THE WORLD OF

TESTAMENTS
TESTAMENT: It is a covenant or an
agreement. The Christian bible is divided
into two parts: The Old Testament and
the New Testament.
Old Testament contains stories about an
old agreement between God (Yahweh) and
man (the Hebrew or Israelite people).
1. Abraham(Unconditional)
2. Moses ( Conditional)
The New Testament is the testimony of salvation
brought about by the life, death and resurrection
of Jesus Christ. It contains stories of the
fulfillment of the prophecies on the coming of the
Messiah, Jesus Christ and as promised in the Old
Testament.
PENTATEUCH
 
Genesis Gen.
Exodus Ex.
Leviticus Lv.
Numbers Nm.
Deuteronomy Dt.
 
 
HISTORICAL BOOKS
 
Joshua Jos.
Judges Jgs.
Ruth Ru.
1 Samuel 1 Sm.
2 Samuel 2 Sm.
1 Kings 1 Kngs.
2 Kings 2 Kngs.
1 Chronicles 1 Chr.
2 Chronicles 2 Chr.
Ezra Ezr.
Nehemiah Neh.
Tobit Tb.
Judith Jdt.
Esther Est.
1 Maccabees 1 Mc.
2 Macabees 2 Mc.
 
WISDOM BOOKS
 
Job Jb.
Psalms Ps.
Proverbs Prv.
Ecclesiastes Eccl.
Song of Songs Sg.
Wisdom Wis.
Sirach (Ecclesiasticus) Sir.
PROPHETICAL BOOKS
 
Isaiah Is.
Jeremiah Jer.
Lamentations Lam.
Baruch Bar.
Ezekiel Ez.
Daniel Dn.
Hosea Hos.
Joel Jl.
Amos Am.
Obadiah Ob.
Jonah Jon.
Micah Mic.
Nahum Na.
Habakkuk Hb.
Zephaniah Zep.
Haggai Hg.
Zechariah Zec.
Malachi Mal.
 
 
 
New Testament
 
 
A. The 4 Gospels Abbreviations

St. Matthew Mt.

St. Mark Mk.
St. Luke Lk.
St. John Jn.
 
B. Acts of the Apostles Acts
 
The Letters or Epistles (21)
Romans Rom.
1 Corinthians 1. Cor.
2 Corinthians 2. Cor.
Galatians Gal.
Ephesians Eph.
Philippians Phil.
Colossians Col.
1 Thessalonians 1 Thes.
2 Thessalonians 2 Thes.
1 Timothy 1 Tim.
2 Timothy 2 Tim.
Titus Ti.
Philemon Phl.
Hebrews Heb.
James Jas.
1 Peter 1 Pt.
2 Peter 2 Pt.
1 John 1 Jn.
2 John 2 Jn.
3 John 3 Jn.
Jude Jude 
4. Book of Revelation Rev.
The Pentateuch
The Pentateuch (from a Greek word
pentateuchos meaning “five scrolls”).
Traditionally attributed to Moses. These are;

1. Genesis
2. Exodus
3. Numbers
4. Leviticus
5. Deuteronomy
 
Contains revealed truths about the origin of
the universe and the human race, along with
the early history, law, and religious
constitution of the Hebrew people.

It is also called the Torah (Hebrew “law”),

the backbone of Jewish law and religious life.
Genesis ( Beginning)
• Origin of the universe and the first human
beings.
• Original condition of our first parents in the
garden of paradise
• Sin that results to their expulsion
• Promise of liberation that God makes to them
(the Protoevangelium of Genesis 3:15).
• The call of Abraham
• God’s covenant with him
• The story of the other Patriarchs (Isaac,
Jacob, and Joseph)
• Concludes with the entrance of the
Hebrew people into Egypt because of the
famine in Palestine and the death of
Joseph.
Exodus (“going out”)
•God’s revelation from the burning bush of
His sacred name (YHWH) to Moses (see
Exodus 3:14),
• His miraculous liberation of the people
from Egypt through Moses and Aaron,
• The celebration of the first Passover,
•The Israelites’ sojourn in the Sinai
desert,
• The Ten Commandments from God
and other basic legislation concerning
the people’s behavior code and
worship.
 
Leviticus (from Levi, ancestor of the priestly tribe)

• Series of regulations that would govern the

people’s worship and set them apart as consecrated
to God.
• The holocaust, peace offerings, and various laws
of purification are among the many elements that
assure their continued holiness and fidelity.
Numbers begins with a census (“numbering”) of
the people which God commands Moses to do.

• It goes on to recount their history in the

wilderness for thirty-nine years, as a punishment
for their rebellion and lack of faith, and ends
with their approach to the Promised Land on the
plains of Moab.
 
