A Brief Description of each book in the Bible
Christian Scripture, consisting of 66 books known as ‘The Bible,’ is the written form of God’s Word to the humanity. The English word ‘Bible’ is derived from the Latin term ‘biblia,’ which originates from the Greek term ta biblía (τὰ βιβλία), which simply means ‘The Books.’ The Holy Spirit, being the sole author, used forty anointed writers from various walks of life (that included Kings, Prophets, priests, historians, apostles, and even ordinary men) for over 1500 years (from BC 1400 to AD 100) to complete the book. In spite of discernible differences, the entire Bible revolves around a few of dominant themes, which include, the reality of God’s existence and the manifestation of God’s love, grace, and salvation of the human race through Jesus Christ.
The Bible is divided into two major divisions: The Old Testament (also known as the Old Covenant) and The New Testament (also known as the New Covenant). The Old Testament consists of 39 books classified under four different categories:
(i) The Books of the Law
(ii) The Historical Books
(iii) The Poetical and Wisdom Literature
(iv) The Prophetical Books
The New Testament consists of 27 books, which are classified under four different categories:
(i) The Gospels
(ii) The historical book
(iii) The Epistles (Letters)
(iv) The Prophetical Book.
The Old Testament
(i) The Books of the Law (from Genesis to Deuteronomy)
The first five books of the Bible are called as ‘The Law.’ They are also known as the Torah (Hebrew) or Pentateuch (Greek). They are:
It is the book of beginnings. Major focuses are on Creation, the Fall of Man, and God’s Promise of Restoration. The book marks the beginning of human history and God’s covenant with humanity through Abraham. Yahweh is revealed as ‘The God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob’.
This book narrates God’s deliverance of the Israelites from Egyptian slavery and the issuance of God’s Law for the righteous living of the Israelites. Moses is the key person in the entire process of deliverance.
It talk about God’s Holiness and God’s invitation to live a life of holiness. The book sets God’s criterion for offering sacrifices for various offenses.
It records the census history and wilderness journey of the children of Israel. Also, the book highlights the preparation for the conquest of Canaan.
It records the affirmation of God’s covenant through Moses, Moses’ farewell speech, his death and burial.
(ii) The Historical Books (from Joshua to Esther)
It talks about the end of Exodus period and occupation of the Promised land. Joshua, the second in command became the Commander-in-Chief after the death of Moses.
It records the history of leaders called by God after the death of Joshua to protect the Israelites from the enemies.
It talks about a ‘foreign’ (foreign for the Israelites) woman named Ruth who God used for His purpose. Hence, setting an example for the Church to include anyone whom God calls for His purpose.
The book covers Israelite history from the period of the last Judge (Prophet Samuel) to the rise of Kingship in Israel (King Saul, and then King David). It also gives account of the lives of these men (Prophet Samuel, King Saul and King David).
It records the history of monarchy in Israel from King Solomon to the Exile. This includes the building of the temple, division of the Israelite Kingdom, fall of the Northern Kingdom (Israel in 722 B.C) and the Southern Kingdom (Judah in 586 B.C), and the exile of the people of Israel.
It is the record of peoples’ religious, political and social unfaithfulness towards God in spite of all that He has blessed them with. This brought God’s judgement upon His chosen people.
It is an invitation for national purity and exclusiveness, which are the marks of God’s chosen people. It means turning away from their past rebellion against God and His Word.
It talks about the rebuilding of the city walls of Jerusalem and re-establishment of God’s covenant in Israel.
It narrates the delightful story of a Jewish woman named Esther and her role in saving thousands of Jews from massacre.
(iii) The Poetical and Wisdom Literature (from Job to Song of Solomon)
It talks about Job’s sufferings due to his faithfulness towards God (he suffered because he refused to deny his own integrity and the integrity of God); and God’s blessings for Job’s faithfulness to God.
It is the collection of praise and thanksgiving in the form of hymns. The first written Psalm is most probably Psalm # 90 (Psalm of Moses) and the last one is most probably Psalm # 137 (written during Israel’s captivity).
