How to interpret the bible

Overview of OT

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Human Cloning

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Overview of the Bible

Old Testament

Exodus: "exit, departure" of the Jews from Egypt under Moses (Salvation) and the 
giving of the various commands to Israel (Teaching) so that they might be a "holy nation"
Leviticus: Laws and regulations for worship.  Key thought of Leviticus is holiness
Numbers: Story of Israel's journey from Mount Sinai to the plains of Moab on the 
border of Canaan.  It tells of the murmuring and rebellion of God's People and of their 
subsequent judgment.
Deuteronomy: After 40 years the Israelites were about to enter Canaan and Moses 
in three speeches reminds them of their history and all that God had done for them

2. The Former Prophets 
Joshua & Judges: - describe the conquest of the land of Canaan by Israel, in fulfilment
 of God's promises
1 & 2 Samuel:- history of Israel continued.  God's rule over his people is to be 
forever linked to Kings descended from David.
1& 2 Kings:- rebellion of ten of the tribes against the "house" of David and the 
establishment of a rival kingdom in the north of the country (Northern Kingdom).  The judgment 
of God eventually falls on those tribes who are conquered by the Assyrians in 722 B.C. and 
exiled from their land.  Southern Kingdom end up being exiled to Babylon in various stages 
from 597 B.C because of their continual rebellion against God and his purposed for them.


3. The Latter Prophets 
	The prophets whose teaching is recorded in these books deal with the period immediately 
before, during or after the captivity of the northern and southern kingdoms.  Their first task 
is to make clear the reasons for God's terrible judgment on Israel and then to reveal God's 
plans for the future of his people 


Northern Kingdom
   Amos (760-750 B.C)
   Hosea (750 B.C) - during last days of the Northern Kingdom.

		Southern Kingdom
Before Exile	         During Exile	        After Exile
Isaiah (700-681 B.C)	 Ezekiel (593-571 B.C)	Haggai
Jeremiah (626-586 B.C)		                Zechariah
Micah (750-686 B.C)		                Malachi
Zephaniah (630 B.C)		
 
Obadiah:- prophecy regarding the ancient feud between Edom and Israel.
Jonah (no later than 875 B.C) :- God's great mercy to the city of Nineveh due to its 
repentance.
Nahum (663-612 B.C): Lord's judgement on Nineveh due to its extreme wickedness, 
brutality and pride
Habakkuk (605 B.C): Conversation between God and Habakkuk as to why God allowed the 
wicked to prosper.

Time line Concerning the Two Kingdoms
Division of Kingdom: Israel & Judah  (922 B.C)
        Isaiah
        Micah
Exile to Assyria (722 B.C)
	Jeremiah
First Deportation to Babylon (597 B.C)
	Ezekiel
2nd Deportation to Babylon (586 B.C)
	Daniel
Return of Exiles
	Haggai
	Zechariah
	Malachi
	Ezra
	Nehemiah

The Writings
Psalms, Job, Proverbs, Ruth, Song of Solomon, Ecclesisastes, Lamentations, Esther, Daniel,
 Ezra, Nehemiah, 1 & 2 Chronicles.

Wisdom Literature (Job, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, some of the Psalms and Song of Solomon):-
 focus on a wide variety of issues, including suffering and death, friendship, love and 
marriage, loyalty and wisdom.
Psalms: contain a whole range of responses to God in prayer and praise, poetry and song

The rest of the "The Writings" deal basically with the period of the Babylonian Exile 
and beyond 1 & 2 Chronicles retrace the history of Israel from the time of David and conclude 
with the promise of the Lord restoring his people after the Babylonian Exile.

Daniel: reveals God's plan for Israel and the nations after the Exile.

Ezra & Nehemiah portray something of the situation of a relatively small number of 
Israelites who were restored to their land and sought to rebuild Jerusalem, waiting for the 
fulfillment of all God's promises.


Return to index

New Testament

Reasons for writing the letters:

· explanation of the gospel - Romans, most have aspects of the gospel (e.g 1 Corinthians 15)
· address error or heresy (false teachers): Galations, Colossians
· Encouragement - Hebrews

Prison letters - Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, Philemon
Romans:  basic gospel, most comprehensive and systematic statement of the Christian faith 
in the bible.  This letter served as a theological introduction to that hoped-for personal ministry

1 Corinthians: revolves around the theme of problems in Christian conduct.  The Church in 
Corinth was new, and Corinth was a wicked city.  Consequently the church was divided and  having some 
problems

2 Corinthians:  False teachers were challenging both Paul's personal integrity and his 
authority as an apostle.  

Galations: Law vs freedom.  We are justified by faith in Jesus Christ - by nothing less and 
nothing more

Ephesians:  does not address any particular error or heresy.  Theme of unity, purpose of the 
church.

Philippians: Joy or rejoicing in the Lord.  Watch out for enemies of the church, both inside and 
out.  Gratitude for their love and help.

Colossians:  refute the Colossian heresy.  The complete adequacy of Christ as contrasted with 
the emptiness of mere human philosophy.

1 Thessalonians: Taught there for only three weeks due to opposition of the Jews.  Recent 
converts from paganism were thus left with little external support in the midst of persecution.  Paul 
wrote to give encouragement to them.  Subject of eschatology.

2 Thessalonians:  deals extensively with eschatology

1 Timothy:  written to Timothy to give him instructions regarding the church.  Telling him 
to refute false teachings and to supervise the affairs of the growing Ephesian church.

2 Timothy:  Paul was lonely, because many of his friends had deserted him.  Paul wanted very 
much for Timothy to join him, concerned about the welfare of the churches during this time of 
persecution under Nero.

Titus:   to give Titus personal authorization and guidance in meeting opposition, instructions 
about faith and conduct, and warnings about false teachers.

Philemon: personal appeal to accept Onesimus as a Christian brother and not as a slave.

Hebrews: Jewish Christians who were thinking of abandoning their faith and of lapsing back 
into Judaism.  The author exhorts them to hold fast to their confession of Christ as Savior and Lord.  
Absolute supremacy and sufficiency of Christ as revealer and as mediator of God's grace.

James to Jude = General letters - addresed to Christians in general and not to a particular church

James:  as a leader of the Jerusalem church, James wrote as a pastor to instruct and encourage 
his dispersed people in the face of their difficulties.  Concerned with practical aspects of the 
Christian faith. 

1 Peter: The recipients of this letter had been suffering various trails and afflictions, and 
the possibilily of greater and more severe difficulties was very real.

2 Peter: Deals with same group of people as 1 Peter.  Concerned about false teachers and 
evildoers who have come into the church.  How to deal with false teachers.

1 John: False teachers were trying to mislead 1st century Christians by denying, among other
 things, the true humanity of Christ.  Purpose expose false teachers, and to give believes assurance 
of salvation

2 John: importance of loving one another.  To love means to obey God's commandments.  
Christians should separate themselves from those who teach that Jesus is not God's Son.

3 John:  Priase and thank Gauis, reproves Diotrphes for not cooperating and for rebelling 
against John's leadership.

Jude:  False teaching.  Trying to convince believers that being saved by grace gave them 
licence to sin since their sins would no longer be held against them.

Revelation: Christians - who held that Christ, not Caesar, was Lord - were facing increasing 
hostility.  Some churches were advocating compromise.  John writes to encourage the faithful to 
resist staunchly the demands that they worship the emperor.  He informs his readers that the 
final showdown between God and Satan is imminent.