The worker and his Bible

Front matter

THE WORKER AND HIS WORK SERIES

A CORRESPONDENCE COURSE FOR SUNDAY SCHOOL WORKERS

THE WORKER AND Bs HIS BIBLE

Part I Introduction To The Study Of The Bible Page

I. The Bible — A Body of Literature - - - 7

II. The Bible — Records of Divine Revelation - i6

III. How We Got Our Bible 23

IV. "Why Study the Bible 35

V. How Study the Bible 46

Part II The Old Testament

VI. The Historical Portions of the Pentateuch and

VII. The Legal Portions of the Pentateuch - 68

VIII. The Judges and the United Monarchy - - 76 IX. The Divided Monarchy, the Exile, and the

Restoration 87

X. The Devotional Literature of the Old Testament 99

XI. The Wisdom Literature of the Old Testament hi XII. The Hebrew Prophets to the Close of the

Eighth Century B. C. 124

XIII. The Prophets Subsequent to the Eighth Century B. C. 137

CONTENTS

Part III The New Testament Page

XIV. New Testament Times 153

XV. The Life of Jesus 163

XVI. The Gospels 174

XVII. The Acts and the Beginnings of Christianity 195

XVIII. The Life and Letters of Paul - - - - 205

XIX. The Life and Letters of Paul — Continued - 219

XX. The General Epistles and Revelation - - 230

Introduction To The Study Of The Bible

By F. C. Eiselen

Chapter I The Bible— A Body Of Literature

1. The Bible a Collection of Books. The word Bible is derived from the Greek. It is the plural form biblia of a noun biblion, which may be translated "Little Book." From the Greek language the word passed into the Latin, where biblia came to be regarded as a noun in the singular. As such it was early adopted into the language of the western Church, and it is so used in the languages of modern Europe. The use of the noun as a singular is responsible for much misapprehension, because the Bible can never be rightly appreciated unless it is borne in mind that it is not so much one book as a library consisting of many books, written by different authors, in different times and places, and representing different stages of religious and ethical development. There are sixty-six separate writings in the collection as found in the modern English translations. The Bible is divided into two great divisions called the Old Testament and the New Testament respectively. The designation Testament is somewhat misleading. It arose from an accidental mistranslation into Latin of a Greek word meaning covenant, which in turn goes back to a Hebrew word having the same meaning. Hence it would be far more accurate to speak of the Old Covenant and the New Covenant; and, indeed, one of the early Church fathers speaks of "the divine Scriptures, the so-called Old and New Covenants." We have, then, in the Old and New Testaments various records of the two dispensations, or covenants, centering in Moses and Jesus respectively.

2. Contents of the Old Testament. Of the sixty-six books in the Bible, thirty-nine belong to the Old Testament, twenty-seven to the New. The thirty-nine books of the Old Testament are ordinarily arranged in four groups:

I. Law — Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy 5

XL History — Joshua, Judges, Ruth, i and 2 Samuel, I and 2 Kings, i and 2 Chronicles, Ezra, Nehemiah, Esther 12

III. Poetry — Job, Psalms, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes,

Song of Songs 5

IV. Prophecy — (i) Major Prophets: Isaiah, Jere-

miah, Lamentations, Ezekiel, Daniel 5

(2) Minor Prophets : Hosea, Joel, Amos, Obadiah, Jonah, Micah, Nahum, Habakkuk, Zephaniah, Haggai, Zechariah, Malachi 12

Total 39

3. Contents of the New Testament. The twenty-seven books of the New Testament may be arranged in three groups :

I. Historical — ^The Gospels : Matthew, Mark, Luke,

John ; The Acts 5

II. Doctrinal — The Epistles : Romans, i and 2 Corinthians, Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, i and 2 Thessalonians, i and 2 Timothy, Titus, Philemon, Hebrews, James, I and 2 Peter, i, 2, and 3 John, Jude 21

III. Apocalyptic — Revelation i

Total 27

A BODY OF LITERATURE 9

The four Gospels portray, from different viewpoints, the life, teaching, and work of Jesus ; Acts records the founding of the Christian Church and its earliest history, centering the account chiefly around the experiences of Peter and Paul. The doctrinal books are in the form of letters, written by the leaders of the Christian movement to Churches and individuals for the purpose of instructing them more fully in the faith and aiding them in various crises confronting the Christians during the early years of the Church's history. Revelation is in the form of a vision portraying the ultimate triumph of the kingdom of God.