It is a collection of wise sayings about how to live a good and meaningful life in our spiritual pilgrimage.
It reflects on the questions regarding life, from youth to the old age, death, and ends with an invitation to trust the Lord in all stages of life. If one does not trust the Lord wholeheartedly, everything around one would becomes meaningless. Wisdom and joy are given to those live for God.
It is collection of love poems expressed in human way, which reflects the love of God for humanity.
(iv) The Prophetical Books (Isaiah to Malachi)
The key thought that runs through the books of prophecy is Micah 6:8, which says, “He has shown you, O mortal, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.” The prophetical messages include: repentance, hope, peace, and comfort in trials. The Prophetical Books are divided into two groups: The Major Prophets and The Minor Prophets.
(a) The Major Prophets:
The book narrates Isaiah’s call for ministry, Messianic prophecies, Syria’s war, and the Assyrians’ threat against the nation of Israel caused by social injustice.
He was the longest serving prophet in Israel. He served 41 years, from B.C. 627 – 586. He preached against Israel’s military alliance with neighboring countries. Jeremiah called the Israelites to have true piety, social justice, and loyalty to God. His teaching focused on repentance, hope, new beginnings, and new covenant written on the heart.
The book reflects on the captivity of Israel by the Babylonians. One of the main piece of this book is the people’s deep bitterness and grief over the destruction of Jerusalem and the temple.
He was a priest taken to Babylon and his prophetical ministry began with preaching on judgement and doom. But, his focus later changed to hope and salvation.
The book of Daniel offers hope and consolation to Jews who are suffering under Babylonian bondage. The testimony of Daniel and his friends highlights that God can be trusted in any situation and in any location. Loyalty to God brings victory over one’s persecutors. The final victory and the future of the righteous is safe in the hands of God.
(b) The Minor Prophets:
Hosea brings out his message by illustrating a marriage relationship to explain how God loves and cares for Israel. The compassion and tender love of God for His people is highlighted throughout this book.
Joel emphasized his message on the need for national repentance. He considered the plague of locusts as a sign of God’s judgements upon the disobeying generation.
His message highlighted that the covenant with God has promises as well as obligations. He also focused on the Day of the Lord and the hope of the redemption of the remnant of Israel.
The book highlights the role of Edomites in the destruction of Jerusalem. Obadiah is the shortest book in the Old Testament.
The message of Jonah is an example of God’s compassion and love for people who are not part of the original covenant. Jonah, being a prophet with a special task, had to preach against the wide spreading sins of the people of Nineveh and, at the same time, preach about God’s mercy and salvation for those who repent and live righteously.
He prophesied against the sins and injustice of Samaria, the capital of Israel, and Jerusalem, the capital of Judah. He also preached the message of hope, peace, and salvation in Israel with Jerusalem as the center of God’s Kingdom.
The book describes the fall of Nineveh. Nahum’s message was ‘God is merciful and slow to anger but He will punish those who defy Him.’ God had given an opportunity for the people of Nineveh to repent and, in fact, they repented at the time. However, gradually, they turned back to their old nature and, thus, God sent calamity on the Ninevites to punish them.
The highlight of Habakkuk’s message is that ‘the righteous will live by faith.’ This book portrays the Babylonian invasions of the kingdoms around them. God allowed the Babylonians to march against Judah due to their sin against their one and only God – Yahweh. Hence, their sin resulted in the invasion of Judah, destruction of the city of Jerusalem and the Temple, and the deportation of the Israelite people to Babylon.
His prophetical message was against the kings of Judah who practiced idolatry and oppressed God’s people. However, God sent a revival among the people of Judah as people repented and, as a result, they renewed their covenant as a nation and consecrated their lives before the Lord for His purpose.
His ministry was in Jerusalem after its captivity. His focus was to invite people to purify themselves before the Lord their God and to be faithful to Him and come together as one nation to re-build the Temple. He inspired the people by reminding them that ‘God keeps His promises.’
