What is the Bible all about?

Given that the Bible is a collection of 66 distinct

literary works written and collected over a millennium

and a half long time frame, is this even a coherent

question?

What is the Bible about in 3 words?

3.) Humanity2.) Missions1.) Worship

Old Old TestamentTestament

New TestamentNew Testament

Worship

Worship

Mission

Worship

Missions exist because worship doesn’t.

What is the Bible about in 1 word?

Jesus

Outline Overview

1. Gradations of Priority in Scripture2. The Goal of All Scripture3. Jesus’ Interpretation of the Old

Testament4. The Apostles’ Interpretation of the OT

a. NT in Generalb. A Few Observations about Paul’s Interp.c. Matthew’s Gospel

5. Summary: ‘The Apostolic Perspective’6. Application: Why are we even talking

about this in the first place?

1. Gradations of Priority in Scripture

• 1 Cor 15:1-5  1Now I would remind you, brothers, of the gospel I preached to you, which you received, in which you stand, 2and by which you are being saved, if you hold fast to the word I preached to you—unless you believed in vain. 3For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, 4that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures, 5and that he appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve.

1. Gradations of Priority in Scripture

• All Scripture equally inspired? Yes.• All Scripture equal in priority? No.• For Example…• "Do not wear clothing woven of two

kinds of material…" Lev. 19:19

2. The Goal of all Scripture• 2 Tim 3: 15 and how from infancy you have

known the holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. 16All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, 17so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.

• All Scripture is like a solar system: all the planets revolve around the sun – Christ Jesus. It’s all oriented towards him as the center, the bullseye, the foundation, the capstone.

• Remember last week: the Good News about Jesus is the only message we have that confers salvation and the Holy Spirit.

3. Jesus’ Interpretation of the OT

• John 5: 39You diligently search the Scriptures because you think that by them you possess eternal life. These are the Scriptures that testify about me, 40yet you refuse to come to me to have life… 45"But do not think I will accuse you before the Father. Your accuser is Moses, on whom your hopes are set. 46If you believed Moses, you would believe me, for he wrote about me. 47But since you do not believe what he wrote, how are you going to believe what I say?"

3. Jesus’ Interpretation of the OT

• Lk 24:  25He said to them, "How foolish you are, and how slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken! 26Did not the Christ have to suffer these things and then enter his glory?" 27And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he explained to them what was said in all the Scriptures concerning himself. 28As they approached the village to which they were going, Jesus acted as if he were going farther. 29But they urged him strongly, "Stay with us, for it is nearly evening; the day is almost over." So he went in to stay with them. 30When he was at the table with them, he took bread, gave thanks, broke it and began to give it to them. 31Then their eyes were opened and they recognized him, and he disappeared from their sight. 32They asked each other, "Were not our hearts burning within us while he talked with us on the road and opened the Scriptures to us?"

3. Jesus’ Interpretation of the OT

• [Then they still didn’t believe it was him even when he showed up in the upper room…] 44He said to them, "This is what I told you while I was still with you: Everything must be fulfilled that is written about me in the Law of Moses, the Prophets and the Psalms."  45Then he opened their minds so they could understand the Scriptures. 46He told them, "This is what is written: The Christ will suffer and rise from the dead on the third day, 47and repentance and forgiveness of sins will be preached in his name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. 48You are witnesses of these things. 49I am going to send you what my Father has promised; but stay in the city until you have been clothed with power from on high."

3. Jesus’ Interpretation of the OT

• Notice that he “opened their minds to understand the Scriptures.” This is very similar to what Paul talked about in 2 Cor 3:14-4:6 Those whose hearts aren’t turned to the Lord are blinded (by Satan) to the glory of Christ in the Scriptures. When somebody turns to the Lord the veil is taken away then they see Christ– and they see him there as exceedingly desirable and gracious.

