Jesus And His Teachings Series

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The Bible and Jesus

Thesis: The Story of God as revealed in the Bible points to Jesus as the main character of the story of the Bible and the hero of the world. Yes, Jesus is the main hero (Savior) of the Bible! Since Jesus is the central figure of the Bible we need to observe his life and learn how we should be living and even leading!

Reference handout of Jesus in the books of the Bible!

Series Scripture Texts:

2 Timothy 3:16-17: “16All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, 17so that the man (Woman) of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.”

John 5:39: Jesus said this about the OT to the teachers of it, “You study the Scriptures diligently because you think that in them you have eternal life. These are the very Scriptures that testify about me”

Jesus said to them, “How foolish you are, and how slow to believe all that the prophets have spoken! Did not the Messiah have to suffer these things and then enter his glory?” And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he explained to them what was said in all the Scriptures concerning himself. (Luke 24:25–27)

After revealing himself to his eleven disciples shortly thereafter, Jesus reiterates the same point: He said to them, “This is what I told you while I was still with you: Everything must be fulfilled that is written about me in the Law of Moses, the Prophets and the Psalms.” Then he opened their minds so they could understand the Scriptures. (Luke 24:44–45)

Introduction to series:

Jesus is the central theme and main story of the Bible. Jesus is not just found in the Gospels but in every book of the Bible. The entire story of the Bible points to Jesus.

If we ever hope to properly handle the stories in the Bible, we must first grasp the story of the Bible. Jesus is the central figure of the Bible both OT and NT!

T.S. – So let’s be clear! The Bible is not just about Jesus in the New Testament because He is seen and revealed all the way back to the Beginning of Creation and throughout the books of the Bible.

I. Summary of my last few teachings on The Bible and Jesus and our missionaries’ teachings:

a. The Bible:

i. It's the Most Stolen Book: Ironically, although one of the Ten Commandments is “thou shalt not steal,” the Bible is the most stolen book in the world. Bibles are regularly taken from hotels, hospitals, bookstores, and other locations.

ii. It's the Bestselling Book in the World (every year): The Bible is the most-read book in the world. This best-selling book sees up to 100 million copies sold or donated annually. Approximately 20 million copies are sold each year in the U.S. alone.

iii. The Oldest Bible Dates to the 4th Century: One of the earliest versions of the Bible can be found in the Vatican Library and dates back to the 4th century. This parchment Bible includes the Old Testament and New Testament. If you are curious to check the Codex Vaticanus out, you can find it digitized and online.

iv. Authorship Facts About the Bible: The Text Was Written Over the Course of 1,500 Years. While there is some debate, most biblical scholars agree that it took about 1,500 years to write the Bible. While Genesis is the first book in the Bible, many experts believe that the Book of Job was written first. The last book that was written and added to the Bible was the Book of Revelation. It is estimated to have been written around 96 A.D.

v. The Bible Was Written in Three Languages Across Three Continents: While the Bible has about 40 authors who wrote different sections, it was also authored on three continents. The Bible was written in Asia, Europe and Africa and in three different languages: Hebrew, Aramaic and Greek. The Old Testament was primarily written in Hebrew while the New Testament was written in Greek, the language of scholarship at the time. Aramaic was the common “international language” of the time and most likely the language that Jesus spoke in real life.

vi. What archaeology has done in the past 100 years is to verify some of the history contained in the Bible. For instance, two of the cities mentioned in the Bible, Sodom and Gomorrah, have been for many years considered mythological. However, recent excavations at Tell Mardikh, now known to be the site of Ebla, uncovered about 15,000 tablets. Some of these have been translated, and mention is made of Sodom and Gomorrah. Other archaeological verifications include proof that there was a ruler named Belshazzar; the Hittites not only existed but also had a vast empire; King Sargon also ruled; and the matters that touch upon history in the Book of Acts are demonstrably accurate. So far, the findings of archaeology have verified, and in no case disputed, historical points of the biblical record. (https://www.josh.org/resources/apologetics/answering-skeptics-detail/?id=868&mwm_id=333200475991&utm_campaign=MW_googlegrant&mwm_id=333200475991&gclid=Cj0KCQjwz96WBhC8ARIsAATR2505Y4oKL3iJi9P2EW0GNfUnTwarg-Yty-S3TRefajSpdOv1BX3hvhYaAjGtEALw_wcB)