The Bible

Look Upon Us, O Lord

Look upon us, O Lord, and let all the darkness of our souls vanish before the beams of your brightness.

Fill us with holy love, and open to us the treasures of your wisdom.

All our desire is known to you, therefore perfect what you have begun and what your Spirit has awakened us to ask in prayer.

We seek your face, turn your face unto us and show us your glory. Then shall our longing be satisfied, and our peace shall be perfect.

St. Augustine

Come, Holy Spirit

Come Holy Spirit, and fill the hearts of your faithful, and kindle in them the fire of Your Divine Love. Send forth Your Spirit and they shall be created, and You shall renew the face of the earth. Oh God, Who by the light of the Holy Spirit instructed the hearts of the faithful, Grant, that by the same Spirit we may be truly wise and ever rejoice in His consolation. We ask this through Christ Our Lord. Amen.

St Charles Borromeo.

The Bible

*** For this session I usually bring about 3 or 4 different translations of the Bible including one in a foreign language. I distribute them to some candidates and ask them to find a certain passage with one starting to read a verse and the others trying to follow. From there I take up the explanation below trying to elicit ideas through the questions.

What is the Bible?

A collection of writings which the Church of God has solemnly recognized as inspired by God. The name is derived from the Greek expression biblia (the books), which came into use in the early centuries of Christianity to designate the whole sacred volume.

What are Scriptures?

Writings of old including the Bible books and writings by the early church fathers. Nowadays we mostly mean the books of the Bible itself. (Sometimes even holy writings of other religions)By whom and for whom was the Bible written?

It is a fact of history that in the time of Christ the Jews were in possession of sacred books, which differed widely from one another in subject, style, origin and scope, and it is also a fact that they regarded all such writings as invested with a character which distinguished them from all other books. This was the Divine authority of every one of these books and of every part of each book.

What is the Old Testament?

The sacred books written before the coming of Our Lord.

Testament is the PACT that God made with Abraham.

Divisions of the Old Testament:

Historical - Genesis to Esther - arranged not in order when they were written but according to events in time narrated.

Didactic or Moral - Job to Ecclesiasticus - containing heavenly instruction and principles of morality.

Prophetical - Isaiah to Malachi - God’s message to people and some predictions.

Historical appendix - Books of Maccabees.

What is the Torah?

The Jewish Bible which is the same first five books of the Old Testament we use, namely: Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy.

What is the New Testament?

Denotes the inspired writings composed since the coming of Christ. The Pact here is between Christ and believers in Him.

Divisions of the New Testament:

Historical - Gospels & Acts - former telling us about the life of Jesus and latter about the early church.

Didactic - the letters of Paul, Peter. James etc.

A Prophetical book - The Apocalypse.

What is a CODEX?

Early collections of Old and New Testaments in papyrus form.

Vaticanus: earliest from 1st half of 4th Cent.

Sinaiticus: 4th Cent kept in British Museum.

Alexandrinus: 5th Cent. From Alexandria to Constantinople and now also in the British Museum.

Dead sea Scrolls: 1st Cent. discovered in what is now Israel, in the 60’s belonging to the Essenes.

Who decided which books belonged in the Bible?

In the middle of the first century there was already the list of Old testament books in Greek. The New Testament list came in 393 through the efforts of the bishops gathered in Hippo in N. Africa.

At the Council of Trent in 1546 the Church set down the books which must be considered "as sacred and canonical". They are the seventy-two books found in Catholic editions, forty-five in the Old Testament and twenty-seven in the New. Protestant copies usually lack the seven books (viz: Tobit, Judith, Wisdom, Sirach, Baruch, and First and Second Maccabees) and parts of books (viz: Esther 10:4-16:24, and Daniel 3:24-90; 13:1-14:42) which are not found in the Jewish editions of the Old Testament.

What are Apocryphal books?

The ones not included by the church.

Check: http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/01601a.htm#

Who divided the Bible into chapters and verses, Why and when?

Originally they did not contain chapter or verse references. The Bible was divided into chapters and verses to help us find Scriptures more quickly and easily. It is much easier to find "John chapter 3, verse 16" than it is to find "for God so loved the world..." In a few places, chapter breaks are poorly placed and as a result divide content that should flow together. Overall, though, the chapter and verse divisions are very helpful.

