WHAT THE BIBLE IS AND HOW IT’S WRITTEN
Your first steps toward getting the big picture of the Bible is to understand what it is. The Bible is a large and complex book, and these three short videos (approximately 5 minutes each) from the BibleProject are a perfect way to prepare. They’ll help you understand what the Bible is, how it came to be, and how to read it wisely. Whether you’re totally new to the Bible or you’ve tried reading it before but got stuck, these videos will give you a fresh perspective and a strong foundation.
WHAT IS THE BIBLE?
This video explains that the Bible isn’t just one book—it’s a collection of books written over a thousand years by many different authors. It covers history, poetry, letters, and prophecy, all woven together into one unified story. The Bible wasn’t dropped from the sky or dictated word-for-word—it’s a divine and human collaboration that tells the story of God’s relationship with humanity. This video helps us see that reading the Bible isn’t about looking for isolated rules or motivational quotes—it’s about discovering one big cohesive story that invites us to know and trust God.
HOW THE BIBLE IS WRITTEN
To better engage with this story, it helps to understand how the Bible is written. That’s where these two videos come in: Literary Styles in the Bible and How the Bible is Unique as Literature. These videos explain that the Bible uses different writing styles—narrative, poetry, prophecy, parables—and each one requires a different kind of reading—and is culturally rooted in ancient Hebrew ways of thinking and communication. For example, poetry is rich in ancient Jewish imagery and emotion, while narrative invites us into the plot and character development of the lives of real people in ancient near eastern world history and God’s relationship with them and us. These videos remind us that the Bible wasn’t written like a modern textbook or blog—it’s ancient, beautiful, layered literature designed to be read slowly, thoughtfully, and in community.
Watching these three videos will give you the tools and perspective you need in 15 minutes to begin your journey through the Bible with Cover to Cover. You’ll see the bigger picture, recognize the structure and themes, and know how to approach each passage you read. Most of all, you’ll be reminded that this isn’t just a book to study—it’s a story to enter, a relationship to pursue, and a life to live with God. So before you turn to Genesis 1, hit play on these videos. They’re worth every minute.
Your next step is to get the big picture story in less than 40 minutes.
Leave a Reply