PART TWO: FACTS FROM THE WHOLE BIBLE

Bible Statistics
BASIC QUESTIONS (Q) ABOUT THE BIBLE ANSWERED (A)
Q: How many books are in the Bible?
A: There are sixty-six books in the Bible.
Q: How many books are there in the Old Testament?
A: There are thirty-nine books in the Old Testament.
Q: How many books are there in the New Testament?
A: There are twenty-seven books in the New Testament.
Q: What does “testament” mean?
A: Testament means “covenant” or “contract.”
Q: Who wrote the Bible?
A1: The Bible was written under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit.
A2: The Bible was written by over 40 authors.
Q: What kinds of people wrote the Bible?
A: People from all walks of life:
• doctors
• farmers
• fishermen
• kings
• military leaders
• philosophers
• priests
• shepherds
• tent-makers
• theologians
Q: Who wrote the most in the Old Testament?
A: Moses. He wrote the first five books of the Bible.
Q: Who wrote the most number of books in the New Testament?
A: Paul. He wrote thirteen books of the New Testament.
Q: Who wrote the most number of verses in the New Testament?
A: Luke. Luke wrote the Gospel bearing his name and the book of Acts. These
amount to 28% of the New Testament.
Paul’s thirteen letters add up to 2,033 verses, but Luke’s Gospel and Acts add up to
2,138 verses.
Q: When was the Bible written?
A: The Bible was written over a period of about 1,550 years.
The first Old Testament books were probably written around 1450 B.C.
The last New Testament book was probably written before A.D. 100.
Q: Which is the oldest book in the Old Testament?
A1: Job. The book of Job is anonymous and although scholars disagree about the
exact date of its writing many of them believe that it was the first book of the Bible to be
written.
 A2: Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy. Those who do not think
that Job is the oldest book usually say that the first five books of the Bible are the oldest
books.
Q: Which is the last Old Testament book to have been written?
A: The book of Malachi. It was written around 400 B.C.
Q: Which languages were the books of the Bible originally written in?
A: Nearly all of the Old Testament was written in Hebrew. There are a handful of
verses in Aramaic.
All of the New Testament was written in Greek.
Q: When was the first translation of the Bible made into English?
A: In 1382, by John Wycliffe.
Q: When was the Bible first printed?
A: The first printed Bible was produced in 1454 by Johannes Gutenberg.
Q: What is the oldest copy (or nearly complete copy) of the Old Testament?
A: The Codex Vaticanus, A.D. 350. It is now housed in the library of the Vatican in
Rome.
Q: What is the oldest copy of any part of the Old Testament?
A: Fragments of the Bible from the Dead Sea Scrolls which have been dated back to
the 2nd century B.C.
Q: What is the oldest fragment of the New Testament?
A: A scrap of John’s Gospel, found in Egypt, has been dated back to around A.D. 125.
It is now housed in the Rayland’s Library in Manchester, England.
Q: Which is the longest book in the Bible?
A: The book of Psalms.
Q: Which is the shortest book in the Bible?
A: 2 John.
Q: Which is the longest chapter in the Bible?
A: Psalm 119.
Q: Which is the shortest chapter in the Bible?
A: Psalm 117.
“Praise God, everybody!
Applaud God, all people!
His love has taken over our lives;
God’s faithful ways are eternal. Hallelujah!”
The Message
Q: Which is the longest verse in the Bible?
A: Esther 8:9.
Q: Which is the shortest verse in the Bible?
A: John 11:35.
Q: Which books in the Bible do not mention the word “God?”
A: The book of Esther and Song of Solomon.
 PART THREE: FACTS ABOUT THE OLD TESTAMENT
Every Old Testament Book: Overview
GENESIS
An introduction
Names for Genesis
Pentateuch
The five books of Moses were collectively called the Pentateuch, a word of Greek
origin meaning “the five-fold book.”
Torah
The Jews called them the Torah, i.e., “the law.”
Bereshith
The first book of the Pentateuch is called, by the Jews, Bereshith, i.e., “in the
beginning,” because this is the first word of the book.
Genesis
It is generally known by the name of Genesis, i.e., “creation” or “generation,” being the
name given to it in the LXX as designating its character, because it gives an account of
the origin of all things.
Divisions
Genesis is divided into two principal parts.
The first part (Gen. 1–11) gives a general history of mankind down to the time of the
Dispersion.
The second part presents the early history of Israel down to the death and burial of
Joseph (Gen. 12–50).
People
There are five main people in this book. Around these people the history of the
successive periods is grouped:
Adam (Gen. 1–3),
Noah (Gen. 4–9),
Abraham (Gen. 10–25:18),
Isaac (Gen. 25:19–35:29), and
Jacob (Gen. 36–50).
