What is the Bible?

This four-part series explores the fundamental nature of Scripture, establishing its divine authority, inspiration, and formation. The series emphasizes how Christians should understand and approach the Bible as the infallible Word of God.

The Bible's Authority and Foundation

The Bible IS the Word of God

A crucial distinction must be made between saying the Bible "is" the Word of God versus saying it "contains" the Word of God. (What is the Bible? Lesson 2, 1:27) This distinction is incredibly important because when we approach Scripture as merely containing God's Word, we enter into a mystical realm of trying to discern what is God's Word and what isn't. This leads to subjective, "spirit-guided decisions" where different people can claim contradictory biblical truths. (What is the Bible? Lesson 2, 2:03)

Instead, every word, every verse, and every book of Holy Scripture is God's voice and God's Word to us. (What is the Bible? Lesson 2, 3:18) This understanding provides a solid foundation for faith and doctrine, preventing the erosion of biblical authority.

Inerrancy and Infallibility

The Bible is both inerrant (without error) and infallible (incapable of error). While these terms are sometimes used interchangeably, infallibility encompasses inerrancy—if something is incapable of error, it is by necessity without error. (What is the Bible? Lesson 2, 3:29)

Human beings can occasionally do things without error, but we are not infallible. God's Word, however, not only has no errors but is incapable of error because it is exhaled by God. (What is the Bible? Lesson 2, 4:18) As 2 Timothy 3:16 states, "All Scripture is breathed out by God."

Following Christ's View of Scripture

Christians should have the same level of understanding regarding Scripture's authority that Jesus had. He declared that the Word cannot present falsehood and that the Word is truth. (What is the Bible? Lesson 2, 4:46) If Jesus regarded Holy Scripture as inerrant and infallible, believers should have no less understanding of its authority. (What is the Bible? Lesson 2, 5:03)

Scripture's Four Essential Qualities

Authority

Since the Bible is the Word of God and is infallible, it has authority over all that we say, believe, and teach. (What is the Bible? Lesson 2, 10:14) Every teaching, sermon, and sharing of God's Word must be an exposition and explanation of God's own Word. This is incredibly freeing because pastors are not called to give opinions but to proclaim "thus says the Lord." (What is the Bible? Lesson 2, 10:40)

The Lutheran confessions state: "We believe, teach, and confess that the prophetic and apostolic writings of the Old and New Testaments are the only rule and norm according to which all doctrines and teachers alike must be appraised and judged." (What is the Bible? Lesson 2, 15:43)

The Berean Example

The believers in Berea provide an excellent model of how to respond to teaching. Acts 17:10-11 describes how they "welcomed the message very eagerly and examined the Scriptures every day to see whether these things were so." (What is the Bible? Lesson 2, 17:42) They heard the message and then turned to God's Word to verify its truth.

Clarity

Scripture is clear enough for believers to understand its essential teachings. This clarity enables Christians to examine all teaching against the standard of God's Word, just as the Bereans did.

Sufficiency

2 Timothy 3:14-17 demonstrates Scripture's sufficiency: the sacred writings are "able to instruct you for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus" and Scripture is "useful for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness, so that everyone who belongs to God may be proficient, equipped for every good work." (What is the Bible? Lesson 2, 19:37)

Efficacy

Scripture accomplishes what God intends through it. As Luther noted, we simply "unleash the word and preach the gospel" with absolute confidence that as one is brought to faith, they will also understand the authority of Scripture. (What is the Bible? Lesson 2, 9:13) There's a saying that you "just let the lion out and the lion will be able to defend itself"—Scripture defends itself through its own power. (What is the Bible? Lesson 2, 9:32)

The Formation of Scripture

Old Testament Structure

The Old Testament can be divided into four main sections that all point to Christ:

The Pentateuch - The first five books (Genesis through Deuteronomy), authored by Moses. These foundational books establish God's relationship with His people and lay the groundwork for understanding salvation. (What is the Bible? Lesson 4, 8:23)

Historical Books - From Joshua through Esther, these books chronicle Israel's history and God's faithfulness through triumph and failure. (What is the Bible? Lesson 4, 8:56)

Poetical Books - Job through Song of Songs, expressing human experience and worship in relationship with God. (What is the Bible? Lesson 4, 9:34)

Prophets - Isaiah through Malachi, proclaiming God's Word and pointing forward to the coming Messiah. (What is the Bible? Lesson 4, 9:50)

New Testament Structure

The New Testament also has four distinct sections:

Historical Books - The four Gospels and Acts, each with a unique emphasis. Matthew was written primarily for those familiar with the Old Testament, emphasizing Jesus as the fulfillment of prophecy. Mark explains Jewish customs for Gentile readers and emphasizes Jesus' actions. Luke records more parables than the other Gospels and stresses the universality of God's salvation. John, written last, emphasizes that Jesus Christ is truly God in the flesh. (What is the Bible? Lesson 4, 11:01)

The book of Acts describes "the ongoing acts of the Lord Jesus in His Church empowered by the Holy Spirit." (What is the Bible? Lesson 4, 16:08) Luke authored both the Gospel of Luke and Acts as a two-volume work, with Acts chapter 1 providing summaries of both books. (What is the Bible? Lesson 4, 14:55)

Paul's Epistles - Romans through Philemon, thirteen letters written by Paul. The majority of the New Testament was written by the Apostle Paul. (What is the Bible? Lesson 4, 16:21)

General Epistles - Hebrews through Jude, letters from various apostles to the broader church. (What is the Bible? Lesson 4, 16:47)

Revelation - The only apocalyptic book in the New Testament, using symbolic language to present "the entire history of the church from time of Christ to the Last Judgment and into all of eternity." (What is the Bible? Lesson 4, 18:33)

Dangers of Compromising Biblical Authority

The Roman Catholic Approach

The Roman Catholic Church's 1992 catechism states that "the church does not derive her certainty about all revealed truth from Scripture alone," but that "Scripture and tradition must be accepted and honored with equal sentiments of devotion and reverence." (What is the Bible? Lesson 2, 20:52) This places church councils, papal declarations, and Scripture on the same level of authority.

This approach leads to additions to biblical teaching. For example, purgatory is never mentioned anywhere in Scripture, yet it becomes Catholic doctrine when tradition and papal authority are given equal weight with Scripture. (What is the Bible? Lesson 2, 22:26)

Misinterpretation and Its Consequences

A faulty interpretation of Matthew 16:13-20 demonstrates how error compounds. When Peter confesses that Jesus is "the Messiah, the Son of the living God," Jesus responds that this revelation came from the Father. Jesus then says, "And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church." (What is the Bible? Lesson 2, 25:04)

The "rock" refers to Peter's confession about Jesus, not to Peter himself. Acts 4:11 confirms this: "Jesus is the stone that was rejected by you, the builders; it has become the cornerstone." (What is the Bible? Lesson 2, 27:26) However, Catholic interpretation makes Peter the rock, leading to the papacy and claims of papal infallibility.

The Root of Church Problems

When churches depart from biblical inerrancy and infallibility, they lose their authority and become judges over God's Word rather than submitting to it. (What is the Bible? Lesson 2, 28:55) This leads to cutting out pages of Scripture that are uncomfortable and ultimately to theological error.

The Catholic teaching of "anonymous Christianity"—that people can be justified without trusting in Christ if they live lives of love and goodness—exemplifies where departure from biblical authority leads. (What is the Bible? Lesson 2, 31:25) This contradicts the clear biblical teaching that we are saved by grace through faith, not by works.

Biblical Questions and Human Condition

The First Two Questions in Scripture

Scripture begins with fundamental questions that reveal the human condition and God's response. The very first question recorded comes from Satan in Genesis 3:1: "Did God say you shall not eat from any tree in the garden?" (What Were the First Questions in the Bible?, 7:52)

This question was designed to plant doubt about God's word, His goodness, and His commands. It made God appear to be withholding something good from Adam and Eve. (What Were the First Questions in the Bible?, 8:18)

The second question comes from God Himself in Genesis 3:9: "Where are you?" (What Were the First Questions in the Bible?, 15:45) God knew exactly where Adam and Eve were hiding, but He came to find the lost. This question confronted them with their sin while also bringing a word of grace and the promise of redemption through the woman's offspring who would crush Satan's head. (What Were the First Questions in the Bible?, 17:09)

These two questions—"Did God say?" and "Where are you?"—continue to define the human experience. We still question God's Word and authority, yet He continues to seek the lost with His grace and forgiveness.

The Lutheran Approach

Lutherans don't believe in Jesus because the Bible is inerrant; rather, they believe the Bible is inerrant because they believe in Jesus. (What is the Bible? Lesson 2, 8:49) This is why Lutheran preaching focuses on unleashing God's Word rather than trying to prove its inerrancy through rational argument.

As Luther proclaimed, believers should accept only what is asserted in Scripture, and concerning anything not found in Scripture, they should ask: "When did God ever make that statement?" (What is the Bible? Lesson 2, 35:18)

The goal of biblical preaching and teaching is simple: read the text, explain the text, and help people understand what the text means and why it was proclaimed as it was. (What is the Bible? Lesson 2, 15:04) This expository approach ensures that God's Word remains the authority rather than human opinion or entertainment.