2 Timothy 4:1-4 Major Bible Doctrines BIBLIOLOGY #1

2 Timothy 4:1-4

Major Bible Doctrines

BIBLIOLOGY #1

Memory Verses

2 Timothy 3:16All Scripture is given by

inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for

instruction in righteousness.

2 Peter 1:21For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man:

but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy

Ghost.

Definitions & Etymology

‘Biblion’ (denotes a scroll, small book or paper). The etymology of this word is generally agreed to describe the ‘Egyptian Papyrus’ (byblos) on which most information was written in Bible times.

‘Logos’ literally means ‘word, study or discourse.’

Biblion + Logos = The Study of a Book

Most Bibles have written on the spine ‘Holy Bible’ which signifies that it is a ‘Holy Book.’

General Information: Bible

• The Bible contains 66 separate documents or books (it is not ‘a book’ but a ‘library’ of books)• There are 2 separate collections of books: The Old Testament (39 books) and the New Testament (27 books).• The bulk of the Old Testament (O.T.) was written in Hebrew, however a few small portions (about 11 chapters in 3 books) were written in Aramaic.•The New Testament (N.T.) was written in ‘Koine Greek’ which was the universal language of the Roman Empire.•The Bible was written by 40+ authors over a 1500 year period.•The ‘Holy Bible’ has been, and continues to be the World’s Best Seller (1454-2011) and it was the first book printed in 1454.•The first English translation was printed in 1535 by Miles Coverdale.

General Information: Bible

• The Bible has been translated into over 2,000 languages.•The known authors are from varied backgrounds and occupations:

•Isaiah – prophet, Ezra – priest, Matthew – tax collector, John – fisherman, Paul – tentmaker, Moses – prince/shepherd, David – king, Amos – herdsman and many more.

Categories/Genres of Bible

LAW/TORAH/PENTATEUCH:Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy.HISTORY:Joshua, Judges, Ruth, 1&2 Samuel, 1&2 Kings, 1&2 Chronicles, Ezra, Nehemiah, Esther.POETRY:Job, Psalms, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, Song of Solomon.PROPHECY:5 Major: Isaiah, Jeremiah, Lamentations, Ezekiel, Daniel.5 Minor: Hosea, Joel, Amos, Obadiah, Jonah, Nahum, Habakkuk, Zephaniah, Haggai, Zechariah, Malachi.GOSPEL:Synoptics: Matthew, Mark, Luke.Synoptic Problem (Alleged): John

Categories/Genres of Bible

CHURCH HISTORY:Acts (of the ‘Holy Spirit’ not ‘The Apostles’)

EPISTLES:Romans, 1&2 Corinthians, Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, 1&2 Thessalonians, 1&2 Timothy, Titus, Philemon, Hebrews, James, 1&2 Peter, 1,2&3 John, Jude.

PROPHECY/APOCALYPTIC: (‘revelation or disclosure’)Revelation (of ‘Jesus Christ’ not of ‘St. John the Divine’).

Remember: The Bible is not ordered chronologically. It is organised and arranged into genres/styles of writing.

2 Timothy 4:1-4


BIBLIOLOGY #2

Memory Verses






Ghost.

The Chronology of the Bible(‘Chronos’ – time/period & ‘logos’ – word/study = The Study of Time Periods)

1.Creation Stage: (Genesis 1-11)2.Patriarchal Stage: (Genesis 12-50, Job)3.Exodus Stage: (Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy)4.Conquest Stage: (Joshua)5.Judges Stages: (Judges)6.The United Kingdom Stage: (1 Samuel 8-31, 2 Samuel, 1 Kings 1-11, 1 Chronicles, 2 Chronicles 1-9, Psalms, Song of Solomon, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes)7.Chaotic Kingdom Stage: (1 Kings 12-22, 2 Kings 1-25, 2 Chronicles 10-36, Jonah, Amos, Hosea, Joel, Obadiah, Nahum, Isaiah, Micah, Habakkuk, Zephaniah, Jeremiah, Lamentations)8.Captivity Stage: (Ezekiel, Daniel)

The Chronology of the Bible

9. The Return Stage: (Ezra, Nehemiah, Haggai, Zechariah, Malachi)

10.The Gospel Stage: (Matthew, Mark, Luke, John)11.The Early Church: (Acts)12.The Epistle Stage: (Romans, 1&2 Corinthians, Galatians,

Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, 1&2 Thessalonians, 1&2 Timothy, Titus, Philemon, Hebrews, James, 1&2 Peter, 1,2&3 John, Jude, Revelation)

Evidence that the Bible is theWORD OF GOD

The question that we are asking is not ‘Is the Bible a book?’ but rather ‘is the Bible a divinely inspired book?’

