THEOLOGY 101: SALVATION

HISTORY (OLD TESTAMENT)

CHAPTER I: BASIC BIBLE ORIENTATION

(INTRODUCTION TO THE BIBLE)
THE BIBLE
• Working Description of the Bible
• “is the Word of God”
• For whom?
• “For us humankind”
• Purpose
• “For our salvation”

• In other words, “the Bible is the Word of God,

for us mankind, and for our salvation.”
In addition:

= it is a “collection of many Books

(Library of Holy Books).”
= written by many authors (Sacred
Writers) for many thousand
years.
= its origin is God (God’s Word).

• The Holy Bible is revered by the

Catholic Church with great
homage since its existence
because its origin is God Himself.
SIGNIFICANCE OF THE BIBLE

…if the person is open to the Spirit if God:

= it gives inspiration, guidance, and assurance

of God’s love for humanity.
= the Word of God affects one’s life and destiny.

Further:

= the Holy Bible, expresses the truth about our loving God.
= in the O.T. and N.T., God makes His promises and fulfills
them.
= His Words and Deeds are like “Sun” in the dark.
Quotation from the letter to the
Hebrews 4:12, which says:

“Indeed, the word of God is living and effective, sharper

than any two edged sword, penetrating even between soul
and spirit, joins and marrow, and able to discern reflections
and thoughts of the heart.”

• The letter to the Hebrews attests to the power of the Words

of God.
• Our human experiences concerning one’s
word can be a source of consolation or
desolation to one’s heart.

• Our word can have a marked effect to the one whom it is

addressed.
• The same is true with God’s word.
• The word of god is good news but for those who do not
want to listen, God’s word is something not very
inspiring.
• However, for most of us, we believe that God’s word is
truly good news, source of inspiration, guidance and
assurance of our loving God.
TWO MAJOR DIVISIONS OF THE BIBLE

1. Old Testament and

2. New Testament

• What does the word “testament” mean in the

Bible?

• The word “testament” mean, “covenant or

agreement” between God and His chosen
people.
1. The Old Testament

• It deals with the story of the chosen

people of Israel in the light of the various
agreements between God and His people Israel.

2. The New Testament

• It deals with God’s fulfillment of His promise of

redemption through the incarnation of His divine
son Jesus Christ, our Lord, savior and mediator
between God and mankind (John 1:14).
CANONS OF THE BIBLE

• What does the word

“Canons” mean
in the Bible?

• The word “Canons” in the Bible means,

“collections of inspired books in both Old and
New Testaments.
1. The Old Testament – is a compilation of “sacred
books” of the Hebrews written around a period
of 900 years.
• It prepares and announces the coming of a
savior or redeemer or mediator between God
and mankind.

The books of the Old Testament:

1. Pentateuch
2. Historical Books
3. Wisdom Books
4. Prophetical Books
CANONS IN THE OLD TESTAMENT

1. Alexandrian Canon and

2. Jewish or Palestinian Canon

1. The Jewish or Palestinian Canon

• The Rabbi who met at Jamnia, a town of Jerusalem, ca.

70 A.D. under Johanan ben Zakkai accepted thirty-nine
books (39).
• This is based on the Jewish method of dividing the Old
Testament Canon which counted as twenty-four.
• The 39 books are known as the Jewish or Palestinian
Canon in the Old Testament.
2. The Alexandrian Canon

• The Jewish-Greek speaking group who lived

outside Palestine and shepherded by the Rabbi in
Alexandria, accepted seven additional books.

• These are the following: 1 & 2 Maccabees, Tobit,

Judith, Sirach, Wisdom, and Baruch.

• Parts of Daniel and Esther are also included in the

additional books incorporated in the Old
Testament Canon.

• Alexandrian Canon was produced and translated

by Jewish Bible scholars or elders into Greek
mainly for the use of the Jews living outside
Palestine in Alexandria.
• Most of the Christians (Catholics and
Protestants) used the Alexandrian Canon
in order to have the whole listing and
complete set of Old Testament books.

• However, some Christians still adhere to

the Jewish or Palestinian Canon.

• Moreover, the additional books which

were incorporated later into the so called
Alexandrian Canon are also known as the
“Deutero-Canonical Books.”
DESCRIPTION OF EACH CLASSIFICATION
(FOLLOWING ALEXANDRIAN CANON)

1. Pentateuch

• This consists of five books attributed to Moses.

• These books express the will of God for His
chosen people from creation since the time of
Adam & Eve, call of Abraham, Jacob, Moses, up
to the story of Joshua.
• These books narrate the story of God and His
people Israel as well as how God chose and
formed Israel.
2. Historical Books

• These books narrate the stories of Israel after

her deliverance from Egypt as slaves going to
the Promised Land.
• After the chosen people were punished in
the desert for almost 40 years, God’s people
began to build their nation.
• These books narrate the difficulties, the pain
as well as the glory and triumphs
experienced by Israel.
3. Wisdom Books

• These books, although written many

centuries ago, are still sources of
inspirations, hope and assurance from God.
• These books abound with simple sayings
which are full of wisdom.
• They also include proverbs, prayers or
psalms about greatness and goodness of
God, frustrations and thanksgiving and love
of God for His people.
• They also express trust and confidence, fear
and anxieties during the people’s dull
moments and captivity under foreign
power.
4. Prophetical Books

• These books express God’s message to

His people through the prophecies of
the prophets.
• The prophets always appear every time
there is disorder and chaos in their
community.
• They warn and guide, console and
challenge the people to act immediately.
• They also assure the people of God’s
enduring love in spite of their
wickedness and unfaithfulness to God’s
covenant.
 DIVISIONS OF THE OLD TESTAMENT