Prophecies
In this book we have several prophecies concerning Christ (Gen.
3:15; 12:3; 18:18; 22:18; 26:4; 28:14; 49:10).
Authorship
The author of this book was Moses. Under divine guidance he may indeed have been
led to make use of materials already existing, documents, or even of traditions in a
trustworthy form that had come down to his time, purifying them from all that was
unworthy; but the hand of Moses is clearly seen throughout in its composition.
Name, author, date
Meaning of name of book
The book of beginnings.
 Author
Moses.
Approximate date of writing
1450–1410 B.C.
Statistics
Place of book in Bible
1st Old Testament book.
1st Book of the Law.
Number of chapters
50
Number of verses
1,533
Number of words
38,267
Main theme of book
God’s choice of a nation, through whom he would bless all nations.
Keys to the understanding of book
Key word/s
Beginnings; generations; account.
Key phrase
In the beginning.
Key person/people
Adam, Eve, Noah, Abraham, Sarah, Isaac, Rebekah, Esau, Jacob, Rachel, Joseph.
Key chapter/s
Gen. 1; 12; 15; 17.
Key verse/s
In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth. Genesis 1:1
And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her
seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel. Genesis 3:15
And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee: and in thee
shall all families of the earth be blessed. Genesis 12:3
Jesus Christ in Genesis
Who Jesus is
The promised Seed.
Jesus foreshadowed as a type/portraits of Christ
Adam is a type of Christ, Romans 4:15.
Abel’s accepted blood sacrifice points to Jesus’ sacrifice.
Melchizedek is a type of Christ, Hebrews 12:3.
Joseph is also a type of Christ, as they were similar in numerous ways: both loved by
their father, both hated, rejected and condemned though innocent.
Spiritual thought
Start with God.
 PART FOUR: FACTS FROM THE NEW TESTAMENT
Every New Testament Book: Overview
MATTHEW
An introduction
Authorship
The author of this book was beyond a doubt the Matthew, an apostle of our Lord,
whose name it bears. He wrote the Gospel of Christ according to his own plans and
aims, and from his own point of view, as did also the other “evangelists.”
Date of writing
As to the time of its composition, there is little in the Gospel itself to indicate. It was
evidently written before the destruction of Jerusalem (Matt. 24), and some time after the
events it records. The probability is that it was written between the years A.D. 60 and 65.
Readership
The thought forms and expression used by the writer show that this Gospel was
written for Jewish Christians of Palestine.
Purpose of Gospel
His great object is to prove that Jesus of Nazareth was the promised Messiah, and
that in him the ancient prophecies had their fulfillment. The Gospel is full of allusions to
those passages of the Old Testament in which Christ is predicted and foreshadowed.
The one aim pervading the whole book is to show that Jesus is he “of whom Moses in
the law and the prophets did write.” This Gospel contains no fewer than sixty-five
references to the Old Testament, forty-three of these being direct verbal citations, thus
greatly outnumbering those found in the other Gospels. The main feature of this Gospel
may be expressed in the motto, “I am not come to destroy, but to fulfill.”
Characteristics of Gospel
The leading characteristic of this Gospel is that it presents the kingly glory of Christ,
and shows him to be the true heir to David’s throne. It is the Gospel of the kingdom.
Matthew uses the expression “kingdom of heaven” (thirty-two times), while Luke uses
the expression “kingdom of God” (thirty-three times).
Use of Latin
Some Latinized forms occur in this Gospel, as kodrantes (Matt. 5:26), for the
Latin quadrans, and phragello (Matt. 27:26), for the Latin flagello. It must be
remembered that Matthew was a tax-gatherer for the Roman government, and hence in
contact with those using the Latin language.
Written independently
As for the relationship between the Gospels, we must maintain that each writer of the
synoptics (the first three Gospels) wrote independently of the other two, Matthew being
probably first in point of time.
Matthew, Mark, and Luke
Out of a total of 1071 verses,
Matthew has 387 in common with
Mark and Luke,
130 with Mark,
 184 with Luke;
only 387 being unique to itself.
Divisions
The book is rightly divided into these four parts:
(1) Containing the genealogy, the birth, and the infancy of Jesus (Matt. 1; 2).
(2) The discourses and actions of John the Baptist preparatory to Christ’s public
ministry (Matt. 3; 4:11).
(3) The discourses and actions of Christ in Galilee (Matt. 4:12–20:16).
(4) The sufferings, death, and resurrection of our Lord (Matt. 20:17–28).
Name, author, date
Author
Matthew, one of Jesus’ 12 apostles.