If the Bible is a supernatural book, it has nothing to fear from those who make rational inquiry!

1. INTERNAL EVIDENCE:The Bible claims to be the Word of God:

I. The Scripture/Scriptures: (‘sacred writings, Bible’)The N.T. Uses the word ‘Scripture’ 51 times in reference to itself.Mark 12:10, Mark 15:28, Luke 4:21, John 2:22, Romans 4:3, Matthew 22:29, Luke 24:27, John 5:39, Romans 1:2, 2 Timothy 3:16, 2 Peter 3:16

II. The Word of God:Mark 17:12-13, Romans 10:17, Hebrews 4:12, 1 Thessalonians 2:13


III. The Symbols of the Book:The following symbols are used to illustrate the power and value of the Word of God and are found within its pages:• Mirror – James 1:23-25• Seed – James 1:18, 1 Peter 1:23, Matthew 13• Laver & Water – Ephesians 5:25-27, John 15:3, Psalm 119:9-11

John 17:17• Lamp & Light – Psalm 119:105• Weapons & Implements – Jeremiah 23:29, Ephesians 6:17• Gold & Fine Apparel – Psalm 19:10, 1 Peter 3:3-5• Milk, Meat, Bread, Honey – 1 Peter 2:2, 1 Corinthians 3:1-2,

Matthew 4:4, Job 23:12, John 6:35,51, Hebrews 5:12-14, Psalm 19:10

Please note: There are far more passages that provide internal evidence that the Bible is the WORD OF GOD- This is a survey!

2 Timothy 4:1-4


BIBLIOLOGY #3

Memory Verses






Ghost.


Question: Is the internal evidence (thus far) sufficient proof that the Bible is the Word of God?

1. INTERNAL EVIDENCE:Prophecy Fulfilled (Over 2,500 prophecies in the Bible)

I. The Birth of Jesus Christ:• Virgin Birth (Isaiah 7:14 → Matthew 1:23)• Place of Birth (Micah 5:1-2 → Matthew 2:1-6) [Chance :1 in 105]• From the Tribe of Judah (Genesis 49:10 → Revelation 5:5)• Descendent of King David (Jeremiah 23:5 → Matthew 1:1)

II. The Death of Jesus Christ:• Betrayed by a Friend (Psalm 41:9 → Matthew 26:47-49)• Betrayed for 30 pieces of Silver (Zechariah 11:12-13 → Matthew

26:15) [Chance :1 in 1011]


II. The Death of Jesus Christ: (continued)• Jesus would be spat upon & beaten (Isaiah 50:6 → Matthew 26:67)• Jesus would remain silent before His accusers (Isaiah 53:7 →

Matthew 27:12-14)• Jesus would die for our sins (Isaiah 53:4-6 → 2 Corinthians 5:21, 1

Corinthians 15:3-4)• Jesus would be crucified (Zechariah 12:10 → Matthew 27:35)

[Chance :1 in 1013]• Jesus would be buried in a rich man’s tomb (Isaiah 53:9 → Luke

23:50-53)

III. Other Prophecies:• The temple would be destroyed (Matthew 24:1-2 → A.D. 70)• The Jews would be exiled (Luke 21:24 → A.D. 70)

Please note: There are more (approx. 2500) prophecies that provide internal evidence that the Bible is the WORD OF GOD


1. INTERNAL EVIDENCE:The Testimony & Approval of Jesus Christ

I. The Old TestamentO.T. Passages Quoted/Referred in N.T.

• Matthew 4:4,7,10 → Deuteronomy 8:3, 6:13,16• Luke 23:34 → Isaiah 53:12• Luke 23: 43 → Isaiah 53:10,11• Matthew 27:46 → Psalms 22:1• John 19:28 → Psalm 69:21• Luke 23:46 → Psalm 31:5• Luke 4:16-19 → Isaiah 61:1-2

