General Introduction to the Bible (Hardcover)

by Norman Geisler (Author), William Nix (Author) "The word Bible can rightfully claim to be the great-grandson of the Greek word biblos, which was the name given to the outer coat of..." (more)
Key Phrases: modern speech translations, negative higher criticism, several eds, New Testament, Old Testament, King James Version (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description
A General Introduction to the Bible, presents a comprehensive introduction to the Bible. It gives special emphasis to conservative scholarship and provides clearly defined resonses to negative criticism that undermines the authority of the Bible.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 728 pages
• Publisher: Moody Publishers; Rev Exp Su edition (August 8, 1986)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0802429165
• ISBN-13: 978-0802429162
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 5.9 x 1.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.4 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.9 out of 5 stars See all reviews (9 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #43,961 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

42 of 42 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Should be a part of every Christians library., October 24, 1999

By	Jon C Miner (Graham, WA USA) - See all my reviews

This book contains an amazing amount of background information on the Bible and how it came to be in it's present form. It covers such topics as the way men were able to determine which books belonged in the Bible and which ones did not, how the books were preserved down through the centuries, how scholars are able to determine and correct mistakes that were made by well-meaning or not so well-meaning scribes, the history of our English translations of the Bible and much much more. If you want a well written book by two highly recognized Bible scholars that will be an excellent supplement to your study and understanding of the Bible plus provide an excellent reference to use whenever you need to find a quick and accurate answer to a historical Bible question, this is the book for you.

32 of 32 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Work of Great Detail and Care, December 5, 2000

By	T. B. Vick "Learn 2 Discern" (The Lone Star State) - See all my reviews (TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

Geisler and Nix have provided the Christian community with a standard introduction text to Biblical studies. This book is divided up into four major parts. Each part provides enormous detail covering issues that range from Inspiration (part 1), Canonization (part 2), Transmission (part 3) and Translation (part 4). In part one the authors discuss the definitions of revelation and inspiration, various claims of inspiration, the historical context of inspiration, to contemporary issues of inspiration. In part two canonicity is covered with its developing history, as well as an exposition of the texts that did not make it into the Bible (i.e. Apocrypha and Pseudepigrapha). Part three provides the reader with a strong emphasis on transmission of the texts, the languages of the texts, OT manuscripts, NT manuscripts, development of textual criticism, etc. The final part consists of translation of the OT and NT texts, Latin versions, English versions, modern English versions, etc. Moreover, scattered throughout this text book are illustrations, charts, actual textual photos, and diagrams. The book has a pretty comprehensive glossary, an appendix of the chronological history of the various translations of the Bible, an index, and a massive bibliography. This book is a must have for the serious student of the Bible. Moreover, both Geisler and Nix are conservative scholars and this makes for a nice conservative piece of work. Don't miss placing this high quality volume in your library, you will only be at a loss without it.

27 of 28 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Instructive reference text, July 23, 2001

By	Dr. J. Sarfati (Brisbane, Queensland Australia) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

A great one volume work on the inspiration, canonization, transmission and translation of the Bible. There are also good B&W photos, e.g. the Habakkuk Commentary, one of the Dead Sea Scrolls, so one of the earliest extant manuscripts of the OT; and P52, the oldest NT fragment.

There are good refutations of a number of false views, e.g. that an inspired Bible can contain error. The authors demonstrate that Biblical errantists confuse several concepts:

Adaptation to human finitude vs accommodation to human error: the former does not entail the latter. A mother might tell her four-year-old `you grew inside my tummy' - this is not false, but language simplified to the child's level. Conversely, `the stork brought you' is an outright error. Similarly, God, the author of truth, used some simplified descriptions (e.g. using the earth as a reference frame, as modern scientists do today) and anthropomorphisms, but never error.

Limitation vs misunderstanding: while the Second Person of the Trinity was incarnate in Jesus of Nazareth, He voluntarily limited His omniscience (Phil. 2:5-11). I.e., in His humanity, He did not know all things. But this does *not* entail that He was mistaken about anything He said. All human understanding is finite, but this doesn't entail that every human understanding is errant. Also, what Jesus *did* preach, He proclaimed with absolute authority (Mt. 24:35, 28:18), because He was speaking with the full authority of God the Father (John 5:30, 8:28), who is always omniscient. So if errantists wish to maintain his charge that Christ was mistaken because of His humanity, they must logically charge God the Father with error as well.

Geisler and Nix also show that canonicity was *not* determined by men (e.g. the Church), but determined by God and *recognized* by men.

The sections on the accuracy of transmission and translation should help Christians have confidence that when they read a Bible accurately translated into their own language today, they *are* reading the very Word of God.