INTRODUCTIO

N TO THE
BIBLE
ETYMOLOGY OF THE BIBLE
The study of the
origin of words and
the way in which
their meanings have
changed throughout
history
 BIBLE
from the Greek τὰ βιβλία
[ta biblia] – a plural noun
– which means, "the
books“; singular noun
βιβλίον [biblion].
BIBLE
when biblion was
taken over into Latin
it becomes singular
noun – biblia
BIBLE
In Medieval Latin biblia
is short for biblia sacra
"holy book", while
biblia in Greek and Late
Latin is neuter plural
(genitive bibliorum)
 BIBLE
It gradually came to be regarded as a
feminine singular noun (nominative
biblia, genitive bibliae) in Medieval
Latin, and so the word was loaned as
a singular into the vernaculars of
Western Europe Latin biblia sacra
"holy books" translates Greek τὰ
βιβλία τὰ ἅγια [ta biblia ta hagia],
"the holy books“.
BIBLE
The word βιβλίον itself
had the literal meaning of
"paper" or "scroll" and
came to be used as the
ordinary word for "book“
BIBLE
It is the diminutive of βύβλος
[byblos], "Egyptian
papyrus", possibly so called
from the name of the
Phoenician sea port Byblos
(also known as Gebal) from
whence Egyptian papyrus was
exported to Greece.
BIBLE
By the 2nd century BC,
Jewish groups had called the
Bible books the "scriptures"
and referred to them as
"holy," or in Hebrew‫כתְ ֵבי‬
‫[ ַהק ֶֹּדׁש‬Kitvei hakkodesh].
BIBLE
Christians now commonly call
the Old and New Testaments
of the Christian Bible "The
Holy Bible" (in Greek τὰ βιβλία
τὰ ἅγια, tà biblía tà ágia) or
"the Holy Scriptures" (η Αγία
Γραφή, e Agía Graphḗ).
BOOK/S BOOK
DEFINITION of the BIBLE
It is not one book but a
library of 73 books.
 written by over 40 men
Over a period of 1500
Years 1400 B.C. to 110
A.D.
Moses

1400 30 2011
B.C.. A.D A.D.
The Writers of the Bible
Were From
Shepherds Rome
Kings Jerusalem
Fishermen Babylon (Iraq)
Peasants Persia (Iran)
Doctors Greece
Tax-collectors Turkey
 THE BIBLE
73 books
40 different One Story
writers Unity of Theme
Almost 1500 No
Years contradictions
Over 10,000 40 writers, 15
events centuries, yet
claims ONE
AUTHOR
“Holy men of God spoke as they were moved
by the Spirit of God” (2 Peter 1:21)
 Moses

1400 30 2011
B.C.. A.D A.D.
.
Of the 73
books, 46 were
written before These 46 are called the
the birth of
Old
Jesus
TESTAMENT
 Moses

1400 80 30 2011
B.C.. B.C.. A.D A.D.
.
Of the 73
books, 27 were
written soon
after the death
of Jesus
NEW
TESTAMENT
The Old Testament – 46
books
All written before Jesus came.
1400-80 B.C.
“Testament” means “covenant
or agreement”
The Old Covenant is an
agreement that God made with
the nation of Israel
The Old Testament was written
in Hebrew – the language of
Israel
Modern Map of Same Area
 The Old
The New Testament
Testament
– 46 books – 27 books
 Allwritten in the  Allwritten AFTER his
1500 year period death
before Jesus’ birth  48-120 A.D.
 “Testament”
means “covenant
or agreement”  The New Covenant is
 The Old Covenant is an agreement that
an agreement that God has made for
God made with the ALL NATIONS
nation of ISRAEL  The New
 The Old Testament
was written in Testament was
Hebrew – the written in Greek
language of Israel
 OTHER NAMES OF THE
BIBLE
1. “The Holy Bible.”
◦ a. It is holy, sacred, or set apart
from that which is common, and set
apart unto that which is especially to
be revered. It is not like any other
book, since it has come from the
mouth of a holy God (II Tim. 3:15-
16; I Pet. 1:15-16), and for this
reason it is to be treated reverently.
OTHER NAMES OF THE
BIBLE
1. “The Holy Bible.”
◦ b. It is a book, “Bible” being
derived from the Greek, bibl…on,
biblion, having the root meaning of a
type of reed from which papyrus
was made. In the time of Jesus
Christ it referred to either a
parchment scroll or a collection of
papyrus sheets.
 OTHER NAMES OF THE
BIBLE
2. The Holy “Scriptures.”
◦ a. This is common terminology in the
New Testament division of the Bible.
Paul writes concerning “the gospel of
God . . . in the sacred/holy
Scriptures/writings(Rom. 1:1-2).
 OTHER NAMES OF THE
BIBLE
2. The Holy “Scriptures.”
◦ b. Hence, it is truth inscripturated,
that is written down through the use
of words taught by the Holy Spirit (I
Cor. 2:12-13; I Peter 1:20-21).
OTHER NAMES OF THE
BIBLE
3.
“The Word of God,” or “the
Word of the Lord.”

◦Other names include “the oracles of

God” (Acts 7:38), “the Word of God”
(Eph. 6:17; Heb. 4:12; II Pet.