Where did the Bible come from, and how can we know that it's truly authoritative in our lives today?
Talking Points:
- The Bible has a long history and has existed in different forms. It started on multiple scrolls and was later compiled into books with chapters and verses.
- Christian Bibles and Jewish Bibles have one major difference: the New Testament.
- The three major Christian traditions have the same New Testaments, but different Old Testaments. This has a lot to do with later Christian history starting in the eleventh century A.D.
- Each book of the Bible went through three basic stages: original composition on the scroll, circulation and use, confirmation of a closed canon.
Discussion:
- Initial reactions to this topic? What jumped out at you?
- What is your interest in the topic of the biblical canon? Explain.
- The Bible is a very ancient book. How or why do you think it has survived for so long and yet still maintains a major presence across the world?
- Why do you think it is important to understand what is – and is not – canonical?
- Read 2 Timothy 3:16. How does the statement that the Bible is “God-breathed” mesh with the fact that it was written down by human beings using human language?
- Is there a step you need to take based on today’s topic?
