Bible – from the Greek biblia meaning books
Scripture – from the Latin scriptus meaning writings; Holy Scripture = sacred writings
Testament - from Latin testis meaning witness; testament means agreement, covenant,

 What’s the Bible?  A sacred book containing two testaments. 

(1) The Old Testament = The Hebrew Scriptures = the agreement between God and the Israelites and the way this covenant was lived out.  39 books in the OT
(2)  The New Testament = the agreement between God and the people that was taught by Jesus + the story of the Church living out that agreement.  27 books in the NT

 Who wrote the Bible?  People inspired by God in different times and places

 How were the authors “ inspired?”  God filled them with the Spirit (inspirited them) to understand and communicate the message of salvation accurately.  The message is for all people and for all times, but the authors wrote and edited their words according to the custom and style of their own times.

 How was the Bible edited?  Most of the books of the Bible were not written at one fell swoop.  Stories and oral traditions were told, written, and collected into manuscripts.  Editors (redactors) arranged the stories and books into a sequence that provided meaning; some editors added explanatory notes that became incorporated into the text.  Sometimes the editors have as much influence on the text as the authors!

 When was the Bible written?  From about 1000 BC to about 100 AD

 Who chose THESE writings to be in the Bible?  Can we add more?  Rabbis closed the canon of the OT in 98 AD; a Church Council closed the Canon of the NT in 397 AD.  The Church authorized these books, and these books only, as sacred, in order to keep God’s teaching free from heresy.  Thus we can be confident that the words of the Bible are truly inspired by God.  There are many other sacred writings, ancient and modern, but they are not part of the canon.

 What’s in the Bible?  66 books. 
The OT = 39 books: history, law codes, prophesy, stories, poetry, mostly written in Hebrew.
The NT = 4 Gospels (accounts of Jesus’ life and ministry) + Epistles (letters) + Acts (history) and Revelation (prophesy); it has 27 books mostly written in Greek.

 What’s the Apocrypha?

The Apocrypha is also called the Septuagint, the LXX, and the Deuterocanonical books.  It came to be through the following sequence of events:
1.  In the 2^nd and 3^rd centuries BC the Bible was translated into Greek by rabbis because the Jews were dispersed and did not speak Hebrew any more.  The translation included the Apocryphal books.
2.  In 98 AD, the rabbis did not include these books in the Hebrew canon.
3.  In the 4^th C AD, Jerome translated the Apocrypha into Latin and it became part of the Christian (but not the Jewish!) canon until the Reformation (16^th century).
4.  The Protestants protested that the Apocrypha was not part of the Hebrew canon, so they removed the books from the Protestant Bible.
5.  The Catholics protested that the books had been around for 1100 years and kept them in their Bible with full authority.
6.  The Anglicans kept the books in the Bible but said “the church doth read them for example of life and instruction of manners but yet it doth not apply them to establish any doctrine.”

How do you look up a Bible reference?

The books are usually listed in an index at the beginning of the book.
The chapters are before the colon (Mark 2:)
The verse is after the colon (Mark 2:5)
More than one verse is indicated by a dash: (Mark 2: 5-8 and Mark 2:5 – 3:4)
Split citations are indicated by a comma (Mark 2:5, 8 or Mark 2:5, 3:6-8)
(Verse and chapter numbers are later additions!)

 What translation should I read?

 There are pros and cons to every translation. Some of the English translations:

 KJV or AV.  The King James Version or Authorized Version.  Published in England in 1611, translated from Hebrew & Greek texts. 
NKJV – 1982 – Has limited change from the KJV, a conservative approach, adds quotation marks,
SCOFIELD REFERENCE BIBLE (1909) KJV text with reference notes emphasizing dispensationalism

RSV.  The Revised Standard Version.  Translated by an ecumenical committee.  Published in America – 1946-52.  Condemned by McCarthyism (virgin v. young woman shall conceive).  Scholarly (uses Dead Sea Scroll discoveries), contemporary, has RC and Orthodox approval.
NRSV – New Revised Standard Version.  Published in 1990.  Uses gender inclusive language where possible for people but retains masculine language for God.  Replaces Elizabethan verbs (hath, art) and pronouns (thee, thine).  Compromise between older literary language and younger modern language.  Used at St. James.