Like prophet Haggai, Zechariah also invited people to be purified before their Lord God. An invitation to re-build the temple is the highlight of the book. God would raise Zerubbabel, the last known prince in the line of David and who was the then governor of Judah, to take initiative to re-build the temple.
Malachi preached against the people and priests for their doubt, immorality, and meaninglessness in their lives. The major focus is the coming of the Day of the Lord.
The New Testament
(i) The Gospels
There are four Gospels. The term Gospel is derived from the Greek word ‘euangelion’ (εὐαγγέλιον) which means ‘Good News.’ However, the word that we use does not come directly from the Greek term εὐαγγέλιον. Rather, it comes through the Anglo-Saxon word ‘Godspell, meaning ‘Good News.’ The good news is Jesus’ message or the message others preached about Jesus. The Gospels reflect on who Jesus is and who He is to the world. They give a clear picture about the life and ministry (teaching/preaching/healing) of Jesus Christ.
This gospel is written from a Jewish perspective and is particularly for the Jewish readers. Mathew places Jesus at the center of God’s plan of salvation and presents Him as the son of Abraham, and son of David through whom a savior would come to save His people from the bondage of sin. The Sermon on the Mount is the highlight of Jesus’ teachings. According to Matthew, the ministry of John the Baptist as the forerunner of Jesus has significance.
It is the shortest gospel and is considered to be the first gospel ever written. The gospel of Mark is written based on the preaching of Apostle Peter. The highlight of the book is the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus.
The gospel according to Luke presents Jesus as the deliverer of the oppressed and the outcasts, especially women and the poor. Some of the most popular parables are seen in this gospel, including the parable of the good Samaritan, the prodigal son, and the rich man and Lazarus. The life of John the Baptist is also narrated in this book.
John presents Jesus as the ‘Son of God.’ He states that In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning (John 1:1-2) and John 1:14 says, the Word became flesh and made His dwelling among us. One of the key highlights of the book is the ‘I AM’ sayings of Jesus.
(ii) The Historical Book: The Acts of the Apostles
This book starts with the narration of Jesus’ ascension to Heaven, the coming of the Holy Spirit on the Day of Pentecost, and the beginning of the New Testament church in Jerusalem and its advancement to the rest of the world. A majority of this book narrates the ministry of Apostle Peter, an apostle to the Jews, and Apostle Paul, an apostle to the Gentiles.
(iii) The Epistles
There are 21 epistles in total. These epistles are divided into two main groups, and they are: (A) The Pauline Epistles, (B) the General Epistles.
(A) The Pauline Epistles: The Pauline epistles are considered the oldest Christian documents ever written and preserved. They are, in order of writing, I & II Thessalonians, Galatians, I Corinthians, I Timothy, Titus, II Corinthians, Romans, Hebrews, Philippians, Colossians, Philemon, Ephesians, and II Timothy. It is widely accepted among Bible historians that Apostle Paul wrote his last epistle (II Timothy) even prior to the writing of the first Gospel, which is believed to be the gospel according to Mark. Paul’s epistles highlight the spiritual struggles (such as social, religious, political, or personal) and his response to overcome such struggles by using spiritual resources. There is always an invitation to have Christ’s attributes and attitudes in us. The Pauline epistles are divided into three groups and they are as follows:
(a) Common/Church Epistles
The epistle of Romans is written from a theological perspective and reflects the fullest form of Paul’s faith-based spiritual life. He emphasizes that Christian faith, although rooted in Judaism, is not exclusively for the Jews, rather it is a faith for all of humanity. The book highlights the power and grace of God, which is the source of inspiration and renewal for Christian living.
These epistles are written to address the issue of division within the church. It tells how to live a faithful life in this world. The highlights include the accounts of the resurrection, the Last Supper, and reconciliation.
Galatians reflects Paul’s own life: Paul’s faith in Christ, justification, and the relationship between Jewish faith and Christian faith.
