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How well do you really know the Bible? The Bible is the Word of God, but even on a human level it stands apart. No other book has sold so many copies; been translated into so many languages; been so often adapted, recited, and performed; or took so many years (centuries!) to write. In 101 Surprising Facts About the Bible, Rick Rotondi recounts the story of how the Bible was written, translated, published, and proclaimed. Join him as he explores the mysteries of the Bible, unpacks its prophecies, and examines how this ancient text is a living word-a rule of life and a letter from God addressed personally to you. Read and learn . . . How Alexander the Great helped shape the Bible (Fact 14) The age of the oldest copy of the Bible (Fact 16) God's other means of Revelation (Facts 24 and 25) When Christ appeared in the Old Testament (Fact 38) The striking prophecy of the Crucifixion, 1,000 years in advance (Fact 65) How the Bible has a sense of humor (Fact 82) How the Bible transformed civilization (Fact 85) . . . and much, much more! 101 Surprising Facts About the Bible is a fascinating guide to the Word of God. In these pages, learn new facts about the Bible, test your knowledge of it-and make its amazing treasures your own. Includes scores of beautiful full-color illustrations and a glossary of biblical terms.

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Christianity

Philosophie et théologie

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Publié par	TAN Books
Date de parution	15 avril 2019
Nombre de lectures	0
EAN13	9781505112528
Langue	English

Informations légales : prix de location à la page 0,0600€. Cette information est donnée uniquement à titre indicatif conformément à la législation en vigueur.