4. Different Kinds of Literature in the Old Testament, The Bible contains sublime specimens of history, law, poetry, oratory, in fact, of almost every kind of literature known outside of the Bible. To the inquiry concerning the reason of these different kinds of literature the writer of the Epistle to the Hebrews suggests an answer in the words (1:1) "God having spoken ... in divers manners;" which means that in His attempt to reach the human heart and conscience God used different methods and means. For example, God may reveal Himself in the events of history, or He may make His appeal through the object lessons of the ritual and ceremonial; He may use as mediators especially well qualified individuals, to whom He can make Himself known, or He may dispense with the external means and influence more directly the human soul. These are some of the means by which God makes Himself known to-day, and these are some of the means by which God made Himself known during the period covered by the Biblical records. It is self-evident that when attempts are made to record or interpret these various manifestations of God different kinds of literature must be used, in order to portray most vividly the truth or truths expressed by God. The several kinds of literature, therefore, are the natural outgrowth of the manifold modes of divine revelation. In the Old Testament five kinds of literature may be distinguished: the Prolo THE WORKER AND HIS BIBLE

phetic, the Wisdom, the Devotional, the Legal or Priestly, and the Historical. In their production four classes of religious workers were active: the Prophets, the Wise Men, the Priests (compare Jer. i8: i8), and the Psalmists.

a. The Prophetic Literature of the Old Testament. The Prophetic Literature owes its origin to prophetic activity. The prophets towered above their contemporaries through purity of character, strength of intellect, sincerity of purpose, intimacy of communion with God, and special illumination by the Divine Spirit. As a result of these qualifications they were able to see facts and understand truths hidden from the eyes and minds of those who did not live in the same intimate fellowship with Jehovah. Their high conceptions of the character of God enabled them to appreciate the divine ideals of righteousness, and they sought with flaming enthusiasm to impress the truths burning in their hearts upon their less enlightened contemporaries. In carrying out this purpose they became statesmen, social reformers, and religious and ethical teachers. No records have been preserved of the utterances of the earliest prophets; but when, with the general advance in culture, reading and writing became more common, the prophets, anxious to reach a wider circle and to preserve their messages for more willing ears, put their messages into writing; and to this new departure we owe the sublime specimens of prophetic literature in the Old Testament.

h. The Wisdom Literature of the Old Testament. In his direct appeal to heart and conscience the ancient prophet resembles the modern preacher. Like the prophet and the preacher, the Wise Man sought to make the Divine will known to others, but in his method he resembles rather the modern religious teacher. His ultimate aim was to influence conduct and life, but instead of appealing directly to the conscience, he addressed himself primarily to the mind through counsel and argument, hoping that his appeal to the common sense of the listener would make an impression, the

A BODY OF LITERATURE ii

effects of which might be seen in transformed conduct. The prophet would have said to the lazy man, "Thus saith Jehovah, Go to work, thou indolent man." Proverbs 24 : 30-34 may serve as an illustration of the method of the Wise Men :

"I went by the field of the slothful, And by the vineyard of the man void of understanding; And lo, it was all grown over with thorns, The face thereof was covered with nettles. And the stone wall thereof was broken down. Then I beheld, and considered well: I saw, and received instruction.

Yet a little sleep, a little slumber, A little folding of the hands to sleep : So shall thy poverty come as a robber, And thy want as an armed man."

