This Article: (8 Pages)
- 1. The Extent of Inspired Books
- 2. How do we know the text was... preserved?
- 3. Torah the Inspired Word of God
- 4. Testimony regarding the Law and... the Prophets
- 5. Why Were Many Works not Included?
- 6. The Relationship of the New... Testament to the Old Testament
- 7. This Remarkable Collection... of Books
- 8. The full measure versus the focus
7) This Remarkable Collection of Books
From the common era the Jewish people so little valued the books of Maccabees that they lost entirely the original Hebrew text. Not even fragments of this book have been found amongst the Dead Sea scrolls. The only reason these books exist today is because they were amongst the early histories translated into Greek. Instead the Jews valued very highly the Law and the Prophets. So much so that from that time until today they wrote volumes and volumes analysing and debating its text but never adding to it. This is a testament to the truth of what Josephus observed that the Jews saw a limited number of books as 'justly accredited as divine', and were happy to die for these, but they could lose any others, including the Maccabees.
Let us consider how odd this is. The books of Maccabees are a testimony to the greatness of Jewish life. They show a weak force overcoming the enemy by a miracle. They are evidence of a high point, where from nowhere Jews gained autonomy (self rule). That the miracle is divine is attested by the prophet Daniel who says they would be given help (Daniel 11:34). This is, of any book, the book of hope for a downtrodden people. But they did not value it at all. Instead they valued with their life books of cumbersome laws they could no longer keep and books of prophets who condemned the nation for sin. This is extra-ordinary.
The Jewish people have retained only the record of the history in relation to the divine. It has all their weaknesses. It contains little that commends the people but quite the converse, it soundly condemns the people for their wickedness and idolatry. This in itself is extraordinary and presents strong evidence that the books of the Old Testament were unlikely to be the work of mere humans, as humans generally only elevate achievements. The preservation of the writings is beyond expectation. In the history of the rise and fall of the nations over four thousand years, how many other ancient civilizations have left detailed accounts of their history including all their shortcomings?
But there is an outstanding element in all the books the Jews have valued as divine. The one thing that is not in any of the other ancient writings: firm promises from God of hope. The books of mere history, even if of great deeds, were not valuable. They were the past, now dead. The books valued as inspired contained the hope of the future and life.
The books of the Gospels and letters of the Apostles considered inspired have a similar character. Other simple histories of the era have been mostly lost. The ones that were retained have a strong element of rebuke, with an equally strong hope of grace, and they feature the promise of the future.
If instead of focusing on the canon (or the 'full measure') of books, we focus on the subset of those understood by the sincere believers over time as inspired, we will see in all these books the redemption pattern, which is trial and rebuke, repentance and the hope of the promise of the future. This is the 'gospel' or good news.
Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God, And saying, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand: repent ye, and believe the gospel” (Mark 1:14-15)
Show All
Even before the Swiss vote to ban minarets, there was a half formed picture in my mind, which the news story fitted. The recent Swiss vote to ban minarets, has followed a few of what may be seen as anti-Muslim proposals and political actions in Europe, including stringent citizenship restrictions in Denmark.
Recent news of the estimated adherents to various religions by an American think tank have led to such articles as at Aletheia College which projects increases in Muslim population as if it should scare Christians. There are now an estimated 1.57 billion Muslims, with up to 5% of the European population being Muslim.
There are many misconceptions of what Anti-Christ means due to mis-information, and sensationalism. It is not hard to confirm what the Bible actually says.
Translation has concealed what was written in the New Testemant regarding the work of Yahweh Elohim and the Apostles in the work of spreading the gospel and writing the New Testament.
