Exploring Scripture
A closer look at the historical background, literary genres and overarching themes of the Bible
“All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness,” wrote the Apostle Paul (2 Timothy 3:16). King David described God’s Word as more desirable than much fine gold and sweeter than honey dripping from the honeycomb (Psalm 19:10). And throughout the Gospels, Jesus taught that all of the Bible – the Law, the Prophets, the Psalms, and of course the New Testament – was about him (Matthew 5:17, 22:41-45; Mark 12:35-37; Luke 18:31, 20:41-44, 24:27,44; John 5:46, 8:56).
The Scriptures present a grand narrative of creation, fall, redemption and restoration, and contain a wealth of truth and beauty for a lifetime of discovery. The following articles offer resources for exploring God’s Word, even some of its less familiar and more challenging parts. There are overviews of major themes as well as deeper dives into individual books, with special attention to literary genres and historical context. As with all scriptural study, the goal is to know God better and to love his Son more, to the praise and glory of his name.