Josh McDowell makes a contrast between the Bible and the The Great Books of Western World. While The Great Books of Western World books come as a set, they are still written by different authors and represent a conglomeration of writing rather than a “unity” of story.1 The Bible’s purpose is for God to reveal himself and help us live a life that is pleasing to him. 

The Greek word theopneustos literally means “God-breathed”.  In 2 Timothy 3:16 Paul, the author of 2 Timothy, uses this word to describe Scripture. In this statement, he is making the claim that the authors were writing according to what God told them to record.  There is a significance in this statement since there were approximately 40 authors of the 66 books (39 Old Testament and 27 New Testament)2 contained in the Bible. The 66 books and forty plus authors span a time period of 1,600 years.  It has been my experience, however, that not everyone knows that some of the authors were regular guys: a fisherman, a tax collector, a farmer, a doctor etc. The backgrounds of each of the authors are diverse with the unifying characteristic of being faithful to God.

Its tempting to think that there must have been some other connection. Take a look at the summaries at the bottom of the page and see each of the known authors' backgrounds, the dates of each book, and the list of books to which each author contributed.3 4 5

Notice in the brief survey of the biblical authors backgrounds that the writers were from a great diversity of backgrounds.  They came from different socioeconomic levels, occupational areas, free and slave, and genealogical and racial histories. By seeing this you gain an appreciation of the grand diversity among the authors of scripture when you read through the books. The diversity is among the authors, yet not in the scriptures' relationship as a body of work, or as a unified message.

God’s intention has always been to connect with people regardless of any factor in the human situation.  Psalms records, “what is man that you are mindful of him, and the son of man that you care for him? Yet you have made him a little lower than the heavenly beings and crowned him with glory and honor.  You have given him dominion over the works of your hands; you have put all things under his feet, all sheep and oxen, and also the beasts of the field, the birds of the heavens, and the fish of the sea, whatever passes along the paths of the seas.  O Lord, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth!”

He chose men to record His Word rather than men choosing to write their own philosophy, “For no prophecy was ever produced by the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.” The writers underwent praise and persecution. There is no record of any of the men retracting their testimony found in the Bible. 

God directed them so we can know Him, and understand His desire to have a relationship with everyone without regard to race, nationality, or gender. The eternal promises made by God are for everyone. They are not exclusive but instead inclusive. Why? Because God is the Creator of All Men. “God shows no partiality [no respecter of persons], but in every nation anyone who fears him and does what is right is acceptable to him.” That means God (who created you) gave his Word to you, too.

All promises are fulfilled for those that receive them. In our everyday, if you have a guarantee yet never act to have the issuer fill it then it will not be fulfilled. God wants you to act to have Him fill his guarantee, which is eternal life.  “...not wanting any to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.”  Repentance? Why? For what? We can only let God’s Word speak here...

“But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God.”

“For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the World to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him.”

“The righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe. For there is no distinction: for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus.”

“For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

“If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”

Jesus says “Those whom I love, I reprove [rebuke] and discipline, so be zealous [earnest] and repent. Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and eat with him, and he with me.”

Jesus desires to eat with you. Will you open your heart to have Him in? You can by saying these simple words...”Heavenly Father please forgive me of my sin. Jesus I open my life to you and ask for the promise of eternal life that you provide because you died and were resurrected. I ask for the empowerment promised by God to live a life of righteousness. In your name I pray, Jesus, Amen.”

Next stop - Newton Heights

Author: Moses

Background: He was born during Jewish enslavement in Egypt and a particular period when the Pharaoh made a law that all male Hebrew infants were to be drowned at birth. His mother, Jochebed (Yocheved, in Hebrew), floated him in the Nile River hidden among reeds to prolong his life. The Pharaoh’s daughter  found him among the reeds while bathing and had compassion on the baby and adopts him.  Moses’ sister, Miriam, who was watching over the basket from a distance to make sure it did not float down the river approaches the Pharaoh's daughter and suggests her mother care for the child on behalf of the Pharaoh’s daughter.  The Pharaoh’s daughter agrees, and Moses is raised by his own mother and within the home of the Pharaoh.

Dates: c.1445-1405 B.C.

Books: Compiler of the first 5 books, the Pentateuch (known as the Torah by Jews), and possibly Job.

Joshua

Joshua was a military leader and protege of Moses during the exodus of the Hebrews.

Dates: 14th century B.C.

Joshua

Samuel

He was a Priest. He became a priest because his mother dedicated him to God as a fulfillment of her promise to return him to God if God would allow her to have a son.  Dates: She had not been able to conceive.

c. 1050-1000 B.C.

Judges, Ruth, Samuel

Nathan

Prophet. Served as a court prophet during the reign of King David and King Solomon.

Dates: c. 1050-1000 B.C.; Late 10th century B.C.

Samuel, Kings

Gad

A “seer” in the court of King David

Dates: c. 1050-1000 B.C.; c. 560-550 B.C.

Samuel, Kings

Iddo

Prophet

Dates: c. 560-550 B.C.

Kings

Ahijah

Prophet from Shiloh

Dates: c. 560-550 B.C.

Kings

Jehu

Prophet

Dates: c. 560-550 B.C.

Kings

Jeremiah

From an affluent priestly family but was never referred to as a priest. He was banned from appearing before the King and rejected by the nation. He had to send his assistant Baruch to deliver his prophecies.

Dates: c. 560-550 B.C.; c. 585-580 B.C; c. 586-585 B.C.