NEB – New English Bible.  Published in Britain in 1946.  :Language is “contemporary English” – for the British! (Pentecost=Whitsuntide, denarii=pence, and “pierced hands and feet = hacked off h&f).   Scholars have raised questions about certain translations. 
REB – Revised English Bible.  Published in 1980s.  Removes Elizabethan usage and loses the poetry, but restores the dignity lost in the NEB.   

JB – Jerusalem Bible (1966).  Translated from Hebrew to French to English.  Poetic; some verse rearrangement  

NIV – New International version – American Conservative Protestants – 1978, evangelical/fundamentalist, simple in structure, scholarly but informal.

DOUAY (1582-1610) translated from Latin Vulgate in Counter-reformation

PARAPHRASES with dynamic equivalence (not translations)
GN - Good News – 1966 –Uses everyday language, vocabulary at 8^th grade level, contains drawings 

The MESSAGE – (1993-2002) Eugene Peterson uses surprising paraphrases, no verse numbers.

 

COMPARISONS 

KJV, RSV, NIV, REB. NRSV Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
NEB  How blest are those who know their need of God; the reign of God is theirs.
GN  Happy are those who know that they are spiritually poor; the Kingdom of heaven belongs to them!
JB  How happy are the poor in spirit; theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

         

 

 

The Hebrew Scriptures = The Old Testament = the agreement between God and the Israelites and the way this covenant was lived out.  39 books in the “Protestant” Bible

 

The Torah, Law, Pentateuch
     Genesis (The beginning) – our origins, stories of creation, the patriarchs
     Exodus (The leaving) – the flight FROM Egypt, the covenant at Mt. Sinai
             (10  Commandments)
     Leviticus (Of the priests of Levi) – laws and codes of holiness
     Numbers (The census) – who was wandering in the wilderness
     Deuteronomy (The Second Law) – Moses’ address, repetition of the law
             (10 Commandments #2)

 The Prophets
     A.  6 historical books with the story of Moses’ successors
              Joshua (Conquest of the Promised Land
              Judges (Troubles in the Promised Land)
              1 & 2 Samuel (Saul and David, the 1^st 2 kings)
              1 & 2 Kings (Solomon, the 3^rd King, and the division of Israel into Northern and
                  Southern Kingdoms (they didn’t get on)

B.  Major prophets
         Isaiah (Messianic prophesies)
         Jeremiah (denunciations – the South will fall-and it does)
         Ezekiel (Prophesy in exile: these bones shall live)

C.  Minor prophets
        Hosea (God forgives the repentant
        Joel (Repent, fast and pray)
        Amos (Sun is shining, the Dow is up, but the North will fall unless they repent)
        Obadiah (denunciations)
        Jonah (God loves more than just the Jews; the big fish)
        Micah (judgment + Messiah to be born in Bethlehem)
        Nahum (against Assyrian oppressors)
        Habakkuk (Babylonian exile is Gods’ punishment for the sins of the south)
        Zephaniah (against idolatry and foreign ways)
        Haggai (rebuild the temple!)
        Zechariah (rebuild the temple; Messiah will be the Prince of Peace)
        Malachi (The temple’s been rebuilt, but life’s still hard.  Where’s the bowl of cherries? – condemns religious apathy,   says Messiah is coming)

 

The Writings

1 & 2 Chronicles (History from Adam to the exile, rehash of Samuel and Kings)
Psalms (Israel’s hymnbook and BCP)
Job (Theodicy - why do bad things happen to good people?
Daniel (No justice and peace now, but God’s big day is coming!)
Ezra (Return of the Babylonian exiles; no intermarriage!)
Nehemiah (specs for rebuilding the temple and rebuilding the faith)
Song of Songs (pure love poetry)
Ruth (how an outsider becomes an insider, who Jesus’ ancestors are)
Lamentations (dirges about the fall of Jerusalem)
Ecclesiastes (not Ecclesiasticus -cynical wisdom: all is vanity so eat, drink, and be merry;
         there’s a time to be born and a time to die.  We can’t figure it all out but God can.)
Esther (Jewish girl becomes Queen of Persia and saves the Jews (basis of the feast of Purim))

BOOK	KEY IDEA	NATION	PEOPLE	GOD	GOD’S ROLE	GOD’S COMMAND
GENESIS	Beginnings	Chosen	Prepared	Powerful sovereign	Creator	Let there be…!
EXODUS	Redemption	Delivered	Redeemed	Merciful One	Deliverer	Let my people go!
LEVITICUS	Worship	Set apart	Taught	Holy One	Sanctifier	Be holy!
NUMBERS	Wandering	Directed	Tested	Just One	Sustainer	Go into the land!
DEUTERONOMY	Renewed covenant	Made ready	Taught again	Loving Lord	Rewarder	Obey!

