the greenest grass around

Think about any complex book or manual you have read. Sometimes they can be confusing. The way a book is organized is helpful for our comprehension of the text. The Bible is no exception.

Your word is a lamp for my feet, a light on my path. Psalms 119:105

Orderly and Logically

The Bible is made up of 66 books that are divided into two major sections, the Old and New Testament.

The Bible is not written chronologically, unless you have a chronological Bible. The Bible’s main purpose is to help us know Jesus Christ and the gift of salvation he has provided us. God’s gift of our salvation is more important than providing us the history in order.

So if the books are not organized chronologically, how are they organized? They are listed by literary genre. If you are not an English major, let me explain. A literary genre is a category that authors use to describe the primary content and tone of their writing.  Knowing that the books are grouped together by genre makes studying the Bible easier. Each group of books require you to call on specific skills of comprehension.

Example, books like Genesis report actual events which you should comprehend literally. Poetry books like Psalms have figurative language and cause you to apply a more subjective interpretation. Some books have more than one genre. An example would be Genesis. Genesis is a historical account but in Genesis 49:8-12, Moses uses a more poetic form of writing.

Two Testaments

According to the Webster Dictionary, testament means covenant. You could also say promise or agreement. The two testaments are separated by time. The Old Testament were written from the time of Moses until around 400 BC. The New Testament was written between 50 and 150 AD.

 

At the end of the day, you can read the Bible in any order you would like. I find it easier to understand the context of the book if I know a little more about why it was written, the purpose, themes, and other general information that will help me understand how to apply the teachings into my life today.

This will begin a deep dive into why each book was written and major themes of these books. I hope you will join me while we learn more about God through his word.

John 1:1 For in the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.