Introduction

T he Bible has the distinction of being the best known, least understood book in the world. Although it’s been translated into more languages, sold more copies, and been read by more people than any other book in history, its message and meaning are matters of ongoing, and often heated, debate. The Bible has been used to justify wars and to found relief organizations, to support slavery and to condemn it, to fuel hatred and to promote love and understanding. So what exactly is the Bible all about?

As university professors, we have a lot of experience in making the Bible accessible and relevant. The Bible can be an intimidating book, but with the right guide, your journey through its pages can be exciting and rewarding.

As authors, we’ve written a number of books and articles on the Bible, making us sensitive to the variety of ways people approach the biblical text. The Bible isn’t just a religious text; it’s a work of history and a literary masterpiece. Throughout this book, we point out these various facets.

We’ve traveled extensively throughout the lands of the Bible, and have participated in archaeological digs at biblical sites. This experience allows us to give you that Indiana Jones edge to a book full of mystery and adventure. (We even discuss where the Ark of the Covenant really is.)

Finally, we’re balanced, not just psychologically (not a trivial point when discussing religious texts) but in our presentation of the Bible and the faiths it represents. We’ve written The Bible For Dummies so that no matter what your faith, or even if you have no faith at all, you can benefit from this book.

The For Dummies series is a name that you’ve come to trust for giving you the straight scoop on everything from cooking to computers, so what better resource to help you understand the Bible than The Bible For Dummies?

About This Book

People come to the Bible for a variety of reasons. You may be coming to the Bible to find inspiration and faith. You may be reading the Bible to understand a text that plays such an influential role in our world. You may simply want to know more about what is undeniably a great work of literature. Or you may just want to improve your score on Jeopardy!.

Whatever your reasons for wanting to know more about the Good Book, The Bible For Dummies is for you.

Here’s what you can expect from this book:

Quick overviews of what’s in the Bible

Answers to the “Who wrote the Bible?” and “What does it all mean?” questions

Easy-to-use maps, charts, and pictures to help make sense of the Bible

Simple summaries of the differences between Jewish and Christian Bibles

Fascinating historical and cultural insights that bring the Bible to life

Clear explanations of how the Bible’s traditions have given rise to three of the world’s major religions: Judaism, Christianity, and Islam

Informative commentaries on the Bible’s influence on art, literature, and movies

In short, The Bible For Dummies is your one-stop reference for understanding the Bible and its continuing impact on the political, religious, and artistic landscapes of our world.

How to Use This Book

Although the Bible is a story, and therefore best experienced as a narrative, The Bible For Dummies has been written so that you can drop in and out of the tour at any time. You can linger at a site as long as you like, or visit your favorite places again and again — without ever feeling lost or left behind!

The Table of Contents is a good place to find the parts of The Bible For Dummies that most interest you. We also provide a complete overview of the Bible in Chapter 2, which points you to other places in the book where you can find more details about a particular topic or story. In addition, you’ll find a very thorough index at the back of the book, with entries on just about everything having to do with the Bible.

Conventions Used in This Book

Before you begin reading The Bible For Dummies, you should be aware of some of the special abbreviations, definitions, and ideas you find in this book.

When mentioning dates, we use the designations B.C.E. (before the common era) and C.E. (common era), since these terms are more inclusive than the traditional B.C. (before Christ) and A.D. (from the Latin anno domini, or “year of our Lord,” not “after [Jesus’] death”). If you’re used to the traditional designations, don’t worry, because the years are reckoned the same (30 C.E. = A.D. 30).

The term Old Testament refers to those sacred texts that Christianity shares with Judaism, while Jews call this same corpus the Hebrew Bible or the Tanak. We follow the Jewish practice (Hebrew Bible) unless talking about the Christian Scriptures, in which case we use both the Hebrew Bible and the Old Testament (because the early Christians were both Jews and non-Jews). For Jews and Protestants, the Hebrew Bible and Old Testament contain the same books, though in a slightly different order. For Catholics, the Old Testament has additional books, called the Apocrypha, which we discuss in Part III.

God goes by many names in the Bible, but most often God is called “God” or “the LORD.” The latter term is the usual English translation of God’s personal name in Hebrew, Yahweh, which to many devout Jews (and some Christians) is unspeakable. Therefore, we use this name sparingly in this book. Yet, using the word LORD for God sounds too preachy. So when referring to God we use the word — get ready for this — “God,” unless we’re making a special point about one of God’s other names.

Although the Bible portrays God as transcending our ideas about gender (see, for example, Genesis 1:27, where being created in God’s image includes both male and female), the biblical authors almost always use masculine pronouns and imagery to describe God. We follow the biblical convention, and always with capital letters for clarity (that is, He or Him).

And speaking of Genesis 1:27, this is the standard way to cite passages from the Bible. The name (Genesis) refers to the book of the Bible where a particular passage can be found, the number left of the colon (1) is the chapter number, and the number right of the colon (27) is the verse number. Because we give you the place in the Bible where you can look up what we’re talking about, you want to keep this information in mind.

If you’re wondering what translation of the Bible we’re using in this book, wonder no longer: it’s our own. It’s not the Revised Dummies Version, mind you, because such a version doesn’t exist (at least, not yet). We translate straight from the original languages of the Bible, which are Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek. When we translate the Bible, we try to be as true to the original language as possible, while still making sense in English. No two translations of the Bible are the same, so you’ll notice that our translations don’t exactly match other translations. We recommend that when reading the Bible you refer to several different translations, especially when trying to interpret difficult or controversial passages.