                                              AUTHORS OF THE TORAH
 (Theory derived from 19^th C German Form criticism, speared by Julius Wellhausen

 J (J/Yahwist) - 950 – God is called Yahweh, (YHWH – unpronounceable tetragrammaton, Jehovah, LORD) anthropomorphic God, walks in Eden’s garden, creates from rib and dust of earth.  Creation in Gen 2:4b.  Southern (Jerusalem) writer, reflects concerns of Davidic court – monarchy doesn’t exist just as a political; entity but as a bearer of God’s blessing.  Focus: assurance of Promise; we are God’s chosen people
E – (Elohist) 850- God is called Elohim –Northern (rural) writer.  Focus: counteract paganism, fear of the Lord
D – (Deuteronomist) 650  -Northern writer.  Focus: Repent and return, monotheism (I create weal and woe)  Stresses obedience to Torah.  God says, “If you do X, then I will do Y.”
P – (Priestly Writer) 450 – post-Exilic Southern writer.  Focus: worship laws, genealogy (who we are at time of reentry into land).  Creation in Gen. 1:1.  Purpose: encourage returning exiles

                   

 

I.  Pre-Reformation History

            Didache (120-160?)
            Prayer of Hippolytus (215 A.D.)
            Sacramentaries – (6^th-13^th C)
                  Also had Epistles, Gospels, choir books
                  Also had Daily Offices, prayers, chants, lessons, lives of saints in a breviary.
                  Also had pastoral offices (funeral, marriage, baptism, sick, penance) in a manual
                  Also a Pontifical for Episcopal Offices (Confirmation, Ordination, Church dedication
                  Book of directions = Pie.  (All in Latin, all in short supply)
                  Missal puts all of the above together in 13^th C.

II.  Reformation

            1549:  Cranmer’s Book of Common Prayer introduced into English Churches by Act of
            Parliament.  3 principles governed formation:
                  a.  Simplicity – everything in one book with rubrics included
                  b.  In the vernacular
                  c.  Uniform – clergy and people have same text
            Intent: to preserve Catholic/universal and apostolic faith
                  - Sacramentals (ashes, palms, holy water) eliminated
                  - whole Bible read at MP and EP
                  - no private Masses
                  - laity received bread and wine
                  - required a homily at Holy Eucharist
                  - All Baptisms public (except emergency)
                  - vestments: alb, chasuble, and cope
Radicals thought it too Popish; conservatives thought it changed too much.

1552 Revision of Book of Common Prayer – to make it more Protestant

            - HE is a memorial meal
            -only vestment allowed is a surplice
            No offering because HE is a gift from God, not something we offer to God.  Therefore
                  Bread and wine on table before service
                  Alms into the poor box not on the altar
                  No words of offering (e.g. we offer unto thee our souls and bodies)

 1559 Revision of Book of Common Prayer

            Combines 1549 and 1552
            Elizabethan settlement.  Words of institution: (1549) The body of our Lord Jesus Christ which was given for thee preserve thy body and soul unto life everlasting + (1552) Take and eat this in remembrance that Christ died for thee and be thankful.

 1649-60 – English Commonwealth.  Puritans ban use of Prayer Book

1662 – Charles II restored to throne.  Current Church of England Prayer Book published

 1789 – First American Book of Common Prayer, similar to 1662 English Book but with Scottish influence on Eucharistic Prayer (Samuel Seabury, our first Bishop, consecrated in Scotland in 1789)

 1892 – Minor revisions

1928 – “Old” Prayer Book.  Modernized language, expanded lectionary.  Convention recognized that future change was not only inevitable but desirable and established the Standing Liturgical Commission to make continual study pf the BCP and recommend revisions.