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101
Surprising
FACTS
ABOUT THE
B IBL E
RICK ROTONDI
Copyright © 2018 Rick Rotondi
Unless otherwise indicated, Scripture verses are paraphrased by the author. Scripture verses marked NAB are taken from the New American Bible, revised edition © 2010, 1991, 1986, 1970 Confraternity of Christian Doctrine, Washington, D.C. and are used by permission of the copyright owner. All Rights Reserved. No part of the New American Bible may be reproduced in any form without permission in writing from the copyright owner.
Excerpts from the Catechism of the Catholic Church for use in the United States of America © 1994, United States Catholic Conference, Inc.—Libreria Editrice Vaticana. Used with permission.
Cover and interior design by Caroline K. Green
ISBN: 978-1-5051-1251-1
Published in the United States by Saint Benedict Press PO Box 410487 Charlotte, NC 28241 www.SaintBenedictPress.com
Printed and bound in the United States of America
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T O MY MOTHER AND FATHER P AUL AND BETSY ROTONDI W ITH GRATITUDE AND LOVE FOR A LIFETIME OF GOOD WORKS, OF BEING GENEROUS AND READY TO SHARE. (1 TM 6:18)
Contents
Introduction
Making the Bible
    1. The Bible is the most extraordinary work ever written
    2. The word Bible comes from the Greek word for “books”
    3. The first Bibles were collections of scrolls
    4. The Bible includes works from many literary genres
    5. The Bible is an epic
    6. The events of the Bible took place on three continents
    7. The Bible has over forty authors
    8. Biblical authors had co-writers and assistants
    9. The Bible took over one thousand years to write
  10. The Bible is the Word of God
  11. The Bible teaches without error
  12. The original biblical writings are called autographs
  13. Bible copyists and translators can make errors
  14. Alexander the Great helped shape and spread the Bible
  15. The Bible is the best preserved ancient text
  16. The oldest Bible is about 1,700 years old
  17. The earliest Bible citation is 2,600 years old
  18. The Dead Sea Scrolls are the most ancient Bible manuscripts
  19. Early Bible manuscripts are remarkably similar, but not identical
  20. The Bible would not exist without the Church
  21. The books of the Bible are called the canon
  22. It took hundreds of years for the Church to determine the canon
  23. Martin Luther removed seven books from the Bible
  24. Early Christians did not have the Bible
  25. The Bible and Tradition both transmit Revelation
  26. Bibles were once chained to protect them
  27. The Bible was the first major work printed in the West
  28. Surviving Gutenberg Bibles have an estimated value of $25–$35 million each
  29. The “Sinner’s Bible” proclaimed Thou Shalt Commit Adultery
  30. God’s Revelation is more often heard than read
Mysteries of the Bible
  31. The Bible contains mysteries
  32. God’s name is a mystery
  33. The word trinity is not in the Bible
  34. The Incarnation is a mystery
  35. Christ is the main character of the Bible
  36. Christ is the savior promised in Genesis
  37. Christ is the sacrifice God will provide
  38. Before the Incarnation, Christ appeared to the Israelites
  39. During the Exodus, Christ was the rock in the desert
  40. Christ is the prophet promised by Moses
  41. Typology discloses the mystery of God’s plan
  42. Melchizedek is a type of Christ
  43. The patriarch Joseph is a type of Christ
  44. Moses is a type of Christ
  45. The Paschal Lamb is a type of Christ
  46. Moses struck Christ
  47. David was a sinner—and a type of Christ
  48. Solomon was a sinner—and a type of Christ
  49. God promised David his son will be the Messiah
  50. Jesus is the Messiah promised to David
  51. Solomon partially fulfilled God’s promise to David
  52. Bible prophecies often have two (or more!) meanings
  53. The prophets gradually revealed more about the Messiah
  54. The Bible contains hundreds of prophecies of the Messiah
  55. Isaiah prophesied the Virgin Birth
  56. The Septuagint made clear Isaiah’s prophecy of the Virgin Birth
  57. The Messiah will gather the lost tribes
  58. The Messiah will be a light to the nations
  59. The Messiah will restore David’s throne
  60. Isaiah prophesied the miracles of Jesus
  61. Jerusalem is the most important city in the Bible
  62. Mount Moriah is a very special place in the Bible
  63. The Bible includes at least 185 songs
  64. Jesus quoted the Psalms more than any other book of the Bible
  65. Psalm 22 foretells the Crucifixion
  66. The Resurrection was prefigured by Isaac
  67. The Resurrection was prefigured by Jonah
  68. The Bible has both a literal and spiritual sense
  69. The Resurrection opened the spiritual sense of Scripture
  70. Psalm 16 foretells the Resurrection
  71. There are four senses of Scripture
  72. The Church is the Temple of God
  73. The Church gathers the scattered tribes
  74. The Church is a light to the nations
  75. The Second Coming is a mystery
The Bible and You
  76. In the Bible, God often chooses infertile women
  77. In the Bible, God often chooses younger sons
  78. The Bible calls us to conversion
  79. Reading the Bible converted St. Augustine
  80. The Bible makes saints
  81. The Bible is pro-life
  82. The Bible has a sense of humor
  83. Jesus has a sense of humor
  84. The Bible has influenced more leaders than any other book
  85. The Bible shaped civilization by insisting on human dignity
  86. The Bible is hands down the best-selling book ever
  87. The Bible has been translated (in whole or part) into 3,225 languages
  88. The Bible was the biggest influence on Shakespeare
  89. The Bible is the most banned book in history
  90. There’s no such thing as a perfect Bible translation
  91. One Bible translation recently removed the word booty
  92. You can easily read the Bible in a year
  93. It’s OK to skip around
  94. Mass is not a substitute for Bible reading
  95. Warning! Solo Bible reading can be dangerous
  96. You can receive a plenary indulgence for reading the Bible
  97. Bible timelines are a big help
  98. You can enrich your Bible reading through pilgrimage
  99. You can enrich your Bible reading through Adoration
100. The Rosary is a kind of Bible study
101. In the Bible, God speaks to you
Endnotes
Glossary
About the author
Introduction
A friend of mine returned recently from the Grand Canyon. “It’s one of those places you have to see in person,” he told me. “No photo or video does it justice.” I knew what he meant. I remembered my own trip to the canyon years ago, helicoptering over its immensities, descending to its depths.
You don’t have to be a geologist to appreciate the splendor of the Grand Canyon. As visitors strain to capture it in their gaze, they understand intuitively the canyon is a product of unfathomable power operating over vast stretches of time. Even the most soaring human works pale in comparison.
The Bible might be considered the Grand Canyon of books. It too is a work of great power—of God himself—operating over a vast expanse of time. It, too, has depths and immensities we can see, consider, explore, but never fully capture. There is always more to drink in.
There is, however, this difference: unlike the Grand Canyon, the Bible doesn’t reveal its immensities automatically. It’s easy to think of the Bible as just another book, no different than any other on your shelves. The Bible is a human work; it’s possible to view it as a human work alone, blind to its spiritual power.
You don’t need to be a theologian to see the beauty of the Bible. But you do need to engage with it, study it, place it in context. It helps to have a guide.
There are many facts that help illuminate the Bible’s power and beauty. For me, it is, above all, the unity of Scripture that makes reading the Bible a “Grand Canyon experience.” When we see the sacred authors speaking of Christ centuries before his birth, we see the finger of God. Here is a work of great power, beyond the ability of man to fashion, next to which merely human works fade away.
Though I’m no theologian or scholar, I hope I’m at least a reliable guide, and will prove myself capable in these pages of leading you to a “Grand Canyon experience” too.
Even books as short and breezy as this one are the work of many hands. First to be acknowledged is Carolyn Klika, who responded with characteristic generosity to my plea for a research partner. Carolyn contributed greatly to many of these facts, particularly in the third section.
My parents, Paul and Betsy, and children, Olivia and Timothy, encouraged me and graciously listened as I read facts batch by batch over a period of weeks. Their chuckles, raised eyebrows, and sometimes stoic expressions helped focus-test how proposed facts registered on the Surprise Scale.
Several readers offered very helpful comments, alerting me to scholarly precipices into which I might otherwise have tumbled. Any errors remain my own. At Saint Benedict Press, my editor, John Moorehouse, had the patience of Job with my stitching and unstitching and requests for extensions, and offered unfailing encouragement and support. Nick Vari expertly and discreetly corrected my many stylistic infelicities; and Caroline Green’s outstanding design and illustration selections are quite simply the most-likely reason you bought or were given this book. Finally my publisher, Conor Gallagher, has generously entrusted his talents to this project, seeking not only the food that perishes but that which endures for eternal life (Jn 6:27). Saint Benedict Press’ publishing program exists to make saints. May this book yield a return.
Rick Rotondi August 15, 2018 Feast of the Assumption
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MAKING THE BIBLE