Nothing escaped the observation of these men; and from beginning to end they emphasized the important truth that religion and the daily life are inseparable. From giving simple practical precepts the wise men rose to speculation, and the Books of Job and Ecclesiastes bear witness that the problems they attempted to solve were no mean problems.

c. The Devotional Literature of the Old Testament. In a real sense the entire Old Testament is a book of devotion. It is the outgrowth of a spirit of intense devotion to Jehovah, and it has helped in all ages to nurture the devotional spirit of its readers. Here, however, the term devotional is used in the narrower sense of those poetic compositions which are primarily the expressions of the religious experience or emotions of the authors, caused and fostered by their intimate fellowship with Jehovah. The chief representative of this literature is the Book of Psalms, which is aptly described by Johannes Arndt in these words, "What the heart is in man that is the Psalter in the Bible." The Psalms contain, in the form of sacred lyrics, the outpourings of devout souls, prophets, priests, kings, wise men, and peasants, who came into the very presence of God, held communion with Him, and were privileged to hear the sweet sound of His voice. No other literary compositions lift us into such atmosphere of religious thought and emotion. And because these lyrics express personal experiences, they may be used even to-day to express the various emotions of joy, sorrow, hope, fear, anticipation, and others, of persons who live on even a higher plane than did the original authors.

d. The Legal Literature of the Old Testament. The Legal Literature of the Old Testament differs from the other kinds in that it does not form separate books, but is embodied in other writings, principally in the books of Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy. All the representatives of Jehovah — prophets, priests, wise men, and even psalmists — were thought competent to make known the Law of Jehovah, but the Old Testament makes it clear that at a comparatively early period the giving of the law came to be looked upon as the special duty of the priests. These priests constituted a very important class of religious workers among the ancient Hebrews. During the greater part of the national life of Israel their chief functions were the care of the sanctuary and the performance of the ceremonial rites, but alongside of that they continued to administer the Law of Jehovah, consisting not only of ceremonial regulations, but also of moral and judicial precepts and directions. For centuries these laws may have been transmitted by word of mouth, or were only partially committed to writing, but when circumstances made it desirable to codify them and put them in writing, the priests would be called upon to take this advance step. Thus, while it is quite probable that other representatives of Jehovah helped to formulate laws, the legal literature embodied in the Old Testament reached its final form under priestly influence.

e. The Historical Literature of the Old Testament. The historical literature of the Old Testament furnishes an interpretation of the movements of God in the events of history.

A BODY OF LITERATURE

It owes its origin in part to prophetic, in part to priestly, activity. The prophet was an ambassador of Jehovah, appointed to make known the Divine will concerning the past, the present, and the future. Of the present he spoke as a preacher; when his message concerned the future, it took the form of prediction. But the case might arise that the people failed to understand the significance of events in their own history, and thus failed to appreciate the lessons which the events were intended to teach. If the lessons were not to be lost, some one must serve as an interpreter; and who would be better qualified than the prophet to furnish the right interpretation? This demand made of him, in a sense, an historian; not for the purpose of merely recording events, but of interpreting them at the same time; and these prophetic interpretations are embodied in the historical literature. But not all Old Testament history comes from the prophets. As already indicated, the legal and ceremonial literature is due to priestly activity. Now, in connection with the recording of the laws, customs, institutions, and ceremonial requirements, the origin of these laws and customs became a matter of interest and importance. This interest, and the demand for information arising from it, led the priests also to become historians; and to these priestly writers we are indebted for not a small part of sacred history.

5. Various Kinds of New Testament Literature. Several distinct kinds of literature may be recognized in the New Testament. All its writings center around Jesus the Christ, and in one way or another seek to interpret the supreme revelation of God in and through Him. Jesus was an historical person; His life and activity were historical events. It is but natural, therefore, that the New Testament should contain historical writings, namely, the Gospels, whose primary purpose is to record and interpret the life and activity of Jesus. The work of establishing the kingdom of God upon earth, begun by Jesus, was continued by His disciples, and assumed organized form in the formation of Churches. The progress of these events is recorded in another historical book, entitled The Acts.

Every new movement gives rise to problems and perplexities. Christianity was no exception. Very soon perplexing questions began to disturb the newly organized Churches. Individuals failed to grasp the true significance of the new teaching; corruption and schisms threatened to disrupt the believers. In these extremities the leaders in the new faith were appealed to for guidance and inspiration. Since they could not visit all the places where Christians sought their counsel, they sometimes sent their advice in the form of letters, which practice has given rise to the extensive epistolary literature in the New Testament. The closing book. Revelation, is the only one of its kind in the New Testament Canon. It has its counterparts in the Old Testament in the Book of Daniel, and portions of the Books of Ezekiel and Zechariah. It belongs to what is commonly called apocalyptic literature, the latest form of prophetic writing. Revelation is the outgrowth of the early Christian persecutions, and its aim is to encourage the distressed Christians by the assurance of the ultimate triumph of the kingdom of God.