How This Book Is Organized

This book is divided into six parts. Here’s what you find in each part.

Part I: What the Bible Is All About

Part I provides the overall picture of what the Bible is, where we got it, and what it’s all about. Here, you find nifty summaries and outlines of how the Bible is put together, why it’s put together the way it is, the differences between Jewish and Christian Bibles, and what you can expect along your journey through the Bible. We even give you a synopsis of the entire Bible in Chapter 2.

Part II: Exploring the Hebrew Bible — The Old Testament

Part II examines the Hebrew Bible (or Old Testament). We begin by looking at what is arguably the most influential work of world literature — the Book of Genesis. Because of its importance, and because it sets the stage for what happens in the rest of the Bible, we devote four chapters to exploring this rich and diverse book. We then examine the rest of the Hebrew Bible, reliving its history, understanding its laws, interpreting its prophecies, contemplating its wisdom, and singing its psalms.

Part III: Revealing the Bible’s Hidden Treasures in the Apocrypha

In this part, we explore the Apocrypha. The books making up the Apocrypha are some of the Bible’s most intriguing, yet seldom read, books. One reason for this neglect is that the Apocrypha is not part of Jewish or Protestant Bibles, but only of Catholic and Eastern Orthodox Bibles. We discuss why these books are absent from some Bibles and not others, where they came from, and what they’re all about. The Apocrypha is a diverse body of literature, and includes history, poetry, philosophy, and prophecy. Becoming familiar with the Apocrypha helps you to understand the differences between Protestantism, Catholicism, and Eastern Orthodox Christianity.

Part IV: Discovering What’s New About the New Testament

Part IV covers the books making up the New Testament. We begin by examining the four gospels — Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John — as they describe, each from its own perspective, the life and teachings of Jesus. We then chart the growth of early Christianity as recounted in the Book of Acts. After getting the big picture of Christianity’s birth and growth, we focus our attention on the New Testament letters or epistles, beginning with the letters of Paul, which have formed the basis of many of Christianity’s central doctrines. Next, we turn to the General epistles, works written by other early leaders of Christianity, including (according to tradition) some of Jesus’ closest followers. Finally, we decipher the Book of Revelation, which describes the end times, when evil will be unleashed on the earth, but good will win out in the end.

Part V: That Was Then, This Is Now: Discovering the Bible’s Enduring Influence

This part looks at the impact of the Bible through the ages. The Bible’s traditions have given rise to three of the world’s religions — Judaism, Christianity, and Islam — and have inspired some of the greatest works of art and literature ever produced. We chart its influence over the centuries and consider how its message still impacts us today. We even look at one of the most disturbing misuses of the Bible — Hollywood movies! Actually, there have been both good and bad Bible movies, and we give you a handy guide to the most notable.

Part VI: The Part of Tens

The final section, “The Part of Tens,” is a For Dummies distinctive. Here, you find short biographies of ten (or so) of the most important people in the Bible, as well as ten holidays you can take thanks to the Bible. (Whether your boss will actually let you have the day off is another matter.)

Icons Used in This Book

Throughout this book, you find icons that highlight worthwhile bits of information or direct you to important points of interest.

The Bible is a vast book, containing lots of interesting ideas and profound insights. This icon signals those things worth remembering, either to guide you through the Bible or to guide you through life.

The Bible has many hidden dangers. When you see this icon, approach with caution, because you are about to encounter a passage or idea that has been commonly misinterpreted or has proven to be a pitfall to unsuspecting readers of the Bible (such as the dreaded who-begat-whom lists).

The Bible provides the active mind with much to think about, such as “Why are we here?”, “Where did evil come from?”, “Why do bad things happen to good people?”, and “Why are there weeds in my garden?” This icon highlights questions or concepts worth thinking about.

Although Indiana Jones is a fictional character, many real-life archaeologists are continually making amazing discoveries. Also, some of the most amazing discoveries, in the form of literary insights, have come from “excavating” the Bible. When you see this icon, you know you’ve happened upon a great discovery.

We all love trivia, and the Bible is a treasure trove of names, places, and events. Items marked with this icon are guaranteed to wow your friends.

Theologians and Bible scholars love to make up words both to impress people and, sometimes, to keep “non-experts” out of the conversation. Items marked with this icon get you back into the discussion.

Where to Go from Here

Reading the Bible is like going on an adventure — an adventure where you travel to distant lands, encounter fascinating people, and experience a whole new world. Such a journey shouldn’t be undertaken without the proper gear. Think of this book as your travel book and of us as your tour guides. You can jump into the adventure wherever you like. If you’re still not sure where you want to go, we recommend starting at the very beginning. Part I will give you a bird’s-eye view of the entire Bible.

Now, prepare yourself to be transported back in time to experience the Bible as you’ve never experienced it before (especially if you haven’t experienced it before!). You’re about to go on the adventure of a lifetime — actually, of many lifetimes — as you relive the events and meet the people who have literally changed our world (for better or for worse — we let you decide). Fasten your seat belts. Put your lid on your latte. Here we go!