Picturing Theology, Revised Edition

Picturing Theology, Revised Edition | 51

Understanding the Bible in Parts and Whole Rev. Don Allsman

The Bible is the authoritative account of God’s plan to exalt Jesus as Lord of all, redeem all creation, and put down God’s enemies forever. The subject of the Bible is Jesus Christ (John 5:39-40): • The Old Testament is the anticipation and promise of Christ • The New Testament is the climax and fulfillment in Christ “In the Old Testament the New Testament lies hidden; in the New Testament the Old Testament stands revealed.” Elements of plot development: beginning, rising action, climax, falling action, resolution 1. Beginning: Creation and fall of man (the problem and need for resolution), Genesis 1:1 – 3:15 2. Rising Action: God’s plan revealed through Israel (Genesis 3:15 – Malachi) 3. Climax: Jesus inaugurates his Kingdom (Matthew – Acts 1:11) 4. Falling Action: The Church continues Jesus’s kingdom work (Acts 1:12 – Revelation 3) 5. Resolution: Jesus returns to consummate the Kingdom (Revelation 4 – 22) 6. Commentary: The people of God describe their experiences to provide wisdom (The Wisdom literature: Job, Psalms, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, Song of Solomon) The Bible in Book Order Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy, Joshua, Judges, Ruth, 1-2 Samuel History from Creation to the reign of King David 1-2 Kings Israel’s history from David to Exile 1-2 Chronicles Various historical accounts from Creation to Exile Ezra, Nehemiah, Esther Accounts of Israel in Exile and return

Job (contemporary of Abraham) Psalms (primarily of David), Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, song of Solomon (Solomon’s time) Isaiah, Jeremiah, Lamentations, Ezekiel, Daniel, Hosea, Joel, Amos, Obadiah, Jonah, Micah, Nahum, Habakkuk, Zephaniah, Haggai, Zechariah, Malachi

Wisdom Literature

Writings of Israel’s prophets from the time of the Kings through the return from Exile The account of Jesus of Nazareth (Gospels) The account of the Church after Jesus’s ascension, including letters of apostolic instruction to the Church (Epistles) The future and the end of the age (Jesus’s return)

Matthew, Mark, Luke, John

Acts, Romans, 1-2 Corinthians, Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, 1-2 Thessalonians, 1-2 Timothy, Titus, Philemon, Hebrews, James, 1-2 Peter, 1-3 John, Jude, Revelation

Revelation