The Bible a collection of books.

Contents of the Old Testament.

Contents of the New Testament.

Different kinds of Old Testament literature.

Different kinds of New Testament literature.

Kirkpatrick, "The Divine Library of the Old Testament." Kent, "The Origin and Permanent Valtie of the Old Testament."

A BODY OF LITERATURE 15

1. Wisdom literature in the Old Testament in other than dis-

tinctively Wisdom Books.

2. The earliest psalms, or songs, of the Old Testament.

3. The forms of literature in the Old Testament in detail.

1. What are the groups of Old Testament books?

2. Discuss the various functions of the prophet.

3. In what various ways has God made Himself known to

man?

4. The kinds of literature in the Old Testament, with ex-

amples.

Chapter II The Bible— Records Of Divine Revelation

1. The New Testament Estimate of the Bible, From the very beginning until now the Christian Church has looked upon the Bible as one of the most useful means to promote intelligent and vital piety, to intensify spiritual life and experience, to instruct in Christian activity and service. This conviction, as far as the Old Testament is concerned, finds expression in unambiguous language in 2 Tim. 3: 15-17: "The sacred writings are able to make wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus. Every Scripture inspired of God is also profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for instruction which is in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, furnished completely unto every good work." What is said here of the Old Testament is equally true of the Scriptures of the New Testament. In the words of Cyprian, one of the early Church fathers, "The more closely one scrutinizes the sacred Scriptures of both Testaments, the greater increase in faith and inward devotion will he derive therefrom." Since these words were spoken, thousands of the most eminent men and women in all conditions of life and society have testified to the inestimable value of the Bible as a means of grace to the individual, and an essential factor in all advancement of true civilization.

What gives to the Bible this unique power? The answer to this inquiry is implied in the above quoted words of the

RECORDS OF DIVINE REVELATION 17

apostle, "Every scripture inspired of God." The presence of divine inspiration is the secret of the Bible's power. That such a divine element was present in the Old Testament was recognized by Jesus and all New Testament writers. And surely it is a significant fact that in the first outburst of Christian enthusiasm, and under the living impression of the unique personality of the Master, no doubt arose concerning the inspiration and permanent value of the Old Testament. In 2 Peter i : 21 the unqualified assertion is made that "no prophecy ever came by the will of man, but men spake from God as they were moved by the Holy Ghost." And the first great apologist of Christianity opens the Epistle to the Hebrews with these significant words, "God having of old time spoken unto the fathers in the prophets by divers portions, and in divers manners hath in the end of these days spoken unto us in a Son." If such assertion can be made of the Old Testament, how much more of the New, with its superior spiritual and ethical teaching!

To avoid misunderstanding it may be well to bear in mind in the very beginning what the New Testament says or implies concerning the purpose and aim of Biblical teaching. For it is of the greatest importance to remember that we can learn what the Bible is only from what the Bible itself says. Now, everywhere in the New Testament it is stated or clearly implied that the purpose of Scripture is to point to the Christ, to bring man into harmony with God, to make him morally and spiritually perfect, and to furnish him "unto every good work." Not one passage in the whole Bible warrants the belief that the Biblical writers ever intended to teach physical science, or history, or philosophy, or psychology. Therefore we may expect that where the Biblical writers touch upon questions of science or history they develop them only to the extent that they serve the higher religious or ethical purpose. For this, absolute scientific or historical accuracy in every detail is by no means necessary.

