How the Bible Came to Be (Ebook Shorts)
This short ebook explores how the Bible came to be, with fascinating chapters on divine inspiration, the Septuagint, the shaping of the canon, translation, and much more.
From the Back Cover
Uncover the True Story of the Greatest Story Ever
Told
Christians believe that the Bible is divine communication--God's
message to human beings. But how did ancient people capture the
very words of God? How were these words passed down? Why were some
books included in the Bible while others were not? And how do we
know that these texts have been faithfully translated over the
ages?
Discover the answers to these questions and more in How the
Bible Came to Be. In this succinct ebook you'll find up-to-date
biblical scholarship from leading evangelical scholars, covering
the inspiration, canonization, translation, and transmission of
both the Old and the New Testament. From the Dead Sea Scrolls and
the Septuagint to the first English translations and the most
recent translations, How the Bible Came to Be immerses you
in the fascinating story of the most important book of all
time.
Top Highlights
“Although the issues are complex, the net result is that 99 percent of the autographic text is well established. And of the remainder, although the interpretation of hundreds of passages is at stake, no cardinal doctrine depends on textually dubious texts.” (source)
“The ultimate test of canonicity is not whether a book is confirmed by a church council, or written by a prophet or an apostle, or historically reliable, or that its doctrine is in agreement with the rest of Scripture (though these are all important confirmations of canonicity). The ultimate test is whether a book is inspired by the Holy Spirit: ‘all Scripture is inspired by God’ (2 Tim. 3:16 NASB). As Bruce Metzger insightfully observes, the canon is not an authoritative collection of books, but a collection of authoritative books.” (source)
“The Greek word translated ‘God-breathed’ is theopneustos, a term possibly coined by Paul himself to express the nature of inspiration. The King James Version rendering, ‘inspired by God,’ finds it roots in the Latin Vulgate (divinitus inspirata). Unfortunately ‘in-spired’ might suggest that God ‘breathed into’ Scripture its authority, while theopneustos more likely means that God ‘breathed out’ Scripture. Inspiration does not mean divine validation of a human work, but God’s self-revelation of his own purpose and will.” (source)
“Inerrancy must be seen as a philosophical presupposition rather than an empirically verifiable fact.” (source)
“An English translation of Scripture remains God’s Word even though it changes all the words (from Hebrew/Greek to English) if it accurately reproduces the meaning of the text. ‘God’s Word’ ultimately means the conceptual content that the author intended to communicate through Hebrew, Greek, and Aramaic sentences.” (source)
Product Details
- Title : How the Bible Came to Be (Ebook Shorts)
- Authors:
- Hays, J. Daniel
- Duvall, J. Scott
- Publisher: Baker
- Publication Date: 2012
- ISBN: 9781441240262
J. Daniel Hays (PhD, Southwestern Baptist Theological
Seminary) is dean of the Pruet School of Christian Studies and
professor of biblical studies at Ouachita Baptist University,
Arkadelphia, Arkansas. He is the author or coauthor of many
articles and books, including Grasping God's Word, From
Every People and Nation, and The Message of the
Prophets.
J. Scott Duvall (PhD, Southwestern Baptist Theological
Seminary) is chair of the Department of Biblical Studies and J. C.
and Mae Fuller Chair of Biblical Studies at Ouachita Baptist
University. He is the author or coauthor of many articles and
books, including Grasping God's Word and Journey into
God's Word.