upon better authority than that of any other ancient writings. It is the general conclusion of the most eminent scholars that all four were written during the latter half of the first century. Before the end of the second century they were in general use and acceptance as one collection. They are mentioned by Tertullian, in a book written about A.D. 208, as being the work of two apostles and two disciples of apostles. Marcion also mentions their apostolic origin. Origen (who lived A.D. 185-253) refers to them as "the four elements of the church's faith." Theophilus, Bishop of Antioch (A.D. 168), also mentions the Gospels in his writings, and Jerome tells us that Theophilus arranged the four into one work. Tatian (who died about A.D. 170) compiled a Harmony of the Gospels. Justin Martyr (A.D. 99-165) gives many quotations from the Gospels. Many other witnesses might be cited to the same purpose. None of the original manuscripts are now in existence.
In the Bible the word "Lord" is found 1,853 times. The word "Jehovah" 6,855 times
The word "Reverend" but once, and that in the 9th verse of Psalm 111.
The 8th verse of the 97th Psalm is the middle verse of the Bible.
The 9th verse of the 8th chapter of Esther is the longest.
The 35th verse of the 11th chapter of St John is the shortest.
In the 107th Psalm four verses are alike: The 8th, 15th, 21st and 31st.
Ezra 7:21 contains all the letters of the alphabet except J.
Each verse of the 136th Psalm ends alike.
No names or words of more than six syllables are found in the Bible.
The 37th chapter of Isaiah and 19th chapter of II Kings are alike.
The word "girl" occurs but once in the Bible, and that in the 3rd verse of the 3rd chapter of Joel.
There are found in both books of the Bible 3,538,483 letters, 773.693 words, 31,373 verses, 1,189 chapters and 66 books.
The 26th chapter of the Acts of the Apostles is the finest chapter to read.
The most beautiful chapter is the 23rd Psalm.
The four most inspiring promises are John 14:2-6, 37; Matthew 11:28; Psalm 37:4.
The 1st verse of the 50th chapter of Isaiah is the one for the new convert.
All who flatter themselves with vain boasting should read the 6th chapter of Matthew.
All humanity should learn the 6th chapter of St Luke from the 20th verse to its ending.
"What symbols are used for both Christ and his people?" is a frequent question. There are six symbols used for both Christ and his people.
1. A BRANCH. For Christ, in Isa. 11:1-4, "A branch out of his roots shall bear fruit," and "with the breath of his lips shall he slay the wicked;" in Zech. 6:12,13, Heb. 3:1-4, Isa. 4:2, Zech. 3:8, Jer. 23-5, 33:15,16. For his People. John 15:5, "Ye are the branches;" Isa. 60:21, "The people also shall be all righteous, the branch of my planting;" also, Rom. 11:16, Ps. 80:11,15.
2. LIGHT. For Christ. In John 8:12, Jesus spake, "I am the light of the world;" also, in John 9:5, Luke 2:32, and I John 1:5, "God is light" For his People. Phil. 2:15, "Among whom ye are seen as lights in the world," Matt. 5:14, Eph. 5:8, Acts 13:47, Is. 42:6, Prov. 4:18.
3. A STONE. For Christ in I Pet. 2:4,6,7,8, "A living stone," "A chief corner-stone," "the stone which the builders rejected," "a stone of stumbling;" also, Ps. 118:22, Eph. 2:20, Matt. 21:42. For his People. I Pet. 2 "Ye also as living stones are built up a spiritual house;" also, Eph. 2:21,22.
4. A TEMPLE. Used for Christ in Rev. 21:22, "And I saw no temple therein for the Lord God the Almighty and the Lamb are the temple thereof;" also, John 2:19,21. For his People. I Cor. 3:16,17, "For the temple of God is holy which temple ye are," and I Cor. 6:19, II Cor. 6:16.
5. A SUN. 'For Christ. Ps. 84:11, "For the Lord God is a sun and shield;" also, Mal. 4:2, Rev. 21:23, 22:5. For his People. Judges 5:31, "Let them that love thee be as the sun;" also, Matt 13:43.
6. A STAR. For Christ. Rev. 22:16, "I am the bright and morning star," II Pet. 1:19, "Until the day dawn and the day-star arise in your hearts;" also, Num. 24:17. For his People. Dan. 12:1-3, "And they that be wise shall shine," "and they that turn many to righteousness as the stars for ever and ever."
There are certain numbers employed in Scripture that are known as sacred or symbolical' numbers. Among these are seven (perfection), as the triune symbol of deity and the four quarters of the earth; forty, a "round number," signifying duration, distance, quantity; ten (completeness); five, as used in offerings etc.; four, related to the quarters of the globe, the shape of the holy of holies in the temple, etc.; three, symbol of supreme divinity; twelve, which derives its significance from the twelve tribes and which has been called the "square number," the "zodiacal number," the "apostolic number." 12x12 means, symbolically, fixity and completeness, and taken a thousand-fold, it gives the grand multiple of 144,000 (otherwise a countless multitude), one thousand symbolizing the world wholly pervaded by the divine--a world redeemed I
The symbolism of "seven" should be traced back to the symbolism of its component elements, "three" and "four," which represent divinity and humanity. Hence, "seven" represents the union between God and man. Among the Persians, the Greeks, the ancient Indians, the Romans, and all nations where seven days in the week were recognized, the influence of the number seven prevailed. It was called by Cicero "the knot and cement of all things," because in "seven" the spiritual and natural world were comprehended in one idea. Some writers claim that the Hebrews borrowed it from their heathen neighbors. The Sabbath, being the seventh day, suggested seven as the appointment for all sacred periods. The seventh month was ushered in by the Feast of Trumpets; seven weeks was the interval between the Passover and the Pentecost, and so on, recognizing seven as the symbol of all connected with the Divinity.