Approximate date of writing
A.D. 58–68
Statistics
Place of book in Bible
1st New Testament book
1st Gospel
Number of chapters
28
Number of verses
1,071
Number of words
23,684
Main theme of book
To explain to Jews that Jesus was their
Messiah.
Keys to the understanding of book
Key word/s
King, Kingdom, 50 times, Messiah
Key phrase
King of the Jews
That it might be fulfilled
Key chapter/s
Matt. 12 with the Pharisees rejecting Jesus.
Matt. 16 and Peter’s confession of Christ.
Key verse/s
The book of the generation of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of
Abraham. Matthew 1:1
Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his
name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us. Matthew 1:23
And Simon Peter answered and said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living
God. Matthew 16:16–19
 And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven
and in earth. Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the
Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all things
whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of
the world. Amen. Matthew 28:18–20
Christ is seen as
King.
Spiritual thought
The need for repentance.

PART FIVE: FASCINATING BIBLE FACTS

Bible Symbols
1. Meaning of the word “symbol”
“Symbol” comes from two Greek words “syn” meaning “together” and “ballein”
meaning to “throw.” “Symbol” then, means literally “thrown together.” A symbol is a
representation, one thing standing for another.
2. Use of symbols of Scripture
Symbols are used in the Bible to explain concepts. A familiar symbol can sometimes
communicate more effectively than hundreds of words.
3. Categories of symbols used in the Bible
Type of Symbol: Example of symbol: Bible references:
Type of Symbol: a) Symbolic actions, Example of symbol: Sitting, Bible
references: Ps. 110:1; Heb. 10:11–18
Type of Symbol: b) Symbolic colors, Example of symbol: White, Bible
references: Rev. 3:4, 5; 19:8. Isa.1:18
Type of Symbol: c) Symbolic creatures, Example of symbol: Dragon, Bible
references: Rev. 12:9 Example of symbol: Fox, Bible references: Luke 13:32
Type of Symbol: d) Symbolic names, Example of symbol: Nabal, Bible
references: 1 Sam. 25:25
Type of Symbol: e) Symbolic numbers, Example of symbol: Three, Bible
references: 2 Cor. 13:1; 1 John.5:7
Type of Symbol: f) Symbolic objects, Example of symbol: Cup, Bible
references: Matt. 26:39
4. How symbols should be interpreted
Inadvertently, some Bible students has come to misleading or even totally wrong
interpretations about parts of the Bible because they have incorrectly interpreted the
meaning of some symbols.
a) Take note of the context
 Every symbol should be assessed by the verses, chapters, and book in which it
appears.
A number of symbols mean different things in different parts of the Bible, so carefully
observing the context of each occurrence of the symbol helps to determine its meaning.
Lion
A lion, for example, stands for:
• the devil, see 1 Peter 5:8, where the devil is likened to a roaring lion;
• Jesus, see Revelation 5:5, where Jesus is described as the Lion of Judah;
• God’s faithful followers, see Proverbs 28:1, where the righteous are said to be as
bold as a lion.
b) Look for a single characteristic
It is usually best to think of a symbol standing for just one characteristic which is
common to it and the matter being described.
Examples of single characteristics in symbols:
Milk
Milk, see Hebrews 5:12 and 1 Peter 2:2.
Milk here symbolizes the foundational truth of God’s Word. It is obvious that milk is a
food that helps babies to grow.
Sun
Sun, see Revelation 1:16. In this verse the sun is a symbol for the glory of God, as
everyone knows that the sun is the brightest source of light in the sky.
c) Look for the Bible’s own interpretation of a symbol
The Bible itself gives us the meaning of some of symbols it uses.
The prophet Isaiah mentions a “vineyard” in Isaiah 5:1. Reading this we may have no
idea what this vineyard stands for. But we are given the answer in Isaiah 5:7, “For the
vineyard of the Lord of hosts is the house of Israel.”
5. Types and symbols
It is possible to draw a distinction between types used in the Bible and symbols found
in the Bible.
1. A symbol is one thing standing for another.
A type is one thing prefiguring another.
2. A symbol is a figure of something which may belong to the past, present, or future.
A type is a figure which only refers to something in the future.
3. A symbol represents certain characteristics or qualities in that which it represents.
A type represents something or someone that God has pre-ordained will come.
Example of a symbol and a type
In Psalm 18:2 the word “rock” is a symbol. In 1 Corinthians 10:4 the “rock” is Christ.
Israel’s wanderings in the wilderness, 1 Corinthians 10:11, was a type. It pre-figured the
experience of the Christian church and acts as a warning not to be like unbelieving
Israel.
