Bible Institute: Canonicity - Class #8

This is  lesson #8 in a study of canonicity, a study about where we get our Bible.  Your instructor is Elder David Nichols.

*Three historical developments in the area of Biblical transmission:
       A.  The invention of writing before 3000 B. C.
       B.  The beginning of translation before 200 B.C.
       C.  The development of printing before 1600 A.D.
*Eight ways God has spoken:
       A.  Through Angels
       B.  Through a loud voice
       C.  Through a still, small voice
       D.  Through nature
       E.  Through the mouth of an ass
       F.  Through dreams
       G.  Through visions
       H.  Through Christophanies – a pre-Bethlehem appearance of Christ
*What Old Testament languages did God choose to use?
     A.  Hebrew – Williamington’s Guide to the Bible: “Hebrew is a pictorial language, speaking with vivid bold metaphors,  which challenge and dramatize the story.?
     B.  Aramaic was the language of the Syrians and was used throughout the near east.
*New Testament Languages
     A.  The Semitic language – Jesus and His disciples used it as their native tongue.
     B.  The Hebrew language – also had influence in the New Testament through more idiomatic expressions
     C.  The Latin or Roman – We see “loanwords? such as “centurion?, “tribute?, and “legion? as well as the inscription on the cross.
      D.  Greek – The Koine Greek was the most widely used language throughout the world during the first century
* The Greek alphabet was derived from the Phoenicians (they developed the first known written language sometime prior to 1450 B.C. and as early as 3500 B.C.
* The Greek vocabulary was representative of several cultures as well as a vast geographical expanse and it became the official language of the empires into which Alexander the Great’s conquests were divided.
* The Koine Greek language was uniquely suited to relay the revelation of Christ in theological terms.
* Greek is an intellectual language.  It is more a language of the mind than of the heart.
* As demonstrated in the writings of the great Greek philosophers  Geisler and Nix state: “Greek possessed a technical precision not found in the Hebrew language.?
* In addition, Greek was a universal language – well suited for  delivery of the gospel to a lost world.
* Whereas Hebrew was particular to the Jewish people – the Old Testament truths about God were initially revealed to one nation (Israel) in its own language.
* The fuller Revelation given by Christ in the New Testament was not so restricted.    Instead, the message of Christ was to be “preached in His Name to all nations.?  Luke 24:47
* Galatians 4:4  - Paul said, “When the fullness of time had come, God sent forth His Son.?
*    Inspiration = authority
*    Canonicity = acceptance                   
*    Transmission = accuracy