“An intelligent age is always interested in the agencies that have produced its institutions and the agencies that conserve them. The thoughtful student of history will readily admit that the influence of the Hebrew nation to produce twentieth century civilization has been greater than that of any other nation of antiquity. It does not require deep nor prolonged study of social science to discover that the Bible has been an important factor in shaping the civil institutions of to-day. All religions leave their mark on the customs and culture of the countries where they predominate. The Hebrew religion is no exception to the rule. It has had a more potent influence in molding western thought than any other religion. Christianity is the legitimate outgrowth of it, and wherever Christianity has attained a dominant place, peace, prosperity and happiness are found. These considerations alone ought to give the Bible a place and the curricula of our colleges. They might be re-inforced by weighty moral and spiritual reasons.”

(Samuel Dodds, Progressive Studies In the Bible…, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania: Erskine Press, 1901, from Preface, iii)

“The Bible is the world’s best selling book. It has been translated into more languages than any other book in history. And it has been honored over the ages as a unique book—a book given by God Himself, containing a timeless message for all human beings, everywhere. Other religions have sacred books. But none compares with the Bible. It is a unique book. This collection of 66 works by many different authors, written and compiled over a span of some 1,600 years, is the only book that can support a claim to have been inspired by God Himself. It is the only book that accurately conveys the message God intends to communicate to humanity—and to you and me. How important, then, that you and I read the Scripture carefully and intelligently. How important that we have some grasp of how each of the over 1,100 chapters of the Bible fits into the whole. How important to sense the contribution each chapter makes to our own understanding of God, and to deepening our relationship with Him.”

(Lawrence O. Richards, The Bible Reader’s Companion, Chariot Victor Publishing, 1991, 9)

Inspiration

“‘No prophecy of scripture is of private interpretation. For no prophecy ever came by the will of man; but men spake from God, being moved by the Holy Spirit’ (2 Pet. 1. 20, 21). More exactly rendered this may read: ‘No prophecy of scripture comes into existence by, or is the result of, any private individual’s own explanation’— that is, of observed facts or events—but has a higher source by inspiration. ‘For no prophecy was ever inspired by the will, or the desire, of man, independently of God. But men spake from God, who was the real speaker and the source of their communications, and these men were borne along, as by a strong wind, namely, by the Holy Spirit.’ The Greek word for ‘came,’ in the sentence, ‘No prophecy ever came by the will of man,’ is the same word, in a different tense, as the word for ‘moved,’ in the clause, ‘being moved by the Holy Spirit.’ The same word is used by Paul in Acts 27. 15, of the force and effect of the storm and is there translated ‘driven’: ‘And when the ship was caught, and could not face the wind, we gave away to it, and were driven.’ Certainly no language could teach the fact of Inspiration more forcibly or clearly. But even hear the reference is to ‘prophecy’ and can not by itself be made to include all parts of Scripture.”

(C. J. Sodergren, Is the Bible Alive?, Rock Island, Illinois: Augustana Book Concern, n.d., 14-15)

The Bible

“The Bible, God’s Word, is a fascinating book. It carries us back to the very beginning of the universe, describes to us in detail its creation, and then launches us into a compelling account of the history of man and the development of civilization. It presents us with a legal system upon which mankind has never been able to improve, introduces us to beautiful oriental prose and poetry, and presents us with amazingly detailed genealogical records. It carries us into kings’ courts and teaches us civics. It also presents to us, in language simple enough for a child to understand, a foolproof set of instructions on how to find salvation and deliverance from sin. There is one thing, however, the Bible does not do: it never attempts to prove the existence of God. Why? Simply because it advances on the principle that only a fool could look at the wonders of nature all around us and doubt that God exists. ‘The fool hath said in his heart, There is no God’ (Psalm 14: 1). ‘Because that which may be known of God is manifest in them; for God hath shewed it unto them. For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse’ (Romans 1: 19-20). That’s why, instead of launching into an argument on the existence of God, the Bible simply begins its great account by saying, ‘In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth’ (Genesis 1: 1).’ — From Distinctive Doctrines of the Apostolic Church: An Apostolic Pentecostal Perspective on Foundational Bible Doctrines (Basic Apostolic Theology Book 1) by Kelly Nix.

The Bible (Daniel Webster – Lawyer, Orator, and Statesman, 1782-1852)

     The Bible is the Book of faith, and a Book of doctrine, and a Book of morals, and a Book of religion, of special revelation from God; but it is also a Book which teaches man his own individual responsibility, his own dignity, and his equality with his fellow man.

(Stephen Abbott Northrop, A Cloud of Witnesses: The Greatest Men in the World for Christ and the Book, Portland, Oregon: American Heritage Ministries, 1987, 491; From his Bunker Hill Monument Speech, Charlestown, Mass., June 17, 1843)

The Bible

     Our English word Bible comes from the Greek words biblos (Matt. 1:1) and biblion (diminutive form) (Luke 4:17) which means “book.” Ancient books were written upon the biblus or papyrus reed, and from this custom came the Greek name biblos, which finally came to be applied to the sacred books. See Mark 12:26; Luke 3:4; Acts 1:20; 7:42.

     The Bible is not merely A book, however. It is THE BOOK — the Book that from the importance of its subjects, the wideness of its range, the majesty of its Author, stands as high above all other books as the heaven is high above the earth.

     “Bring me the Book,” said Sir Walter Scott, when about to die.

     “What book?” said Lockhart.

     “THE Book ― the Bible; there is only one Book”

     (William Evans, The Book of Books: What it is; How to study it, Chicago: The Moody Press, 1902, 14)