The chapter divisions commonly used today were developed by Stephen Langton, an Archbishop of Canterbury in around A.D. 1227. The Wycliffe English Bible of 1382 was the first Bible to use this chapter pattern. Since the Wycliffe Bible, nearly all Bible translations have followed Langton's chapter divisions.

The Hebrew Old Testament was divided into verses by a Jewish rabbi by the name of Nathan in A.D. 1448.

How should we read the Bible?

Never as one book from page #1 on. Discuss why.

Very useful for meditation and following the Liturgical year in the church readings.

With a spirit of prayer.

Trying to apply what we read in our own particular life and present situation.

Why so many versions of the Bible and what sources do they have?

1. Septuagint: Oldest 300 - 130 BC - Greek translation of the Old Testament. Also used by the early Christians.

2. Vulgate: 383 - 405 AD - translation into Latin by St.Jerome.

3. Rheims - Douay: 1568 - English translation from the Vulgate.

4. King James: (Protestant) 1611 - later 1885 - Revised version.

5. American Standard: (Protestant) 1901 - Revised from above.

6. Revised Standard Version: (Catholic edition) 1965.

7. Jerusalem Bible: 1966 revised 85 based on Greek and Hebrew texts.

8. New American Bible: 1970 - 1983 - from the original languages.

9. New International version: (Protestant) 1984

1. Good News Bible: 1991 - revised 2004 - in contemporary English

2. The new English translation of 2011 following Latin Vulgate more closely.

What is the meaning of the word Revelation?

The act of being told or shown something that was previously hidden from you.

How did God reveal Himself to us?

Through the Prophets in the Old Testament and through His only Son Jesus in the New Testament.

What is meant by Divine Inspiration?

God is the Inspirer not Dictator word for word. Each author wrote in his style what God wanted us to know: Subjects like history, politics and others, form the framework of God’s revelation about salvation.

Old Testament

Pentateuch : Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy

Historical books : Joshua, Judges, Ruth, 1 Samuel, 2 Samuel, 1 Kings, 2 Kings, 1 Chronicles, 2 Chronicles, Ezra, Nehemiah, Tobit, Judith, Esther, 1 Maccabees, 2 Maccabees

Wisdom books : Job, Psalms, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, Song of Solomon, Wisdom, Sirach

Prophetic books : Isaiah, Jeremiah, Lamentations, Baruch, Ezekiel, Daniel, Hosea, Joel, Amos, Obadiah, Jonah, Micah, Nahum, Habakkuk, Zephaniah, Haggai, Zechariah, Malachi

New Testament

The Gospels : Matthew, Mark, Luke, John

Historical book : Acts

Pauline Epistles : Romans, 1 Corinthians, 2 Corinthians, Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, 1 Thessalonians, 2 Thessalonians, 1 Timothy, 2 Timothy, Titus, Philemon, Hebrews

General Epistles : James, 1 Peter, 2 Peter, 1 John, 2 John, 3 John, Jude

Revelation

The Bible is a source which tells of the experiences of real people and of how God dealt with them. The deepest needs of the human heart and the most profound longings of the human soul are brought to us in the great stories of the Bible. The Bible is a real treasure house and this leaflet tells you where you can turn to find messages to meet your needs as you face the challenges, problems, and joys of life. As you read the Bible you will find that it speaks to you as does no other book and your life will be enriched and blessed.