Deuteronomy (from the Greek word meaning
“second law”)

• Final three discourses of Moses to the people,

stress the fidelity that Yahweh has had for them,
the great commandment of loving God above all
things (Deuteronomy 6:4-5), and a final
exhortation to obedience. The book ends with the
death of Moses on the plains of Moab.
 
 
The Historical Books
Joshua, Judges, Ruth, 1 and 2
Samuel, 1 and 2 Kings, 1 and 2
Chronicles, Ezra, Nehemiah, Tobit,
Judith, Esther, and 1 and 2
Maccabees.
The Historical Books tell us the story of
the people of God when they entered the
promised land and started building their
nation, depicting all the difficulties and
hardship they have experienced, as well as
their successes and failures.
Joshua
•The conquest of Palestine under the
leadership of
• The conquests of Jericho and Ai.
• The divisions of the land among the tribes
of Israel.
• His exhortation to the people to be faithful
to God’s covenant with them.
Judges
•leaders whom God raises up to liberate the
people from the oppression of their Canaanite
neighbors.

• Among the most famous judges are othniel,

Ehud, Shamgar, Gideon, Tola, Elon, Ibzan,
Abdon, Jair, Deborah, Jephthah, Samson, and
Samuel.
Ruth tells the story of the great-grandmother
of King David, who leaves her home in Moab to
become a Hebrew convert. This brief and
moving narrative highlights the virtues of
honesty and fidelity, along with the value of
family love.
 
1 and 2 Samuel

•Establishment of the monarchy in Israel.

•Saul as the first king;
•David after Saul.

• The Book of 2 Samuel deals more particularly with the

reign of David, his accomplishments as well as his sins. It
also contains prophecy of a son of David who will inherit
an everlasting kingdom (see 2 Samuel 7:12-16).
1 and 2 Kings

• The history of King Solomon’s reign, with both his

accomplishments and his infidelities
• The division of his kingdom after his death
• The history of the kings of the south (Judah) and the kings
of the north (Israel)
• The destruction of Israel by the Assyria in 722 B.C.
• The destruction of Jerusalem by the Babylon in 587 B.C.
1 and 2 Chronicles

• Summarize the history of salvation from the

beginning of mankind until the exile of the
people to Babylon.

• The Purpose is to encourage and instruct

those who have just returned from Babylon
• Emphasizes the kingship of David
• The messianic promise given to him
• The importance of worship in the Temple
• The distribution of lands by Joshua to the
tribes
• The judgment of the kings of Judah
according to their fidelity or disobedience to
the covenant.
Ezra and Nehemiah

Ezra, a scribe learned in the law, and

Nehemiah, governor of Jerusalem, both of
whom are sent by the Persian King
Artaxerxes to assist the people toward the
middle of the fifth century B.C.
Ezra and Nehemiah
contribute to the reestablishment of
worship and civic life in Jerusalem.
They insist upon the strict fulfillment of
the Mosaic covenant in the daily lives of
those who have returned from exile in
Babylon.
 
Tobit

The story of a family living in Nineveh, the

capital city of Assyria, and how the
Archangel Raphael assists them in their
personal difficulties. The book highlights the
virtues of faith, hope, and marital chastity.
Judith
The story of a Jewish widow who liberates
her people from an Assyrian siege on her
town by killing the general of the Assyrian
army.
Esther
The story of a lovely Jewish woman who becomes
the wife of the Persian king. Esther saves the
Jewish people from destruction by revealing a plot
against the king. This event is commemorated by
the feast of Purim, mentioned in the book as the
day that had been set for the Jews’ destruction.
1 and 2 Maccabees
The persecution of the people by Antiochus IV, a
ruler who wants to impose the Greek religion and
customs on Palestine, and the subsequent
struggles of the people against him. It describes
the faith and military exploits of the Maccabees -
namely, Matathias and his sons Judas, Jonathan,
and Simon.
The second book has great doctrinal
importance, since it contains such
teachings as the creation of all things
from nothing (“creatio ex nihilo”), the
value of prayer for the dead, and the
resurrection of the just.
 
The Wisdom Books
Authorship: Many later wisdom writings were drawn
from the ideas and sayings of King Solomon.

•The poetry and wisdom books are Job, Psalms,

Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, Song of Songs, Wisdom, and
Sirach.
Purpose: Instruction
To understand the problems of life:
Man’s origin and destiny, his quest for
happiness, the reality of suffering,
good and evil in human conduct, death
and after-life.
Job
•Addresses the universal problem of the suffering of the
just man: If God is good, why must the just man suffer?

•The book, in the form of a turbulent dialogue between

Job and three of his friends, and finally with God
Himself, gives no complete solution to the question. Job
submits to God’s inscrutable justice and mercy, and
his health and fortune are restored.
 