Endorsement of Mosaic Authorship:• Matthew 22:23-32, Mark 7:8-13, Mark 12:26, John 5:46,• Luke 16:29-31, Luke 24:25-27,44-45, John 17:17


Endorsement of O.T. Miracles/Narratives:• Creation (Mark 10:6)• Noah’s Ark (Matthew 24:38)• Lot’s Wife (Luke 17:32)• Destruction of Sodom (Luke 17:29)• Jonah & the Fish (Matthew 12:40)• Solomon & Queen of Sheba (Matthew 12:40)• Repentance of Nineveh (Matthew 12:41)• Naaman the Leper (Luke 4:27)• Elijah & the Widow (Luke 4:25-26)• Moses & the Serpent (John 3:14)• The First Marriage (Matthew 19:5-7)• The Blood of Abel (Luke 11:51)• Abraham, Isaac & Jacob (Matthew 22:31-32)• The Burning Bush (Luke 20:37)• The Wilderness Manna (John 6:31)

Next Week:

Topics Including:•Further Internal Evidences•External Evidences that the Bible is the Word of God:

The Bible in LiteratureThe Bible & ArchaeologyThe Bible & Scientific DiscoveryThe Preservation of the BibleHigh Profile Comments about the BibleThe Bible & My Salvation

2 Timothy 4:1-4


BIBLIOLOGY #4

Memory Verses






Ghost.


1. INTERNAL EVIDENCE:The Unity of the Bible:• No honest reader can genuinely deny the unity of the Bible.

• The unity of the Bible is achieved in spite of the Authorship:• Moses – Egyptian Prince, Joshua – Soldier, Samuel – Priest,

David – King, Esther –Queen, Ruth – Housewife, Job – Rich Farmer, Amos – Herdsman, Ezra – Scribe, Isaiah – Prophet, Daniel – Prime Minister, Nehemiah – Cup Bearer, Matthew – Tax Collector, Mark – Evangelist, Luke – Physician, John – Fisherman, Jude/James – Carpenters, Paul – Tentmaker.

• The unity of the Bible is achieved in spite of Geography:• In the desert (Ex.17), On Mt. Sinai (Ex.20), In Palestine (most of

O.T), In Egypt (Jeremiah?), On the Isle of Patmos (Rev), In Babylon (Daniel), In Persia (Esther), In Corinth (1&2 Thess.), In Ephesus (Galatians?), In Caesarea (Luke?), From Rome (2 Tim).


• The Unity of the Bible is achieved in spite of the Writing Style:• History, Prophecy, Biography, Autobiography, Poetry, Law, Letter

Form (Epistle), Symbolic Form (Parabolic), Proverb, Doctrinal.• The Unity of the Bible is achieved in spite of Periods of Writing:

• More than 1500 yrs elapsed between the writings of Genesis and Revelation.

• Nearly 400 years elapsed between the writing of Malachi and Matthew.

Consider:40 different authors,1500 years, 3 different continents, 3 different languages, authors from varying social, financial, and cultural backgrounds in TOTAL AGREEMENT!


What is the ultimate message/theme of the Bible?• The Gospel:

• We need to be Rescued!• God is the Great Rescuer!• GOD RESCUES SINNERS

Biblical Proofs:Ephesians 2:1-9, 2 Corinthians 5:21, John 3:16, 1 Peter 1:18-19, 1 Timothy 2:6, Ephesians 1:4-5, 1 Peter 2:24, Romans 3:23, Romans 6:23, Romans 5:8-10, 1 John 4:10, John 1:12, 1 Peter 1:3-5 and MUCH more!

We will talk more about this concept of Salvation in our ‘Soteriology Course.’


1. EXTERNAL EVIDENCE:The Preservation/Indestructibility of the Bible• The survival of the Bible through the ages is miraculous in itself, and

speaks of God’s governing hand over HIS Word.• A very small percentage of books last 20 years.• A much smaller percentage of books last 100 years.• An insignificant fraction of books last over 1000 years.