Action and its meaning:
Action: 1. Anointing, Meaning: God’s enabling for service
Action: 2. Being awake, Meaning: Watchfulness
Action: 3. Bathing, Meaning: Purification
Action: 4. Circumcision, Meaning: Entering into God’s covenant
 Action: 5. Dancing, Meaning: Joy
Action: 6. Fornication, Meaning: Idolatry
Action: 7. Sitting, Meaning: Finished work
Action: 8. Sleeping, Meaning: Rest, and spiritual indifference
Man-made objects and their meanings
Man-made objects: 1. Altar, Meaning: Place of sacrifice, and meeting with God
Man-made objects: 2. Anchor, Meaning: Security for God’s followers
Man-made objects: 3. Ark, Meaning: Salvation
Man-made objects: 4. Armor, Meaning: God’s spiritual weapons
Man-made objects: 5. Axe, Meaning: Judgment
Man-made objects: 6. Balances, Meaning: Scarcity, and judgment
Man-made objects: 7. Barns, Meaning: Human way of providing for the future
Man-made objects: 8. Basket, Meaning: God’s provision for our needs
Man-made objects: 9. Beam, Meaning: Sin
Man-made objects: 10. Breastplate, Meaning: Protection, and righteousness
Man-made objects: 11. Chair, Meaning: Throne, and judgment
Man-made objects: 12. Cymbal, Meaning: Expression of joy
Man-made objects: 13. Furnace, Meaning: Trial
Man-made objects: 14. Gates, Meaning: Place of judgment and decision-making in
a city
Man-made objects: 15. Hammer, Meaning: Word of God
Man-made objects: 16. Harps, Meaning: Instrument of praise
Man-made objects: 17. Helmet, Meaning: Protection, spiritual and physical
Man-made objects: 18. Incense, Meaning: Prayer ascending to God
Man-made objects: 19. Lamp, Meaning: Word of God, and God’s Spirit
Man-made objects: 20. Linen, Meaning: Righteousness
Man-made objects: 21. Sackcloth and ashes, Meaning: Mourning, bereavement,
and repentance
Man-made objects: 22. Sickle, Meaning: God’s judgment
Man-made objects: 23. Staff, Meaning: God’s protection and guidance
Man-made objects: 24. Sword, Meaning: War, and Word of God
Man-made objects: 25. Well, Meaning: Salvation
Natural objects and their meanings
Natural objects: 1. Clouds, Meaning: God’s presence
Natural objects: 2. Fig tree, Meaning: Israel, God’s people
Natural objects: 3. Fire, Meaning: Judgment, and God’s presence
Natural objects: 4. Running water, Meaning: The Holy Spirit
Natural objects: 5. Olive tree, Meaning: Israel, God’s people
Natural objects: 6. Vine, Meaning: Israel, God’s people
Natural objects: 7. Wind, Meaning: God’s Spirit
Hand expressions
A number of the movements of the hands and arms are used in a symbolic way in the
Bible.
Hand movement: To relax the hand, Meaning: To fail in duty
Hand movement: To wash hands, Meaning: To indicate innocence or cleansing
 Hand movement: To bury the hand, Meaning: Laziness
Hand movement: To put the hand on the mouth, Meaning: To be silent
Hand movement: To strengthen the hand, Meaning: To be resolute
Hand movement: To drop the hands, Meaning: A sign of weakness
Hand movement: To stretch out a hand, Meaning: To receive divine help or
punishment
Hand movement: To offer the hand, Meaning: To give help
Hand movement: To lay hands on, Meaning: To injure, or kill, or set apart for God’s
service and bless
Hand movement: To lift up a hand against, Meaning: To rebel or attack
Hand movement: To place in the hand of, Meaning: To be subject to
Hand movement: To be at the right hand of, Meaning: To be in a position of authority
Hand movement: At your hand, Meaning: From you
Hand movement: To put your hand to, Meaning: To start work
Hand movement: Hollow of the hand, Meaning: A place of security
Hand movement: To kiss someone else’s hand, Meaning: This showed reverence
Hand movement: To kiss your own hand, Meaning: Was an act of worship
Hand movement: The Lord’s hand is heavy, Meaning: Experiencing punishment
Hand movement: Hand would not reach, Meaning: Restricted power
Hand movement: To fill the hand, Meaning: Act of commitment
Hand movement: Hand of the Lord upon, Meaning: To prophecy
Hand movement: To require at the hand of, Meaning: To have liability for
Hand movement: To put hand under the thigh, Meaning: To take a solemn oath
Hand movement: To have one’s hand with, Meaning: To take sides with
Hand movement: To lift hands, Meaning: To bless, or pray, or ask for help
Hand movement: To put your hand on your head, Meaning: To display grief