What is the bible?

[TomUK]

A question i've been thinking about recently- what exactly is the bible? I'm fully aware of how we came to have the bible we have now, and understand the arguments for and against the deutronomicals etc. but i'm asking more than that. What precedent did Jesus really set for the creation of bible? Does that make sense- is 'the bible' really anything at all, or is it merely a collection, an anthology so to speak?

This message is the product of a very early and tired thought, and hopefully some equally tired people may understand it, but i was wondering if any of you had any thoughts. To restate the question again though....

'What really is the bible?'

 

[billwald]

Don't think that Jesus intended for a New Testament to be written.

 

[GL2814]

The Bible is God's love letter to mankind. It shows that He created us. That we messed up, and God has been doing everything He can in order to get us back in a right releationship with Him.

 

[Anti-Fear]

Old Testament shows what Jesus knew and what he believed to be true.
New Testament is an account of Jesus' teachings.
The books that with describtions of what he actually said and done are best source of info about him.
Books that are based on ideas of his apostles after Jesus' death are something I am not sure about.
I am not as confident about some of the latter books of New Testament where its something apostles say.

 

[DanielRB]

This is a very thought-provoking question...

I would say that the Bible is humanity's record of his encounters with God. I would also say that God fully intended for it to be written, and written exactly in the way that it was.

Does this mean it is infallible or inerrent? I think it is, though my faith in Jesus Christ wouldn't be crushed if it was not inerrent. God has certainly used fallible means to minister to me before.

The Bible points humanity to God. The actual experience of the Christian life is looking to what the Bible points, not the Bible itself. The Bible isn't the object of my faith--the Triune God is.

Any way, that's my two cents.

 

[Katydid]

John 1:1-2
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was G-d and the Word was with G-d. He was with God in the beginning.

John 1:14
The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.

In short, the Bible, the Word of G-d is Yeshua(Jesus). Yeshua is the Bible.

 

[Reader Nilus]

Jesus is a person not a book, so Jesus is NOT the Bible.
Jeff the Finn

 

[Katydid]

How to take things so very literally. Yeshua was the Word as John said. The Bible, not the book itself but what is in it, is the Word of G-d. Yeshua is the Word of G-d. He is all that is in the Word.

 

[artybloke]

The Bible isn't the Word of God - Christ alone is the Word of God. God's spirit cannot be confined to a set of words - the letter kills and the spirit gives life.

 

[TwinCrier]

The Bible is God's love letter to mankind. It shows that He created us. That we messed up, and God has been doing everything He can in order to get us back in a right releationship with Him.

Couldn't have siad it better than that, so I'll be lazy and just quote you.