 1979 – Retains traditional language and adds new forms for Holy Eucharist.  Stresses lay participation.  Has 3 year lectionary

 SOME FEATURES OF OUR BOOK OF COMMON PRAYER

 Preface to the American BCP of 789: “The liberty with which Christ ahs made us free” allows different forms and usages in worship providing that the faith is intact.  Therefore the BCP may be altered, abridged, enlarged, amended “according to the exigencies of times and occasions.”  The BCP is a document that lives, v. the closed canon of Scripture.  There is a “happy mean between too much stiffness … and too much easiness in admitting variations.” 

 Section #1 = Calendar with feasts + tables + lectionaries + seasonal Collects + liturgies for special days.   Highly concerned with liturgical time, sanctification of time, cycle of time

 Section #2 = The Daily Office – we are to pray and read Scripture daily, to punctuate time with worship, to pray always.  Like church bells, like muezzins calling Moslems to prayer, like the Angelus.  Offices are to be said throughout the day, Morning Prayer, Evening Prayer, Noonday Prayer, Worship for Evening, Daily Devotions (p. 136)

 #3  Collects
#4  Special Days
#5  Baptism
#6  Holy Eucharist
#7  Pastoral offices – in chronological order
#8  Episcopal Services – requiring a Bishop
#9  Psalter (Psalms)
#10  Prayers and Thanksgivings
#11  Catechism – An Outline of the Faith
#12  Historical Documents
#13  Lectionary

 TRUE OR FALSE

  _____  1.  The Book of Common Prayer (BCP), being common, is used on ordinary days and Sundays but not on the great feasts of the Church.
 _____  2.  The little words in italics in the BCP are called rubrics because they used to be printed in red (rubrica=red ochre).
 _____  3.  The BCP is a guide to corporate worship; individual parishes can modify the prayers to reflect local need and practice.
 _____  4.  Our BCP is used by all churches in the world-wide Anglican Communion
 _____  5.  The Episcopal Church has no plans to revise the 1979 BCP.
 _____  6.  A Bishop, Priest or Deacon must be the officiant at all services in the BCP.
 _____ 7.  Episcopalians must subscribe to/agree with the statements in the catechism of the BCP.
 _____  8.  The Scripture readings appointed in the BCP may be taken from any translation of the Bible.
 _____  9.  The General Convention has authorized Eucharistic liturgies which are not in the Book of Common Prayer.
 _____  10.  The Book of Common   written by Thomas Cranmer was used until 1662.

 Sacrament = an outward and visible sign of an inward and spiritual grace
Holy Eucharist: bread and wine are signs of nourishment with X’s body and blood
Baptism: water is sign of new life in Christ, forgiveness of sin, new birth into the family of God
Confirmation: laying on of hands of Bishop and chrism are signs of strengthening by Holy Spirit

 Prayer Book gives structure, requirements, and “Concerning the …” (p. 322, 354)
            and then variety, choices, explanations (p. 406-409)

 Example:  Holy Eucharist – in center of book

Rite I v. Rite II

Liturgy of the Word

            Penitential order (with or without Decalogue) or not
                        Acclamations for Easter, Penitential season, Ordinary time
                                    Gloria, Kyrie, Trisagion
            Prayers of People I, II, III, IV, V, VI + 8 Collects
                        Confession or not
The Holy Communion (4 fold action: taking, giving thanks, breaking, giving)
                                    Great Thanksgiving A, B, C, D
                                                Proper Preface for Lent
            Lord’s Prayer – traditional or contemporary
                        Words of administration (Body of Christ keep you in everlasting life/
                        Body of Christ, bread of heaven
                                    2 post communion prayers
                                                4 dismissals 

Communion Under Special Circumstances (reserved sacrament) p. 396
Order for Celebrating Holy Eucharist p. 400 with Form 1 and 2 on p. 401-2.
MP and EP as pro-Anaphora, ante-Communion
Other rites approved by Convention

 Holy Baptism – follows Easter Vigil (from death to life)

- move from adult to infant, private to public Baptism
- presentation and examination of Candidates (young and older) p. 301
- promise of congregation
- Baptismal Covenant
- recollection of the role of water and blessing and thanksgiving over the water
- baptism and chrismation, immersion v. sprinkling (medieval fonts large enough to immerse infant)
- reception into the parish community of the church
-conditional baptism.  Why?  No re-Baptism - emergency Baptism.  Why?

 Confirmation and Reception
- connection to Baptism
- history: part of Baptism, separation from Baptism, admission to Communion, at early adolescence, at mature adolescence

 
 

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