How Came the Bible
The Structure and Divisions of the Bible
The word Bible can rightfully claim to be the great-grandson of the Greek word biblos, which was the name given to the outer coat of a papyrus reed in Egypt during the eleventh century B.C
The plural form of biblos is biblia, and by the second century A.D. Christians were using this latter word to describe their writings.
The Hebrew word for testament is berith, meaning a “covenant, or compact, or arrangement between two parties.”
Probably the earliest division of the Hebrew Bible was twofold: the Law and the Prophets.
That is the most common distinction in the New Testament and is confirmed as well by Jewish usage and the Dead Sea Scrolls.
Thus far all Old Testament books except Esther have been represented in the Dead Sea Scrolls. Here small Dead Sea Scroll fragments are under the scrutiny of scholars
Because redemption and revelation center about the Person of Jesus Christ, it may be observed that the several sections of Scriptures form a Christocentric structure (Luke 24:27, 44; John 5:39; Heb. 10:7).
The Law
(Torah)
The Prophets
(Nevi’im)
The Writings
(Kethuvim)
1. Genesis
2. Exodus
3. Leviticus
4. Numbers
5. Deuteronomy
A. Former Prophets
1. Joshua
2. Judges
3. Samuel
4. Kings
B. Latter Prophets
1. Isaiah
2. Jeremiah
3. Ezekiel
4. The Twelve
A. Poetical Books
1. Psalms
2. Job
3. Proverbs
B. Five Rolls (Megilloth)
1. Ruth
2. Song of Songs
3. Ecclesiastes
4. Lamentations
5. Esther
C. Historical Books
1. Daniel
2. Ezra-Nehemiah
3. Chronicles
That is, Christ is not only the theme of both Testaments of the Bible, as mentioned above, but He may also be seen as the subject in the sequence of each of the eight sections of the Scriptures
In the Old Testament, the books of the law lay the foundation for Christ in that they reveal how God chose (Genesis), redeemed (Exodus), sanctified (Leviticus), guided (Numbers), and instructed (Deuteronomy) the Hebrew nation, through whom He was to bless all nations (Gen. 2:1–3)
The historical books illustrate how the nation was being prepared to carry out its redemptive p 28 mission.
In the law the foundation is laid for Christ; in the historical books the nation takes root in preparation for Christ; in the poetical books the people look up in aspiration for Christ; in the prophetical books they look forward in expectation of Christ.
The gospels of the New Testament bring that prophetic expectation to a historical manifestation in Christ.
The starting point in the discussion of inspiration is the claim of the Scriptures themselves