Category: bibliology / study of the Bible itself

The New Testament Scriptures

Wednesday, November 23, 2011

“But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you” (John 14:26 KJV).

During Christ’s earthly ministry, there were no New Testament Scriptures. In fact, according to Luke 24:44, the only Scripture at that time was “the law of Moses, the prophets, and the psalms” (Old Testament). But, God’s Word still needed 27 other books—what we call the New Testament—in order to complete His revelation to man.

In today’s Scripture, Jesus explains to His apostles that the Holy Ghost will later bring to their mind the words He spoke to them. It is generally agreed that the first New Testament books written may have been the Four Gospel Records (Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John), written no more than 40 years after Calvary. These four books record the very words that Jesus Christ spoke during His earthly ministry.

During the 40-year period between Calvary and A.D. 70, the Holy Ghost revealed the New Testament Scriptures. For instance, the Apostle Paul wrote, “I will come to visions and revelations of the Lord” (2 Corinthians 12:1). Paul understood that Jesus Christ would appear to him at later times to reveal further information (see Acts 26:16).

Moreover, the spiritual gifts of Romans 12:6-8 and 1 Corinthians 12:8-10,28-31 held together the early Body of Christ, until the canon of the Scripture was completed. The term “canon” (from the Greek “kanon,” meaning “rule”) collectively describes the 66 books of the Bible. Consequently, the 39 Old Testament books and the 27 New Testament books comprise the Biblical canon.

There would come a point, however, when that spiritual gift program would cease operation, as God’s full revelation (the completed Bible) would be accomplished (1 Corinthians 13:8-13; Colossians 1:25). Once Paul wrote 2 Timothy, the Bible was completed (see 2 Timothy 3:16,17). Thus, revelations from God have stopped. Today, illumination is the method whereby God the Holy Spirit, through His written, completed Word, teaches us (1 Corinthians 2:9-16; 1 Corinthians 14:37; Ephesians 3:4).

The Hebrew Bible

Tuesday, November 22, 2011

“And he said unto them, These are the words which I spake unto you, while I was yet with you, that all things must be fulfilled, which were written in the law of Moses, and in the prophets, and in the psalms, concerning me” (Luke 24:44 KJV).

In today’s Scripture, after His resurrection, the Lord Jesus Christ opens the minds of His apostles so that they understand what happened to Him on Calvary (His suffering, death, burial, and resurrection, as foretold by the Old Testament prophets; cf. Acts 8:26-35 and 1 Peter 1:10,11). Notice how He made specific reference to the organization of the Old Testament Scriptures.

The Hebrew Bible that exists today in Judaism is identical to the one of which Jesus spoke in today’s Scripture. Like in Jesus’ day, it is divided into three elements: “the law of Moses, the prophets, and the psalms.” Basically, it is the text of our Old Testament, just with combined books and a different book order. For instance, Chronicles is the last book in the Hebrew Bible, whereas the last book of our Old Testament is Malachi.

Moreover, there are 24 books in the Hebrew Bible compared to our 39 Old Testament books. (This is because 1&2 Samuel was originally one book; same with Kings and Chronicles.) (Ezra and Nehemiah comprise one book, not two like in our Old Testament.) (Hosea to Malachi is one giant book.)

These 24 books of the Hebrew Bible, as Jesus indicated, are divided into three sections:

  1. The Torah/the Law/Chumash—Moses’ five books of Genesis to Deuteronomy
  2. The Prophets/Nabum—Joshua, Judges, Samuel, Kings, Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, and the twelve minor prophets of Hosea to Malachi
  3. The Writings/Psalms/Kethubim—Psalms, Proverbs, Job, Song of Solomon, Ruth, Lamentations, Ecclesiastes, Esther, Daniel, Ezra-Nehemiah, and Chronicles

Notice how the above list correlates with today’s Scripture: “(1) in the law of Moses, and (2) in the prophets, and (3) in the psalms.” What is missing? The apocryphal books! According to Jesus Christ, and today’s Hebrew Bible, Rome’s seven to thirteen apocryphal books were never part of the Old Testament.