Who Wrote the Bible?

The book known as the Holy Bible is a library of 66 books and letters written by more than 40 authors over approximately 1,600 years. This book is divinely inspired and has transformed the lives of millions of people who have read it throughout the history of the world.

"All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: that the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works."

2 Timothy 3:16-17

Understanding the Structure of the Bible

Old Testament

The Old Testament consists of 39 books and refers to the covenant God made with Abraham, promising that a great nation would come from him. This nation would later be known as God's chosen people. The purpose was that through this nation, God would bless all the nations of the earth and deliver the world from sin. The Bible is also divided into sections to facilitate understanding and organization:

Pentateuch

Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy are the first five books of the Bible, written by Moses. In summary, this section tells the story of the world's creation and the entrance of sin. Soon after, the plan for human redemption begins. A few chapters later, God makes a covenant with Abraham to form a nation that would bless all peoples of the earth. The Pentateuch describes the people's journey through the wilderness and their struggles to reach the Promised Land.

Historical Books

Joshua, Judges, Ruth, 1 Samuel, 2 Samuel, 1 Kings, 2 Kings, 1 Chronicles, 2 Chronicles, Ezra, Nehemiah, and Esther. These books tell the story of the people in Canaan, the Promised Land, and their battles against other nations. It was a time when many battles were fought for resources and territory, with various nations seeking to dominate others.

Poetic Books

Job, Psalms, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, and Song of Solomon. These books contain songs and poetry that inspire worship of God, provide wisdom for living, and exalt divine knowledge.

Major Prophets

Isaiah, Jeremiah, Lamentations, Ezekiel, and Daniel. They are called "major" not because they are more important, but because their books are longer. Isaiah prophesied about the judgment of Judah and neighboring nations, as well as the coming of the Messiah and God's kingdom. Jeremiah warned of Jerusalem's destruction due to the people's disobedience but also brought messages of hope and restoration. Lamentations is a poetic book expressing sorrow over Jerusalem’s destruction and the Babylonian exile. Ezekiel had symbolic visions and emphasized personal responsibility, Israel’s judgment, and future restoration. Daniel contains stories of faithfulness to God in Babylonian exile and prophetic visions of future kingdoms and the end times.

Minor Prophets

Hosea, Joel, Amos, Obadiah, Jonah, Micah, Nahum, Habakkuk, Zephaniah, Haggai, Zechariah, and Malachi. These books convey messages of judgment, repentance, and hope. They address Israel and Judah’s unfaithfulness, warning of the consequences of sin, such as foreign invasions and exile, while also highlighting God's mercy and the promise of restoration.

New Testament

The New Testament consists of 27 books and refers to God’s new covenant with humanity. The Old Testament points to the coming of Jesus Christ, who died on the cross to pay for our sins. Anyone who chooses to follow Christ and truly repents will be forgiven and considered part of God's people. However, the plan of salvation is not yet complete. While on earth, Jesus demonstrated how we should live and be saved. He left behind disciples, and His final command was to preach the good news of God's kingdom to the world and make disciples of all nations, ultimately eradicating sin. The New Testament is divided into:

Gospels

Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. These books tell the story of Jesus when He came to the world as a man. In His ministry on earth, He left many teachings and performed numerous miracles to help people.

Historical Book

Acts of the Apostles. This book narrates the story of Jesus’ disciples after His ascension to heaven. With the great duty of spreading His teachings, they continued Jesus' mission.

Epistles (Letters)

Romans, 1 Corinthians, 2 Corinthians, Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, 1 Thessalonians, 2 Thessalonians, 1 Timothy, 2 Timothy, Titus, Philemon, Hebrews, James, 1 Peter, 2 Peter, 1 John, 2 John, 3 John, and Jude. These letters were written to individuals and churches with the purpose of teaching and exhorting Christians of the time.

Prophetic Book

Revelation. The word "Revelation" is a transliteration of the Greek term apokálypsis, meaning "unveiling." This book was written based on the revelation from God to Jesus Christ, which was given to His servant John through an angel. It describes the events of the end times.

Divine Inspiration of the Authors

Essentially, the Bible was formed over different periods and was written by people who wanted to pass on their knowledge and God’s revelations. If we pay attention, the authors of the Old Testament books were people from God's chosen nation—prophets, kings, and anointed individuals—who, despite their flaws, found favor before the Lord and were used as instruments. The authors of the New Testament were disciples of Jesus Christ, who worked hard to teach what they had learned from Him. Jesus chose 12 apostles to teach them directly, but He also had many other disciples who followed Him on His journey. Apostles like Matthew, John, Paul (who was not an apostle during Jesus' time but was chosen later—he previously persecuted Christians), and Peter wrote books of the New Testament. Other disciples, such as Mark, Luke, James (Jesus' brother), and Jude (not Judas Iscariot; he identifies himself in his book as a servant of Jesus Christ and James' brother), also contributed.

Since no human being is perfect, we must seek God’s righteousness. He has given us this book as a manual to follow, and His words will never cease to be relevant.

"For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost."

2 Peter 1:21

The Bible was inspired by God, and no human being has the authority to alter what has been written. The authorship of the Bible is complex and involves various writers over centuries, from Moses, who is traditionally credited with writing the first books, to the apostles who recorded Jesus teachings.