What Is The Bible

The Bible is the most significant book in the history of civilization. In the context of Jewish history, the Bible’s impact on politics, history, and religion is without comparison. Along with establishing the covenant-based legitimacy of the Jewish people and their history, the Bible’s political impact is exemplified through prophetic politics, the power of kings, and the effects of political authority. Biblical archeology has discovered biblical structures which supports the historical validity of the Bible. The Bible’s effect on history, politics, and religion has shaped the world we live in today.

In order to comprehend the level of significance the Bible represents, one must systematically break down the structure of the Bible. Religious writings of both Judaism and Christianity compose the Bible and are dependant on the religious traditions of a specific denomination. In the context of Judaism, Tanakh is the Hebrew name of the Bible composed by the three parts of the Hebrew Bible: the Torah, Nevi’im, and Ketuvim. The Torah includes the “Five Books” of Moses which establishes God’s covenant with the Jews. The Nevi’im discusses the division of the two kingdoms, Israel and Judah, and acknowledges different prophets. The Ketuvim is composed of poetry, writings, and the stories of Jewish prophets. The books written after the Hebrew Bible, referred to as The New Testament by Christians, contain the accounts of Jesus and his disciples. The New Testament plays a central role in Christianity just as the Hebrew Bible, or commonly referred to as the Old Testament, provides the foundation for Judaism.

The first book of the Bible, Genesis, sets the framework in which Judaism is rooted. Genesis is vital to the religion and history of Judaism as depicts the covenant between God and his Chosen People through Abraham and the people to the Promised

Land. The development and destiny of the Jewish people emerged in the book of Genesis. According to Tony Fahey’s (Fahey 1982: 64) analysis of Max Weber’s Ancient Jerusalem, “The covenant conception argued by Weber as the initial great uniqueness of Israelite religiosity and political organization.” The uniqueness of the covenant conception regarding Abraham is exemplified in the first book of the Bible (Genesis. 15:18 New International Version);

On that day the LORD made a covenant with Abram, saying, “To your offspring I give this land, from the river of Egypt to the great river, the river Euphrates, 19 the land of the Kenites, the Kenizzites, the Kadmonites, 20 the Hittites, the Perizzites, the Rephaim, 21 the Amorites, the Canaanites, the Girgashites and the Jebusites.

God’s covenant with Abraham displays the “choosiness” of his people in relation to Abraham and his offspring. The land from the river of Egypt to the river Euphrates depicts Israel as the Promise Land handed directly to Abraham’s offspring from the covenant he made with God. Judaism’s direct correlation with God through Abraham and the Promise Land is seen through this covenant. The Bible connects God and his Chosen People through Genesis legitimizing the notion that Jews are in fact God’s Chosen People.

Alongside Genesis, the second book of the Old Testament, Exodus, is seen as one of the most important books relating to Judaism. Exodus tells the story of Moses leading the Israelites out of Egypt and giving them the land of Canaan. Although arguments put

forth during lecture highly support the non-existence of Moses due to the lack of historical and archaeological evidence, the events at Sinai resulted in the people of Israel

committing themselves to God and God to them. The commandments that God revealed at Sinai provided the basis for Jewish law, also known as Halakha. Halakha guides Judaic religious practices including day-to-day practices of Jewish life. Judaism affirms it’s oneness with God by being obedient to Halakha. The ideology that Judaism is a “Mosaic” religion stems from the book of Exodus. This treaty, as it were, sealed the future of the Jewish people and served as the basis for the later development of Judaism (Schiffman 1998:9). God provided detailed instructions for the building of the Tabernacle in Exodus which revealed God’s high and holy standards. The Tabernacle served as a place of worship and sacrifice to the Chosen People. The festival of Passover is celebrated today in the remembrance of the events that took place in Exodus. The religious, political, and historical influence that the Bible had on civilization is a direct result from the book of Exodus. Exodus establishes Judaism and also the Mosaic covenant that Judaism adheres itself too. The commandments handed down from God to the Israel’s Children exemplify biblical law that is intertwined with civil law. This laws promotion of fairness and equality can be seen in today’s modern laws governing society. The Ten Commandments are posted in numerous court houses, city districts, and local churches despite the fact that they are a translation and not in their original context.

Although the Bible has played a major role in Judaism, its role in Christianity is just as significant. The Bible is used by Christians all over the world with most of its attention centered on the New Testament. The New Testament is composed

of books

pertaining to the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth. These books are referred to as the Gospels, the Acts of the Apostles, Epistles, and an Apocalypse. Christianity believes

that all are “saved” by God through the belief in Jesus and repentance of their sin. David Kelsey (Kelsey 1980:386) asserts, “(The New Testament) … the central thing is not so much the theme of the presence of God as it is the way in which the life, death, and resurrection appearances of Jesus specify concretely the particular mode in which God is present.” The Gospel of John has been credited to appeal to Jews who were not believers in Jesus as the Messiah. John emphasizes the miracles that Jesus preformed resulting in the book sometimes referred to as the “Book of Signs.” Not only does the Gospel of John discuss the miracles of Jesus, a trait distinguishing in the Gospel of John from the other gospels, the gospel focuses on the prominence of love as a Christian characteristic. Although the New Testament’s focal point revolves around Jesus, it has definitely shaped Western culture into what

...