Old Testament Canon

After the fall of the temple in 70 A.D, the Jewish scholar met in Jamnia and decided which books of the Old Testament should be included and which books should not be included and they all decided not to exclude any books and not tol add any book, so accepted the 39 books of the Old Testament. Why didn't the Jewish scholars add the Apocrypha books? Apocrypha books were written around 400 B.C. and the time of Christ.  Apocrypha means hidden, the books did not have an author, it was doubtful and unknown aruthors.  Protestants and Roman Cathlolics both believed the 39 books of the Old Testament, however the Roman Catholic church added Apocrypha to the Old Testament at council of Trent in 1546 A.D

Jesus said, He said to them, “This is what I told you while I was still with you: Everything must be fulfilled that is written about me in the Law of Moses, the Prophets and the Psalms. (Luke 24:44)
Jesus referenced the Jewish Old Testament canon from the beginning to the end and did not include the Apocrypha in his reference. "From the blood of Abel to the blood of Zechariah, who perished between the altar and the house of God; yes, I tell you, it shall be charged against this generation," (Luke 11:51). The first and the last of the martyrs of the Old Testament. . Also the church fathers rejected the apocrypha. Jerome (340-420), who translated the Latin Vulgate rejected the apocrypha.

First of all, neither Jesus nor the apostles ever quoted from the Apocrypha. There are over 260 quotations of the Old Testament in the New Testament and not one of them is from these books

Uniqueness of the Bible

 Webster defines "unique" as: (1) "One and only; single, sole"; (2) "Different from all others; having no other equal."

 It was written over a 1500-year span, during 60 generations,  written in three continents, Africa, Asia and Europe, three different languages, Hebrew, Aramaic and Greek written by 40 authors from every walk of life including kings, peasants, philosophers, fishermen, poets, statesmen, scholars, cupbearers, and others.  Written in times of war and peace, written in different moods, joy and sorrow, written on hundreds of controversial subjects like, creation, origin of man, nature of God, sin and redemption, yet there is unity in the Bible.

 Let’s get to the point. The Bible was written over a 1500 year span but lets get 10 people living today, not from three different continents but in one country, one city, not people from different languages but who speak one language, not people who have different occupation but one occupation give them one controversial subject, do you think they will be united in what they say? Certainly not.

 Many tried to burn the Bible, ban the Bible yet still it is the number one seller. Voltaire the French atheist who lived in 1700’s predicted that Christianity would be swept from existence and pass into history within 100 years of his time. Fifty years of his death, the Geneva Bible society used his printing press and his house to produce thousands and thousands of Bibles.

1 Peter 1:24 For all flesh is as grass, and all the glory of man as the flower of grass. The grass withereth, and the flower thereof falleth away:  25 But the word of the Lord endureth for ever. And this is the word which by the gospel is preached unto you. 

Jesus Christ

The center of the Bible is Christ Jesus. 

Psalms  40:7 Then said I, Lo, I come: in the volume of the book it is written of me. (Written thousands of years before Jesus birth)

Joh 5:39 Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me.

Why it is that Christ is the center? Because of redemption. Only the first two chapters of the Bible speak on the creation and the balance is all about redemption, meaning speaking of delivering the sinner from sin.  It took God to speak his word in creation as he spoke and it was created out of nothing but in redemption it took a blood sacrifice.

Why Read the Bible?

Lu 24:27 And beginning at Moses and all the prophets, he expounded unto them in all the scriptures the things concerning himself.


  1. Worship God, we can love him, obey him, be sincere fellowship with him and to enjoy him.

  2. The Bible will expose our sinfulness, unworthiness, and wickedness, expose our wicked hearts, and expose our lost condition, showing the judgment and the punishment of sins. Deny ungodliness, worldly lusts, and sins of covetousness, revenge, and anger. Love for our enemies, bless those who persecute you, promote holiness.

  3. That God truly forgive our sins, our souls will leap for joy. (The joy of our salvation) Praising God and have a cheerful obedience.

  4. Help our souls when we are heavy burdened. When we have bitter afflictions, God’s Fatherly care for us. His promises to us, making all work together for good. Even comforts in death.

  Many read the Bible as a tradition.  I did my part to God by reading and praying, and now I am free from the rest of the day to do my own business.  God is not looking for a sacrifice, he is looking for obedience.  If you have read the Bible and did not understand what it meant, in short you just wasted your time.  It becomes a superstition.  We condemn the early Roman Catholic Church as the priest read the Bible to the people in Latin language and the people were kept in darkness.  It was more like a superstition and a sacrifice.

·         Some read the Bible as an accomplishment.  I have read the whole Bible; I have done something that people do not do.  It is an experience a past event and it is history.  I have done it, in my life.

