SURVEYING THE BOOKS

1

• CHAPTER 3
• SURVEYING THE BOOKS
• OF THE BIBLE

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Best Seller

• The Bible was first printed in 1454
• The Bible is always at the top of any
  best-sellers list

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Familiar Sayings from the Bible

• A HOUSE DIVIDED
• APPLE OF HIS EYE
• CAN A LEOPARD CHANGE HIS SPOTS
• OUT OF THE MOUTHS OF BABES
• HANDWRITING ON THE WALL
• LABOR OF LOVE
• BY THE SKIN OF MY TEETH
• EAT, DRINK, AND BE MERRY

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Formation of the Old Testament

• Before the actual writing took place, there was a
  period of oral traditions that came from the
  experiences the people had with God and with each
  other.
• Many historians believe the Chosen People began
  to preserve their stories during the reign of
  King Solomon (950 BC).
• Many editors were involved, resulting in many OT
  books being compilations.

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The Old Testament Canon

• The Septuagint (a Greek translation of the Hebrew
  Scriptures) was common during Jesus day.
• Jewish scholars omitted the seven books written
  in Greek from the Septuagint.

• The Council of Trent accepted all the books in
  the Septuagint as part of the Old Testament
  canon.
• Protestant Reformers accepted the official list
  of Hebrew Scriptures accepted by rabbis in AD 90.

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Survey of the Old Testament Books

• Pentateuch

• The Historical Books

• Most scholars believe that four different oral
  traditions went into writing the foundational
  Pentateuch.
• Genesis
• Exodus
• Leviticus
• Numbers
• Deuteronomy

• How God remained faithful to the covenant how
  the Israelites struggled to live by its terms
• Joshua
• Judges
• Ruth
• 1 and 2 Samuel
• 1 and 2 Kings
• 1 and 2 Chronicles
• Ezra and Nehemiah
• Tobit, Judith, and Esther
• 1 and 2 Maccabees

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Survey of the Old Testament Books

• The Wisdom Books

• Prophetic Books

• How God works in our everyday lives
• Job
• Psalms
• Proverbs
• Ecclesiastes
• Song of Songs
• Wisdom
• Sirach

• The biblical prophets were a messengers from God.
• Worship the one, true God
• Accept Gods love and mercy
• Be just, especially to the poor
• Know that God will ultimately triumph

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Why Commit the Oral Tradition to writing?

• The end of the world was not coming as quickly as
  the early Christians at first thought it would
• Distortions to the Gospel were occurring
• More instruction was needed