Dr. Knife... he was not my favorite prof in seminary. He had a cutting sense of humor.
He taught OTI- Old Testament Introduction- an overview of the books of the OT.
Once I asked him a very important question- "Dr Knife, what is the grand theme of the Bible?"
He gave a sly grin and said, "God."
At the cost of taking his class, I wanted more for my money!
But that got me to thinking...a lot of thinking. What is the grand theme or storyline of the Bible?
Last week we looked at a great video, called "The story of God." How excellent. It's worth sharing.
I also began re-reading, "Epic- The Story God is Telling" by John Eldredge.
So what is the unifying theme or story of the Bible? If you had to condense it into one sentence, what would it be?
Please give this some thought and post your sentence. There's no right or wrong answer.
As the name of this blog reminds us, we want to grow deeper together. So I want you to think deeply and share your thoughts, not just read my words. You'll be enriching, me, yourself and others as well. So thanks in advance.
Until I hear back from you...
phileo,
dave
PS- You are part of this epic story. More on this next week.
Love!! The fact that God made someone like me and sending His Son to die for me...thats Love. God is love so yes I agree with Dr. Knife. Thats got to be with grand theme of the Bible.
ReplyDeleteThanks so much for posting Ken! Sounds like you might want to add to Dr. Knife- "The Bible is about God's love to us." Am I close?
ReplyDeleteI believe it is pretty safe to say that Jesus Christ is the one and only central theme of the entire Bible. With all of the stories we have read, the histories included, the more than 100 characters included, the numerous authors presented, Christ AND his Kingdom is the main focus, and must definitely be part of the answer to what the overall grand theme is. Everything throughout the Bible points back to it. Christ himself remains the central theme of the Bible because, as the King, He is the center of the Kingdom, it's very essence.
ReplyDeleteVery good Hiram- "Christ and His kingdom." I just shared at the table with a friend of our kids how the risen Christ walked incognito with the two disciples on the road to Emmaus, "And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he explained to them what was said in all the Scriptures concerning himself." Luke 24:27. What a Bible study that must have been! Christ is a grand theme indeed! After he suddenly vanished they said, "Were not our hearts burning within us while he talked with us on the road and opened the Scriptures to us?" I wish we could have been there!
ReplyDeleteI was just reading through Luke over the holidays and I settled on this ending for a while. It must have a nice 7 mile journey with Jesus. They were so excited when they found out it was Him, that they ran back the other 7 miles to the other 11. Sorry, sometimes I get distance-minded just having ran a marathon, but loved Jesus was in disguise and how he revealed himself through scripture before he opened their eyes physically...walking by faith and not by sight.
DeleteAnd I come in agreement with many, I believe that Christ and the Cross are the center of it all. I love how the name of Jesus is whispered throughout the whole Bible. From Genesis to Revelation it all talks about Him...HIS Story. He is the foundation, the cornerstone. Oh how Jesus is truly in the center of it all.
Revelation 1: 8 “I Am Alpha And Omega, The Beginning And The Ending,” said the Lord, who is, and who was, and who is to come, the Almighty.
Welcome Eddie! Great thoughts regarding Christ being the major theme of Scripture. Yes, as it's been said, "History is His story." Thanks for including the beautiful Scripture quote from Rev.1:8. And even in the last chapter of Revelation (22:13), Jesus declares, "I am the Alpha and Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End."
DeleteI would have to agree with ken and Hiram's posts. The overall theme has to do with many things, it's hard for me to keep it to one word or sentence. I see Love,Christ and His Kingdom, and Redemption as all possibilities for this question. Most, if not all of the Old Testament stories reflect an aspect of redemption in them. There is a type of Christ or Saviour present. The fact that God chooses to fortell of His Son and His purpose proves of Gods LOVE for us. It also speaks on Hiram's point as well.
ReplyDeleteThere is much more to the bible than The foretelling of The Messiah, which is why I would have to say that REDEMPTION is the overall theme is see.
