Bible Study: What is the Bible

To this question, you would probably answer: “It’s the Word of God!” You’re correct! However, let’s say more about the Bible to understand why it is the Word of God.

You see, the Bible did not drop down from heaven. Neither was the Bible written by angels. The Bible was written by men who lived in ancient times. And what did they write about? These men wrote about their ideas, reflections and experiences about God, people and themselves. It’s similar to a letter you would write to a friend. Perhaps, you would write there your ideas about a school project, your reflections about life or your experiences in one of your travels to the province.

In the Bible, we read about the experiences of the people of Israel, also known as the Jewish people. We also read there the teachings of their prophets and wise men. For us Christians, we read in the Bible especially the story of Jesus of Nazareth. We read about his life, teachings and what the early Christians taught about him.

Now, since the Bible was written in ancient times, there will be some difficulties for us. For example, we won’t find in the Bible words and expressions we’re familiar today like “jet plane,” “computer,” “shopping mall” or “memorial park.” We would also be puzzled about ancient expressions like “Enoch lived for 365 years” or “Leave the dead to bury their own dead” or “If your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away.”

We realize then that the Bible is a very human book! The men who wrote the Bible used words and expressions they were familiar in their time. They wrote according to their understanding and world view. If the Bible was written today by you or me, we would use words and expressions we’re familiar. We would write according to the way we view the world and understand events. Being a human book, the Bible then has limitations. We can’t take some words and expressions literally. We have to study the Bible carefully to avoid misinterpretations!

Nevertheless, the men who wrote the Bible were guided by God. This is what we believe! The men who wrote the Bible, though limited in their understanding, words and expressions they used, were truly guided by God in the writing of the Bible. What they wrote then was what God wanted them to write. It is for this reason that we call the Bible “Word of God.”

In the next lesson, we will discuss more how God inspired the human authors of the Bible. In the meantime, start reading the Bible. Get a copy of the Bible and read the following stories:



1. The creation of the world: Genesis 1:1-2:3.

2. The sin of Adam and Eve: Gen 3:1-24.

3. Cain and Abel: Gen 4:1-16.

4. Noah and the flood: Gen 6:11-7:24.

5. The tower of Babel: Gen 11:1-9.