The word 'bible' comes from the Greek word biblia. That means: books. The Bible is not one book, but a collection of 66 books, housed in 2 parts.
The first part is called 'Old Testament'. It tells the story of God's dealings with the Hebrew people, before the time of Jesus. The second part, the 'New Testament'; is about the life, death and resurrection of Jesus and about the growth of Christianity. It also contains practical guidelines about Christian life.
The entire Bible is written over a period of about 1500 years, by about 40 different people. Among them were kings, a prime minister, a doctor, a tax official, fishermen and a farmer. Most Bible writers have never met other Bible writers. Yet all the books show remarkable unity and mutual agreement. How is that possible?
God spoke through the Bible writers and guided them in writing down his words and guidelines. He spoke to people who lived close to Him. He used their different characters. They all wrote down God's words in their own way, in their own words.
How could Jesus' followers remember all that He had said and done? Jesus had promised them that the Holy Spirit would teach them everything and bring to mind everything He said.
God made known to these people His laws and His will, and they wrote it down, not only for their own generation but for all times. That's why the Bible is so very different from all the other books. Through the Bible, God speaks to us today, every page bears the stamp of his authorship.
Why should I read the Bible?
The Bible tells us who God is and how we can come to know Him. Without the Bible, we would know virtually nothing about Him. We would have no idea why we are on this earth and where we are going. The Bible sheds light on every problem, speaks clearly of life, death, and eternity. The Bible is our compass on the way from earth to heaven.
Is the Bible true?
The Bible:
- Is more than a history book, although it contains numerous historical facts that are confirmed by other historicalsources.
- Is also more than high-quality literature, although it contains beautiful poetry and poignant stories.
- Is more than a psychological manual, although it offers a wealth of insights into human nature and advice on personal relationships that work in practice.
- Is not a scientific book, although it tells us a lot about the world.
In the Bible, it's more about why things are there. It is best to put the Bible to the test. The only way to know if the Bible is true is to read what it says and do what it says.
How should I read the Bijbel?
The Bible is not an easy book to read. You need help with reading it; a method. Try to set aside a fixed time each day when you can read alone and in silence. A great guideline for daily Bible reading is to follow a Bible reading schedule. This is a booklet or document in which a certain Bible passage is indicated every day, with an explanation of that Bible part. You can find Bible reading schedules on the Internet, but also in certain stores. There you will also find biblical diaries that go into even more detail about the Bible texts and give food for thought.