The Psalms
•A collection of 150 hymns
• Used both for individual prayer and for the
celebrations and feasts of the people
• Composed by various writers, including King David.
• Themes, including praise, thanksgiving, lamentation,
instruction, and prophecy.
•Some of the psalms are considered messianic: Psalms
2, 16, 22, 72, and 110.
• The “hallel” psalms (111-18) were traditionally used
at the Passover meal.
Proverbs

a series of popular sayings and maxims

which give advice on such virtues as
order, prudence, honesty, and
temperance. Practical norms for
conduct.
Ecclesiastes (Qoheleth)
• A reflections on the vanity of earthly things, such
as knowledge, pleasure, riches, and human
strivings.
•It gives no answer to the question of man’s
frustration on earth and the seeming
meaninglessness of life
• it opens the soul to a greater revelation. Our
search for happiness on earth ends in the bliss of
heaven.
 
The Song of Songs
The story of a simple country shepherdess
who resists the approaches of a great king
(perhaps referring to Solomon) in order to
remain faithful to her young husband, a
shepherd himself who is away on a
journey.
This beautiful book has been interpreted as:
• The greatness of marriage
• The love of spouses for each other;
• The steadfast love of Yahweh for His people
• The corresponding love of a faithful remnant of the
people who remained true to Him;
• The love of Jesus Christ for His Bride, the Church,
and her love for Him.
 
Wisdom of Solomon

It stresses the need for an upright heart and the

role of wisdom in the history of the chosen people
and in the lives of the just men who know God. In
a magnificent text (3:1-8), it affirms the
immortality of the soul and the ultimate reward to
be given to the just man.
Sirach (Ecclesiasticus)
It was originally written in Hebrew by Ben Sirach in
Palestine, but later his grandson translated it into
Greek for the Jews dwelling in Egypt. It contains
many traditional teachings related to the law and
highlights the importance of a good, moral life,
particularly in the areas of work and family.
The Prophetical Books
 
Prophets were spokesmen of God,
intermediaries between Him and his
people.

The communications they received from

God through vision, dreams, and ecstasies
were transmitted to the people through
sermons, writings, and symbolic action.
To be a prophet is a vocation, subject entirely to the will of God.

Functions of the prophets:

1. Preserved and developed revealed religion (1 Sam. 12:6-25).
2. Denounced idolatry (1Kgs 14: 1-13).
3. Defended the moral law (2 Sam. 12: 1-15).
4. Gave counsel in Political matters (Is.31:1ff) and in matters of
private life 1 Sam. 9: 6-9).
The prophets appear when the nation of Israel
becomes very weak and falls in the hands of
foreign nations. The prophets reprimand the
people because of their sins and unfaithfulness to
God. They warn the people that God will punish
them if they do not change.
The prophets are Isaiah, Jeremiah,
unknown authors of Lamentations, Baruch,
Ezekiel, Daniel, Joel, Hosea, Joel, Amos,
Obadiah, Jonah, Micah, Nahum, Habakkuk,
Zeplaniah, Haggai, Zechariah, and Malachi.
 
The Major Prophets
 
Isaiah, written by a priest of that name in the eighth
century B.C. ( collapsed of the kingdoms), contains two
major sets of prophecies: the book of judgments (1-39),
consisting of oracles about Judah and Jerusalem, along
with apocalyptic passages; and the book of consolation
(40-66), consisting of oracles about the people’s liberation
from exile in Babylon and the rebuilding of Jerusalem,
along with its glorious future
It contains the famous prophecy of the virgin birth
(7:14), the gifts of the Messiah (11:2-3), the poem
of the suffering servant who expiates for his
people (52:13-53:12), the description of the New
Jerusalem (62), and the coming messianic age in
which all the nations will share (66).
 
Jeremiah, born a century after Isaiah, preaches in Judah for
forty years and remains faithful to his vocation until after
the fall of Jerusalem in 587 B.C. He opposes alliances with
foreign powers and preaches an absolute faith in Yahweh and
His covenant. He stresses frequently the importance of true
interior worship, as distinct from a merely external one
(7:21; 17:27). He predicts a New Covenant that will be
written in the heart (31:31-34). Many consider him to be a
type of Christ and His sufferings.
 
Lamentations is a series of five poems
lamenting the destruction of Jerusalem and its
Temple (587 B.C.). The union of poignant grief
and unquenchable hope reflects the constant
prophetic vision of the weakness of man and
the strength of God’s love.
Baruch, a disciple of Jeremiah, writes the
reflections and prayers contained in this book. It
stresses the importance of repentance in order
to receive God’s forgiveness, and the foolishness
of idol worship. The book ends by announcing
the end of the exile and the return to
Jerusalem.
 
