The Content and Authorship of the Bible

Two Primary Covenants

Let’s examine the lay out of the bible as a whole. It is made up of 66 separate books or writings, which taken together, tell the history of the revelation of God to humankind. The first 39 books are commonly referred to as the Old Testament, and the last 27 books are referred to as the New Testament. Testament means “covenant” or “agreement.”

Actually the bible describes more than just 2 agreements between God and humankind. However, to a large extent the Old Testament tells the story of Abraham and his descendants (Israel), and the New Testament tells the story of Jesus Christ and those who first believed in him.

Primary Divisions

The Old Testament may be subdivided into 3 parts:

• History – 17 books
• Poetry – 5 books
• Prophecy – 17 books

The New Testament may be subdivided into 3 parts as well:

• History – 5 books
• Letters – 21 books
• Prophecy – 1 book

The New Testament letters can be further divided as follows:

• Those written by Paul
• To churches
• To individuals
• Letters written by others

The Authorship of the Bible

The bible was penned by over 40 different people, who lived at different times and in different circumstances of life. The common thread that unifies them is that each of these people was in some way inspired, moved, or driven by an inclination and belief that God was directing them to write or speak these things.

Surely many people have felt a strong, and even a Godly conviction to write things down. But beyond the experience of the writer, the books of the bible have another common heritage. They have always been commonly perceived by believers as the “inspired” truth of God. They have been commonly accepted by believers as “God’s Word,” or as having been “God-breathed.”

Such acceptance by God’s people has not always been unanimous. Several of the books found acceptance only over time, and some books accepted by Roman Catholic scholars are still not accepted by most Protestants. The later are often referred to as the Apocrypha. The truth of these books is not at issue, only the question of “inspiration.” That is, whether or not they are “God’s Word,” and directed by God’s Spirit. The 66 books referred to here, have long been broadly accepted by believers as “The Word of God.”

The real author of the bible then, is God. He did not inscribe these books on stone or write them in the sky. Rather he has impressed them upon the hearts and minds of men and women, at the time they were written, and at the time that they are read. God’s “inspiration” is still necessary to properly understand and “perceive” the Word of God in the scriptures.

So this study of the scriptures must be more than just an academic examination of the words of these writings. But if we seek the message of God to humankind, these books can be the opening way to the living Word, and a living relationship with God.