WHY WAS THE HOLY BIBLE COMPOSED?

Specialists have dissimilar answers for this question, however we are convinced that the main reason of composing the Bible was to testify Christ, “You search the Scriptures …, and these are they which testify of Me” (John 5:39). This chief testimony of the Bible leads us to Salvation, “From childhood you have known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation, through faith which is in Jesus Christ” (II Timothy 3:15). Bible’s message of Salvation can be summarized in two major topics: a) in the history of the creation, b) in the deliverance from the slavery of death.

The history of the creation

The Holy Bible starts with the words, “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth” (Gen. 1:1). This sentence is well known to many. Still, very few of us probably realize that this is the Bible’s major statement that passes through the whole Book and finds its logical conclusion in the final chapters of the Holy Book, “Now I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away” (Revelation 21:1). By examining these statements we can conclude that the Bible has a motion to renewal, in other words the Bible instructs its reader for Salvation which passes from generation to generation (Isaiah 51:8). It is infinite, “My salvation will be forever” (Isaiah 51:6).   

The deliverance from the slavery of death

The same book of Genesis, which we were observing above, informs us about man’s disobedience that caused God’s punishment, “I will greatly multiply your sorrow and your conception, … Cursed is the ground for your sake…, In the sweat of your face you shall eat bread till you return to the ground, for out of it you were taken; For dust you are and to dust you shall return” (Genesis 3:16-20).

We humans inherited death because of our sins, -For the wages of sin is death, - says the Apostle (Romans 6:23).

With regards to all we have said we ought to mention that the punishment and the death were temporary and there will come the time when, “God will wipe away every tear from their eyes, there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away” (Revelation 21:4).

Thus, similar to the previous chapter, we see a clear notion that goes from the book of Genesis to the book of Revelation and transforms the message of death to everlasting life: “I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish” (John 10:28). 

Based on the previous two topics, we can conclude with confidence that the good news of salvation starts with the first man passing through Jerusalem (the center of the Mosaic Law) and ends in the New Jerusalem (Revelation 21:2) that is above (Galatians 4:26).

In the New Jerusalem which is the city of saints, will dwell the sons of God, those who are called “New creation in Christ Jesus” (Galatians 6:15) and who are born, “Not of blood, nor of the will of flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God” (John 1:13).

DO THE MAJORITY OF HUMANITY COMPREHEND THE INTENT OF THE BIBLE?

Unfortunately, our answer should be negative. We have to note that the vast majority of humanity (Christians and non-Christians alike) do not comprehend the importance and the true intention of the Bible. Some think of the Bible as a collection of myths and man-made stories, others as an ideological weapon in the hands of limited people or the Jewish nation at large, and finally, there is another group of people which considers the Scripture as a scientific book that sometimes “contradicts” new age discoveries. To our conviction, these sorts of opinions often develop in spiritually ignorant people who are incapable of understanding the truth, as their minds are closed and need to be opened. “He opened their understanding that they might comprehend the Scripture” (Luke 24:45).

Indeed, “Without God, God is not known” (St. Irenaeus, 2nd c.)