ALEXANDRIAN CANON JEWISH CANON

(46 BOOKS) (39 BOOKS)
PENTATEUCH TORAH (LAW)
1. Genesis 1. Genesis
2. Exodus 2. Exodus
3. Leviticus 3. Leviticus
4. Numbers 4. Numbers
5. Deuteronomy 5. Deuteronomy
 ALEXANDRIAN CANON JEWISH CANON
(46 BOOKS) (39 BOOKS)
HISTORICAL BOOKS PROPHETICAL BOOKS
1. Joshua 13. 1 Chronicles (Former)
2. Judges 14. 2 Chronicles 6. Joshua 10. 1 Kings
3. Ruth 15. Ezrah 7. Judges 11. 2 Kings
4. 1 Samuel 16. Nehemiah 8. 1 Samuel
5. 2 Samuel 17. Esther 9. 2 Samuel
6. 1 Kings 18. Judith (Latter)
7. 2 Kings 19. Tobit 12. Isaiah 13. Jeremiah 14. Ezekiel
8. 1 Chronicles 20. 1 Maccabees
9. 2 Chronicles 21. 2 Maccabees (12 minor Prophets)
15. Hosea 21. Nahum
WISDOM BOOKS 16. Joel 22. Habakkuk
22. Psalms 26. Job 17. Amos 23. Zephaniah
23. Proverbs 27. Wisdom of 18. Obadiah 24. Haggai
24. Ecclesiastes Solomon 19. Jonah 25. Zechariah
25. Song of Songs 28. Sirach 20. Micah 26. Malachi
 ALEXANDRIAN CANON JEWISH CANON
(46 BOOKS) (39 BOOKS)
PROPHETICAL BOOKS WISDOM BOOKS/WRITINGS
27. Psalms
(Major) 28. Job
29. Isaiah 32. Lamentations 29. Proverbs
30. Jeremiah 33. Ezekiel 30. Ruth
31. Baruch 34. Daniel 31. Song of Songs
32. Qoheleth
(Minor) 33. Lamentations
35. Hosea 39. Obadiah 43. Zephaniah 34. Esther
36. Amos 40. Jonah 44. Haggai 35. Daniel
37. Micah 41. Nahum 45. Zechariah 36. Ezrah
38. Joel 42. Habakkuk 46. Malachi 37. Nehemiah
38. 1 Chronicles
39. 2 Chronicles
2. New Testament – is the
fulfillment of God’s
promise to His Israel, as
Jesus Christ reveals God
the Father’s love for
humanity, through His
works of redemption, His
life, ministry, suffering and
death, resurrection and
glory for the whole
creation.
CANON IN THE NEW TESTAMENT

• There is only one Canon in the New

Testament for both Catholic and
Protestant Christians.
• They have the same number of books.
• They differ only in their interpretation of
the New Testament and in their manner
of proclaiming it.
• Both have the same intention in
proclaiming the good news about God’s
love through Jesus and His Church, the
redemption of humanity and the whole
creation.
DIVISIONS OF THE NEW TESTAMENT (27)

DESCRIPTION OF THE BOOK

1. Gospels (4)
• These are written by the Evangelists Matthew,
Mark, Luke, and John.
• They discuss the life, death, resurrection and
triumph of Jesus including His promise of
redemption to those who believe in Him and do
God’s will.

2. Acts of the Apostles (1)

• This book discusses the ministry of the Apostles,
how the Apostles spread the teachings of Jesus
through His words and deeds.
• This is believed to be written by Luke, the
Evangelist.
3. Christian Letters in General (21)
• These are the letters or writings by the Apostles
like Peter, Paul, James, John, and Jude.
• They try to get responses and give exhortation
to those Christian communities they had
established which were inspired by Jesus’ Spirit.
• They are somehow directly in-charged of those
communities.

4. Book of Revelation (1)

• This book is written by John the Evangelist.
• The book contains many events that will happen
in the future, based on the experiences of men
right here and now.
• The approach and style is futuristic.
THE CHRISTIAN TRADITIONS

1. Oral Tradition

• At the early stage of the history of the chosen

people, there were no written materials.
• Everything was passed on by word of mouth.
• Their experiences and relationship with God,
fellowmen and creation were stories for their
younger generations to evaluate.
• This was the common practice at that time in
handling down their experiences, beliefs,
traditions, and customs.
• This process is known as “Oral Tradition.”
2. Written Tradition

• After the chosen people achieved some

kind of peace and stability, they began to
write their experiences.
• Their gifted men and women in their
community wrote these experiences in
story form.
• They were inspired by the Spirit of God to
write His message and the people’s stories
concerning their relationship with their
God.
• This written form is commonly known as
the “Bible” or the “Written Tradition.”
• These refer to both the Old and the New
Testament.
ASSIGNMENT:

INSTRUCTIONS: (Maximum of 5 sentences

per answer for each question)

1. On a yellow pad paper, write your name, subject, time,

date, and answer the following:

a. How the Holy Bible could be a source of inspiration,

guidance and assurance of God’s love for humanity?

b. Why the Canons of the Old Testament of the Catholics

and Protestants were different?

c. How the “Word of God” was formed and became the

“Bible” as we have it now?
2. How were you affected by our
discussions concerning the
“Word of God”?

3. How the OT and NT were

related concerning God’s plan of
saving humanity and the whole
creation?