Vol. 1 No.3 A Puzzle?

Have you ever said to yourself, "Why is the Bible so hard to understand?" Yet, with all my educational background I still had problems. No commentary can help, because that's just one or more persons opinion and we all have opinions. Now granted there are Bible teachers that seem to be more on track than others and for that reason I began to do some thinkin.

Why is it that I have such a problem with soome and not with others? Well, happily I finally discovered my answer.

For way too long I was taught to read the Bible from cover to cover. I have even done the "Read the Bible in a Year" thing. But that didn't help with my understanding. Oh sure, I prayed before I would read that Holy Spirit would help me understand. And I am not saying that He did not. That is His "job" you know. But why couldn't I put it all together? Why did it seem like a jigsaw puzzle?

Then I came across an article that dealt with just that subject. It was written by Frank Viola of Gaines ville, Fl. and his explanation brought me back to my seminary days. All the books of the Bible were put together by a 'committee', yet they were not chronological. I acquired a Narrative Bible which was done [?] chronological.? The Old Testament read great helping me put times and places with events that unveiled the story better. But when it came to the New Testament, that was another story.

So I read on in the aforementioned article. This brought new insights. The New Testament as we have today was nothing more than a jigsaw puzzle haphazardly put together. As concluded the article I read the New Testament as the author suggested. WOW!!! What a difference it made.

I am recommending to each of you 1] a book that will give insight into the New Testament and will help you as you read, and 2] a quick run down of the order of the New Testament.

1] The Untold Story by Frank Viola [web site ptmin.org]

2]Begin reading Galatians, James, 1 and 2 Thessalonians, 1& 2 Corinthians, Romans, Mark, Matthew, Luke, Colossians, Philemon, Ephesians, Philippians, 1 Timothy, Acts, Hebrews, Titus, John, 1,2,3 John, 1 Peter, 2Timothy, 2Peter, Jude, Revelation.

Now remember---This is the written chronological record. In other words Matthew was not the first New Testament book written, Galatians was and so forth.

Galatians was written in 49 AD and Revelation in 70 AD. So over about 20 years the New Testament was written.

I really encourage you to read the New Testament in this order and if you can get Viloa's book.

That's me, Just Thinkin.