Concerning Your Personal Life

Tired? ISAIAH 40.25-31; MATTHEW 11.28-30

Tense? PSALM 91; JAMES 5.7-11

Worried? PSALM 46; MATTHEW 6.25-34

Discouraged? PSALMS 23; 42; 43

Frustrated? PSALMS 40; 73; 90; HEBREWS 12

Jealous? PSALM 49; JAMES 3

Bored? 2 KINGS 5; JOB 38; PSALMS 103; 104; EPHESIANS 3

Bereaved? 1 CORINTHIANS 15; 1 THESSALONIANS 4.13–5.28; REVELATION 21; 22

Too busy? ECCLESIASTES 3.1-15

Bearing a grudge? LUKE 6; 2 CORINTHIANS 4; EPHESIANS 4

Becoming lax and indifferent? MATTHEW 25; REVELATION 2; 3

Staying awake nights? PSALMS 4; 56; 130

Lonely or fearful? PSALMS 27; 91; LUKE 8; 1 PETER 4

Feeling rejected? COLOSSIANS 1; 1 PETER 1; ROMANS 8

Concerning Your Future

Building a new home? PSALM 127; EPHESIANS 5; COLOSSIANS 3; 1 JOHN 4.7-21

Assuming more responsibility? JOSHUA 1.1-9; PROVERBS 2; 2 CORINTHIANS 8.1-15

Getting married? PROVERBS 5.15-21; 31.10-31

Establishing a new business? PSALMS 37; 92; ECCLESIASTES 5

Facing a crisis? JOB 28.12-28; PROVERBS 8; ISAIAH 55

Planning your budget? MARK 4; LUKE 19

Concerning Your Health

Sick or in pain? PSALMS 6; 39; 41; 67; ISAIAH 26; JAMES 5.14-15

Afraid of death? JOHN 11; 17; 20; 2 CORINTHIANS 5; 1 JOHN 3; REVELATION 14

Concerning Others

Anxious for loved ones? PSALM 121; LUKE 7

Angry with someone? MATTHEW 18; EPHESIANS 4; JAMES 4

Concerning Faith

Tempted to do wrong? PSALMS 15; 19; 139; MATTHEW 4; JAMES 4

Need forgiveness? PSALM 51; MATTHEW 23; LUKE 15; PHILEMON

Weak in faith? PSALMS 126; 146; HEBREWS 11

Does God seem far away? PSALMS 25; 125; 138; LUKE 10

Where to Find

The Ten Commandments - EXODUS 20.1-17; DEUTERONOMY 5.7-21

The Shepherd Psalm - PSALM 23

The Christmas Story - MATTHEW 1–2; LUKE 2.1-40

The Beatitudes - MATTHEW 5.3-12

The Lord’s Prayer - MATTHEW 6.5-15; LUKE 11.1-13

The Great Commandment - MATTHEW 22.34-40

The Great Commission - MATTHEW 28.16-20

The Pentecost Story - ACTS 2

The Greatest of these is Love - 1 CORINTHIANS 13

Poems and Songs of the Bible

Moses’ Song of Deliverance - EXODUS 15.1-18

The Song of Deborah - JUDGES 5.1-31

The Song of Hannah - 1 SAMUEL 2.1-10

David’s Lament 2 SAMUEL - 1.17-27

David’s Song of Victory - 2 SAMUEL 7.18-29

David’s Song of Deliverance - 2 SAMUEL 22

The Song of David - 1 CHRONICLES 16.8-36

The Symphony of the Heavens - PSALM 8

God’s Beauty in the Morning - PSALM 19

The Lord, My Shepherd - PSALM 23

The Entrance of the King - PSALM 24

God’s Care - PSALM 37

An Anthem of Hope - PSALM 42

Confidence in God’s - PSALM 46

Present Help

The Protection of the Man Who Trusts in God - PSALM 91

A Song for the Sabbath Day - PSALM 92

The Floods of Chaos - PSALM 93

God’s Voice Today - PSALM 95

Glory to God - PSALM 96

A Dread and Fearsome King - PSALM 97

The Wonderful Acclaim of the World - PSALM 98

A Challenge of Righteous Rule - PSALM 99

Enter His Gates Singing - PSALM 100

Thanksgiving to God - PSALM 103

Creator, Provider, Sustainer - PSALM 104

Vows of Thanksgiving - PSALM 107

Lament for the Nation - PSALM 137

Worthy of Great Praise PSALM 145

The God of Nature - PSALM 147

All Nature Sings - PSALM 148

Praise the Lord! - PSALM 150

The Magnificat of Mary - LUKE 1.46-55