2. Truths Suggested in Hebrews 1:1, 2. The words

quoted from the Epistle to the Hebrews suggest or imply five great truths which have an important bearing upon the present inquiry: (i) God spoke. (2) God spoke through human agents. (3) God spoke in divers portions. (4) God spoke in divers manners. (5) The speaking during the Old Testament dispensation — to it refers the expression "of old time" — was incomplete; it had to be supplemented and perfected by a revelation in and through a Son. In order to appreciate properly the nature and purpose of the Scriptures, all these truths must be borne in mind. It is especially important to remember that God used human agents in the attempt to make Himself known to men, and these agents left the marks of their human limitations in the records. But it is equally essential to remember that it is God who spoke; in other words, that there is a divine element in the Bible.

3. Evidences of the Presence of a Divine Element. Nothing can be gained by denying the presence of a human element in the Bible. At the same time it should not be overestimated, or blind the eyes to the other truth expressed by the writer of the Epistle to the Hebrews, that there is also a divine element in the writings of the Bible. As far as the Old Testament is concerned this was recognized by Jesus and all the New Testament writers. Their testimony should carry great weight with Christians. But without appealing to such authority, every unbiased reader may convince himself of the nature and character of the book. It is ready for examination and invites the closest scrutiny on the part of every student.

Former generations based the principal arguments in favor of the belief in a divine element in the Bible upon the presence of miracles in its records, and the fulfillment of prophecy. The present generation, while still using these arguments, places greater stress upon evidences which are simpler and more easily apprehended. Three of the most

RECORDS OF DIVINE REVELATION 19

important may be considered here: (i) The essential unity of the book; (2) the response of the human heart and conscience to its message, and the effects it produces in the lives of those who yield themselves to its teaching; (3) the uniqueness of the Bible as seen when it is compared with other sacred literatures of antiquity.

a. The Essential Unity of the Bible, In the first place, then, attention may be called to the essential unity of the Bible. There are in the Old World great and magnificent cathedrals, some of which have been centuries in building, yet in all of them is complete unity and harmony. How can this be explained? Although generation after generation multitudes of workmen have labored on the enterprise, back of all the efforts was one single plan, evolved in the mind of one man, and this mind controlled all the succeeding generations of workmen. The result is unity and harmony. The Bible has been likened to a magnificent cathedral. The phenomenon to which reference has just been made in connection with ancient cathedrals may be seen in it. It contains sixty-six books — ^by how many authors no one knows — scattered over a period of more than a thousand years, written, at least many of them, independent of one another, in places hundreds of miles apart; yet one thought running throughout them all, the gradual unfolding of God's plan of redemption for the human race. There must be an explanation for this unity; and I believe that it is to be found in the one spirit which dwelt in and somehow influenced the men who made contributions to the Book.

h. The Response to the Human Heart and Conscience to the Bible Message. The proof of the presence of a divine element in the Bible which is derived from the essential unity of the Book is confirmed by the response of the human heart and conscience to its message, and the effects which it produces in the lives of those who yield themselves to its teaching. Never has there been a book that has been able to "find'* men as the Bible has done generation after generation, among peoples in all stations of society, in all lands and climes. The bearing of this remarkable fact upon the question of the divine inspiration of the Bible is stated very aptly by Coleridge in his Letters on the Inspiration of the Scriptures: "Need I say that I have found everywhere more or less copious sources of truth, and power, and purifying impulses; that I have found words for my inmost thoughts, songs for my joy, utterances for my hidden griefs, and pleadings for my shame and feebleness? In short, whatever 'finds' me hears witness for itself that it has proceeded from a Holy Spirit, even from the same Spirit which, remaining it itself, yet regenerateth all other powers, and in all ages entering into holy souls maketh them friends of God and prophets/'

The test "By their fruits ye shall know them" leads to the same result. No other book has produced such far-reaching results. Sinful and sorrowing men have come to the Bible and have found the way of forgiveness and peace. They have been transformed from old evil lives of wickedness and vice to new and beautiful lives of righteousness. But the fruits are seen not only in the lives of individuals, but of entire nations. The nations enjoying the highest and most advanced civilization are the nations with an open Bible. Froude, the historian, declares, "All that we have in the way of civilization in a sense which deserves the term is but a visible expression of the transforming influence of the gospel." So also Daniel Webster, "If we abide by the principles taught in the Bible, our country will go on prospering and to prosper; but if we and our posterity neglect its instruction and authority, no man can tell how sudden a catastrophe may overwhelm us and bury our glory in profound obscurity." True, there are dark spots on modern civilization even in Christian lands, but these could not continue to exist for a day were the Bible teaching applied consistently to all the details of individual, social, and national life. But a book which produces such divine results bears witness to