Kings (compiler), Jeremiah, Lamentations

Ezra

Priest. The leader of the The Great Synagogue (or Great Assembly). The compilation of the canonical books of the Old Testament is attributed to The Great Synagogue.

Dates: c. 450-420 B.C.; c. 450-420 B.C.; c. 430-420 B.C.; c. 460-400 B.C.; Largely 10th to 5th centuries B.C.

Chronicles (compiler, and completed 2 Chron with ch.33-36), Ezra, Nehemiah (contributor), Esther, Psalms (compiler)

Nehemiah

Servant of King Artaxerxes of Persia. With the permission of King Artaxerxes he became a leader of Israel to rebuild Jerusalem.

Dates: c. 430-420 B.C.

Nehemiah

Isaiah

A prophet that came from the Jerusalem aristocracy.

Dates: c. 560-550 B.C.; c. 450-420 B.C.

Kings, Chronicles

David

A shepherd that later became king of Israel

Dates: Largely 10th to 5th centuries

Psalms

Solomon

King of Israel after his father, King David.

Dates: Largely 10th to 5th centuries; c. 970-700 B.C.; c. 935 B.C.; c. 960 B.C.

Psalms, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, Song of Songs

Asaph

Seer during the reign of King David

Dates: Largely 10th to 5th centuries

Psalms

Heman

Muscian during the reign of King David

Dates: Largely 10th to 5th centuries

Psalms

Ethan

Head of a family of singers, whom King David singled out from among the Levites.

Dates: Largely 10th to 5th centuries

Psalms

Sons of Korah

The Sons of Korah was a priestly order of men that functioned as choristers in the Temple.

Dates: Largely 10th to 5th centuries

Psalms

Ezekiel

Prophet

Dates: c. 590-570 B.C.

Ezekiel

Daniel

Hebrew exile that enters into service to King Nebuchadnezzar of the Babylonians, and King Darius (Cyrus-King of Persia) as a result of his proven wisdom and ability to interpret visions and dreams.

Dates: c. 536-530 B.C.

Daniel

Hosea

Prophet

Dates: c. 715-710 B.C.

Hosea

Joel

A Prophet mentioned in the superscription of the book bearing his name, yet is not mentioned again in the book or any other book in the Bible.

Dates: c. 835-830 B.C.

Joel

Amos

Cattle herder and farmer. It is especially noted, by Amos, that he was neither a prophet nor the son of a prophet.

Dates: c. 760-755 B.C.

Amos

Obadiah

A Jewish convert, previously from Edom, in the service of the King Ahab

Dates: c. 840 B.C.

Obadiah

Jonah

Prophet

Dates: c. 760 B.C.

Jonah

Micah

Prophet

Dates: c. 740-710 B.C.

Micah

Nahum

Prophet

Dates: c. 630-620 B.C.

Nahum

Habakkuk

A Prophet born into a priestly family

Dates: c. 606 B.C.

Habakkuk

Zephaniah

A Prophet that may have been a royal descendent of Hezekiah.  It is also possible that his father was a Cushite (Ethiopian).

Dates: c. 630 B.C.

Zaphaniah

Haggai

Prophet

Dates: c. 520 B.C.

Haggai

Zechariah

A Prophet that came from a line of prophets. In fact, his grandfather was Iddo the prophet who contributed to the writing of Kings.

Dates: c. 520-470 B.C.

Zachariah

Malachi

Not much is known about Malachi other than he is the author of the book bearing his name. It is suspected that he may have been a member of the Great Synagogue.

Dates: c. 430-420 B.C.

Malachi

Matthew

Tax collector turned disciple of Jesus.

Dates: c. A.D. 60s

Matthew

Mark

Mark was a former ministry assistant to Paul and Barnabus then later became a protege of Peter (the disciple of Jesus)

Dates: A.D. 55-65

Mark

Luke

Luke was a formally educated physician and a Gentile (non-Jew). He was commissioned to investigate the truth and accuracy of the testimonies of Jesus for the Roman official Theophilus.

Dates: A.D. 60-63; A.D. 63

Luke, Acts

John

A fisherman turned disciple of Jesus, and later Pastor of the early Christian church.

Dates: A.D. 80-95; A.D. 85-95 (1-3 Jn.); A.D. 90-96

John, 1 John, 2 John, 3 John, Revelations

Paul

Paul was a educated Jewish rising leader in the Pharisee sect of Judaism. He is attributed as a major driver in the early persecution of the Church.  His name was changed to Paul, from Saul.

Dates: c. A.D. 57; A.D. 55/56 (1,2 Cor.); c. A.D. 49; c. A.D. 62; c. A.D. 62/63; c. A.D. 62; c. A.D. 51; c. A.D. 51 or 52; c. A.D. 65; c A.D. 67; c. A.D. 65/66; c. A.D. 62; A.D. 67-69

Romans, 1&2 Corinthians, Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, 1&2 Thessalonians, 1&2 Timothy, Titus, Philemon, Hebrews (possibly).

James

A carpenter turned Pastor. He was a half-brother of Jesus. He did not believe Jesus was the Messiah until after Jesus’ resurrection.

Dates: A.D. 45-49

James

Jude

A carpenter turned Pastor. He was a half-brother of Jesus. He did not believe Jesus was the Messiah until after Jesus resurrection.

Dates: A.D. 70-80

Jude

Peter

A fisherman turned disciple of Jesus and later Pastor of the early Christian church.

Dates: A.D. 60-63; c. A.D. 66-68

1&2 Peter