The Benedictus LUKE (Zechariah’s Blessing) -1.68-79

The Nunc Dimittis (Simeon’s Prayer) - LUKE 2.29-32

Prayers of the New Testament

Jesus’ Prayer in Gethsemane - MATTHEW 26.36-44

Prayers of the Pharisee and the Tax Collector - LUKE 18.9-14

The Thief’s Prayer - LUKE 23.42

Jesus’ Prayer for His Disciples - JOHN 17

The Disciple’s Prayer - ACTS 4.24-31

Paul’s Thanks for Timothy - 2 TIMOTHY 1.3-7

Bible Benedictions and Blessings

“The Lord Watch” - GENESIS 31.49

“The Lord make his face to SHINE UPON THEE” - NUMBERS 6.24-26

“The Lord our God be with us” - 1 KINGS 8.56-61

“The words of my mouth” - PSALM 19.14

“The God of patience” - ROMANS 15.5,6, 13,33

“Now to Him that is of power” - ROMANS 16.25-27

“Grace be unto you” - 1 CORINTHIANS 1.3

“The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ” - 2 CORINTHIANS 13.13

“Peace be to the brethren” - EPHESIANS 6.23-24

“The peace of God” - PHILIPPIANS 4.7-9

“May our God count you worthy” - 2 THESSALONIANS 1.11-12

“Now the Lord of peace” - 2 THESSALONIANS 3.16-18

“Grace, mercy and peace” - 1 TIMOTHY 1.2

“The God of peace” - HEBREWS 13.20-21

“The God of all grace” - 1 PETER 5.10,11,14

“Grace be with you” - 2 JOHN 3

“Now unto Him that is able to keep you” - JUDE 24-25

“Unto Him that loved us” - REVELATION 1.4-6

Stories of the Old Testament

EARLY BEGINNINGS

Creation and Sin - GENESIS 1–3

The First Murder (Cain and Abel) - GENESIS 4.1-16

Noah and the Flood - GENESIS 6–9.17

The Tower of Babel - GENESIS 11.1-9

The Destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah - GENESIS 19.1-29

Abraham’s Offering of Isaac - GENESIS 22.1-19

The Story of Jacob GENESIS - 25.19–35.29

The Story of Joseph GENESIS - 37–50

Moses: In Egypt EXODUS - 1–13

Crossing the Red Sea - EXODUS 14–15.21

Moses: The Exodus - EXODUS 12.21–18.27

Wanderings in the Wilderness NUMBERS - 14.26–16.50

Last Days of Moses - DEUTERONOMY 32–34

Balaam and Balak - NUMBERS 22–24

National History of Israel

The Story of Ruth - RUTH 1–4

The Story of Samuel - 1 SAMUEL 1–3; 7–10; 12; 15; 16

Saul, the First King - 1 SAMUEL 8–11; 13; 15; 28; 31

David, the Shepherd King - 1 SAMUEL 16–31; 2 SAMUEL 1–24;; 1 KINGS 1–2.12

King Solomon - 1 KINGS 2.12–11.43

Elijah, Great Prophet - 1 KINGS 17–19; 21; 2 KINGS 1

Elisha, His Successor - 2 KINGS 2–9.13; 13.14-21

Jehu’s Triumph over Jezebel - 2 KINGS 9

Nehemiah, Heroic Builder - NEHEMIAH 1–4

Esther, Queen and Heroine - ESTHER 1–7

Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego - DANIEL 3

The Handwriting on the Wall - DANIEL 5

Daniel in the Lion’s Den - DANIEL 6

Jonah, Reluctant Missionary - JONAH 1–4

Stories of the New Testament

JOHN THE BAPTIST

His Birth - LUKE 1.5-25, 57-80

His Ministry - MATTHEW 3; MARK 1.1-11; LUKE 3.1-22

His Execution by Herod - MARK 6.14-29

THE LIFE OF JESUS

The Birth of Jesus - MATTHEW 1.18–2.15; LUKE 1.26-56; 2.1-40

The Young Jesus - LUKE 2.41-52

The Baptism of Jesus - MATTHEW 3; MARK 1.1-11; LUKE 3.21-22

The Temptation of Jesus - MATTHEW 4.1-11; MARK 1.12-13; LUKE 4.1-13

The Sermon on the Mount - MATTHEW 5–7; LUKE 6.20-49

The Triumphal Entry into Jerusalem - MATTHEW 21.1-11; MARK 11.1-11; LUKE 19.29-44; JOHN 12.12-19