• I’ve heard it described as “love letters”• I know this grace and I hope you do

too

4. The Apostles’ Interpretation of the OT: New Testament in General

1. Second Adam (Rom 5:12-19)2. Abel – blood cries out and speaks a better word

(Heb 12:24)3. Jacob’s Ladder (Jn 1:51)4. Joseph5. Seed of Abraham (Gal 3:16)6. Isaac – Gen 22 (Rom 8:32 possible allusion)7. Prophet Like Moses – stands in the gap for God’s

people and mediates the new covenant8. Rock in the desert that gives water when struck

(1 Cor 10:4)

4. The Apostles’ Interpretation of the OT: New Testament in General

9. Joshua – they lost the land through idolatry – But through this True Joshua will inherit a permanent heavenly kingdom that is universe-wide (Heb 4:1-11)

10.Job – the truly innocent sufferer who intercedes on behalf of his stupid friends

11.David and Goliath – representative battle – he fights our battle against our foe who was too strong for us and we share in his victory

12.Son of David – King (2 Sam 7, Matt 9:27-31)

4. The Apostles’ Interpretation of the OT: New Testament in General

13.True Prophet (Lk 13:33)14.True Priest (Heb 5:1-10)15.True King (Lk 1:32-33)16.True Light (Jn 8:12)17.True Bread (Jn 6:35)18.True Sacrifice (Heb 10:1-10)19.True Lamb (Jn 1:29, Rev 5:12, 1 Peter

1:19)20.True Temple (Rev 21:22)

4. The Apostles’ Interpretation: Paul’s Christ-

centered Bible• Adam and 2nd Adam (Rom 5:12-19)• Man and Wife? Christ and the Church (Gen 2:24 &

Eph 5:31)• Abraham’s Seed (Gal 3:16)• Hagar and Sarah? Non xtn Jews who have the law but

are in spiritual slavery because they don’t accept Jesus and Xtns who understand the law rightly and have spiritual freedom because they’re in Jesus (Gal 4:21-31)

• Circumcision bodily vs. Circumcision of heart (Rom 2:29)

• Keeping the Law saves you vs. Law intended to point to Jesus (Gal 3:24, Rom 10:4)

4. The Apostles’ Interpretation: Matthew’s

Gospel – Jesus as Israel1. Infanticide by Herod and Pharaoh, Out of

Egypt I Called My Son (Matt 1-2, Ex 1-2:10)2. Baptism and the Red Sea Crossing (Matt 3:13-

17, Ex 14:10-13)3. 40 Days vs 40 Years in the wilderness (Matt

4:1-11, Ex 16:1-17:7)4. 12 Disciples, 12 Tribes5. Sermon on the Mount, 10 Commandments on

the Mount (Matt 5-7, Ex 19:1-23:33)6. The Transfiguration on the Mountain, vs “Show

me your glory” (Matt 17:1-9, Ex 34:29-35)7. Commissioning Successors (Matt 28:16-20,

Duet 31:7-9/Josh 1:1-9)

Christ fulfills the OT and the OT sheds light on Christ. You can’t truly understand the OT without Christ, and you understand Christ so much better with the OT.

Example: Rev 5:12 “Worthy is the Lamb”

5. Summary: The Apostolic Perspective

1. Cross2. Jesus3. NT4. OT5. All other questions

5. Summary: The Apostolic Perspective

• The only Bible the apostles had was the OT, and the primary message in all their preaching from the OT was Christ – Crucified, Raised, and Returning!

• All Scripture as Christotelic – pointed ultimately toward fulfillment in Christ.

• The Bible is a single story with humanity in crisis and going to hell but with Jesus as the Hero.

• The Bible ain’t ultimately about us, and neither is life. It’s about Him.

6. Application: Why are we talking about this? Current

Preaching…• Saving Core• Bible as Gospel of Jesus• Next week (July 13) Heart – One Thing I

Seek• (July 20) Work – Vocation: A Christian

Theology of Work• July 27 – Bob – “A few practical tips for

sharing the Good News of Jesus with people.”

• Almost all of August on Prayer…

Why did I go here? What are we up to?

• I’m jealous for Christ to have the supremacy in all things

• We’re building a biblical theology of worship and mission– Worship is so much more than “praise and

worship” – it’s doing the will of the Father instead of your will.

– Mission is so much more than “missions trips”-it’s orienting your whole life around God’s local and global redemptive activity in order to join with Him as He seeks and saves that which is lost.

Dream with me – What are the possibilities?

• …if we disentangle worship from worship services and missions from officially sanctioned “ministries?”

• …if this is who we are and how we live and relate Monday to Saturday

• …this is what drives me. Perhaps a story to close…