• Amid the wreck and ruin of ancient literature the Holy Scriptures stand out like the last survivor of an otherwise extinct race, and the very fact of the Bible’s continued existence is an indication that like it’s author it is indestructible!


1. EXTERNAL EVIDENCE:The Preservation/Indestructibility of the Bible• Consider the following passages of Scripture referring to the Preservation

of God’s Word:• Psalm 12:6,7 1 Peter 1:23-25• Matthew 5:18 Mark 13:31• Matthew 24:35 Luke 21:33• Psalm 33:11 John 10:35• Psalm 100:5 John 12:48• Psalm 105:8-10• Psalm 111:7-8• Psalm 117:2• Psalm 119:89, 152, 160• Isaiah 40:8, • 1 Timothy 6:14


• Consider the following documented attempts to destroy the Bible by Men in Authority:• 150 A.D. A noted Greek writer, rhetorician, and satirist by the name of

Lucian, wrote two books in the second century to ridicule the Bible. These books were named The Dialogue of the Gods and The Dialogue of the Dead. There’s an extremely good chance that you don’t have a copy of either of these two books in your personal library. Yet you probably have a Bible somewhere around the house, which is a testimony to the Bible’s ability to “out survive” its attackers. And Lucian is just one of the many people who, throughout history, have tried to ban, burn, destroy, outlaw, restrict, ridicule or discredit the Bible.


• 299-311 A.D. The Roman Emperor Diocletian issued an edict to stop Christians from worshipping Jesus Christ and ordered the destruction of all their Scriptures. He had churches razed, Christians thrown in prison, flogged and decapitated. Despite all the power of the Roman Empire, these measures failed totally, and twenty-five years later his successor, Constantine, changed course and issued another edict ordering fifty Bibles to be published at government expense.

• 300's AD The Greek writer, Porphyry, tried to destroy the credibility of the Bible around 300 years after the birth of Christ. In the process he wrote fifteen books against the Bible and Christianity in general. Did he succeed? Apparently not. The Bible is still around. And as for Porphyry, well, let’s put it this way; can you name his fifteen books? Can anybody name just one?


• 1150 A.D. Though 1844 A.D. One of the greatest dangers the Bible faced was the period when the Popes of Rome controlled the world. Pope Innocent III, 1199, had French Bibles burned and would not permit the people to have more. Pope Gregory IX, 1234, ordered the burning of Bible. Wyclif was condemned for heresy in 1383 for translating the Bible into the common language. 10,000 Bibles were burned on August 8, 1600, by order of Ferdinand II. Pope Clement II, 1713, condemned the reading of the Bible. Even as late as 1844, Pope Gregory decreed those favoring Bible societies were guilty of the greatest crime before God and the Church.

• 1700's A.D. In the eighteenth century the famous Bible skeptic & French writer Voltaire said, “Within 100 years, the Bible and Christianity will be swept out of existence, and pass into history.” In 1778 Voltaire was swept out of existence, but the Bible still stands. In fact, within 26 years of Voltaire’s death the age of the Bible Society was initiated with the founding of the British & Foreign Bible Society, and Bibles began to be distributed throughout the world in a manner heretofore unprecedented. In-fact, by 1939 the Bible had been translated into it 1000th language!


• 1800's A.D. General Lew Wallace was a Territorial Governor following the days of the U.S. Civil War. He had been a Senator in Indiana at the age of 29 and was considered a very scholarly man. He had no confidence in Christianity or the Bible, so he set out to write a skeptical book to disprove both. In his study he instead found the Bible and Christ to be true, and became himself a devout Christian. General Wallace never wrote his book against the Bible. He wrote instead the classic Christian novel Ben Hur.

Sir William Ramsey, the English scholar went to Asia Minor with the expressed purpose of proving the Bible was historically inaccurate. As he painstakingly poured over the ancient artifacts and details, to his amazement he found that the Bible was accurate down to the tiniest detail. The evidence was so convincing that Sir Ramsey himself became a Christian and a biblical scholar.


