Have you ever wondered why there so many different versions of the bible? Which one should you choose? Here are 4 things every Christian needs to know about the Bible. The Bible is composed of four essential elements or components. These are the building blocks of the Bible. Each step is essential in building on top of each other.
First Block: Canon
The Bible isn’t a single book. Its a collection of many books written by various authors over the course of a 1,000 years. The word for this collection is canon. A canon is a rule or a standard. The Bible, both Old and New Testament, is a set of books which form the basis for the Christians rule of faith.
Among various versions, The number and ordering of these books is fairly consistent. But there are some differences. Most notably in the Old Testament. For instance the Jewish Bible and the Protestant Old Testmament are roughly equivalent. The Jewish Bible has 22 books while the Old Testament has 39. The difference is largely due to the way various books are divided. Instead of 1 and 2 Samuel, for instance, the Jewish Bible simply has Samuel.
Second Block: Text
Matthew 17:21, 18:11, 23:14, Mark 7:16, 9:44, 9:46, 11:26, 15:28, Luke 17:36, 23:17, John 5:4, Acts 8:37, 15:34, 24:7, 28:29, Romans 16:24, and 1 John 5:7. Look up these verse in a NIV and you might be suprised to discover that there not there. What’s wrong? Look at the ending of Mark (16:9-20) or the story of the Woman caught in adultery in John 8:1-12 and you may be surprised to discover to find a bracket with the words, “the earliest manuscripts don’t contain…” With regard to its numerous copies, we must admit that the Bible has been altered over the years. Changes have entered into the text. But this does not mean that we cannot hold our Bible with confidence. For the bible we hold in our hands is not based on any one text but is combination of the bests text that we now possess.
Third Block: Translation
This is probably the number one reasons bibles differ today. What do you value most in a translation? You want to understand it, right? But you also want it to be accurate. Well often in translation these two desires can be difficult to balance. Words have semantic meanings in our cultural that may not have complete overlap in another culture. We aim to get at the best possible overlap.
The need for new translations arises from the imprecise nature of current transtions and the change in language over time. For instance, the King James Version (KJV)), published in 1611, has lost much of its power because many of its words are no longer used or understood today.
Fourth Block: Interpretation
Last but not least there must be someone to read and interpret the book. The bible does not force an interpretation upon those who read it. It can and often has been misunderstood. But all interpretations are not equal. There are principles that can be used in order to close to the right meaning of scripture. Its not an answer book (like a car manual) or how to book. Its interpretation can be a bit more subtle then that. The best analogy that I have found is to compare it to the first four acts of a five act play. It shapes the way our characters play but does not rigidly define it. “The bible says, I believe it that settles it.” Should a Christian get a tattoo. There is room for interpretation, adaptation for a changing culture and environment.