RECORDS OF DIVINE REVELATION 21

itself that it embodies truth which, in some real sense, proceeded from God. As long as the Bible awakens this response and produces these effects, men will believe that it contains a divine element. And it will accomplish these things wherever and whenever men are willing to study it intelligently and devoutly, and to yield themselves to its teaching as it appeals to their own best selves. What the Bible calls for is not a defense, but earnest and devout study.

c. The Uniqueness of the Bible, The value and significance of the facts mentioned can not easily be overestimated. But during the past century other proofs have become available, as a result of the careful and painstaking study of the Bible by scholars in many lands and from various points of view. In the pursuit of this study four tests have been applied to the Bible: the test of criticism, of archaeology, of comparative religion, and of science. As a result the origin and literary form of the Biblical books have come to be better understood, and while certain previously held ideas have had to be modified, the peculiar uniqueness of the Bible, when compared with other sacred literatures of antiquity, has been revealed as never before. This uniqueness consists principally in the pure and lofty atmosphere which permeates the whole from beginning to end. One may read its stories of prehistoric times, its records of history both in the Old and the New Testament, its law, its poetry, its prophecy, or its doctrinal writings, and everywhere he will find an intensity and purity of religious tone and spirit which is absent from similar literatures of other nations and bears witness to the presence of God in a manner in which He can not be recognized in other literatures.

New Testament estimate of the Bible.

The presence of a human element in the Bible.

Evidences of a Divine element.

Sanday, "The Oracles of God."

Dods, 'The Bible, Its Origin and Nature." Farrar, **The Bible, Its Meaning and Supremacy." Smyth, "How God Inspired the Bible."

i» The kind and degree of inspiration which the Scriptures claim for themselves.

2. The New Testament estimate of the Old, in detail.

3. The unique qualities of the Bible as compared with other

sacred literatures of antiquity.

1. The explanation of the unique power of the Bible as a

means of grace.

2. The supreme purpose of sacrifice.

3. Discuss the response of the human heart and conscience

to the message of the Bible.

4. The effect of the Bible upon the life of nations.

5. Other evidences of divine quality in the Scriptures.

Chapter III How We Got Our Bible

1. The Canon of Scripture. In referring to the two collections of Biblical books it is customary to speak of the Old Testament Canon and the New Testament Canon. The word Canon, which is derived from the Greek, means primarily a straight rod, a measuring rod. From this it derives the secondary meaning, line, rule, and even law. The meaning list or catalogue marks a still later development. The name was applied to the books of the Bible first in the second half of the fourth century A. D., but the idea underlying the adoption of the term was recognized much earlier. It was believed that the books set apart into the Canon were given by inspiration, that in some way God spoke in and through them. The Canon of Scripture, therefore, may be defined as a collection of books given by inspiration of God, through which the Divine Spirit may appeal to the human heart and conscience.

2. The Origin and Growth of the Old Testament Canon.

The Old Testament Canon was formed among the Jews, from whom it was taken over by the early Christians. The exact steps by which the Jewish Canon grew into its final form it may not be possible to determine; but it is now quite generally admitted that the three-fold division of the Jewish Canon into the Law, the Prophets, and the Writings marks three stages in the growth of the Old Testament Canon. The available evidence, which is none too definite, would seem to indicate that the Law was accepted as canonical as early as 400 B. C. ; the Law, the Prophets, and at least some of the Writings, about 180 B. C. ; practically all the Old Testament books were accepted as canonical by the opening of the Christian era. The setting apart of these books was not an arbitrary act. The Spirit who inspired the writer appealed to the reader through the writing, and if a writing thus appealed as sacred to a sufficient number of people, it retained that position until official action could put its seal upon its sanctity. The final official decision was rendered at the Jewish Council at Jamnia, about 90 A. D. Questions of canonicity raised at a later time were settled by appeal to the action of this council.