BibleProject | Introduction to the Christian FaithSample

Day 1: What is the Bible?

The Bible is actually a small library of books, all of which emerged from the history of the people of ancient Israel. It is the most influential book in the history of Western and much of Eastern civilization. People have a lot of opinions about what the Bible is all about, but let's start with what it is. In today’s video, you'll be introduced to a condensed history of how the Bible came into existence and the different forms of the Bible in the Catholic, Orthodox, and Protestant Christian traditions.

So what does the Bible say it is? In 2 Timothy 3:15-17, the apostle Paul describes the entirety of Scripture (which, at the time of writing, would have referred to the Old Testament/Hebrew Bible) as being “breathed out by God” (verse 16). Your translation may say “inspired by God.” The Greek word used here is theopneustos, which literally means “God-breathed.” This is how the biblical authors viewed the Hebrew Scriptures—as God-breathed. And within these Scriptures, one can find the salvation that comes through Jesus (verse 15).

The Bible is a collection of books, but it tells one unified story. The Hebrew Bible tells one story that leads to Jesus (Luke 24:27), and the New Testament continues that story of Jesus and his followers advancing his Kingdom on Earth. And this compelling story has transformed the lives of millions of people—a story transcending time, age, gender, and culture.

So what is that story? Who is the God of the Bible? Who was Jesus? And what does it mean to follow him?

Over the next nine days, we’ll get a brief overview of the story of the Bible and its key themes. Tomorrow, we’ll begin with the God who “breathed” it into existence.