Ezekiel

• Oracles of the chief prophet among the exiles in Babylon

• Message: repentance for past sins and hope in God’s
mercy.
• First Part: Predicts the destruction of Jerusalem and the
punishment of the people.
• Second part, he consoles and encourages the people with
various apocalyptic visions and oracles such as the field of
dry bones (37:1-14), the New Covenant (34:25), and the
new temple (40).
 
Daniel

• Discusses the history and prophecy of Daniel, who is

transported as a child to Babylon.
• He achieves great prestige at the Babylonian court by
his wisdom and the ability to interpret dreams.
• The first part of the book contains his interpretation of
the king’s dreams, which predict the four successive
kingdoms that will precede the messianic age.
•The second part contains four apocalyptic
visions that refer to the persecution of the
people and the coming of the Messiah. The
famous stories of Daniel in the lion’s den, the
chaste Susannah, and Bel and the dragon are
also found in this book.

•Message: perseverance in the faith in the

midst of difficulties.
 
The Twelve Minor Prophets
 
Hosea, is a prophet of the northern kingdom. He
describes the people’s betrayal of the covenant in
terms of adultery, prostitution, and fornication.
Yahweh is the offended spouse who must punish
His unfaithful bride - Israel - so that she may
return to Him.
Message: God’s love is greater then man’s
infidelity.
 
Joel
after the return of the exiles from Babylon (537 B.C.),
describes the day of Yahweh as a plague of locusts, along
with a cosmic disaster at the end of time. The book is
apocalyptic in content and style. It also predicts the
outpouring of the Spirit upon God’s people in the messianic
era (2:28-32, RSVCE). This text is quoted by Saint Peter in his
preaching to the crowds at Pentecost (see Acts 2:16-21).

God is both a vindicator of his people and the source of

blessing.
 
Amos
Reign before the fall of the kingdom of Israel (722
B.C.), earliest of the prophets, is called from
shepherding his flocks near Bethlehem in order to
denounce the sins of the people of the northern
kingdom, particularly for worshipping at the
schismatic shrine of Bethel, injustices, corruption in
business life, exploitation and the misery of the
poor. He offers hope to those who repent.
 
Obadiah the shortest book of the minor prophets
(only twenty-one verses), tells of the chastisement
of the Edomites (Esau), who have earlier
participated in the sack of Jerusalem. Obadiah
also refers to the victory of Israel and the coming
of the messianic age.

Message: You should not have gloated over your

brother in the day of his misfortune.
Jonah speaks of the attempted flight of the prophet from
his mission of preaching repentance and conversion to the
Assyrians in Nineveh. In the end, after spending three days
in the belly of a whale, Jonah fulfills his mission. Jesus uses
the story of Jonah to refer to the three days that He would
spend in the tomb (see Matthew 12:39-40).

Message: No one is outside God’s providence and that

christians are not the only ones comprehended by God’s
redemptive action .

 
Micah predicts the judgment of God upon the
people, warning that the day of Yahweh is near. At
the same time, he predicts that a remnant of the
people will be purified, and that the eternal Ruler
will be born in Bethlehem (5:2).

Message: Repentance and conversion

Are all equally responsible for national calamities

permitted by God?
Nahum predicts the fall of the people’s greatest
enemy, Assyria, in just punishment for its sins.
Its capital, Nineveh, fell in 612 B.C.

Message: God is the ultimate maker of history.

God is slow to anger and of great might (Nahum
3:3)
Habakkuk poses the question of God’s justice as the
Babylonians threaten to destroy Jerusalem. He ends with
a prayer of hope and abandonment to God’s mercy.

How God’s justice could be served by a sinful nation like

Judah being punished by still more sinful and lawless
nation like Babylon.

Message: God turned the worst that man could do to a

good end.
 
Zephaniah, from the fall of the kingdom of
Israel to the fall of Judah (587 B.C.),
prophesies in the time of Josiah, king of
Judah. He predicts the coming of the day of
Yahweh, urges both Judah and the pagan
nations to repent, and refers to the salvation
of a remnant of the people who are faithful.
Haggai is the first of the post-exilic
prophets. His main purpose is to encourage
the returning people in renewing their
fidelity to God and in the rebuilding of the
Temple in Jerusalem.
 
Message: The true foundation of the well-
being of society is the moral and spiritual
order.
Zechariah, through a series of visions, also
encourages the rebuilding of the Temple, but he adds
many prophecies pertaining to the messianic era,
including verses about the king entering Jerusalem on
a donkey (9:9-10), and the piercing of the Savior
(12:10).
 
Message: the spread of God’s truth is really God’s
work. We are only God’s instrument.
Malachi encourages the rebuilding of Jerusalem, and is probably a
contemporary of Ezra and Nehemiah. He denounces several lax customs
of the people, and in 1:11 speaks of the coming of a universal and pure
sacrifice, which the Magisterium of the Church has interpreted to be
the sacrifice of the Mass.