ReplyDeleteVery good John! We certainly see many examples of God's redemption throughout the OT and certainly culminating in the NT. Thanks for your post.
ReplyDeleteThe central theme that comes to mind for me is "relationship" and the consequences that happen within them based on character and ability, I believe this expresses itself in love, redemption, and the divine theocratic kingdom for I believe these can only find reality within relationship.
ReplyDeleteVery good Tony! God is seeking a loving relationship with us to be sure. You've also mentioned the kingdom of God, which is a growing theme from the time of the OT kings through the rest of the Scriptures. I love the lines in Handel's "Messiah" taken from Rev.11:15- "The kingdom of the world has now become the kingdom of our Lord and of His Christ and He shall reign forever and ever! Hallelujah! Hallelujah!"
ReplyDeleteI am also in agreement with Ken that the theme is Love but added to that I believe that the Bible is about reconciliation; or to become one. Even through humanity's downfall, God's love is always present and has never left. I think here of the time of the Judges and the chance after chance that God had recused the Israelites from their unbelief. I remember it described as "the chief end of man" but we can glorify God and worship him forever.
ReplyDeleteAlright Gary! You've underscored a theme of God's reconciling love and brought in the thought from the Westminster shorter catechism (1647) regarding the chief end of man which is "to glorify God and enjoy Him forever."
ReplyDeleteWow so many great answers and thoughts... The Grand Theme of The B-Basic, I-Instructions, B-Before, L-Leaving, E-Earth... So many messages and many themes but one and only one that comes to mind is knowing and accepting Jesus and your Lord and Savior of our life. John 3:16 " For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life." For when we grasp that and take a hold of that restoration,healing,redemption,love,holiness,salvation etc will start to fall in place
ReplyDeleteThanks so much for joining in Ismael! Good thoughts! The B.I.B.L.E. acronym is certainly fitting. And yes, salvation in Christ is essential. To miss that is to miss life eternal.
ReplyDeleteThe grandiose execution of the Scripture is to reveal God's glory to mankind.
ReplyDeleteI believe that God's purpose in giving us the Scripture, Jesus Christ, and the Holy Spirit (and everything that is overflowing from these utterly amazing things) is to give us a glimpse of His infinite glory. Over the course of reading and studying His word I have come to realize how self seeking we as humans are and how much we have all things revolve around our own self. Through those studies I have come to see how God, before creation in its entirety, had a purpose and a plan to give Himself glory. He deserves that glory and the only way we can experience that is in the revelation of His word and through His son.
Ephesians 1:3 - 8 states,
"Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him. In love he predestined us for adoption as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will, to the praise of his glorious grace, with which he has blessed us in the Beloved.
Through Christ we are able to see God's glory at all. The Bible forms our understanding to comprehend, through His Holy Spirit, the glory of God. All that has taken place, infinity past, present, and infinity future, is to satisfy God's glorious adoration.
Great answer Ken! O that all of us would be more taken up with God and His glory.
DeleteThe grand theme of the Bible, is man being reconciled to God. It brings to mind the title of a Francis Shaeffer book. "He is there, and He is not Silent." The Bible reminds us that we are not alone in this place. He has spoken!
ReplyDeleteI believe Acts 17:22-34 sums it up well in Paul's sermon on Mars Hill. Its the great revelation of the living God. God has spoken and revealed who He is and has written it on man's heart. Its a story of rebellion and reconciliation. Man has sought to be a god unto himself or make gods that his twisted mind contrives. Its a story of a fall, of good and evil. Its a book of climatic beginnings and endings. God starts it and He ends it.
Its the story of how God showed up in human skin and became what we could never become. The perfect man and the perfect sacrifice. The grave could not hold Him. From rags to riches, we were orphans and now we are sons. In the end, evil loses and we win!
Great thoughts and words Nick regarding our great God and His word!
DeleteGod's Love Letter to His Bride.
ReplyDelete