The Easter Story MATTHEW - 26–28; MARK 14–16; LUKE 22–24; JOHN 13–21

The Ascension of Jesus - MARK 16.19; LUKE 24.50-53; ACTS 1.1-11

The Parables of Jesus

The Grain of Mustard Seed - MATTHEW 13.31-32; MARK 4.30-32; LUKE 13.18-19

The Sower - MATTHEW 13.1-9, 18-23; MARK 4.3-9, 14-20; LUKE 8.5-8, 11-15

The Seed Springs Up - MARK 4.26-29

The Tares - MATTHEW 13.24-30, 36-43

The Leaven - MATTHEW 13.33; LUKE 13.20-21

The Found Treasure - MATTHEW 13.44

The Precious Pearl - MATTHEW 13.45-46

The Net - MATTHEW 13.47-50

The Unmerciful Servant - MATTHEW 18.23-35

The Labourers in the Vineyard - MATTHEW 20.1-16

The Two Sons - MATTHEW 21.28-32

The Vineyard - MATTHEW 21.33-46; MARK 12.1-12; LUKE 20.9-19

The Marriage Feast - MATTHEW 22.1-14; LUKE 14.15-24

The Ten Virgins - MATTHEW 25.1-13

The Talents - MATTHEW 25.14-30

The Sheep and the Goats - MATTHEW 25.31-46

The Two Debtors - LUKE 7.36-50

The Good Samaritan - LUKE 10.25-37

The Rich Fool - LUKE 12.16-21

The Servants Who Waited - LUKE 12.35-48

The Barren Fig Tree - LUKE 13.6-9

The Lost Sheep - LUKE 15.3-7

The Lost Money - LUKE 15.8-10

The Prodigal Son - LUKE 15.11-32

The Dishonest Steward - LUKE 16.1-13

The Rich Man and Lazarus - LUKE 16.19-31

The Unjust Judge - LUKE 18.1-8

The Pharisee and the Tax Collector - LUKE 18.9-14

The Gold Coins - LUKE 19.11-27

Miracles of Jesus

The Wedding at Cana - JOHN 2.1-11

The Nobleman’s Son - JOHN 4.46-54

The Healing of a Leper - MATTHEW 8.1-4; MARK 1.40-45; LUKE 5.12-16

The Centurion’s Servant - MATTHEW 8.5-13; LUKE 7.1-10

The Healing of Peter’s Mother-in-law - MATTHEW 8.14-15; MARK 1.29-31; LUKE 4.38-39

The Calming of the Storm - MATTHEW 8.23-27; MARK 4.35-41; LUKE 8.22-25

The Healing of the Man with Demons - MATTHEW 8.28-34; MARK 5.1-20; LUKE 8.26-39

The Paralyzed Man - MATTHEW 9.1-8; MARK 2.1-12; LUKE 5.17-26

The Daughter of Jairus and the woman touching Jesus‘ cloak - MATTHEW 9.18-26; MARK 5.21-43; LUKE 8.40-56

The Two Blind Men - MATTHEW 9.27-31; 20.29-34

The Man with the Mute Spirit - MATTHEW 9.32-34

The Man with the Withered Hand - MATTHEW 12.9-14; MARK 3.1-6; LUKE 6.6-11

The Feeding of the Five Thousand - MATTHEW 14.13-21; MARK 6.30-44; LUKE 9.10-17; JOHN 6.1-15

The Daughter of the Woman of Canaan - MATTHEW 15.21-28; MARK 7.24-30

The Feeding of the Four Thousand - MATTHEW 15.32-38; MARK 8.1-9

The Boy with an Evil Spirit - MATTHEW 17.14-21; MARK 9.14-29; LUKE 9.37-43

Blind Bartimaeus - MARK 10.46-52; LUKE 18.35-43

The Fig Tree - MATTHEW 21.18-22; MARK 11.12-14

Another Man with an Evil Spirit - MARK 1.21-28; LUKE 4.31-37

The Deaf-Mute - MARK 7.31-37

The Miraculous Catch - LUKE 5.1-11

The Widow’s Son - LUKE 7.11-17

The Woman Healed on the Sabbath - LUKE 13.10-17

Jesus Heals a Sick Man - LUKE 14.1-6

The Ten Lepers Healed - LUKE 17.11-19

The Sick Man at Bethesda - JOHN 5.1-18

The Raising of Lazarus - JOHN 11.1-48

The Last Breakfast - JOHN 21.1-14

Other New Testament Stories

Stephen, the First Martyr - ACTS 6; 7.54-60

Philip and the Ethiopian - ACTS 8.26-39

Saul of Tarsus - ACTS 9.1-32

Peter and Cornelius - ACTS 10

Peter in Prison - ACTS 12.1-19

Paul in Prison - ACTS 16.16-40

The Riot at Ephesus - ACTS 19.23-41

Paul’s Voyage to Rome - ACTS 27; 28.1-16