THE BIBLE
A Book of Books. Thousands of years ago it was said “of making many books, there is no end”. If it was true then, how much more true is it in these days, when the printing press is pouring forth a ceaseless stream of books. Yet among all the books ever written, the Bible is by far the most precious. The world is full of books of every kind and character, written by men of every land and profession, yet none of them can for one moment compare with this one Book. It records history the oldest in the world: preaching back to the creation of all things. Many recorded events,, once discredited by Bible Critics as not only improbably, but impossible have been proven as authentic by the discovery, in recent years, of records and tablets buried for thousands of years in the ruins of cities and palaces of Kings, who lived at the same time as events recorded in Bible history. Many of its prophecies uttered thousands of years before have had their fulfilment in a wonderful manner, and others point still to the future. No other Book presents so lofty a conception of the relation of the Creator to the human family as does the Bible: God walking, talking with, and through His Son, dying for men. Nor can any book compare with it on its influence on and uplift of mankind.
Author: We speak of the Bible as one Book. In reality, however, it is a library, a set of sixty six books, smaller and larger, that have been bound in one volume. They have various authors numbering about thirty six in all. The oldest of these is Moses, the Hebrew Prophet and law giver, who wrote about 1500 years before Christ. So the Bible was about 1600 years in preparation.
Country: Furthermore, it is worth noting that every one of the writers of the Bible, with the exception of St Luke was a Jew. The “Beloved Physician” alone, was a Gentile. From this we see how great a debt the whole world owes to the Jewish Nation. For it’s wonderful contribution to the religious literature of the world.
Literature: All the literature of Greece, the most cultured of the peoples of the old world, cannot match this one book in respect to poetry, philosophy, history or narrative. If you want vivid narrative, such as takes hold of the heart, where can you find anything superior to the story of Joseph, or that of Ruth and Naomi? What story of friendship like that of David and Jonathan, or what portrayal of a Father’s grief over a wayward son more touching than that of David when he hears the tidings of the death of Absalom. Where can the level of poetry find sweeter strains than that of the 23rdPsalm, or of the 103rd Psalm? What writers have ever soared to such heights of poetic grandeur as has Isaiah, or the writer of the book of Job. Testimony abounds of every hand, to the matchless genius of Hebrew poetry and the lofty conception that these writers enjoyed of things human and Divine.
Teachings: And what shall we say when we come to the matter of the religious teachings that are contained in this book: Search in all the religious writings of the heathen world for anything that can be compared to the Ten Commandments. In all the world they have become the foundation of good law and government. No other code of morals in the world sets so lofty a standard, whose observance so enhances the common good of mankind. Jesus said, the sum of the Ten Commandments is “To Love the Lord with all thy heart and thy neighbour as thyself”. The historical writings of the Bible reveal God as a God of Mercy, unending in His efforts to reclaim a lost world and lift man out of sin; punishing and pardoning as men reject His Counsel or repent of their wrong. Even Jonah, when reproaching God for not fulfilling His prophecy against Nineveh, said “I know that thou art a Gracious God, and merciful, slow to anger and of great kindness and repentest thee of the evil”. So, to, His Love and mercy are revealed in the number of prophets He sent to Israel in the days of their decline, seeking to turn them from their folly and sin. Yet still more lofty in its conception of the Divine Truth than the Ten Commandments is the Sermon on the Mount of our Blessed Lord. Here we have the law laid down as it applies not to the outward life only, but as it appeals to the human heart and conscience. But His Love is best revealed in the Gift of His Son. In the Cross of Christ we find His plan for the redemption of a sin cursed world. The Bible teaches there is no other way than this given under Heaven among men whereby we must be saved. From whatever point of view we regard this Book, we can say of it as David once said of Goliaths sword, “There is none like it. Give it to me”.
Opposition: Now through all that we have said (and much more) is true of the Bible, it is strange that this Book has been more attacked than any other book that has ever seen the light. More than one hundred years ago the infidel Voltaire said “In fifty years or so the Bible will not be read any longer”. Voltaire has been dead much more than a century, yet for one who reads a word of what he wrote there are millions who still read the Sacred Word. In the dark ages, deluded men burned the Book in public, and they do still in some of the darker and more ignorant lands. And yet the greatest Book lives on in undisturbed majesty, and influences men for all that is highest and best and noblest.
Original Languages: Originally the Bible was written in three languages, the Hebrew and Chaldee for the Old Testament, and the Greek for the New Testament. Of course the work had to be accomplished with pen and ink. In those days, therefore the Book was most expensive and only those who were wealthy could own a copy of the Sacred Writings. With the advent of the printing press, and the use of steam, it became possible to multiply copies so cheaply that even the poorest can now procure copies of the Bible.
Translation: So wonderful has the influence of this Book proven itself that many years ago men began to translate it into other languages other than that of the original manuscripts. This continued until today the Scriptures have been translated and published in nearly eleven hundred languages. In 185 or more of these the whole Bible has been included; in about 241, the New Testament only; and in the remaining languages, a substantial part of the Scriptures has been translated. Many of these languages had to be carefully studied and systemized and an alphabet created so the indigenous people for whom the work was done might be able to read the Word in their own tongue. Many tribes in Africa had no alphabet before missionaries came to them, and for these an alphabet had to be prepared, and the indigenous people taught to read in their own language. New languages have been added to the list at the rate of about ten a year.
Circulation: When we come to know the matter of the circulation of the Bible the figures are so vast as to be confusing. In the hundred years from 1611 to 1711 the number of editions of both Old and New Testament was 526. Then Lenox Library in New York City contains copies of over 8000 different Bibles. At this writings there are issued more than one thousand editions of the Bible each year more than double the number issued in the 16th century. The annual issue of Bibles by the British and Foreign Bible Society for a recent decade or ten year period has averaged over 8000000 volumes annually. The American Bible society has published since its organisation in 1816 over 367000000 copies. No other Book can for a moment compare with this. And the wonder of it is that as the years multiply these figures increase more and more.
Students: Finally no others one Book is as studied as is the Bible. Each Sunday in the world about 30000000 of teachers and scholars pore over this Book. In every land and in every tongue they come to see what God the Lord has to say to them, as show in its pages. To no other Book do so many turn, from week to week for their counsel, guidance comfort and warning. The more we know of its wonderful teachings the more we do admire them. Of most books we soon weary. Who would think of reading a novel ten times? Yet there are those who have been poring over the pages of this Book for ten or twenty or thirty years, who will say that they have not exhausted its treasures or grown weary of its presentations of truth Divine and sublime. In view of all this we may well repeat what Sir Walter Scott is reported to have said in his last illness. He asked to have the Book read to him, and when asked “What Book” he replied “There is but one Book”.
So of all books in the world we can say with the same significance, “There is but one Book”.
No comments:
Post a Comment