JUL 9

Luke 24:44-46
Memorise Matthew 4:4
“in the law of Moses, and in the prophets, and in the psalms”

The English Bible that we are all familiar with lists 39 books in the Old Testament. You might be interested to know that according to Jewish tradition, they actually only have 24 books. This does not mean that they have rejected or taken out some books. Instead, their arrangement and classification is slightly different. There, the books of Samuel, Kings and Chronicles are one book each. Ezra and Nehemiah are also combined into one, and all twelve Minor Prophets are classed together as one as well. However, the actual contents of all these books are exactly the same as the one that we have in the English translation.

The ‘Tanakh’ is the name used by the Jews to refer to the canon of the Hebrew Bible, known to Christians as the Old Testament. It is actually a Hebrew acronym formed from the initial letters of the three main subdivisions of the Hebrew Bible – the ‘Torah’ (teaching), ‘Nevi’im’ (prophets) and ‘Ketuvim’ (writings).

This was the classification that was commonly in use during the time of Jesus. Collectively, these books were established and affirmed as the Word of God, given to His people through the prophets. It was a fixed canon that was unquestioned by the Jews, revered and treasured as the Holy Scriptures by which they ordered their lives. Jesus Christ Himself confirmed this throughout His ministry on Earth, for time and again He quoted from the Old Testament and asserted them to be the authoritative word with the phrase ‘it is written’.

On the road to Emmaus Jesus confirmed beyond a shadow of doubt that these are the three categories of scripture – ‘in the law of Moses (Torah), and in the prophets (Nevi’im) and in the psalms (writings, Ketuvim)’. Collectively, they are referred to as ‘the scriptures’ in verse 45, and Jesus again affirmed that fact with the phrase ‘it is written’ in verse 46. It is in this completed revelation of the Old Testament that numerous prophecies and shadows concerning Christ were written, and were now being fulfilled in His life, death and resurrection. Thus there is no question at all that the Tanakh, the Old Testament written in Hebrew and Aramaic, is indeed the very Word of God, affirmed by the testimony of Jesus Christ himself in the gospels.

Thought: Christ confirmed the canon! Why should we question it?

Prayer: Lord, we thank God that we can have utmost confidence in Your Word, the Holy Scriptures.