Paul invites the Christians in Thessalonica to patiently and diligently wait for the coming of the Lord even though the situations are not in favor of them – tremendous persecution due to their faith in Christ Jesus. The second coming of the Lord is also highlighted.
(b) Prison Epistles
This epistle reflects that the Church is a part of God’s purpose to bring unity in the world and about God reconciling all things through Christ Jesus.
It is an epistle of thanksgiving. ‘Rejoice in the Lord’ resounds throughout the entire epistle. This epistle gives importance to the coming of Christ for the salvation of the world.
Through this epistle, Paul tries to clarify and strengthen the Church that is confused due to the wide-spread false teachings. Paul presents Christ as the ruling power in the universe.
This epistle is a personal letter from Paul to Philemon, his close friend and brother in Christ. It is an invitation to forgive the runaway slave named Onesimus and receive him back not as a slave but as a brother in Christ.
(c) Pastoral Epistles
These epistles are known as ‘The Pastoral Epistles.’ They talk about church administration, leadership, the importance of holiness in Christian living, the need for exercising faith in our spiritual journey, and the need for living an exemplary life. [The epistle of 2 Timothy is classified as a Pastoral epistle but it is also considered to be a Prison Epistle].
(B) The Epistle to the Hebrews: The Epistle to the Hebrews is written to the Jewish Christians to encourage them to remain faithful to Jesus Christ who is the absolute revelation of the Lord God Almighty Himself.
The Epistle of Hebrews stands by itself because there is no clear evidence about the authorship of the epistle. Although a vast majority of the early Church Fathers and theologians believed that the epistle to the Hebrews was written by Apostle Paul, many modern Bible scholars and historians question the Pauline authorship of the epistle because they believe that the epistle was written by someone other than Apostle Paul. Humanity as well as the divinity of Jesus is significantly highlighted in the epistle. Jesus is portrayed in this epistle as the Perfect Sacrifice, the True High Priest, the one and only mediator between God and humanity, the forgiver of sins, and the One who brings salvation once and for all.
(C) The General Epistles: The last seven epistles in the New Testament are known as the general epistles. These epistles were written by authors who are closely associated with Jesus; such as His brothers (James and Jude), or disciples (Peter and John).
This epistle is written by the brother of Jesus to Jewish Christians to encourage them to live a life of true faith in Christ Jesus. Faith and wisdom are key terms used in this epistle in order to cherish a faithful life.
These were written to encourage the Christians in Asia Minor at the time of persecution. The books inspire its readers to uphold hope in Christ as Christians are called to live a life of love and hope in the world. Also, these books encourage the church to be faithful and continue to hope in the coming of Christ.
John’s epistles urge Christians to be loyal to God and others, especially to their fellow believers. The epistle highlights that Jesus, being God, came in flesh and is not a mere human being but God Himself. The epistle also urges Christians to remember that love is the pathway for achieving eternal life and that knowing God is possible only through loving God and obeying His commandments.
The message of this epistle is a strong warning against the false teaching which says that God’s grace is an excuse for immoral living.
(iv) The Prophetical Book: The Apocalypse
This book was written during persecution, and thus, John (the writer) encourages readers to stand fast in the face of persecution, so that they can inherit the Kingdom of God. The book gives an account of the struggle between good and evil and the highlight of the book is the final triumph of Christ and His church over the enemy. The book also encourages the followers of Christ to be faithful until the end, so that they will live with God forever, where they will be “before the throne of God and serve him day and night in his temple; and he who sits on the throne will shelter them with his presence. ‘Never again will they hunger; never again will they thirst. The sun will not beat down on them,’ nor any scorching heat. For the Lamb at the center of the throne will be their shepherd; ‘he will lead them to springs of living water.’ ‘And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes (Rev. 7: 15-17). Amen!
Knowledge is power…
Very true!
“For the LORD gives wisdom; from his mouth come knowledge and understanding.”
Proverbs 2:6