Christians know the Bible is special because it is the living Word of God. But the Bible is also unique by worldly standards. Every year, approximately 100 million copies of the Bible are sold. And with over 5 billion copies sold worldwide, it is the best-selling book of all time.
Time magazine says the Bible “has done more to shape literature, history, entertainment, and culture than any book ever written. Its influence on world history is unparalleled and shows no signs of abating.”
But what is the Bible? Why are there 66 books, and how did we get them? Why do some denominations have more books than others? Why are there so many translations? Why should we trust that the Scripture we have today is the same as the one written two thousand years ago?
Christians and skeptics often ask these kinds of questions. So John D. Meade and Peter K. Gurry wrote Scribes and Scripture: The Amazing Story of How We Got the Bible. In this book, Meade and Gurry narrate the incredible Bible journey from its writing and copying to its canonizing and translation.
The authors know too many Christians are ignorant of Bible history or have misconceptions about it. They wrote this book primarily to teach Christians the history of the Bible and how these historical facts can increase our trust in the Bible.
They say, “The wonderful thing about the Bible’s history is that so much of it is concrete—we are dealing with a book, after all. The facts are often what they are. Sometimes they do raise questions, and our goal is to minimize those… Our goal is to offer a Protestant explanation that is honest with the evidence and shows why we think the Bible’s history supports its authority. Such an explanation can instill a greater appreciation and confidence in the Bible.”
The authors also wrote this book to inspire Christians, improve our reading and interpretation of Scripture and spark our curiosity.
They structured the book into three parts, with three chapters each. Part one explains how the Bible was initially written and how scribes copied the old and new Testaments. Part two describes how we got the books of the Bible and the relationship of the early Christians with non-canonical books. And part three explores how the Bible has been translated throughout history, starting with the Jews and early Christians until the Protestant Reformation. This section also describes the history of the English Bible and explains why we have so many English translations today.
I was thrilled when I first saw Scribes and Scripture on Crossway’s upcoming releases page. I wanted a simple but detailed book on the history of the Bible, and this book did not disappoint. It provides much information without being overwhelming and uses many technical details without being hard to read.
To say I learned a lot from this book is an understatement. I was vaguely familiar with Bible history from a few other apologetic books. But Scribes and Scripture go deeper and taught me many new things.
For instance, the copying of the Bible. I know we have thousands of existing manuscripts, but I knew nothing of how ancient scribes copied the Bible, and it was fascinating to learn the process. I also enjoyed discovering the different manuscripts, their origins, distinctions, and use in translations. The footnotes in my Bible make much more sense now!
One thing I particularly liked about this book is its attention to the Old Testament. The few books I have read about Bible history always focus on the New Testament. Most of the facts about the Old Testament were new information to me.
Besides educating me about Bible history and enlightening significant points of confusion, this book also blessed me in three ways that align with the author’s three other goals. First, it renewed my appreciation for the men and women who worked tirelessly and sacrificed so believers can own bibles today. Second, the insights on Bible translation and interpretation help my study and understanding of Scripture. I especially appreciated the examples of challenging texts and the reasoning translators used to translate them. And third, the book renewed my interest in Bible history; I have already purchased another related book.
Meade and Gurry did a fantastic job with Scribes and Scripture, and I highly recommend it! The explanations are clear and easy to understand, and the content is fascinating. I enjoyed it so much that when I reached part three, I read it in one sitting because I could not put the book down.
The Bible is an extraordinary book with a fascinating history that all believers should know. This book will educate you, build your confidence in the Bible and equip you to defend it, and deepen your wonder of the God who orchestrated every step of the journey. Again, I highly recommend it!
*Crossway Publishers graciously gave me a copy, and this is my honest review*
