The Brevity of the Scriptures

 

 Introduction

“Okay kids, it’s time for bible study!” “Groan. The bible is too big” “It takes forever to get through it.” Does this sound familiar in your household? I’ll agree that some parts of scripture seem tedious; Leviticus springs instantly to mind.

However, when you get right down to it, the bible isn’t nearly as long as you think it is. Let’s face it, if man wrote the bible, it would be so much longer. So much more would have been added to it. Here’s a look at how brief the scriptures actually are.

 

This article is not to be confused with my other one titled, Who Wrote the Bible?

 

In the Beginning

The creation of the earth, and everything within, only takes one chapter. One separate chapter was given to the creation of Adam and Eve. Had these chapters been written by man, you would see multiple chapters of what transpired during these six literal days.

And that’s another point; some would argue that the days of creation are, in actuality, millions of years. If this was the case, why don’t we read more description of what took place in those millions of years? Where are the mention of dinosaurs?

Moses wrote Genesis through inspiration of the Holy Spirit and all that is given is one chapter. This shows that although this was an incredible event, it’s not that noteworthy to remember numerous details.

 

Jesus Wept

Turning to the New Testament, in John 11, when Jesus was brought to where his friend Lazarus was buried, in verse 35 it simply reads, “Jesus wept.” That’s it. Seriously? Had this been written by man, it would have Jesus spouting a lamentation about his friend who had died, maybe sing a funeral dirge, and add some little poetry filled with emotion.

So why only two words? Because Jesus already knew what he was about to do and that was the focus of this scene. If you read the entire chapter, one of the central focuses of this chapter was the conversation between Jesus and Martha in verses 20-32, then later with Mary in verses 39-42. We read Jesus saying, “…I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live.” (John 11:25). This was the focus; Jesus was the Son of the Living God and not even a death; four days in the tomb, would prevent His power from being known.

The Disciples Mourned and Wept

During the time Jesus walked the earth, his disciples were with him for about 3½ years and they grew very close. They ate with him, traveled with him, and learned from him. Yet, when he was crucified, here’s what was said about it in Mark 16:10, “She went and told those who had been with Him, as they mourned and wept.”  The ‘she’, referenced here, is Mary Magdalene. She came to inform the disciples that she’d seen that Jesus had risen.

Yet all that’s given, in regards to the eleven, was that they “mourned and wept.” Again, had this been written by man, there would have been lamentations, poetry, anecdotes, and other things you would hear at a funeral.

Once again, the focus was not on the disciples themselves but on the resurrected Christ. His proof of being raised from the dead was by showing himself to the eleven and, even, eating in front of them. Further, he gave instructions of what was yet to come; in regards to the kingdom, and the role they played in it.

 

Conclusion

There are many more examples that can be given but these will suffice for this article. As you can see, God chose brevity as He wanted to get to the point and not pontificate about anything as it would overshadow the main message. That message is that Jesus is the Christ; The Son of the living God, and it is through Him that all of humanity might be saved (Acts 4:12).