It is not merely an arbitrary period or a "round number," but is chosen to convey die sense of fullness. Some of its prominent Scriptural uses are: Moses was forty days on the mount (Ex. 24:18, etc.); Elijah, strengthened by angel food, fasted for forty days (I Kings 19:8); the rain of the flood fell for forty days (Gen. 7:12); Noah opened the window of the ark after forty days (Gen. 8:6); the spies spent forty days in searching Canaan (Num. 13:25); Moses twice fasted and prayed for forty days (Deu. 9:18-25); Ezekiel bore the iniquities of Judah forty days (Eze. 4:6); Nineveh was allowed forty days to repent (Jonah 3 4); the Israelites wandered forty years in the wilderness (Num. 34:33); Goliath defied Saul's army for forty days (I Sam. 17:16); forty days was the period of embalming (Gen. 50:3); the Lord fasted for forty days (Matt 4:2, etc.); the arisen Lord was seen for forty days (Acts 1:3); the Jews were forbidden to inflict more than forty stripes (Deu. 25:3). It is noteworthy that Jerusalem was destroyed forty years after Christ's ascension, and tradition says Jesus was forty hours in the tomb. Lent lasts for forty days, as does also quarantine. St. Swithin betokens forty days' rain, while many ancient laws concerning physicians, knights, husbands, wives, widows, sanctuary privileges, fines, etc., all cluster about this number.
It is claimed that the books of the Old Testament were collected and arranged under the supervision of Ezra, though modern scholarship disputes the claim. The epistles of Paul to the various churches were collected and incorporated with the other epistles and the Gospels and Revelation into one book during the first half of the second century, and as we learn from Eusebius, were in general use soon after the year 300 A.D.
The excluded books are known as "Apocrypha," and are as follows: I Esdras, II Esdras, Tobit, Judith, several chapters of Esther which are found neither in the Hebrew nor the Chaldee, The Wisdom of Solomon, The Wisdom of Jesus, son of Sirach, or Ecclesiasticus, Baruch, The Song of the Three Holy Children, The History of Susanna, The History of the Destruction of Bel and the Dragon, The Prayer of Manasseh, I Maccabees, II Maccabees. They were excluded by the early Christian Church on the ground that they were of doubtful authority and not tending to spiritual edification. This decision has never been reversed, although in some periods of the Church's history a number of the apocryphal writings were published in smaller type after the regular books in the Bible. At one time the volume of apocryphal writings was even larger than the genuine, but very many of them, being rejected, quickly perished.
The great songs of the Old Testament, besides the Psalms and certain metrical passages in Job, are: Lantech's Sword Song, Gen. 4:23,24; Noah's Song, Gen. 9:25-27; Moses' and Miriam's Song, Ex. 15:1-19,21; War Songs, etc., Num. 21:14,15,17,18,27-30; Moses' Prophetic Song, Deut. 32:1-43; Song of Deborah and Barak, Judg. 5:2-21; Samson's Riddle Song, Judg. 15:16; Hannah's Magnificat, I Sam. 2:1-10; David's Song of the Bow, II Sam. 1:19-27; David's Song over Abner, II Sam. 3:33,34; David's Thanksgiving, I Chron. 16:8-36; Hezekiah's Song, Isa. 38:10-20; Jonah's Prayer Song, Jonah 2:2-9; Habakkuk's Prayer Song, Hab. 3:2-19; and the four original songs in the New Testament: Luke 1:46-55; Luke 1:68-80; Luke 2:14; Luke 2:20-33.
"Was the Book of Revelation written by the same John who wrote the Gospel and the Epistle?" This question has been long disputed by scholars. Dionysius, in A.D. 240, was one of the earliest to express a doubt It was attributed to John Mark, the companion of Paul and Barnabas and the author of the Gospel of Mark; to John the Presbyter, to Cerinthus, and others. The majority of German scholars agree with Luther in denying that Revelation was written by the apostle. On the other hand, there is internal evidence of John's authorship. His description of himself is in the manner of John. The apostle was the only man of prominence of that name who was banished to Patmos. The addresses to the seven churches of Asia show a knowledge of them consistent with the fact that the apostle was their overseer. On the whole, therefore, there seems good reason to believe that it was written by the Apostle John. The differences in the style of the Gospel and the Revelation, which are very marked, doubtless first gave rise to the doubt of the apostolic authorship. These are accounted for by the age of the author and by his perturbation of mind under the excitement of the visions. OLD TESTAMENT PERSONS AND THINGS
