When people hold a Bible in their hands, they’re holding something far more than a book—it’s the story of God’s love written across centuries. Many have asked me, “Father, how did all these writings come together to become the Bible?” It’s a question that reveals not just curiosity, but a longing to understand how divine truth reached us through human history.
The Bible didn’t appear all at once. It was formed over many generations, through people inspired by the Holy Spirit. In the Old Testament, we find the sacred writings of Israel—stories, prophecies, songs, and laws that were passed down orally long before they were written. God spoke through patriarchs and prophets, and their experiences of His presence became the foundation of faith for His people.
Then came the New Testament, born from the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. The apostles and early disciples, moved by the Spirit, began to write down what they had seen and heard—letters to new Christian communities, and eventually the Gospels themselves. By the second century, these writings were already being read in churches alongside the Old Testament as sacred Scripture.
But how did the Church decide which books belonged in the Bible? Through prayer, tradition, and the guidance of the Holy Spirit. The early Church recognized which writings truly carried the apostolic faith and were inspired by God. Councils such as those in Hippo (AD 393) and Carthage (AD 397) confirmed the canon of Scripture as we have it today—forty-six books in the Old Testament and twenty-seven in the New. The same Spirit who inspired the writers guided the Church in recognizing the voice of God within them.
What this means for us is beautiful: the Bible is both divine and human. God chose to speak through human words, human hands, and human history so that His message could reach our hearts. As St. Paul said, “All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness” (2 Timothy 3:16).
When we open the Bible, we step into that same living story. It’s not just an ancient text—it’s a living Word that continues to speak today. God still meets us there, guiding, comforting, and transforming us through His truth.
May every time we read the Scriptures remind us that God still speaks, and that His Word—born in history—is meant to awaken our hearts today.
— Fr. John Matthew, for Christian Way