• 20th Century Under Hitler, the Nazi party tried to remove the entire Old Testament from the Bible, and alter the rest of the Bible to fit Nazi ideology. In the 1930's Hitler went as far as trying to Nationalize every church and ordered the arrest of any clergy that didn't fall in line. Of course, Nazism was destroyed and discredited – while the Bible remains. The rise of communist dictatorships around the world in the 20th century - from Russia to China and beyond – had, as one of their primary goals, the eradication of the Bible and Christian belief. They believed that Christianity would crumble as an outdated "opiate of the masses" when at last people were free from the evils of capitalism. Of course, by the late 1980's, communism was the one collapsing and crumbling all over the world and the Bible survived as strong as ever. Down through the years, the Bible has been a mighty anvil that has worn out many of the puny hammers of the scoffers. The Bible survives every day through criticism. No other book has been so chopped, knived, sifted, scrutinized, and vilified. No other book has been subjected to such mass attacks. Nevertheless, it remains the book most read and most cherished until this very day. If this criticism was ever effective in the past, it would have rendered the Bible unworthy of the critics' attention today. The fact that critics continue to target the Bible proves that their past criticism did nothing less than strengthen the belief in the Bible itself!

•


1. EXTERNAL EVIDENCE:The Preservation/Indestructibility of the Bible• Consider the following documented attempts to destroy the Bible by

the Philosophers:• Voltaire – “Another century and there will not be a Bible on the

earth.” The century is gone; and the circulation of the Bible is one of the marvels of the age. After Voltaire died, his old printing press and the very house where he lived was purchased by the Geneva Bible Society and made a depot for Bibles!

• Thomas Paine – “I have gone through the Bible as a man would go through a forest with an axe to fell trees. I have cut down tree after tree; here they lie. They will never grow again.” Thomas Paine thought he had destroyed the Bible, but since he crawled into a drunkard’s grave in 1809, the Bible has leaped forward as never before.


• Joseph Stalin – This bloody butcher took over all of Russia at the death of Lenin in the late 20’s.From this point on until his death in the 50’s, Stalin instituted a “ban the Bible” purge from the U.S.S.R. such as had never been witnessed before. This miserable man literally attempted to wipe the Word of God and the God of the Word from the Russian minds. Did he succeed? A recent poll taken in Russia shows that today more people than ever believe in God and His Word.


1. EXTERNAL EVIDENCE:The Preservation/Indestructibility of the BibleSummary of Preservation:

THE ANVIL OF GOD’S WORD (By John Clifford)1. Last eve I paused beside a blacksmith's door,

And heard the anvil ring the vesper chime; Then, looking in, I saw upon the floorOld hammers, worn with beating years of time.

2. "How many anvils have you had," said I, "To wear and batter all these hammers so?" "Just one," said he, and then, with twinkling eye, "The anvil wears the hammers out, you know."

3. And so, thought I, the anvil of God's Word,For ages sceptic blows have beat upon; Yet, though the noise of falling blows was heard, The anvil is unharmed--the hammers gone.


1. EXTERNAL EVIDENCE:The Preservation/Indestructibility of the BibleSummary of Preservation:

Broken hammers! Those two words sum up the entire history of men's attacks on the Word of God. The anvil of God's Word has for centuries suffered countless hammer blows from its enemies, yet it bears not a dent or scratch from all their spite! I see inscribed upon the broken hammers the names of those who wielded them! I see Sennacharib's name. Jehoiakim's name is there (Jer. 36). Diocletian, Voltaire, Paine, Hegel, Hume, Griesbach, Semler, Lachman, Strauss, Baur, Ingersoll, Fosdick, and a thousand others have wielded their infidel arguments against the Word of God, and yet it endures. The floor of history is littered with the broken hammers of critics, but the anvil is unharmed!

~ By Pastor Buddy Smith

Memory Verses

Psalm 119:89Forever, O LORD, thy

word is settled in heaven.

Isaiah 40:8The grass withereth,

the flower fadeth: But the word of our God shall stand forever.

Next Week:

Topics Including:•External Evidences that the Bible is the Word of God:

The Bible & ArchaeologyThe Bible & Scientific DiscoveryHigh Profile Comments about the BibleThe Bible & My Salvation

Documents

2 Timothy 4:1-4 Major Bible Doctrines BIBLIOLOGY #1