The Kingdom Come

Introduction

Home Bible studies typically take one of 4 courses:

1. One person dictating to others what the Bible supposedly says and means.
2. Everyone "sharing" what they think the text means.
3. Stuck on one topic or perspective.
4. General relativity so as not to offend anyone.

Obviously, none of us would like to see this study take any of those courses so, I'd like to try something different that will hopefully avoid all of those courses.

As moderator, I am simply like a tour guide, offering the group various views and telling them the sources of those views. I'd like to keep the studies topical and of course anyone can suggest topics for us to cover. I don't want the study to become a "what does the verse mean to you" type of study, but neither do I want it to become an "all is relative" study. To reach that goal, I suggest we begin by studying what is the Bible and why.

Christians of all sorts will say, "the Bible says...XYZ" but we rarely get around to saying what the Bible is is why. Instead it is just assumed.

OUTLINE

1. Development of the Canon (see: http://www.ntcanon.org/lists.shtml, http://www.xenos.org/essays/canon.htm and http://thekingdomcome.com/nt_origin)
2. Presupposition of God's preservation - Why it is important
3. What the Bible says about itself. (2 Tim 3:16-17, 2 Peter 1:19-21)

STATISTICS/FACTS

1. Total Books 66 - Total Chapters 1,189 - Total Verses 31,102 - Total words 788,258. (based on KJV: http://www.biblebelievers.com/believers-org/kjv-stats.html)
2. OT written in Hebrew/Aramaic
3. NT written in Greek/Aramaic

FOLLOW UP SELF STUDY

1. What is the Apocrypha and why?
2. What is the debate about NT Greek vs Aramaic Supremacy?
3. What is the evidence that the apostles quoted from the Greek version of the OT? (Septuagint/LXX)