Friday, 2 March 2012

Biblical Context


It is tempting to focus on the gospels when teaching and preaching, they are so real and true and modern when compared to the Old Testament.  But Jesus constantly referred to the laws and prophets and the past; if Jesus knew it was important then it must matter in the whole story and understanding of God.

The old is in the new contained, the new is in the old explained.

We need to know the historical narrative and the geographical context of the Bible in order to understand what it is telling us.  Having a bible with maps and timelines is brilliant to help us with this; to include this information in teaching and preaching can add such value.  The  old testament helps us understand Jesus and all his teaching.

Biblical Geography:
- The Holy Land is a bridge between three continents
- People constantly travelled through the very place the Bible is seta place
- What a great place for the love of God to be revealed.

The bible was written:
- over 1600 years
- over 60 generations
- by over 40 authors from every walk of life
- in different places
- at different times
- during different moods
- on 3 continents
- in 3 languages

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