·         Some not only read the Bible but study it and get puffed up what they have learned as breed pride for their own destruction.

·         Some study, as they have to teach others.  I am studying, as I have to teach a Bible study.  It becomes a work and not a joy.  They teach others what to do and they do not do, leaves a bad example, as they do not become sanctified before the Lord.

·         Some read the Bible to Critic God, with a critical eye to find faults.

·         Some read only their favorite parts of the Bible.  Some like only the end times like the rapture, the anti Christ, some like only the election.  Their body grows only in one part, looks abnormal.  Need to grow in all aspects knowing the whole council of God.

Reading with clarity, Nehemiah 8:8.
Jesus asked five times “have you read”  Mat. 12:3-5;  19:4;   21:16;   21:42;  22:31.
Jesus is speaking to the Scribes and the Pharisees.  The Scribes and the Pharisees studied the word of God daily, they knew how many times such a word is written, and they were the intense readers of the word.  They were prideful of their knowledge in the word as they were the masters in the word.  Our Lord met them on their own court, their own camp as he said to them, “Have you not read”?  Your eyes have gone over the letters and counted the letters, know the position of each letters but you have not read because you did not understand.

 

Most people drink their water most of the time from the tank, always depending on the sermons of the pastor and reading Biblical books, but not finding the truth for themselves.  It is always best to drink from the well.  Psalm 36:9; Psalm 119:16.

 

  1. Reverence. Revelation from God. Trusting in the Holy Spirit in Prayer.  We need to understand in the Bible is the Lord and we need like Moses took off his sandals we need to take our worldly thoughts away as we are entering into the heavenly thoughts.  Just like the priest in the Old Testament washed his feet before did his holy work in the temple we need to wash our mind, our eyes with prayer before we enter into his holy word. We are reading his holy word and we need to do it in holy fashion, as we are not reading another newspaper, magazine or reading the fine poetry.  This is our spiritual meal.  We need to pray before we partake our spiritual meal so we can fully enjoy the contents and give glory to God.
    Meditation. (2Pe 1:21 For     the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost.)

  2. Read as a learner, a disciple, and humility.

  3. Read with Intelligence. Comparing scripture with other scriptures.  Difficult passages. Call upon the author himself; call upon the Holy Spirit to unlock the secret mysteries, once you understand, oh how sweet it can be to our souls. Psalm 119:25-28 1 Corinthians 2:10–11.

  4. Read Earnestly with great devotion.  Why it consists of God, Sin, and Salvation.

  5. Read regularly, morning and evening.

  6. Get an overview of the book. Errors and heresies arrive by separating the scriptures and passages. All scriptures are connected to each other and to the whole Bible in harmony.

  7. Remember what you read and studied, as you would meditate during the day. Enjoy what you read, be excited as God has given his treasures from heaven to you. Remembrance is important. Then in times of hardship, trials, temptations you will remember how to walk in God’s will.

Uniqueness of the Bible

 

Webster defines "unique" as: (1) "One and only; single, sole"; (2) "Different from all others; having no other equal."

 

It was written over a 1500-year span, during 60 generations,  written in three continents, Africa, Asia and Europe, three different languages, Hebrew, Aramaic and Greek written by 40 authors from every walk of life including kings, peasants, philosophers, fishermen, poets, statesmen, scholars, cupbearers, and others.  Written in times of war and peace, written in different moods, joy and sorrow, written on hundreds of controversial subjects like, creation, origin of man, nature of God, sin and redemption, yet there is unity in the Bible.

 

Let’s get to the point. The Bible was written over a 1500 year span but lets get 10 people living today, not from three different continents but in one country, one city, not people from different languages but who speak one language, not people who have different occupation but one occupation give them one controversial subject, do you think they will be united in what they say? Certainly not.

 

Many tried to burn the Bible, ban the Bible yet still it is the number one seller. Voltaire the French atheist who lived in 1700’s predicted that Christianity would be swept from existence and pass into history within 100 years of his time. Fifty years of his death, the Geneva Bible society used his printing press and his house to produce thousands and thousands of Bibles.

1 Peter 1:24 For all flesh is as grass, and all the glory of man as the flower of grass. The grass withereth, and the flower thereof falleth away:  25 But the word of the Lord endureth for ever. And this is the word which by the gospel is preached unto you. 

Jesus Christ

The center of the Bible is Christ Jesus. 

Psalms  40:7 Then said I, Lo, I come: in the volume of the book it is written of me. (Written thousands of years before Jesus birth)

Joh 5:39 Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me.

Why it is that Christ is the center? Because of redemption. Only the first two chapters of the Bible speak on the creation and the balance is all about redemption, meaning speaking of delivering the sinner from sin.  It took God to speak his word in creation as he spoke and it was created out of nothing but in redemption it took a blood sacrifice.